Nightengale
Member
God. That is a sad list of underwhelming games.
2011:
WKC : Origins
Patapon 3
2012:
Gravity Daze
Tokyo Jungle
You were saying something about sad?
Why do western gamers not buy games from Japan?
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Sony admits PS4 is a tougher sell in Japan
- Thread starter Bundy
- Start date
2011:
WKC : Origins
Patapon 3
2012:
Gravity Daze
Tokyo Jungle
You were saying something about sad?
Why do western gamers not buy games from Japan?
You can't "fail" in a dead market.
So yes, it's doing "okay" in a struggling home-console market.
Commanche Raisin Toast
Member
So they had to convince the Japanese publishers and developers to use PS4 to reach out to the western markets with their software.
That does sound like a tough sell considering they've had a hard time selling to the west in large numbers last gen.
I also think they're kind of repeating some of the hesitation to jump on board like they did with PS3 only worse this time.
That does sound like a tough sell considering they've had a hard time selling to the west in large numbers last gen.
I also think they're kind of repeating some of the hesitation to jump on board like they did with PS3 only worse this time.
Dr. Feel Good
Banned
There's literally zero games that appeal to the market not only released but in the foreseeable future, along with the fact that the console market has simply contracted hard in the past decade.
Well, its not like there are huge JP games for the PS4 out now or anything.... As of now, the PS4 more or less has no JP development support; its is only western games or western-themed games. This isn't bad, but that makes this a very hard sell for Japan gamers right now; they can easily pick up there Phones, 3DS's or Vita's (you know, the system you don't give a shit about Sony ) and play tons of great JP games right now.
Once the 'big' JP games start rolling in (which is going to start with Deep Down and Bloodborn early next year), then I'm sure the system will start doing okay in JP. Right now though, it isn't worth getting for them now :l.
) and play tons of great JP games right now. Once the 'big' JP games start rolling in (which is going to start with Deep Down and Bloodborn early next year), then I'm sure the system will start doing okay in JP. Right now though, it isn't worth getting for them now :l.
Well what else could he say about it, though?
And, by looking at Sony's plans they're going for more "selection and concentration" strategy so they aren't counting on Japanese market any more IMO.
Because they have taste.
Gillian Seed
Banned
God. That is a sad list of underwhelming games.
Give me a new Ape Escape you bastards!
Yes! I just replayed Ape Escape 2 again. So fun!
Nightengale
Member
You're right, but Japan Studio isn't exactly Ubisoft either. It's unrealistic to expect multiple games from them annually.
2 games in 2013 will naturally mean that they won't have any software ready for 2014, because games take time to make. The earliest to expect their next game is 2015.
KoopaTheCasual
Junior Member
It met their 500k in the first month, plan that publishers wanted/expected, and has been putzing around with no games. It seems to be doing as poorly as SCE expected, so yea, its doing "okay."
Only games made from Japan are good? Wtf am i reading?
Aquamarine
Member
And Japanese studios tend to be more conservative. They take a while before migrating over.
PS2 and PSP were supported for quite a long time after PS3 and PSV came out.
Father_Brain
Banned
Sony claimed to be satisfied with Vita's sales for months after its launch, and they still exaggerate the extent of its recovery in Japan pretty much every time they're asked about Vita sales.
TGO
Hype Train conductor. Works harder than it steams.
I honestly can't see any PS4 or X1 games that would appeal to Japan other then the indie titles that are so so similar to mobile games that there is really no point buying a nextgen console, it's been said before but AAA titles sell consoles
and Japan needs some Japanese AAA titles, they won't buy a PS4 otherwise like the West.
and Japan needs some Japanese AAA titles, they won't buy a PS4 otherwise like the West.
The XV bump will last 2 weeks tops. And it can be both, the market is dying and there are no games. I'm not opposed to buying the console, but every time I see it at Bic I can't help but shake my head and wonder if anything I like will ever get released.
KoopaTheCasual
Junior Member
Pretty much. No real end to this cycle in sight. The only thing on the horizon are the big Japanese franchises in 2015/2016, but one has to wonder if they'll be too late to change the public perception of this flopping console.
It's not so much that they don't buy western games, The Last of Us and GTAV sold well over there. It's that little that's been released so far on the PS4 appeals to them. Bit of a difference.
I suppose it's a bit like the way major Japanese IP like FF is well known outside of Japan but the smaller, less-promoted stuff is of niche interest.
