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Forums - Sales - Why did ni no kuni and xenoblade go so bad in japan, compared to the west?

Boutros on 25 February 2013
LilChicken22 said:
Boutros said:
The DS version of Ni No Kuni screwed up everything. Even Level-5 said so in an interview once.

So if a game sales better on any other console than Sony's Playstation its always screwed up? The DS version was for certain cheaper to make and it also sold more, so more money than the HD version. That isn't screwing up...

Also this is the best thread i've seen in awhile. I really want to know why, because Ni No Kuni and Xenoblade indeed sold signficantly better in western countries. I don't believe the reason is because Japan is saturated with JRPG's. Has anybody seen the Dragon Quest VII numbers this week? It's already way more than NinoKuni and Xenoblade COMBINED!

All marketing ressources for Ni No Kuni went for the DS version which came out a year earlier. By the time the PS3 version came out all hype was dead and Level-5 didn't succeed at conveying the message that the PS3 version was more than a simple port of the DS version. Also, people in Japan said the game was overshadowed by One Piece: Pirate Warriors.



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IsawYoshi on 25 February 2013
Boutros said:
LilChicken22 said:
Boutros said:
The DS version of Ni No Kuni screwed up everything. Even Level-5 said so in an interview once.

So if a game sales better on any other console than Sony's Playstation its always screwed up? The DS version was for certain cheaper to make and it also sold more, so more money than the HD version. That isn't screwing up...

Also this is the best thread i've seen in awhile. I really want to know why, because Ni No Kuni and Xenoblade indeed sold signficantly better in western countries. I don't believe the reason is because Japan is saturated with JRPG's. Has anybody seen the Dragon Quest VII numbers this week? It's already way more than NinoKuni and Xenoblade COMBINED!

All marketing ressources for Ni No Kuni went for the DS version which came out a year earlier. By the time the PS3 version came out all hype was dead and Level-5 didn't succeed at conveying the message that the PS3 version was more than a simple port of the DS version. Also, people in Japan said the game was overshadowed by One Piece: Pirate Warriors.

And xenoblade? The game that many critics said was the best jrpg of this gen?



Otakumegane on 25 February 2013

Ok I can speak for Ni No Kuni because it's actually a port from an old DS game
(Well people already posted this derp)

As for Xenoblade? Kinda weird but most of the JRPG audience was either on the PS3 or handhelds at the time.



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outlawauron on 25 February 2013
Otakumegane said:
Ok I can speak for Ni No Kuni because it's actually a port from an old DS game
(Well people already posted this derp)

As for Xenoblade? Kinda weird but most of the JRPG audience was either on the PS3 or handhelds at the time.

Same people also said it's not a simple port, which it isn't.



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Otakumegane on 25 February 2013
outlawauron said:
Otakumegane said:
Ok I can speak for Ni No Kuni because it's actually a port from an old DS game
(Well people already posted this derp)

As for Xenoblade? Kinda weird but most of the JRPG audience was either on the PS3 or handhelds at the time.

Same people also said it's not a simple port, which it isn't.

I know it isn't but that's what people viewed it as over there.

The DS sales did cannabalize the PS3 one's sales.



http://gamrconnect.vgchartz.com/profile/92109/nintendopie/ Nintendopie  Was obviously right and I was obviously wrong. I will forever be a lesser being than them. (6/16/13)

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outlawauron on 25 February 2013
Otakumegane said:
outlawauron said:
Otakumegane said:
Ok I can speak for Ni No Kuni because it's actually a port from an old DS game
(Well people already posted this derp)

As for Xenoblade? Kinda weird but most of the JRPG audience was either on the PS3 or handhelds at the time.

Same people also said it's not a simple port, which it isn't.

I know it isn't but that's what people viewed it as over there.

The DS sales did cannabalize the PS3 one's sales.

This is true. It's also a new IP which aren't very easy to sell in Japan. What Boutros said about promotion and they planning about the release dates is most definitely true as well.



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And snuggle the girls be they short or tall,
Then follow young Mat whenever he calls,
To dance with Jak o' the Shadows."

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Mnementh on 25 February 2013

As I didn't try Ni No Kuni yet, I can only speak for Xenoblade: it may be a JRPG, but it plays and feels like a western RPG. It has taken over all the good points: many side-quests, more or less open-world etc. So, while technically it is a JRPG it is at the heart a WRPG, so it has more success in the West.



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Otakumegane on 25 February 2013
Mnementh said:
As I didn't try Ni No Kuni yet, I can only speak for Xenoblade: it may be a JRPG, but it plays and feels like a western RPG. It has taken over all the good points: many side-quests, more or less open-world etc. So, while technically it is a JRPG it is at the heart a WRPG, so it has more success in the West.


I see it more as a "Modernized" JRPG done right. Adopts some mechanics of WRPGs but keeps the distinct sense that it's Japanese.

WRPGs were quick to adopt a real-time combat system, sidequests, and an open world.

JRPGs just took a little while longer to adjust.

So just a JRPG adopting some of the modern mechanics already found in WRPGs.



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IsawYoshi on 25 February 2013
Mnementh said:
As I didn't try Ni No Kuni yet, I can only speak for Xenoblade: it may be a JRPG, but it plays and feels like a western RPG. It has taken over all the good points: many side-quests, more or less open-world etc. So, while technically it is a JRPG it is at the heart a WRPG, so it has more success in the West.

I think it is more of a jrpg than a wrpg but I don't really care, the game is amazing anway

Listening to a song i heard in a cutscene yesterday by the way. The music is freaking amazing!



Sparks on 25 February 2013
Turkish said:
Contrary to spoiled Japanese market, we Westerners were craving for good JRPGs for decades, finally we get 2 good ones.

^^this haha

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