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[mankoto]

http://www.mcvuk.com/news/read/japa...ronpa-sells-200-000-units-in-the-west/0148734

PlayStation Vita-exclusive franchise Danganronpa has helped to establish a market for Japanese visual novel games in the West.

That’s according to Takuro Yamashita, CEO and president of NIS America, which is the publisher for the titles in the US and Europe.

“Combined sales of the first two Danganronpa titles – Trigger Happy Havoc and Goodbye Despair – now total more than 200,000 across Europe and the US,” Yamashita told MCV.

“That's just on PS Vita – it's quite an impressive number.”

Trigger Happy Havoc and Goodbye Despair were released in the West last year, exclusively on Vita.

The Spike Chunsoft-developed games started off as PSP titles in Japan, before also coming to Vita and mobile in the region.

A third title, third-person spin-off Another Episode:Ultra Despair Girls, is slated for release in Western regions later this year, following its launch in Japan last September.

Yamashita added that the success of games such as Danganronpa had proved a Western appetite for the Japanese visual novel format – a traditionally niche medium which keeps active gameplay to a minimum, instead prioritising text-heavy storytelling, art style, dialogue and narrative depth.

“Danganronpa was definitely the game that made visual novels popular with Western gamers; since then there's been more coming out,” he said. “It's been quite good.

“We're just about to launch Danganronpa: Another Episode in September, which is set between the first two games, and I'm confident people will love it.

“NISA is known for publishing niche JRPGs like Disgaea, but now we're shifting the system towards visual novels after the success of Danganronpa."

Considering last month they said 100k in the US, I guess US and EU was more or less neck and neck in sales.

 

[Prelude.]

Holy shit, that's a massive success in Europe considering that it's only in english. I'm impressed.

 

[Mauricio_Magus]

This makes me really happy, Danganronpa is awesome and I can't wait for AE.


Now make ZE3.

“Danganronpa was definitely the game that made visual novels popular with Western gamers"

I love DR but come on, Phoenix Wright is the reason I give a shit about VNs and I'm sure it's the same for many.

 

[Astral/H3X]

It's almost literally the only reason I still have my Vita. Every time I think about selling it, I remember these games, and how there's probably another one coming out eventually.

 

[LiK]

yes, we exist.

 

[LAA]

Nice to hear!
Heck it's one of the only Vita exclusives in the west, more so available at retail.

Now we just need ZE3...

 

[Mass_Pincup]

Well deserved, those are some amazing games.

I just have to wait for ZE3 now...

 

[Zareka]

Niiiice, that's not bad at all.

Now give me ZE3 and everything will be right with the world.

 

[Rymuth]

Bear-y good, Bear-y Bear-y good, indeed.

 

[sixteen-bit]

Congrats on the success.

 

[-Horizon-]

Good to hear. Love the games and can't wait for Another Episode.

 

[FluxWaveZ]

Yamashita added that the success of games such as Danganronpa had proved a Western appetite for the Japanese visual novel format – a traditionally niche medium which keeps active gameplay to a minimum, instead prioritising text-heavy storytelling, art style, dialogue and narrative depth.

“Danganronpa was definitely the game that made visual novels popular with Western gamers; since then there's been more coming out,” he said. “It's been quite good.

Whoa there, don't pat yourself on the back too hard.

It's nice to see it was successful. Obviously the Western market has an audience for visual novels, but it's not been catered to for some reason.

 

[SerTapTap]

Cool stuff. Kinda sucks VNs are still so "niche", sucks to see writing this good that more or less won't ever be popular culture. But if it's enough for them to keep making them then that's good enough.

 

[names2hard4you]

Goddamn. Those numbers are great, massive even specially since this is on a console that most deem as "dead". This is proof that VNs can do well here in the west, I would be all for even more of the genre coming over.

 

[Hikami]

Nice.

“NISA is known for publishing niche JRPGs like Disgaea, but now we're shifting the system towards visual novels after the success of Danganronpa."

