Heck, We don't even know if ES will hit Europe or the US for the PS3. I wonder if it has to do with a contract they made with MS or the possibility that the certain studio that's making those RPG games just sucks at coding for the PS3. Another possibility is that the people at Namco Bandai don't think they could sell any units on the PS3, but that would only contradict the fact that Naruto and Tekken are PS3 exclusives.

Hi Everyone,

#1 - Japanese gaming market is dying, Japanese developers need to branch out

#2 - NA is Japan's least succesful market in terms of JRPG's

#3 - 360 is one of the strongest markets for NA

#4 - Trying to expand in NA with the 360 to reach a new audience and growing a new userbase is a good strategy


You people act like Namco is trying to sell ice cubes to Eskimo's ("Inuits" here in Canada)

How do we know Microsoft paid for Namco to put software on Xbox. Namco has always supported Xbox.

PS3 fanboy logic - If a developer chooses to ignore the PS3 then Microsoft paid them to do it.

Of course it makes sense fro them.. why would developers ignore the all mighty, super shinny, kitten making C3ll??

Hi you,

#1 Japanese gaming market is thriving on DS and Wii. It's only the old market, the one to which XB360, PSP, PS2 and PS3 sell, that is dying in Japan. Japanese developers need to branch out to Wii or die.

#2 Fail! NA is not Japan's least succesful market in terms of JRPG, for the simple fact that lots of JRPG released in NA never see a release in Europe. This despite Europe being a huge market for the PS2. So actually, Europe is the least succesful market in terms of JRPG.

#3 Unfortunately, the other strong market is the Wii in NA

#4 It is a good strategy until you realize it's failing big time. When it's decent, that's because you don't make true JRPG anymore, but a mix with WRPG. Unfortunately, unlike the other attempts (Eternal Sonata, Lost Odyssey, Blue Dragon, ...), Tales is a strongly japanese franchise in mind, which isn't suited for mix with WRPG. Most of its sales are in Japan. To sum up, releasing it on XB360 is a good way to kill the franchise. I should say "finishing to kill the franchise", as putting shovelware "Tales of" on the DS already started killing it.

Maybe it's just me, but somehow I don't really consider exclusive title as "branching out".

Actually namco bandai is starting to be on my most hated list. They made me actually regret holding on to my money for too long hoping that I'd purchase it when it comes to the PS3. June 12 is approaching and nothing yet.

This is a promise to me to never believe their toying intentions. I'd just buy for the 360 and not hold on to the money.

B/c it's obvious? It's not the point that Namco is supporting the Xbox, they've supported MS in the past, it's the point that they are EXCLUSIVELY supporting the Xbox on many Japanese catered games. As Gebx said, many Japanese publsihers are trying to branch out, this is very much true and the 360 is a great vehicle to western gamers. BUT with that being said, it still doesn't warrent almost completely ignoring their main audience, games like Idol Master (which has NO western appeal) reinforces this. Besides the possible fact that some of their studios might be really behind on PS3 coding to where PS3 games are impossible(which i doubt), a contract is the only explaination for not going multiplatform. Constricting yourself to one console that is completely irrelevent in Japan only to attempt to raise credibility in other regions is NOT "branching out", it's called "starting over".

@Gebx: Don't start a fire.

gebx, stop trolling, your 360 must be ready by now, unwrap the towel and play some more GTA4.

I don't see how releasing Idolmaster exclusively on the 360 is "branching out".  It's not even going to be released in NA.  Namco Bandai clearly has some kind of contract with Microsoft to release exclusive games for them.  Otherwise it makes no financial sense to release a game like Idolmaster on just the 360 when basically it's a game for Japanese gamers.  Namco Bandai would've lost a lot of money if they weren't compensated in some shape or form by Microsoft.