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[Jeeves]

Even if people in Japan are playing fewer games, they lose some appeal to western audiences too by doing this.

I'm an American who vastly prefers Japanese game design sensibilities, and I know I'm far from being the only one. Lots of console gamers across the globe more or less grew up on a diet of Japanese games.

I can get western games from anywhere. But nine times out of ten, Japanese exclusives are what drive me to buy a console.

 

[Phunkydiabetic]

Meh. It'll be for the better if the past 7 are something to go by.

 

[Clear]

Sounds like BS to me. The only thing I can see changing is that Japan is no longer the only significant territory in Asia region. That China Hero project is a significant development towards investing more heavily in the East.

 

[Keihart]

If they are closing Japan Studio i think it would be tragic, many games have come out there and the only real mascots ever associated with PlayStation too like Taro and Kuro or Astrobot. Furthermore, timeless classics have too like The Last Guardian and Gravity Rush, so if they somehow really make Japan studio kick the bucket, they will be missing some serious brand power and identity.

I'm really disappointed with PS management since Hulst and Ryan, they haven't made 1 good or cool announcement regarding WWS since they are in charge, only shit news.

 

[michaelius]

Article seems wrong but I think that studios in Japan will be giving us more universally appealing stuff like DS remake and much less quirky exclusives like Gravity Rush, Last Guardian, Patapons, Locoroco etc.

And I'm not a fan of such change.

 

[Silver Wattle]

Hmm, after the supposed "MS investing in Japan" we get a "Sony is abandoning Japan", convenient timing.

 

[bender]

If you look at the PS4 output, I guess it's not surprising.

2013:

Knack
The Playroom

2015:

Bloodborne (From)
Gravity Rush Remastered (BluePoint)

2016:

The Playroom VR
The Tomorrow Children (Q-Games)
The Last Guardian (genDesign)

2017:

Gravity Rush 2
PaRappa the Rapper Remastered (NanaOn-San)
LocoRoco Remastered
Everybody's Golf (Clap Hanz)
Patapon Remastered
Knack II
No Heroes Allowed VR (Acquire)
LocoRcco 2 Remastered

2018:

Shadow of Colossus Remake (BluePoint)
Astro Bot Rescue Mission
Deracine (From)

2019:

Everbody's Golf VR (Clap Hanz)

Still disappointing as I greatly prefer their output to Sony's more popular tent pole titles.

 

[Mobile Suit Gooch]

Doesn't make sense. I mean why would they? They made Final Fantasy 16 a timed exclusive.

 

[bender]

Doesn't make sense. I mean why would they? They made Final Fantasy 16 a timed exclusive.

I think you've answered your own question. They are relying less on internal development and more on 2nd or 3rd party titles these days. The first party releases are either disappointing or failing to make a market impact.

 

[Carna]

 

[Mobile Suit Gooch]

I think you've answered your own question. They are relying less on internal development and more on 2nd or 3rd party titles these days. The first party releases are either disappointing or failing to make a market impact.

So Japan Studio is on the block I guess.

 

[SaturnSaturn]

Would not suprise me if they did, playstation has only been a japanese company in name the last years, the ps2 and 3 era of niche jap games that you buy a console for are gone, its only just tripple a titles devloped in the west, also when japanese devs have to go through the us branch for censorship guidlines, and ask and converse in english, you know the japanese branch is as good as dead.

Of course they will deny they are "abandoning" it, but just look at the actions over the last years, it sucks as a massive fan of ps2 and ps3.

Mobile Suit Gooch lots of contracts that are usually roling has not been renewed, they are at least downsizing heavily

also the X and O switch is worth mentioning, says all that needs to be said

 

[Blue Spring]

Doesn't make sense. I mean why would they? They made Final Fantasy 16 a timed exclusive.

Its weird that the exclusivity is somehow getting handwaved but you can bet if microsoft or nintendo had exclusivity to a mainline Final Fantasy even if its timed the internet would have exploded.

 

[bender]

So Japan Studio is on the block I guess.

The writings been on the wall. Just look at the list I posted, the best of their output last generation was TLG, Gravity Rush 2 and Astrobot, I don't think the studio will ever completely close down as you need internal development to produce software to help usher in new hardware (Astrobot for VR or the DualSense) and to help assist development efforts from 2nd/3rd parties,

 

[Mobile Suit Gooch]

Would not suprise me if they did, playstation has only been a japanese company in name the last years, the ps2 and 3 era of niche jap games that you buy a console for are gone, its only just tripple a titles devloped in the west, also when japanese devs have to go through the us branch for censorship guidlines, and ask and converse in english, you know the japanese branch is as good as dead.

Of course they will deny they are "abandoning" it, but just look at the actions over the last years, it sucks as a massive fan of ps2 and ps3.

