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[phosphor112]

Good. Japan studios are fucked. If they look at a grander scheme of things with a new management maybe it'll get them back on track.

Also, people don't seem to realize April 1st is a brand new fiscal year for many countries.

 

[Deku Tree]

Many people outside of USA do not know about April fools day.

(I had a French friend, new to the USA, ask me yesterday if tomorrow was a national holiday...)

 

[maltrain]

Many people outside of USA do not know about April fools day.

(I had a French friend, new to the USA, ask me yesterday if tomorrow was a national holiday...)

Here in Chile, we know nothing about it.

For us, the date of jokes is December 28th.

 

[SniperHunter]

So what does this mean? Will the new Asian studios start working on games now?

 

[Sapphire Dreams]

So, this is just a merger right? What does that mean for The Last Guardian?

 

[nekomix]

Many people outside of USA do not know about April fools day.

(I had a French friend, new to the USA, ask me yesterday if tomorrow was a national holiday...)

As a Frenchman, we know about April Fools Day, it's just not a holiday here but we've got many others.

 

[SniperHunter]

So, this is just a merger right? What does that mean for The Last Guardian?

Team Ico is very small, I doubt they had any problems with asset creation or anything. From the looks of it, their game seemed overly ambitious and too much for the PS3. We will either get a cut down version of it on PS3 or get the full game as the team indented to make on PS4.

 

[Americanmushroom]

Many people outside of USA do not know about April fools day.

(I had a French friend, new to the USA, ask me yesterday if tomorrow was a national holiday...)

we know about april's fools... but easter makes it a holiday for us

 

[Withnail]

So, this is just a merger right? What does that mean for The Last Guardian?

Nothing. It isn't made by SCEJ, it's made by Japan Studio which is a separate division and unaffected by this change.

 

[Dead Prince]

Jesus didn't come back. it's the rebirth of Sony! Year of Ps4!

 

[zsidane]

I feel annoyed OP.

to your banning, if you are lying.

and to this melding, if it is true.

One can tell you don't go often to the japanese sales discussions.
CheeseMeister is one of the finest JGAF Members - he doesn't lie!

 

[Patryn]

Is this just a rebranding, or an actual restructuring of the division?

Restructuring, sounds like. Willing to bet that there will be some redundancies due to all this. Of course, it'll all be people that nobody knows, because as had been said many times, this has fuck-all to do with development.

 

[Caelestis]

It doesn't sound like all that much has changed. Anyway, love real news on April fools.

 

[sono]

What is the motivation / perceived benefit. ?

 

[jiggle]

I can wait for all the great new games they won't make.

came in to post that
alhough my words weren't as kind
hope for improvement

 

[Mario007]

came in to post that
alhough my words weren't as kind
hope for improvement

Except they don't make games at all, it's not in their job description. That's Studio Japan.

 

[IdreamofHIME]

Last Guardian is sinking an entire continent.

 

[AranhaHunter]

If that means SCEA and SCEE can have development input on the store, FW, and other miscellaneous OS items/item updates, more games from the Japan division catered to the Japanese market (i.e. games like Puppeteer, Knack, Souls Sacrifice, and beginning of more JRPGs (maybe sequels/reboots to LoD/Dark Cloud/Rogue Galaxy) as well as games from the Korean and HK division that caters to the Asian market (MMOs, RPGs, etc) then that's great otherwise it's just a fancy way of saying things are staying the same.

 

[Mario007]

If that means SCEA and SCEE can have development input on the store, FW, and other miscellaneous OS items/item updates, more games from the Japan division catered to the Japanese market (i.e. games like Puppeteer, Knack, Souls Sacrifice, and beginning of more JRPGs (maybe sequels/reboots to LoD/Dark Cloud/Rogue Galaxy) as well as games from the Korean and HK division that caters to the Asian market (MMOs, RPGs, etc) then that's great otherwise it's just a fancy way of saying things are staying the same.

This is exactly what it means (the bolded), not so much the other thing. This is basically Sony saying 'we know Asian market is bigger than just Japan and we're going to try to penetrate it'.

 

[Dorimukyasuto]

How different is the Asian market from the Japanese market anyway?
Probably more similar than different. Kinda makes sense since Europe is grouped as one whole SCEE and I mean the UK is a lot different from Russia.

 

[Deleted member 17706]

Gotta love how the new fiscal year in Japan, when big corporate changes are often announced, also happens to coincide with April Fool's Day.

 

[Oersted]

So this is a real thing? What are the pros, what are the cons?

Ever since I saw the PS4 reveal, I've been asking myself: where did Japan go?

Everything was western.

Yep. Sadly.

