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Rune Factory 4 cancelled for Europe

ZeroX03

Banned
All blame in this thread belongs to Neverland and/or Marvelous. There's plenty of discussions already going about region locking in other threads, it's not Nintendo's fault that we aren't getting this game.

This thread is really fucking depressing.
 

_Ryo_

Member
Shouldn't Nintendo be doing everything they can to secure game releases in markets other than Japan? I don't see how things like this are going to help them, especially when they're already doing so badly.
 
.... how has it even anything to do with region locking ?
without it you would be able to play an US or JP version but they certainly wouldn't have localized it either, thus limiting greatly the possible audience.
Anybody who cares about living in this world, in which we are, should learn english as it is the current universal language for communication among humans: not publishing a game because the publisher doesn't want to localize it in other languages other than english is just lame, there's plenty of market for english only games among all the inhabitants of EU.

And the blame goes to Nintendo: they both release defective-by-design consoles and don't take care that games are released in all of the western markets, but artificially create a gap between EU and US that in the mind of gamers has been closed a long time ago.

I'm really surprised that Nintendo still gets some advocates after news like this: basically Nintendo creates artificial, completely unneeded obstacles and when a publisher doesn't jump those obstacles we blame the publisher and not Nintendo for doing it in the first place. That's just absurd... the way Nintendo desperately tries to spoil the joy of playing on Nintendo hardware is simply incredible, it's like they really do everything to lessen your enjoyment.
 

gngf123

Member
It's usually the other way around. Europe gets it and NA doesn't. Not sure what happened there.

Try telling that to Atlus fans. Or those who played any of the other Rune Factory games, which we got a year later than everyone else. Sometimes 2.
 

Mael

Member
Anybody who cares about living in this world, in which we are, should learn english as it is the current universal language for communication among humans: not publishing a game because the publisher doesn't want to localize it in other languages other than english is just lame, there's plenty of market for english only games among all the inhabitants of EU.
If your market is kids with this product, selling it in English only is market suicide, plain and simple.
They'll play something else.
Heck even if you try to market to other demographic they'll play something else too, or they're more likely to play something else.
That's what the money people will tell you, unless you have proof positive that it have a known base to cater it to.
There's a reason why Professor Layton was localized and exploded because of that.
You can't expect publishers in this climate to take that big a risk in today's market (the risk being to release a product untranslated).

And the blame goes to Nintendo: they both release defective-by-design consoles and don't take care that games are released in all of the western markets, but artificially create a gap between EU and US that in the mind of gamers has been closed a long time ago.
And I guess if they released it and it was quickly out of stock and then you couldn't found it anywhere it would somehow be the fault of Nintendo for some other reason amirite?

only games i can think of that we got that US didnt is the Inazuma (3 of 6 on a region free device) games and that tingle game (region free again)

But you don't get it! They had to wait for Xenoblade and Bravely Default so they're in a shittier situation!
 

ULTROS!

People seem to like me because I am polite and I am rarely late. I like to eat ice cream and I really enjoy a nice pair of slacks.
Bingo.

As for region-locking, why not import a 2DS from NA?

It may not do anything with Nintendo but region locking is a dated practice that only hassles the customers when they've been exposed to region-free standards (NDS pre DSi, PSP, PS3, PSV, PS4).

What benefit will there be if the 3DS has region lock anyway?
 
My poor European counterparts... reminds me I definitely need to pick up this game sooner versus later... I worry if the license will be renewable...
 

Mael

Member
It may not do anything with Nintendo but region locking is a dated practice that only hassles the customers when they've been exposed to region-free standards (NDS pre DSi, PSP, PS3, PSV, PS4).

What benefit will there be if the 3DS has region lock anyway?