Mobile Suit Gooch lots of contracts that are usually roling has not been renewed, they are at least downsizing heavily

also the X and O switch is worth mentioning, says all that needs to be said

No more Persona on PS I guess.

 

[SaturnSaturn]

No more Persona on PS I guess.

Persona is so big, and sells well in the west so it will be on ps.

 

[cireza]

I thought that Sony was an American company.

 

[Blue Spring]

Persona is so big, and sells well in the west so it will be on ps.

Does Sony have to prove their commitment to japan by funding and marketing some sub 100k selling third party game?

 

[Carna]

I thought that Sony was an American company.

no, sony was founded by japanese people. they globalized their company after the success of the walkmen to draw in bigger profits.

 

[Edgelord79]

Typical reply preview:
“Wahhh the wokes are taking over more censorship coming RIP gaming”
For anyone pissing the point: stay on topic

Nice pre-emptive bully tactic. Never saw anything like this before.

 

[SaturnSaturn]

Does Sony have to prove their commitment to japan by funding and marketing some sub 100k selling third party game?

No i really dont think they should, but they could at least not force developers to go through the us branch to get questions answered (In us times and english) about what they need to censor or not before release. Its been pissing small jap devs off. Switch/whatever new nintendo will get the niche games next gen

 

[Edgelord79]

Interesting article. Based on units sold, I could see why PlayStation would want to focus on the west. The pressure would be enormous to equal their successes for eastern markets.

I still think it will be very difficult for Microsoft to break into Japan in a meaningful way with respect to Xbox even if Sony isn't there. Nintendo is a force in Japan.

 

[Perrott]

Does Sony have to prove their commitment to japan by funding and marketing some sub 100k selling third party game?

Sub 100k? What? Persona 5 sold millions of copies on PlayStation consoles.

 

[inflation]

Console gaming in Japan is declining, and that's not a news. Jim Ryan expressed they would focus more on Asia beyond Japan and Latin America (of course West would come first). For instance, Playstation China has the project to promote and support indie game developers from China to global audience, which does not require to be exclusives.

 

[Blue Spring]

Sub 100k? What? Persona 5 sold millions of copies on PlayStation consoles.

Look at the post I quoted again. Its not about Persona.

 

[thelastword]

Personally I would've liked to see Evolution Studios given the Gran Turismo license. I find Polyphony's games boring as fuuuck ever since Forza came out (and Driveclub).

And yet more people buy and play GT much more than Forza and Driveclub combined.....People forget that Forza Motorsport have never been a great seller..

 

[Perrott]

Look at the post I quoted again. Its not about Persona.

Oh, sorry, I understood it as if you were talking about Persona. My bad.

 

[inflation]

Persona is an exception. Look at 13 Sentinels and that's your typical niche Japanese game (many are far from that quality tbh). 100,000 sales has already beyond Atlus' expectation, even it's such a masterpiece.

 

[PPIMystaceus]

Weren't Sony hiring more people for Japan Studio earlier this year? Doesn't seem right.

 

[Clear]

So Japan Studio is on the block I guess.

After Astrobot being the flagship app for PSVR and Dualsense? Polyphony going away? Really don't see it.

 

[Hezekiah]

The home console market is shrinking in Japan with PC and handheld on the rise. PS had a handheld but it dropped the ball with it and now Japan is basically a Nintendoland. PS will definitely get Japanese games, but long term it has no chances there in Japan.

Japan in general is ahead of the west in a lot of areas - including the problems - so current Japan is what will happen on the west.

Culturally Japan has always been very different to the West. Can't see handhelds and the type of games popular over there taking hold in Europe.

 

[Neff]

With Ryan in charge no poor decisions on Sony's part will surprise me.

 

[Enjay]

Doesn't surprise me. It's a san francisco company now.

 

[Mobile Suit Gooch]

I can kinda see PlayStation being the new Xbox. Only getting the "heavy hitters" while Xbox gets the niche games PS use to get.

 

[duhmetree]

Last Generation, Knack 1 and 2, Bloodborne, Gravity Rush, The Last Guardian and Shadow of the Colossus.. Not bad output. I'm sure they're trimming the fat, at the studio. They helped develop Astros Playroom and Demon Souls for PS5 launch. Rumor is, they're working on a Silent Hill. There's also that rumored Cerny game ( MGS Remake? )... Pretty sure Japan Studio would be involved.

To add to it, hopefully they're working with FROMsoft to make a Bloodborne II

What do you want from 1 studio?

 

[Kumomeme]

japanese videogame industry kind of falling down during ps360 which is i guess has major impact not to mention lot of sony first party games is western type that been focus and build up since atleast ps3 era. people at japan seems prefer more to mobile phone/portable console, unless sony release next portable console, i not suprise if lot of japanese game devs end up releasing game on smartphone or switch.

