Support NeoGAF

[Augemitbutter]

I have to wait almost 2 years for localisation, despite living in an English speaking country.

At this point in time, publishers must have their heads so far up their arse that they can't even think straight with the lack of oxygen. How does this shit happen in 2014?

the region lock is real. start blaming nintendo.

 

[GhostTrick]

the region lock is real. start blaming nintendo.

The region lock is a problem. But in 2014, Atlus not having a European presence is a bigger problem. I don't want to import my english games because some publisher just refuse to release it.

 

[Jisgsaw]

The region lock is a problem. But in 2014, Atlus not having a European presence is a bigger problem. I don't want to import my english games because some publisher just refuse to release it.

Even the European presence (if you're talking about a European office) isn't a problem, see NISA.
They could always do an exclusive partnership with some publisher to facilitate PAL release, like any other company does, but they don't really seem to want to, despite the rumored deal they have with NISA.

 

[foobarry81]

the region lock is real. start blaming nintendo.

Yeah, because not a single publisher manages to localise any of their games and release them timely on 3DS in Europe... all because of that region lock. [/sarcasm]





Region blocking sucks big time but doesn't have a whole lot to do with this release. Even if you would be able to import, Atlus' treatment of this Euro release would still be shitty.

 

[Augemitbutter]

that's a problem, but i can't blame them for that. they're too cheap or just too small. that's why they haven't bothered yet.

 

[Dambrosi]

Um...hello? SEGA owns Atlus now? And SEGA Europe is still a thing, right? Hello, GAF?

The SMT4 situation is a contractual snafu, all made shitty from well before the takeover happened. It's doubtful this will happen again, but then again, SEGA.

And yeah, region locking sucks, but not for the regional companies involved, so suck it up.

 

[Splash Wave]

Stay strong, Europe. It's worth the wait!

 

[Oregano]

that's a problem, but i can't blame them for that. they're too cheap or just too small. that's why they haven't bothered yet.

Being small would be a good defence if Nippon Ichi wasn't currently publishing Atlus' games in Europe. They're a lot smaller and seem to handle it just fine.

 

[Jisgsaw]

that's a problem, but i can't blame them for that. they're too cheap or just too small. that's why they haven't bothered yet.

They're too lazy (or some higher up at Atlus really has something against Europe).
As I already said, NIS is a good example of a company which is similarly big, has arguably the same target audience, and still manages to not butch up every single one of their PAL releases, all that without even relying on an external PAL publisher.

Even if they don't want to publish themselves, there are still ways to release games here in a timely manner, you know for example by... planning it a bit before the game is already 3 month old in the US.

 

[Jb]

Region blocking sucks big time but doesn't have a whole lot to do with this release. Even if you would be able to import, Atlus' treatment of this Euro release would still be shitty.

Yes it does. Just because Atlus royally fucked this up doesn't mean Nintendo doesn't deserve to be blamed as well.
If they had been as anti-consumer with the original DS, we would never had gotten the chance to play games like Strange Journey and 999 in PAL territories.

 

[foobarry81]

that's a problem, but i can't blame them for that. they're too cheap or just too small. that's why they haven't bothered yet.

How big of a company do you think Ghostlight is?

Yes it does. Just because Atlus royally fucked this up doesn't mean Nintendo doesn't deserve to be blamed as well.
If they had been as anti-consumer with the original DS, we would never had gotten the chance to play games like Strange Journey and 999 in PAL territories.

So it's Nintendo's fault that Atlus didn't publish Strange Journey in Europe, even though the DS was region free?

 

[Augemitbutter]

They're too lazy (or some higher up at Atlus really has something against Europe).
As I already said, NIS is a good example of a company which is similarly big, has arguably the same target audience, and still manages to not butch up every single one of their PAL releases, all that without even relying on an external PAL publisher.

Even if they don't want to publish themselves, they are still ways to release games here in a timely manner, you know for example by... planning it a bit before the game is already 3 month old in the US.

i don't want to defend them, so i hope i didn't sound like one of those guys. this game has been announced pre-sega. so there is a chance for a more timely release for future releases. just saying that it would have been much easier for fans if nintendo weren't so terrible with their locks.

 

[Jisgsaw]

Um...hello? SEGA owns Atlus now? And SEGA Europe is still a thing, right? Hello, GAF?

