German famous news site Golem.de published an article about Japan and its importance to the gaming world:

"Video Games in Japan
 How the Games Paradise isolated
 "Awkward," "shameful" and "unfair" it is some Japanese that their Playstation 4 last appears in its own country.  Nevertheless, they stand at the Tokyo Game Show is not for Battlefield, but for smartphone apps in the queue.

 The classic Japanese video game industry isolated, "she shrinks and focuses more and more on mobile games."  Shuhei Yoshida says in an interview at the Tokyo Game Show.  The boss of Sony Worldwide Studios is thus the same opinion as many other industry giants.

 We also quickly notice during our stay: Japan is a paradise for the Street Pass feature on the Nintendo 3DS.  Also PSP and PS Vita are as commonplace as the smartphone in the train, in a café or in front of the fast food restaurant.

 In the 90s Japanese video games have shaped America and Europe.  Today, the impact is far less.  With western games like Call of Duty or GTA 5 little Japanese can start but still.

 If such games are bought, "then of players who are interested in historical events such as the Second World War," explains the chief developer of the Playstation 4, Mark Cerny.

Homemade problems

 Once successful brands, such as Final Fantasy and Mega Man now living primarily from merchandising and not of high quality new production parts.  At this year's Tokyo Game Show, Japan's largest gaming convention, which is obvious.  Instead of Final Fantasy for the Playstation 4 Square Enix shows an HD remake of the tenth part for the PS Vita.  The newly published version of the online role-playing game Final Fantasy 14 is jerky to see on a Microsoft Surface tablet.

 The hope for a new Mega-Man from Capcom have already given up and buy players instead of the third infusion anniversary soundtracks in one of the many gadget shops in Hall 8

Trends at the fair

 Thomas Nickel, a lecturer at the Games Academy and an expert on Japanese games, has this year's show damning. "That Shown, with a few exceptions, neither very creative nor original, if there was something exciting, such as Sega's new Yakuza, then it is assumed that it does not come in the West thanks to the new localizations-ice age. "

 The new Yakuza was at the show alongside the anspielbaren Deep Down for Playstation 4 of the most interesting titles from a Western perspective.  The fair landscape was shaped by a number but Monster Hunter incarnations in the form of card games, figures, smartphone apps and a new version for the PS Vita.  Also seen much: flirt simulators, games and music beat'em ups.

"Especially bitter is this whole picture, if you can predict a little scoured the classic stores in Shinjuku and Akihabara and marvel there in confined spaces Japan's glorious past games," says Thomas Nickel.

 After a trend of the West and Japan have apparently discovered together for themselves: indie games.  Them was devoted to a small, private area of ​​the fair.  Already at Gamescom and E3 2013 was a significantly greater focus on indie titles to watch.

Consequences for Japanese studios

 Japanese studios trying to imitate Western bestsellers, have so far not been successful.  Lost Planet Capcom managed in any of the three part series, keeping up with the obvious example of Gears of War.  However, Capcom did the style and drama of Japanese virtues faithful and just playfully resembled the lines of Epic Games.

 Konami's Metal Gear resembles Solid series with Part 5 to the needs of Western players.  Who 5 compares the trailers for Metal Gear Solid 2 and Metal Gear Solid with each other, recognize, have had the influence of games such as Splinter Cell.  In terms of control, Konami has adapted the Japanese Slow play with more freedom of movement, faster animation and the new camera work to the wishes of Americans and Europeans.

Japanese dream team developed western Knack

 It comes with the Sony PS4 launch title Knack different. "From a Western point of view sees Knack not particularly Japanese," says Mark Cerny, chief developer of the PS4 and pops in an interview with Golem.de.

 This family-friendly action game but is produced by a kind of dream team of Japanese developers.  For programming Tsuyoshi Murakami (Shenmue, Ys, Eye of Judgment) is responsible.  Lead Background Artist's Koji Hasegawa (Shadow of the Colossus).  More from developer Knack previously worked on titles such as Tekken, Wild Arms or Gravity Rush.

 Whether Sony's approach pays off, the sales figures will only show in the West.  Japanese gamers get cracking on 22  February 2014 gave the console launch.

Japanese are waiting for their Playstation 4

 Sony now fully sets out the priorities for the U.S. and Europe.  Gone are the times when Europeans had to wait for the new Playstation for a year.  Now wait for the Japanese.  To five million Playstation 4 consoles for sale by the end of March, the PS4 released in Europe and the USA in November 2013.  Only four months later comes the console 22  February 2014 to Japan.

 Asked of us, many players show on the Makuhari Messe center in Chiba annoyed with Sony's strategy to release the PS4 recently in Japan. "This is embarrassing," a fair visitors says angry. "Sony is a Japanese company, I think it's shameful "says another.

"Since working for over a year third party like Ubisoft already on multiplatform titles," says Sony's Shuhei Yoshida step.  Why is a start in the West already possible.  Typical Japanese games are not finished yet.  Without them we would not publish in Japan the console.

 It is assumed that players in Japan still buy the fourth and not Xbox Playstation One.  Speaking of Xbox One: One of us mentioned lady was actually interested in Microsoft's upcoming console and GTA fifth  Later it turned out that she lives most of the time in England.  (Mw)"

Original URL: http://www.golem.de/news/videospiele-in-japan-wie-sich-das-spieleparadies-isoliert-1309-101733.html

Translated: http://www.google.com/translate?hl=en&ie=UTF8&sl=auto&tl=en&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.golem.de%2Fprint.php%3Fa%3D101733

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Any thoughts?

Any thoughts? Several.

1-Google translator sucks.

2-Saying that Metal Gear have been influenced by Splinter Cell is, at least, odd.

3-The shift from home consoles to handhelds/smartphones in Japan is nothing new, it's been happening since many years ago. The fact that the PS4 launches there last is not a sign of that rather than a consequence. There is a reason why Nintendo is merging its handheld and home console studios.

4-One of the problems of Japanese studios (Capcom, S-E, Namco, etc.) is that they lost their place, and still haven't found it. They heavily relied on their own market to make most of their money, with the western markets being sometimes an after thought, a "why don't we launch it there to make extra money?" kind of release. But with the decline of the home console market they have lost that advantage and must rely on those western markets to make money.

And that brings one of their other problems: their games were played not only for the graphics, but also for their stories and because more often than not, they had little differences that compared to similar western developed games gave them an unique appeal. And they have forgotten that. This past gen they have lost that mentality/approach and tried to out do western studios copying their games. And that haven't worked.

And to make things even worse, that failed approach also hurts them because it gives no incentives to the Japanese to buy home consoles as their interest for those kind of games is small, so their market decline even faster.

Just some of my thoughts.