"Japan becoming irrevelant to the gaming industry" Discussion

[johnlucas]

Soriku said:

Avinash_Tyagi said:
Nah, it just means that casual games are more popular in japan these days

And Mario ISN'T casual? Mario is an EVERYONE game. Not just casuals, or just hardcores, but BOTH.

@johnlucas

Very good points, but what do you have to say for this 'slow-down' of other games except FF (like I said before it falters quickly, but is strong in the beginning, and each game is selling less and less, we may have to add FF to the 'Why no big buys?' list sooner or later) and DQ? It's not like Mario isn't Japanese. So what do you think?

I think we've forgotten last year when in that "slump period" Japan was selling like 500,000 DS's a week for a little while. That was truly mindblowing.

I think we just got used to these overgrown unreal numbers now.

Think about it. Maybe people are catching themselves and being a little more conservative with their funds. They bought so many that they said WOW I'm buying too many games! I know that has happened to me and I stopped buying for a while.

Despite the whines about "the lack of games" from whiny folks in actuality the games are coming too fast. Getting hard to keep up with 'em all hence Shams's recent post "Gaming Overload". I know I'm having a hard time keeping up with all of my purchases. I buy games faster than I finish them. Just bought two more the other day and I'm still trying to catch up on all these Gamecubes and GBA/GBC/GBs I bought from used game stores over the years.

Just because people like games doesn't mean it's the only thing they like. There might be some popular J-Pop princess on a tour there and they're spending their money on that right now or there's some kind of other entertainment venue that's drawing their funds or attention. Maybe Yakuza bullies are stealing their lunch money, I don't know. Then there's job losses and household maintenance to consider. Hard to spend on luxury pastimes when you can't pay your bills. Don't get fooled by the travel brochures—Japanese people struggle with bills too just like all of us.

Certain people are still buying but I think the Japanese are just taking a breather right now from all the gaming they've been buying. They've been buying like madcats for months now and I think their wallets are hurting. I don't think it's just lack of interest.

Also it's part to do with making new types of games for their interests. Maybe they're bored. This is why Nintendo created the DS & Wii in the first place. Not many have tapped into what the Wii can do and when we see this you'll see people perk up.

I think it's just a phase and I'm not worried about it. We're used to seeing Goku as a Super Saiyan 3 for so long now it's hard to just see him as regular Goku for a while. This lull is not permanent and it's starting to break now. I really think the Japanese were letting their wallets rest for a littlebit as they await the end year blockbuster games.

The reports on SMG launch were troubling but I'm not gonna stay all wigged out by it. The game will do just fine whether it got an explosive launch or not. Still rather have seen an explosive one though. I simply think Japanese wallets are crying and they just can't keep up right now. If this kind of thing last into February then we have something to talk about but I don't think this is big right now.

We get used to seeing a Nintendo Pac-Man every week and now we're seeing Half-moons and ebbers and start to get worried forgetting that it's still a halfmoon. Plus it gives the other console fans something to discuss instead of default Nintendomination which is inevitable. Make it dramatic for the fans just like in pro wrestling.

John Lucas