Nightengale
Member
IMO, the success of GTAV ( and to a lesser extent, the rising popularity of games like CoD, etc) in Japan is paramount to any hope of PS4 gaining some measure of success there.
I've said this before, but the faster current-gen sells globally, the faster western developers will skip last-gen hardware, and that would make available more western 'current-gen exclusives' for Japan.
Sure, ultimately, they're western games that won't move the needle too much, but a multitude of all those games, especially taking into account their increasing popularity should, in the short-term build enough of an install base to compel an earlier jump of hardware sooner rather than later.
That, and Sony better pray hard for FFXV to come out Holiday 2015 in Japan. I've already got my hopes for current-gen only MGSV TPP dashed when the latest trailer confirms it's still coming to last-gen. That was a game that could've moved hardware in Japan if it was current-gen only.
zomgbbqftw
Banned
It's a very tough chicken and egg situation right now. There isn't a large enough installed base for Japanese pubs to deliver exclusive games and there isn't enough exclusive content to drive a decent level of adoption. SCEJ's failure is complete. They have failed with PS Vita in Japan by pumping out too many hunting games and for PS4 they have released Knack. Alan Becker needs to work much faster to reform the unit. How Rain and Puppeteer were made for PS3 instead of being launch titles for PS4 is something I don't understand. Those are games that are not made for profit, and yet they played it safe. A riskier release of at least Puppeteer on PS4 would at least have given the console some Japanese style games at launch instead of just Knack and a couple of Musou games.
The failure of the PS4 and PS Vita are symptoms of the same disease which is a lack of internally developed content. Even their most high profile PS4 title is going to be developed externally by From. Instead of fixing SCEJ by purchasing From, who were up for sale, they have tried and failed to restructure internally. Sony as a company has only found success with non Japanese divisions. PlayStation and Xperia are western divisions and they are the only electronics divisions which have a decent future prospect though Japanese based management are doing their best to fuck up the Xperia division with constant meddling. Sony's Japanese run electronic divisions are all in trouble because they have failed to adapt to the new way of doing business. Specific to gaming that means they had no real smartphone gaming strategy, and they didn't buy in outside content to bolster their PS4 line up with desirable content. Too many games in Japan are cross generation, and I don't see that stopping any time soon and Sony don't have the internal franchises to force the situation.
The failure of the PS4 and PS Vita are symptoms of the same disease which is a lack of internally developed content. Even their most high profile PS4 title is going to be developed externally by From. Instead of fixing SCEJ by purchasing From, who were up for sale, they have tried and failed to restructure internally. Sony as a company has only found success with non Japanese divisions. PlayStation and Xperia are western divisions and they are the only electronics divisions which have a decent future prospect though Japanese based management are doing their best to fuck up the Xperia division with constant meddling. Sony's Japanese run electronic divisions are all in trouble because they have failed to adapt to the new way of doing business. Specific to gaming that means they had no real smartphone gaming strategy, and they didn't buy in outside content to bolster their PS4 line up with desirable content. Too many games in Japan are cross generation, and I don't see that stopping any time soon and Sony don't have the internal franchises to force the situation.
ThoseDeafMutes
Member
Don't worry, Japan is the land of portables. I'm sure the Vita's gangbuster numbers will pick up any slack from the home console market.
D
Deleted member 752119
Unconfirmed Member
Meh. I don't like many Japanese games so I honestly don't care that much how well consoles I own do over there.
Aquamarine
Member
Don't forget about the whole Gran Turismo 6 debacle. I was quite angry at SCEJA management for making the absolutely baffling move of releasing Gran Turismo 6 on the PS3 right after the PS4 released instead of making it PS4-exclusive at launch.
What on earth were they thinking?
You enter this fucking thread because...
entremet
Member
Such a bad decisions, especially due delay of Drive Club.
Parakeetman
No one wants a throne you've been sitting on!
Well no shit if you dont have any actual exclusives that would entice the market to buy one.
Doesnt take a Pachter to figure this one out as to whats going wrong currently.
Doesnt take a Pachter to figure this one out as to whats going wrong currently.
Aquamarine
Member
Yep.