 

[Empty]

title gave me a heart-attack

 

[Takao]

This won't help to dispel the sentiment amongst some developers that Sony isn't a Japanese games company.

 

[faridmon]

That is actually good news. Two Divisions that had an under performing release record united as one and is managed together.

 

[AranhaHunter]

This is exactly what it means (the bolded), not so much the other thing. This is basically Sony saying 'we know Asian market is bigger than just Japan and we're going to try to penetrate it'.

I think that's what you're wishing and hoping it means. Until proven otherwise, SCEJ (SCEJA) is incompetent as fuck. SCEE did do the web store so may be they will have more synergy on those efforts as well, so you might be wrong there.

This won't help to dispel the sentiment amongst some developers that Sony isn't a Japanese games company.

They would have to prove it. When you got SCEA/SCEE pumping out stuff like The Last of Us, God of War, Killzone, LittleBigPlanet, inFamous, Motorstorm, Wipeout, Singstar, etc and the only AAA, big budget title SCEJ(A) got to show for is Gran Turismo, then damn right they'll be considered a non Japanese company. They have to prove it first. Give us a big budget JRPG on PS4 and another one on PSV and do that often, 3-4 medium sized games with 1-2 big games for each system per year, bringing new IPs and so on. Like I said, puppeteer, souls sacrifice, knack are good starts, but we need to see more. That stigma may never go completely away in the west (and I don't want it to), but if they want to be considered Japanese in their home country, SCEJA needs to prove it themselves.

 

[Gorillaz]

Almost spit water at my desk when I read the title.

but....you are......in charge?

 

[Mario007]

I think that's what you're wishing and hoping it means. Until proven otherwise, SCEJ (SCEJA) is incompetent as fuck. SCEE did do the web store so may be they will have more synergy on those efforts as well, so you might be wrong there.

No I meant that in theory that's what this means. This isn't about Studio Japan or games development or anything like that but about marketing, market research etc.

 

[Aquamarine]

This won't help to dispel the sentiment amongst some developers that Sony isn't a Japanese games company.

Right. And it certainly won't help the corresponding perception that PS4 is a "Western console" either.

 

[AranhaHunter]

No I meant that in theory that's what this means. This isn't about Studio Japan or games development or anything like that but about marketing, market research etc.

I doubt they will have SCEJA develop an MMO to try to tap the HK/Korean market. Would be cool to be wrong though.

Right. And it certainly won't help the corresponding perception that PS4 is a "Western console" either.

I shudder at the thought of the PS4 being developed by SCEJ alone and without Cerny and input from SCEWWS.

 

[OmegaFax]

Sony has traditionally done corporate restructuring on April 1st the last few years, so I believe it.

 

[Patryn]

Right. And it certainly won't help the corresponding perception that PS4 is a "Western console" either.

Didn't SCEE basically spearhead the design and specs of the PS4?

 

[Mario007]

I doubt they will have SCEJA develop an MMO to try to tap the HK/Korean market. Would be cool to be wrong though.



I shudder at the thought of the PS4 being developed by SCEJ alone and without Cerny and input from SCEWWS.

I would think they might easily publish an MMO for Korea for the PS consoles or at the very least them sending a note to SOE to develop such a game would have a higher role.

 

[AznSniper]

I would think they might easily publish an MMO for Korea for the PS consoles or at the very least them sending a note to SOE to develop such a game would have a higher role.

Speaking of which, still waiting for the MMO deal between SCE and NCSoft to finally take effect. It didn't happen in the PS3 generation so perhaps the PS4 generation?

 

[Devilgunman]

Many people outside of USA do not know about April fools day.

(I had a French friend, new to the USA, ask me yesterday if tomorrow was a national holiday...)

Google Japan knows

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HzUDAaYMNsA

 

[Totobeni]

they need to change SCE Japan Studio name too.

 

[Takao]

They would have to prove it. When you got SCEA/SCEE pumping out stuff like The Last of Us, God of War, Killzone, LittleBigPlanet, inFamous, Motorstorm, Wipeout, Singstar, etc and the only AAA, big budget title SCEJ(A) got to show for is Gran Turismo, then damn right they'll be considered a non Japanese company. They have to prove it first. Give us a big budget JRPG on PS4 and another one on PSV and do that often, 3-4 medium sized games with 1-2 big games for each system per year, bringing new IPs and so on. Like I said, puppeteer, souls sacrifice, knack are good starts, but we need to see more. That stigma may never go completely away in the west (and I don't want it to), but if they want to be considered Japanese in their home country, SCEJA needs to prove it themselves.