 

[truth411]

Sony Japan Studio Expands with External Development Department

More games on the way

www.pushsquare.com

Completely contradicts what is actually happening.

Isn't that article dated April 1st. April Fools day?

 

[Dr. Kitty Muffins]

The Switch vastly outsells everything in Japan. Sony Japan really isn't making anything that moves consoles there. None of the Japanese exclusives are helping them compete with Nintendo.

 

[supernova8]

And yet more people buy and play GT much more than Forza and Driveclub combined.....People forget that Forza Motorsport have never been a great seller..

Yeah sure I don't deny GT shifts units like no other driving game. I just don't get the draw. It was great for GT3 and GT4 but I got sick of car physics that make no sense. I want realistic crashes or at least something akin to what we had with TOCA Racing.



Look at these awesome crash mechanics, in a game from fuckin 2004.

 

[cireza]

no, sony was founded by japanese people. they globalized their company after the success of the walkmen to draw in bigger profits.

I knew very well. It was a joke post because they hardly look like a Japanese company with their recent output in games.

 

[Dr. Kitty Muffins]

I wish they would open up more studios in South Korea and Taiwan.

 

[PPIMystaceus]

I wish they would open up more studios in South Korea and Taiwan.

That would be cool. Japan is great, but there's a lot more talent in Asia for Sony to pick up alongside their Japanese teams.

 

[Komatsu]

I mean, it's blindingly obvious that this has been happening ever since Sony Corp decided to basically merge SCE into its new, California-based SIE division. Everybody in the industry knows and understands Playstation is now for all intents and purposes a US outfit - fanboyish hopes aside.

Leadership is in San Mateo. Design, R&D, developer-support, all of it is in Cali now and you have to be delusional if you think this has no bearing whatsoever on how the division is operated. 25-20 years ago, with Kutaragi running the business from 3 floors in Minato-ku and Kaz Hirai shuttling between Tokyo and Los Angeles every month, SCE was in the cutting edge of Japanese gaming. Who's the big kahuna now? Ryan. Who designs the console? Cerny. Who's the VP of Marketing? Mary Yee. This is a California company now, folks, with all that entails.

Every year it passes, the Japanese market becomes smaller, older, more TV-averse and more focused on mobile gaming. I play almost exclusively Japanese games, but we must understand this is a niche within the industry and not a particularly big one.

The PS5 will not reach the number the PS3 achieved and probably will sell less than the PS4 - in Japan. Globally, I'm sure it'll surpass 3 (and 4 as well, most likely)/

 

[Breakage]

Regardless of what the article says post-PS3 SIE increasingly feels like an extension of Sony's movie studios. They don't really have the Japanese quirky-ness that defined the PS1 and PS2 eras anymore. Seeing the recent Digital Foundry PS2 launch game stream reminded me of the strong influence Japan had on the PS2.

 

[Kumomeme]

they been focusing on western market and type of games since atleast ps360 generation and it no suprise that it become this big and pay off like this

also the state of japanese market also contributed to this. portable and smartphone games become popular there, and the fallen of japanese industry during 'HD era of ps360' also affecting things until today. They bounce back this gen but not completely like how it used to be. might be bit different if vita is huge success or they launched new portable console.

all this factor resulted to what happened today

 

[losslessFlac]

Japanese game companies still punch above their weight in output - Capcom, Atlus, Square-Enix, From Software, Sega, Platinum Games, Nintendo.
I wonder if it's more of inability to attract talent as game devs growing up on such memorable franchises would rather work for these companies than Sony.
I'm fine if they take on a publishing or support role for big budget Japan PS exclusives.

 

[YeulEmeralda]

From Japanese comments I've seen there's definitely a growing resentment for Sony and their focus on pandering to the west. But I think both Sony and MS will fail in Japan, as they're both western companies in current year. MS had a great opportunity to snatch up some devs hurt by Sony's new puritanical ideals, or create their own Japanese studios, but they saw it more fit to invest in Bethesda which accomplishes nothing.

Microsoft is based near Seattle, a place just as SJW as California. Dont expect lolis from them.

 

[LRKD]

In my opinion you only need to look at 2016 e3, for all the proof you need that PlayStation is more than happy to throw Japan under the bus. They had an amazing Gravity Rush 2 trailer, and they didn’t air it on their e3 press conference.

Instead they just tossed it on YouTube, and gave the game very little advertising all the way up to launch.
Then killed the servers just 18 months after the game launched.

Microsoft is based near Seattle, a place just as SJW as California. Dont expect lolis from them.

Microsoft definitely isn’t interested in making those games themselves. However Gal Gun Returns is releasing on the Xbox, and not the PlayStation.

A game where you shoot girls with your love bullets or something like that. So perhaps they’ll continue letting pervy Japanese games release on Xbox.

 

[SlimeGooGoo]

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