The SMT4 situation is a contractual snafu, all made shitty from well before the takeover happened. It's doubtful this will happen again, but then again, SEGA.

Sega isn't really that much better than Atlus when it comes to Europe, they're just bigger (and have a few games that work well in Europe, hence why Sega Europe is still there. But they don"t go outside theses games anymore).

And seeing how PErsona Q, which definitively happened after the fusion, will be published by NISA, I doubt Sega will get too much involved in Atlus business.

i don't want to defend them, so i hope i didn't sound like one of those guys. this game has been announced pre-sega. so there is a chance for a more timely release for future releases. just saying that it would have been much easier for fans if nintendo weren't so terrible with their locks.

Well, seeing how Atlus managed to make the only big game that is region locked on the PS3 (and of course to completely fuck up the PAL release subsequently), I wouldn't be so sure about that.

 

[GhostTrick]

that's a problem, but i can't blame them for that. they're too cheap or just too small. that's why they haven't bothered yet.

Now come on... They could localize Conception II in Europe on both Vita and 3DS.
Do you really think NIS America is bigger ? What about Ghostlight ?

 

[Augemitbutter]

Well, seeing how Atlus managed to make the only big game that is region locked on the PS3 (and of course to completely fuck up the PAL release subsequently), I wouldn't be so sure about that.

can't blame them because they didn't have to for SMT IV. we can only blame nintendo for that.

 

[MQX]

This is wrong actually. The localization was planned as early as the NA one and it was supposed to be published by Atlus and be released in a special edition with mini-soundtrack like the NA one, as announced way back then.
The whole blame falls on Atlus for being a terrible publisher and Sega for being even more terrible and doing nothing about anything concerning Atlus and Europe even though they are the parent company of Atlus for a long while now.
There is no actual localization. Atlus is using the NA version for the European release, and it all indicates to a sloppy job that still takes too long because of their incompetence.
Further highlighting their incompetence is the fact that even though PQ is yet to be released, Sega does nothing about it and NISA had to be the one to publish it even though Atlus now does have a publishing branch, that of Sega. Before anyone says that Sega's Euro branch isn't strong, i see they are ok publishing P4AU, so that ain't true either, Sega just doesn't take any risks.
Also Atlus, as a developer are fairly competent. Don't sell them short because their publishing branch are total losers.
Also want to remind everyone that the internet was way too happy when Atlus was bought by Sega, because they were petrified they might had been bought by Nintendo. Well here goes your Atlus guys. Even worse than it was before.

Still buying SMTIV day one, still have a huge amount of respect for Atlus as a developer, but as a publisher they are just as bad as ever, and Sega, my childhood god is entirely dead to me.

And this is also the reason why a new Valkyria Chronicles game and a new Yakuza game isn't going to be released in EU/the West. Because Sega doesn't want to take any risk(s)(of losing money).

I'm almost done with Atlus. They keep saying "We're looking at it" or "You'll hear about it soon" etc. But we see nothing. Nothing!?!?!?

I've read in the past that Atlus wanted to start releasing games in Europe by themself. For example: by going digital only(like how Xseed and Aksys releases games on PSN and/or Eshop). The first game they released digitally was Conception II(which got a delay of 1 month?). But now with SMTIV, they pretty much failed with it :/.

We could complain and say "Atlus should have worked together with NISA or with SEGA". But I guess they don't(or never) listen to EU fans ._. .

I hope this game gets released this month. If not, then they should lower the price if they still are going to release the game. Because waiting (almost) 2 years and asking €20(with no DLC's included) is something that I actually don't accept :/.

 

[Rikkun]

Um...hello? SEGA owns Atlus now? And SEGA Europe is still a thing, right? Hello, GAF?

The SMT4 situation is a contractual snafu, all made shitty from well before the takeover happened. It's doubtful this will happen again, but then again, SEGA.

And yeah, region locking sucks, but not for the regional companies involved, so suck it up.

SEGA? The same Sega I know? So that they can relegate every Atlus game to Japan only like Yakuza and such?

No thanks.

 

[Nimby]

This is extremely embarrassing, like did they actually try or did they just goof around and realized they forgot to release it in Europe?

 

[Rikkun]

This is extremely embarrassing, like did they actually try or did they just goof around and realized they forgot to release it in Europe?