NPD sales (USA sell-through):
PS2 LTD (October 2000 - May 2001): 2.74 million
PS4 LTD (November 2013 - May 2014): 3.31 million
zomgbbqftw
Banned
GT I can forgive because it doesn't really move consoles in Japan, it is now a mid tier title at best. Better to aim wide with such an expensively developed title. Plus it would have been a HD remaster at launch rather than ground up. Though reading PD's plans for GT7 it wouldn't have been much different. PS2 assets on PS4. Fucks sake Kaz.
Well it is Yamauchi-san who decided to stick with PS3. And if he says so he means it, and SCEJA has no control over it (virtually all of GT work is done by his team IIRC, so...)
In his defense when rough release date were set for GT6 no one expected PS4 to sell that hot. Seeing how WiiU went I personally expected it to tank.
Yeah and that too.
Wasn't there a report about Capcom being surprised at the PS4's success outside of Japan and being bummed that they didn't start many projects for it?
That might be the case for others as well but overall yeah, the console side of things isn't anywhere healthy in the region.
Though I do wonder if Japanese developers not supporting consoles much will eventually result in Japanese gamers having their tastes change and they start buying more western games.
That might be the case for others as well but overall yeah, the console side of things isn't anywhere healthy in the region.
Though I do wonder if Japanese developers not supporting consoles much will eventually result in Japanese gamers having their tastes change and they start buying more western games.
I honestly would have thought PS2 sold a lot more than that in that span of time tbh... but that is interesting, cheers.
Aquamarine
Member
Wait...why doesn't SCEJA have control over Polyphony Digital? They're a Sony 1st-party studio.
Are they under some kind of contract that Polyphony Digital gets 100% independence on development decisions?
Nightengale
Member
I don't necessarily agree on this perspective. It was clear that GT6 couldn't release sooner, even if it wanted to. It was either launch then, or skip the year at that point of time.
From a business perspective, one would think that a title like GT6 would be better on the PS3 at that point of time. The problem was that it was released 5 months later than it needed to.
Acquiescence
Member
The PS4 is going to suffer in Japan for a long time before things get better, and who knows how long that'll last.
On the upside, its spectacular success outside of Japan probably eases the pain for Sony somewhat.
On the upside, its spectacular success outside of Japan probably eases the pain for Sony somewhat.
I laughed out loud, spilling my cafe in the process. I'm not going to lie. Well played.
Thank god(s) I'm on my throw away device (Nook).
Aquamarine
Member
PS2 wasn't absolutely explosive right out of the gate.
The reason it's the best selling video game console in the world is because it sustained consistently high sales for nearly a decade, even after the PS3 came out.
It was super-popular around 2002-2003, though.
The difference between the PS2 and PS4 is the industry has shifted development to the west and the most IP's are geared towards that audience. The niche games, JRPG's and Japanese titles moved to handhelds and mobile so the Japanese are buying those hardware devices instead. AAA killed the majority of console development in Japan.
Of course there are always exceptions (Nintendo, Capcom, Square, Namco).
The Wii U and 3DS weren't doing to hot in Japan either until major software titles came along. Give the PS4 time and Japan will adopt it.
Of course there are always exceptions (Nintendo, Capcom, Square, Namco).
The Wii U and 3DS weren't doing to hot in Japan either until major software titles came along. Give the PS4 time and Japan will adopt it.
DaSorcerer7
Member
The bolded, I find hard to believe, wouldn't higher ups at Sony be ones to decide something like this.
Polyphony is funded by Sony 100%, but I doubt that anyone else in Sony could make GT series if Polyphony is reluctant to do so. Not saying they insisted to stick to PS3, just my guess.
KoopaTheCasual
Junior Member
This.
And the first big test for the PS4, will be seeing if it can maintain these PS2 levels of momentum after it's second holiday. If it can manage that, getting over 100mill lifetime sales will seem that much more likely.
TheJollyCorner
Member
If I recall correctly PS2 was ridiculously supply constrained.
I remember getting one @ midnight at launch and then being told how "lucky" I was and that some might not be able to get one from a store shelf until maybe summer of 2001.
They weren't kidding.
Shao Kahn Brewing a Stew
Banned
I don't think Sony tries to heavily influence their first party especially after the push they made for PS3 that failed in a lot of ways. PS4 is certainly a good change but units sold matters to dev, while great games matter to consumer. I think they're so many great games for handheld that PS3 may lead when it comes to console for the next 3 years.
What's funny is that we may see Wii U become a great contender to beat Sony this holiday in Japan.