| theRepublic said: Which could all be a moot point if the industry's shift to digital distribution accelerates. According to Berry, he foresees the Japanese developers trying to publish online in North America without help from Western publishers. Interesting paragraph at the end of the article. I wonder how well Japanese developers could 'localize' their games for Western audiences. I would think they would need some outside help. |
"I feel asleep!"
"Can love blossom on the battlefield?"
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"All your base are belong to us."
Ahh, the return of Engrish. Can't wait!
Can anybody please make a summary of the most important things?
These niche publishers can work their mojo primarily because they don't pay a dime for the development costs, they just pick games which are already completed (thereby eliminating the risk of cost overruns, etc.).
It's becoming increasingly lucrative (and therefore competitive) for just that reason. But it's still too small a market for the big publishers to care.
Decisions on who localizes what are less about money and more about who you know/who trusts you, which is why you always see the same faces.
Europe might start to get the same treatment as Japan soon, but the small staffs (staves?) at these niche places are all too specialized to allow that for now: everyone speaks Japanese and English fluently, they know the culture/references for both regions, etc.
These guys usually specialize in JRPGs (duh). Something about them knowing their way around, and everyone on staff being willing to play 40 hour games.
These guys rarely chip in for the development costs, but instead promise a minimum dollar figure up front, and a small royalty for every unit sold after X amount. One guy put this minimum number as low as $100k and as high as $800k, with royalties on bigger games (relatively speaking) reaching as high as $2-4 million in addition to that guaranteed.
The former head of Working Designs is contemplating jumping back into that market.
If these guys get their hands on the source code, they may make some minor changes themselves, rather than waiting on the Japanese team to do it for them.
Japanese developers might start localizing themselves, via digital distribution. Hilarity will ensue.
