Why Momotaro Dentetsu(NSW) sold so much?

[y-koron]

In Japanese gaming market, Momotaro Dentetsu(NSW) becomes leading player on the holiday season.

Many of you surprised and think "Why?"

So, I try to explain about it ("Do you post here for the first time in twelve years?" Never mind).

First, in fact, Japanese game sales watchers received its current sales as big surprise.

Momotaro dentetsu franchise is very long life, first one is released in 1988 as a spin-off game of earlier JRPG, Momotaro Densetsu.

Momotaro Dentetsu(NSW) is released as 13th game of its franchise on console and first Konami published one (first~11th:Hudson, 12th:Nintendo)

So, this franchise is well known in Japanese game players, especially, as once an annual holiday regular game since it released in December.

Their sales has been usually 200k~700k and Japanese game sales watchers have treated them as a backseat of market.

OK, so now, I listed "why it is being sold so much?" from the sight of Japanese.

1. Konami permitted players to stream the game playing and monetization.

Playing Momotaro Dentetsu is like a nail-biter and this concept is very suitable for streaming.

Many players, especially famous YouTubers, streaming their play on Youtube and various streaming services, and more it is featured on TV programs.

So, people get many chances to see Momotaro Dentetsu widely. This stimulate the demand.

2. COVID-19

COVID-19 affects Japanese lifestyle largely same as USA, Europe and so on.

Notably one is "increase the opportunity to communicate with family".

Momotaro Dentetsu is traditionally good tool for communication with family, friends and so.

So, it fits ideally on current Japanese society (and Nintendo is advertising it based on this concept)

Co-supervisor Shoji Masuda said "Momotaro Dentetsu(NSW) is good seller because people wants to listen the voice with fun of their families or friends"

3. Change of Graphics

Momotaro Densetsu and Momotaro Dentetsu franchise employ Takayuki Doi as a Character Designer because he worked with "Jump Housoukyoku" on weekly Syounen Jump(1982~1995).

But, in Momotaro Dentetsu(NSW), Doi isn't participating any more.

Sakuma and Masuda says about it, "Because Doi participated other game(Billions road(NSW, BandaiNamco Games)) similar as ours one."

This was a controversial change among fans of franchise.

But some of them claims "Doi's design is out-of-date and children accepted current design more easily"

At last, I show one question discussed among Japanese game sales watchers recently.

"Are there any chance for other Board game franchises 'Fortune Street' and 'Dokapon'?"