I think that there might be like a couple of people in charge of the release and everyone else doesn't care that much. From what it seems, the person everyone keeps asking about this on twitter is actually trying to get answers from other people, so...

 

[Zareka]

Isn't RF4 the game that couldn't be released because all the employees needed to modify the code were lost to the company going bankrupt?

XSEED salvaged it somehow and are currently working towards a (digital only) release for Europe. They've already had an age rating approved, I believe.

I mean...XSEED have already managed to come further with a cancelled game, going out of their way to release it in Europe when they really didn't have to. They had way more against them than Atlus does and they're STILL making a better job of it. God damn, Atlus.

 

[publicpwnerer]

Ther is no localisation, everybody will have to play in english.
Well, the handfull people who'll still take the game anyway. As to how that can happen in 2014... well, Atlus is doing its best for that to happen.

My point still stands. 2 years for no difference what-so-ever. It it were possible, I would've just imported and finished it already.

 

[Semajer]

XSEED salvaged it somehow and are currently working towards a (digital only) release for Europe. They've already had an age rating approved, I believe.

I mean...XSEED have already managed to come further with a cancelled game, going out of their way to release it in Europe when they really didn't have to. They had way more against them than Atlus does and they're STILL making a better job of it. God damn, Atlus.

Just goes to show how little Atlus gives a shit by comparison.

 

[ShogunDarius]

XSEED salvaged it somehow and are currently working towards a (digital only) release for Europe. They've already had an age rating approved, I believe.

I mean...XSEED have already managed to come further with a cancelled game, going out of their way to release it in Europe when they really didn't have to. They had way more against them than Atlus does and they're STILL making a better job of it. God damn, Atlus.

that is pretty damning tbf

 

[Cerity]

Can we stop bumping this thread until we actually get some news? My heart can't take it.

 

[ZeroX03]

Can we stop bumping this thread until we actually get some news? My heart can't take it.

New news new thread, wait until you see "SMT IV date finally confirmed for Europe! Releases April 2016."

 

[TheMrPliskin]

I've been holding off on playing any other JRPG's in my backlog since they announced a September release date for this game and at this rate it seems like I'm going to be waiting even longer.

 

[foobarry81]

Can we stop bumping this thread until we actually get some news? My heart can't take it.

Like John we are pushing this thread daily, buddy.

 

[walnuts]

Let's see if we went positive news this week and we don't need to post here never ever.

 

[Imp the Dimp]

So where is this week's hot news?

 

[Jisgsaw]

So where is this week's hot news?

Two posts above yours.

 

[Jimmyfenix]

New news new thread, wait until you see "SMT IV date finally confirmed for Europe! Releases April 2016."

You are way to optimistic.

 

[Ladekabel]

Why isn't a (European) game magazine pressuring Atlus about a release date?

 

[Rikkun]

Why isn't a (European) game magazine pressuring Atlus about a release date?

What's a European Gaming Magazine

 

[Ladekabel]

What's a European Gaming Magazine

Eurogamer comes to mind.

 

[krossj]

Why isn't a (European) game magazine pressuring Atlus about a release date?

I can't see it generating much interest with the audience on eurogamer or other large gaming websites plus regardless of how much all of us would like to play the game perhaps the people who work for the websites just don't know or care. I remember someone saying they emailed eurogamer a while ago about it but nothing came of that.

 

[vag 2.0]

that's too much like actual journalism

 

[NichM]

Why isn't a (European) game magazine pressuring Atlus about a release date?

Guys, the game is in submission. Until it passes, we will not have a date to tell you. There is nothing we can do to speed up that process. We definitely understand and sympathize with the impatience, but riling yourselves up anew every day isn't helping anyone.

 

[walnuts]

Guys, the game is in submission. Until it passes, we will not have a date to tell you. There is nothing we can do to speed up that process. We definitely understand and sympathize with the impatience, but riling yourselves up anew every day isn't helping anyone.

So it's not Atlus' fault this delay then, it's Nintendo the one who is taking all this long to approve the game.

This reminds me of Tengami, the game was released a couple of months ago for smartphones, but it won't be out till November because Nintendo took so long to submit it.

Ninty please!!