Making a bunch of PS4 games will just ensure continued irrelevance for SCE in Japan as it's clear that market doesn't want home consoles. Puppeteer, and Knack are going to crater.

 

[Totobeni]

Making a bunch of PS4 games will just ensure continued irrelevance for SCE in Japan as it's clear that market doesn't want home consoles. Puppeteer, and Knack are going to crater.

you put Santa Monica guy as head of SCE Japan Studio and you get this problem,Allan Becker think it's NA market and his focus on making consoles games and ignoring Vita is weird.

 

[Ravage]

I doubt they will have SCEJA develop an MMO to try to tap the HK/Korean market. Would be cool to be wrong though.

SCEJA really should invest in f2p MMOs and MOBAs if they are serious about capturing the Asian market outside of Japan. They could start by targeting titles like Phantasy Star Online 2 and Dragon Nest. Basically anything with real time gameplay and controls that map well to a controller.

 

[wapplew]

How different is the Asian market from the Japanese market anyway?
Probably more similar than different. Kinda makes sense since Europe is grouped as one whole SCEE and I mean the UK is a lot different from Russia.

Quite different I say, from the region I come from, South east Asia(SEA).
First of, SEA area don't learn Japanese language. We mostly have English as our 2nd or 3rd language. We mostly enjoy games from Japan developer like action, fighting, jRPG and such, but we also embrace US/EU developer games like FPS and Open world stuff.
Still console gaming at my region is not doing that well since piracy is much harder this gen.
(Yup, Snes, PS, PS2 era was glorious day thanks to piracy) Free to pay PC games are the "thing" here over 5-8 years.

I can speak a little for other part of Asia, the Chinese region including China, Taiwan, HongKong and Macao given that Im a Chinese gamer that browse Chinese game's forum daily. Those region mainly using Chinese language, lean more towards Japanese game.
SCE Asia(if that included SCE HK and SCE TW) is doing a fine job at localize game for Chinese region this gen. Before that, most of us have to play jrpg by guessing. Some of them play so much that they learn Japanese by playing games.

 

[-Pyromaniac-]

Why the hell were people laughing for 3 pages? I didn't see anything funny here? Feel like I'm missing something.

 

[Shig]

Sce Ja!

Sung to the tune of...

 

[wapplew]

SCEJA really should invest in f2p MMOs and MOBAs if they are serious about capturing the Asian market outside of Japan. They could start by targeting titles like Phantasy Star Online 2 and Dragon Nest. Basically anything with real time gameplay and controls that map well to a controller.

SCEJA should try harder at China. They still behind the great firewall have to use VPN to get better connection. They need to setup China psn server soon because Microsoft somehow Trojan horse their Xbox live server into China with windows8 and windows phone version of Xbox live recently(Chinese government ban game console but not OS and phones)
That one huge market to lose.

 

[LuuKyK]

Why the hell were people laughing for 3 pages? I didn't see anything funny here? Feel like I'm missing something.

The title was updated, it was only "SCEJ is no more" before, so it seemed like it was just terminated completely.

 

[Moosichu]

you put Santa Monica guy as head of SCE Japan Studio and you get this problem,Allan Becker think it's NA market and his focus on making consoles games and ignoring Vita is weird.

Soul Sacrifice, Gravity Rush and Hot Shots Golf aren't exactly ignoring the Vita.

Furthermore, iirc the puppeteer was in development before Allan Becker moved over to Japan. I wouldn't be surprised if more SCEJ Vita games were announced in the future as well.

Knack is an interesting one, because it appears to be a Japanese take on the PS2 western platformers. We haven't seen enough gameplay yet, but if it brings enough new ideas to the table and keeps an international appeal it could take-off. That is a big IFF though.

 

[-Pyromaniac-]

The title was updated, it was only "SCEJ is no more" before, so it seemed like it was just terminated completely.

that explains that!

 

[TheSeks]

Huh, so no more regional stores? Or Japan PSX game titles are no more? ?

 

[Iacobellis]

...?

So much restructuring in the past year.

 

[androvsky]

Huh, so no more regional stores?

I'm sure there will still be regional stores, but with less paperwork to submit. Kinda like SCEE has separate stores for dozens of countries, but all the submissions are handled under the SCEE umbrella. AFAIK. Brings us closer to global game submissions as promised for the PS4.

Or Japan PSX game titles are no more? ?

No idea where you're coming from here.

 

[SolidSnakex]

So much restructuring in the past year.

That's not necessarily a bad thing. It's well known that a big problem within Sony was that everything was so fragmented. In a recent BBC interview Kaz talked about how their phone division was originally a joint venture, which led to more arguing than executing. One of the main things he has tried to do is streamline the company.