Actually the whole Gameboy line was regionfree. including I think super gameboy
 
If your market is kids with this product, selling it in English only is market suicide, plain and simple.
They'll play something else.
Heck even if you try to market to other demographic they'll play something else too, or they're more likely to play something else.
That's what the money people will tell you, unless you have proof positive that it have a known base to cater it to.
There's a reason why Professor Layton was localized and exploded because of that.
You can't expect publishers in this climate to take that big a risk in today's market (the risk being to release a product untranslated).
But Nintendo's market is not just kids, and Rune Factory games are not just for kids: even Iwata, probably the less aware top manager in the videogame industry, has admitted that Nintendo "misread the western markets", even after selling a lot of consoles in the west for multiple generations.

If you try to market to some other demographic they'll play something else because it's not localized? Where do you get this? From which country you come from? Not everyone will buy it, but a lot of people will: people which can read english, that is basically a second language for all the northern european countries, will most certainly buy it if it's good.

Or, you know, just release it in UK: their native language is english, and people who want to buy it can get it on amazon.co.uk, like a lot of Nintendo gamers do in EU when a game is fit for european consoles but it's released just there. Also, if your game is ready, at least take the eshop road, that's basically a near zero cost: it's just a digital product after all.

There's plenty of options and still, from the gamer's perspective, it really doesn't matter because with no region lock, like everyone that's not Nintendo does, someone can just import the game: I'm not blaming the publisher, they made their calculations and decided (wrongly, probably) that the effort of getting the game to EU was not worth it, but if wasn't for Nintendo we could still play the game without getting another console.
And I guess if they released it and it was quickly out of stock and then you couldn't found it anywhere it would somehow be the fault of Nintendo for some other reason amirite?
No, and please stop with OT nonsense like this.

edit: removed PAL reference, I'm not sure about it
 
You gotta be shitting me. You love region lock that much?

I never said I liked it, not at all.

It may not do anything with Nintendo but region locking is a dated practice that only hassles the customers when they've been exposed to region-free standards (NDS pre DSi, PSP, PS3, PSV, PS4).

What benefit will there be if the 3DS has region lock anyway?

I dunno if there's a benefit, and I'm aware the DS wasn't locked. I'm really curious as to WHY they chose to do so though. I've read people said it's a legal thing, but I don't know how though. I do wonder if it's due to losing sales in a certain region, isn't that why Atlus made a Demon's Souls: Stop Importing It Edition?
 

-Horizon-

Member
You gotta be shitting me. You love region lock that much?

He's just offering an idea. If you really really want the game, this might be the only way to get it. If you really hate region locking and don't want to support any company who does this by not buying any more of their systems, fine, do that then. No need to start pointing fingers at any one here.
 

Cheeky

Member
What benefit will there be if the 3DS has region lock anyway?

According to Nintendo its that they can follow age restrictions more closely or something. However its more likely just there so European wont just buy the cheaper American versions and that Nintendo has more control over the pricing.
 

Westraid

Member
tumblr_inline_mlhaijfvqz1qz4rgp.gif


Initially I thought I'd be okay with that region lock and purchased the 3DS regardless. Kind of regretting it lately.
I'm not one for boycotting anyone or anything but I'm tired of this shit. At least in the DS era I could import the games I really wanted to play. Now I'm waiting much longer for an EU release if we're getting any at all.
Buying a console/handheld only to avoid a region lock goes too far for me. I'm really liking handheld gaming but I hear the PS Vita is region free. Think I'm going to look into that one.
 

JimPanzer

Member
wow this sucks, I recently bought a US 3DS mainly for SMT IV but also bought rune factory 4 with it. really enjoying the game, recommend everyone who's on the verge of importing an US 3DS to do so! RF4 and SMTIV alone are worth it.
 

redlemon

Member
I dunno if there's a benefit, and I'm aware the DS wasn't locked. I'm really curious as to WHY they chose to do so though. I've read people said it's a legal thing, but I don't know how though. I do wonder if it's due to losing sales in a certain region, isn't that why Atlus made a Demon's Souls: Stop Importing It Edition?

It's usually just price fixing. God forbid a consumer can take advantage of a global market the same way a company can.
 