 

[Pennywise83]

So it's not Atlus' fault this delay then, it's Nintendo the one who is taking all this long to approve the game.

This reminds me of Tengami, the game was released a couple of months ago for smartphones, but it won't be out till November because Nintendo took so long to submit it.

Ninty please!!

Then why:
-not sending the game before;
-and announcing a release window without knowing exactly when it would have been approved?

 

[scamander]

So it's not Atlus' fault this delay then, it's Nintendo the one who is taking all this long to approve the game.

We don't know when it was send to them and maybe Nintendo is extra cautious after the huge Devil Survivor Overclocked fuckup Atlus was responsible for.

 

[artsi]

Guys, the game is in submission. Until it passes, we will not have a date to tell you. There is nothing we can do to speed up that process. We definitely understand and sympathize with the impatience, but riling yourselves up anew every day isn't helping anyone.

Thank you for finally telling the actual status of the game. This is what I've been waiting for.

 

[walnuts]

Then why:
-not sending the game before;
-and announcing a release window without knowing exactly when it would have been approved?

No idea when they sent the game to Nintendo, but I agree Atlus gave a release date very early.

We don't know when it was send to them and maybe Nintendo is extra cautious after the huge Devil Survivor Overclocked fuckup Atlus was responsible for.

What happened then?

 

[foobarry81]

What happened then?

http://blog.ghostlight.uk.com/post/devil-survivor-overclocked-known-issues

They had to release a patch to make it playable.

Edit: also this...

On April 24, 2013, Ghostlight announced that a bug-fix patch had passed testing, and was to be submitted to Nintendo for distribution. It was released on May 28, 2013.

The game was released on March 29, 2013, almost 2 years after the North American release. And 4 years after the never-released-in-Europe DS game Devil Survivor.

 

[walnuts]

http://blog.ghostlight.uk.com/post/devil-survivor-overclocked-known-issues

They had to release a patch to make it playable.

Better to wait extra months rather than getting a game with similar problems

 

[Doczu]

Guys, the game is in submission. Until it passes, we will not have a date to tell you. There is nothing we can do to speed up that process. We definitely understand and sympathize with the impatience, but riling yourselves up anew every day isn't helping anyone.

Well it does help to show you that we are upset (to say the least) with the whole situation. And now when it's certain the game won't come out in october... Well, many players here are going to be even more upset.

 

[scamander]

What happened then?

Although they didn't really change much from the US version and we had to wait like two extra years for it, it was full of game-freezing bugs and actually unplayable. It was patched after two months iirc, but after waiting this long fans have bee really pissed.

 

[GhostTrick]

Guys, the game is in submission. Until it passes, we will not have a date to tell you. There is nothing we can do to speed up that process. We definitely understand and sympathize with the impatience, but riling yourselves up anew every day isn't helping anyone.

FINALLY ! SOMEONE TELLING THE TRUTH !
You guys at Atlus (right ?) should understand that people aren't being impatient because of no release date... but because of no informations !
When you don't say anything, people are just thinking "is it cancelled ? still in developpement ? what's happening ??"

At least, we know it's in submission. Seriously, being open about these things won't hurt you. But keeping people in the dark when the game is supposed to release this month will hurt your game.

But then again, thank you ! Finally someone who's being honest.

 

[Ladekabel]

Guys, the game is in submission. Until it passes, we will not have a date to tell you. There is nothing we can do to speed up that process. We definitely understand and sympathize with the impatience, but riling yourselves up anew every day isn't helping anyone.

Thank you. That's at least informations about the game, that makes it clearer.

 

[Yagharek]

Guys, the game is in submission. Until it passes, we will not have a date to tell you. There is nothing we can do to speed up that process. We definitely understand and sympathize with the impatience, but riling yourselves up anew every day isn't helping anyone.

In the absence of any information it seems getting riled up is the only way to get info on this unacceptable delay.

This game went for me from being preordered upon announcement (physical copy) to cancelled (when it went digital only) to no sale then to instant sale when the price was announced to no sale again because of another two month delay. Now I probably won't even consider it and just get Rune Factory 4 instead.

 

[cw_sasuke]

tbh they could delay the game to 2015 and I would still get it day 1 - it's SMT4, it's not like there are many substitutes out there for it. And at 20 euro it's bargain compared to similar games on the systems.

Still hoping for this month.