"Console gaming is dead in Japan" - Reasons and Solutions

[mike_intellivision]

A few thoughts

Like it or not, there are differences in culture. For example, it is taken as accepted that Japan in general is much more resistant to a product that comes from elsewhere than other places. Americans love to import things.

There is also the work ethic/job security/responsibility put forth in the culture which makes it hard to fire people but makes them take "early retirement" or even commit suicide in extreme cases of bad business actions/decisions. No one in the American financial sector has given a second thought about laying people off or taking undeserved bonuses and only one Senator has suggested that those who caused the current panic "do the decent thing." (http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/18/us/politics/18grassley.html?ref=us)

Another difference which may be more telling right now -- and may explain what is considered "good enough" is considered that way -- is that higher end technology is not as diffused in Japan as we might think. The conversion to digital broadcasting will not occur until next year there - one year later than the US and several years after some European countries. Also, not as many people tend to hook up to the Intenet using computers (they do it through their phones -- which are considered more advanced than in the US). These differences are why Nintendo released an SD console and then sought help to get people on line.

Finally, many of the examples people noted to show that console gaming was not "dead" actually support Rol's point because they often were sequels to known, high-selling IPs.

Mike from Morgantown