Zhao_Yun

Member
According to Nintendo its that they can follow age restrictions more closely or something. However its more likely just there so European wont just buy the cheaper American versions and that Nintendo has more control over the pricing.

I doubt that there are so many Europeans who import games from the US if they can avoid it and the ones who do probably don't have a visible impact on sales numbers. Besides, with shipping costs and taxes the price difference is often negligible.
 

Mael

Member
But Nintendo's market is not just kids, and Rune Factory games are not just for kids: even Iwata, probably the less aware top manager in the videogame industry, has admitted that Nintendo "misread the western markets", even after selling a lot of consoles in the west for multiple generations.

Fun fact : When Iwata says he has misread the western markets, he probably isn't thinking the same thing you are.
Heck look at the DS, the vision they have of the market is probably waaaaaay different than you have so I wouldn't use that example unless you know what they mean by that.

If you try to market to some other demographic they'll play something else because it's not localized? Where do you get this? From which country you come from? Not everyone will buy it, but a lot of people will: people which can read english, that is basically a second language for all the northern european countries, will most certainly buy it if it's good.

This is a bit OT (and I going at it from the pov of explaining why a publisher wouldn't release an untranslated product).
However on the videogame market you can't expect a breakaway hit on a title that's not translated.
The younger the demographic is and the less likely you can expect a non native version to be useful.
By not providing a translation you've already put a barrier of entry to your product.
The market for that product is by default smaller than it would be otherwise, it's not the 90's anymore untranslated products are the outliers.
For a text heavy game like RF4...

Or, you know, just release it in UK: their native language is english, and people who want to buy it can get it on amazon.co.uk, like a lot of Nintendo gamers do in EU when a game is fit for european consoles but it's released just there. Also, if your game is ready, at least take the eshop road, that's basically a near zero cost: it's just a digital product after all.

The cost of that release probably doesn't make sense if an eshop release doesn't make sense either.

There's plenty of options and still, from the gamer's perspective, it really doesn't matter because with no region lock, like everyone that's not Nintendo does, someone can just import the game: I'm not blaming the publisher, they made their calculations and decided (wrongly, probably) that the effort of getting the game to EU was not worth it, but if wasn't for Nintendo we could still play the game without getting another console.

I've been doing imports for quite a long time, it's 2014 already if they can't be bothered with releasing their products here they don't deserve my business already.
Nintendo probably made the calculation too and decided that the effort was not worth it too, it doesn't mean that this excuse is not BS.

No, and please stop with OT nonsense like this.

edit: removed PAL reference, I'm not sure about it

You're blaming Nintendo for a situation that's mostly Marvelous's fault, they're the one who failed to localize the game.
If Marvelous hadn't failed we would have gotten the game.
If 3DS was not region locked the game still wouldn't have come but some selfish people would be satisfied at least.

I'm not not blaming Nintendo but I find particularly egregious to not blame Marvelous in this case.
 

Cherubae

Member
There's really no reason it can't be released in Europe on the eshop "as is".

Kinda funny though, as that's how MAQL EU handled Harvest Moon: A New Beginning in Europe. Zen Unlimited did the physical release in the UK region but the rest of Europe was the English-only digital eshop release. As I understand it, they did eventually follow up with a retail German release but it was still the English version of the game.

It kind of feels like MAQL EU took the localization from Rising Star, wasn't familiar with the market/process, so they kind of hodge-podged it together. Now they've admitted that they can't complete the RF4 localization. I guess they should of just left it to RS - they may be late, but at least they complete it.

Poor Europeans. It probably stings even more since 4 is kind of the last hurrah for the series.

I'm still playing through my copy. Many elements in the game are the best in the series.

Let's hope that there's a RF5 (I still have to finish RF2, ack!)
 

BigDes

Member
Well it is either you want to play those games or you don't since Nintendo isn't going to remove the region lock. I didn't like it but I imported a Japanese Xbox 360 because there are games that will never release outside of Japan

Wasn't the 360 region free?
 

