Are RPGs becoming niche on consoles?

[Impulsivity]

I think the general level of suck RPGs, in particular JRPGs, have demonstrated is solely responsible for that. I mean if they're going to churn out crap like Blue Dragon and Lost Oddyssey (which wouldn't even make the top 25 best PS2 RPGs in a million years) then yes, sales will be bad.

The only bright spot is PC flavored WRPGs like Fallout 3 and Mass Effect. With more like Dragon Age and the Witcher making it to multiple consoles there is certainly hope for RPGs, probably just not JRPGs which are looking more and more dated whenever I try playing them lately. I mean it was great in 1987 when Dragon Warrior was new, but games like Fallout 3, Mass Effect, the Witcher, Knights of the Old Republic and the rest of the WRPG crowd have raised the bar so much higher the last few years that JRPGs just look....passe.

   I mean the least they could do is add moral choice, branching dialogue and the ability to make characters that don't look like hermaphadites (like ALL JRPG protagonists seem to be).  Adding some combat that isn't as stale as 3 year old bread wouldn't hurt either.

   Valkaria Chronicles was a big step in the right direction, and the white knight chronicles might be too if they would fin release the damn thing over here.

   Also I bet you anything the boatload of MMOs eats into that non MMO RPG market a fair bit.  I buy less games when I'm playing MMOs actively pretty decidedly.