I think the problem for developers is the need for that qualifier, especially if the developer counts primarily on Japan for their survival. Things could be worse, mind you (you can be making JRPGs exclusively for the 360, for instance), but that doesn't mean this is great either.

And before you start, no, sales for Wii games aren't stellar either. Something needs to bring Japan back into console gaming. Hell if I know what it is, though.

axumblade said: 1 Blue Dragon Microsoft 210,462 2 Tales of Vesperia Namco Bandai 161,182 3 Last Remnant Square Enix 122,301 4 Infinite Undiscovery Square Enix 118,984 5 Ace Combat 6: Kaihou e no Senka Namco Bandai 117,894 Maybe so, but that means that the top selling game in Japan on the 360, got outsold by a good 100k by every PS3 game in the top 5...including the 4 out of 5 games that are "bad."

Come on Axum... use your brain:

PS3 in Japan = 2,550,000
360 in Japan = 820,000

So if you look closely:

210,000 (Blue Dragon) on a 820,000 userbase = attach ratio 26%
671,000 (MGS4) on a 2,550,000 userbase = attach ratio 26%

Both are owned by a quarter of the total consoles sold.

 Dude... honestly... do you prefer to play both Dinasty Warriors and a soccer game over Blue Dragon, a Tales game, Ace Combat and Infinite Undiscovery?

Neither does Nintendo in my opinion. It's why they made the Balance Board and now Motion Plus. They're trying to draw Japan back into console gaming, and I'm going to assume they're not 100% happy with the results so far. I think Iwata said at the beginnig of this generation that they're not concerned with competing with Sony or Microsoft as much as they with selling to people who don't want a game system at all.

I'd rather re-play Secret of Evermore or Blast Works over any of them, to cite two completely random examples from the top of my head. You'll find me in the minority, though.

Which is the point. I have a subjective opinion which I will stick to at all times. But I refuse to use it to belittle the tastes of others. That's trolling, and it doesn't do any of us any favors.

Too true. I'm actually sure they're happy with Wii Fit (it's selling quite well now, and I think it's moved a ton of hardware), but I'm positive they wanted more out of Wii Music and their more traditional titles. Nintendo's battling apathy, but regarding consoles in Japan they seem to be losing the upper hand.

Well... fair enough (actually, I do prefer to play Secret of Evermore or Blast Works over any of the others games).

So, sorry for the trolling...

Simple, Microsoft didn't do much for the 360 in Japan with getting a lot of JRPGs, but it did stop the PS3 for selling more (price is key but not having JRPGs didn't help either)...

Now, in december White Knight Chronicles arrives, the 1st PS3's JRPG, and from Level-5, a company that has earned Japan's respect... This could be the beginning of something...

Nintendo sure needs some 3rd party and more games that appeal to the non-casual, and it's getting some love (Capcom with Monster Hunter 3 especially), but it needs more, because Japan is not the West where the majority of the Wii owners are soccer moms, girlfriends, grandpas, etc. that have it for the casual 5 (Wii Sports, Wii Play, Wii Fit, Wii Music and Mario Kart Wii which appeals for the 2 groups)...

The bottom line is that J's have the handheld market supersaturated (especially with the DS) and the majority is still playing the PS2, that means that a lot of them are still waiting for the Wii and the PS3 to get better in games library (and the PS3 also in price) then they'll buy it...

Hey repost this on Jan 1st.

(PES '09 is over 200k in it's 2nd week BTW. Breaking '08s sales will be easy at the end of the year.)

Looks like the only PS3's million sellers in Japan will be 2 Final Fantasy games.