Coxy

Member
Fun fact : When Iwata says he has misread the western markets, he probably isn't thinking the same thing you are.
Heck look at the DS, the vision they have of the market is probably waaaaaay different than you have so I wouldn't use that example unless you know what they mean by that.



This is a bit OT (and I going at it from the pov of explaining why a publisher wouldn't release an untranslated product).
However on the videogame market you can't expect a breakaway hit on a title that's not translated.
The younger the demographic is and the less likely you can expect a non native version to be useful.
By not providing a translation you've already put a barrier of entry to your product.
The market for that product is by default smaller than it would be otherwise, it's not the 90's anymore untranslated products are the outliers.
For a text heavy game like RF4...



The cost of that release probably doesn't make sense if an eshop release doesn't make sense either.



I've been doing imports for quite a long time, it's 2014 already if they can't be bothered with releasing their products here they don't deserve my business already.
Nintendo probably made the calculation too and decided that the effort was not worth it too, it doesn't mean that this excuse is not BS.



You're blaming Nintendo for a situation that's mostly Marvelous's fault, they're the one who failed to localize the game.
If Marvelous hadn't failed we would have gotten the game.
If 3DS was not region locked the game still wouldn't have come but some selfish people would be satisfied at least.

I'm not not blaming Nintendo but I find particularly egregious to not blame Marvelous in this case.

The developer didnt choose to die to fuck people over.
nintendo did choose to region lock to fuck people over
 

Durante

Member
All blame in this thread belongs to Neverland and/or Marvelous. There's plenty of discussions already going about region locking in other threads, it's not Nintendo's fault that we aren't getting this game.
Actually, it absolutely is Nintendo's fault. I'm sure most of the people in this thread who are disappointed would be perfectly willing and able to import the game were it not for region locking.

And I guess if they released it and it was quickly out of stock and then you couldn't found it anywhere it would somehow be the fault of Nintendo for some other reason amirite?
Obviously, yes, since every single game these days should be available digitally, where it is never out of stock.

Wasn't the 360 region free?
No.
 

Cheeky

Member
I doubt that there are so many Europeans who import games from the US if they can avoid it and the ones who do probably don't have a visible impact on sales numbers. Besides, with shipping costs and taxes the price difference is often negligible.

Well, Nintendo apparently doesn't agree.
As for the price, i have an imported 3DS myself(Thank god for that) and it IS a lot cheaper. importing a game from VGP.ca costs about 40 CAD +7,50 CAD shipping. This translates to 32 euro, the only problem is that i have to wait a bit. I can also use the Canadian eshop which causes it to be around €27,50 for a 40 CAD game.
 

m0t0k1

Member
i am sooooo pissed right now. Rune Factory 4 was one of the reasons i bought my 3ds those years ago. Yes i got 25 different games but serious fuck this. This was the game i wanted to play most and since all the Rune Factory games released in europe i thought i could take the dip. I am not updating my firmware anymore and not buying any eshop games until hopefully they find another region free hack or something. Also cutting down on my 3ds games to buy thanks to this only the must haves and i am done with this. When the next gen portable arrives i am sure to buy a US system.
 

Tenki

Member
This sucks. But I think a lot of people are quite paranoid about SMT IV. Hopefully Nintendo will say something in the next Direct.
 

Mephala

Member
Damn it. I am disappointed, I was waiting for this.

Curse region locking while I'm here too. Even if unrelated, it is a shit practice and without it we could at least import and still enjoy the game.
 

Reknoc

Member
You're blaming Nintendo for a situation that's mostly Marvelous's fault, they're the one who failed to localize the game.
If Marvelous hadn't failed we would have gotten the game.
If 3DS was not region locked the game still wouldn't have come but some selfish people would be satisfied at least.

I'm not not blaming Nintendo but I find particularly egregious to not blame Marvelous in this case.

And now even less people in Europe gets to play it unless they're willing to throw more money at Nintendo to get another region 3DS or already have one, so that's nice I guess!
 
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