So is this quote implying NISA is going to localize more VNs?

Spoiler

Yes please

 

[Ventara]

Fantastic news! And it's great to read that we might get more VNs from NISA. Though I hope we still get RPGs, too.

 

[batrush]

Well-deserved. Fantastic games.

 

[Jotamide]

This makes me really happy, Danganronpa is awesome and I can't wait for AE.


Now make ZE3.

Pretty much. That teaser better be real Aksys.

 

[Shinriji]

“NISA is known for publishing niche JRPGs like Disgaea, but now we're shifting the system towards visual novels after the success of Danganronpa."

If true, this is huge.

 

[Isotope]

“Danganronpa was definitely the game that made visual novels popular with Western gamers

If DR made VNs popular in the West, then what did Phoenix Wright do? Regardless, fantastic news for the series in the West.

 

[names2hard4you]

what did Phoenix Wright do?

Go digital-only on it's mainline series, that's what it did /: That baffles me still.

 

[Brazil]

“NISA is known for publishing niche JRPGs like Disgaea, but now we're shifting the system towards visual novels after the success of Danganronpa."

If true, this is huge.

This is the best thing they could've said ever.

 

[Funyarinpa]

Assuming there are ten million Vitas in the market, that means about one in 50 Vita owners have bought a Danganronpa game. (technically less because of double dippers, p3ople who bought two games and whatnot)

I find that to be pretty amazing.

And yes. Now make ZE3, Spike Chunsoft. It will sell.

 

[FluxWaveZ]

If DR made VNs popular in the West, then what did Phoenix Wright do? Regardless, fantastic news for the series in the West.

If anything made VNs popular in the West, it would be Ace Attorney. I love Danganronpa, but there's no way that it somehow paved the way for the genre in 2014. Publishers just weren't paying attention.

If only "Thought It Was a Harem Paradise, It Was a Yandere Hell" was on the Vita. we'd be getting that for sure.

 

[Wynnebeck]

Dancingmonokuma.gif

 

[Prelude.]

This is the best thing they could've said ever.

Kinda, the way it's worded is slightly worrying. I'm all for more VN but I want my jrpgs too.

 

[HardRojo]

And this is a reminder for me that I still need to play this series. I already have a Vita so I don't know what I am waiting for.

Spoiler

Totally not related but I need Zero Escape 3!

If anything made VNs popular in the West, it would be Ace Attorney. I love Danganronpa, but there's no way that it somehow paved the way for the genre in 2014. Publishers just weren't paying attention.

If only "Thought It Was a Harem Paradise, It Was a Yandere Hell" was on the Vita. we'd be getting that for sure.

I agree with the Phoenix Wright part. It was that series that showed me VNs could be awesome and led the way for me to play Zero Escape.

 

[Newtype-001]

 

[Infernal Monkey]

“NISA is known for publishing niche JRPGs like Disgaea, but now we're shifting the system towards visual novels after the success of Danganronpa."

Tell me more. ｡◕‿◕｡

 

[Shinriji]

Kinda, the way it's worded is slightly worrying. I'm all for more VN but I want my jrpgs too.

Probably they won't get much more since Idea International, XSEED, Aksys and Atlus are grabbing all the games for localization.

 

[Brazil]

Kinda, the way it's worded is slightly worrying. I'm all for more VN but I want my jrpgs too.

We're already getting enough JRPGs without NISA.

VNs, on the other hand...

 

[daxgame]

now there's no more excuses to not plan Zero Escape 3, right, Chunsoft??

 

[names2hard4you]

Kinda, the way it's worded is slightly worrying. I'm all for more VN but I want my jrpgs too.

I doubt we will be getting less than what we are used to from them. For the past year or two they have been expanding their horizons and bringing new stuff over that they hadn't done before. It's great seeing that it paid off, all they need to do is find a balance.

 

[Blackthorn]

~Pupupupupu~

Great news. It may not be the biggest platform, but there's no denying Vita owners have an appetite for unique games that lets them thrive there.

 

[Tagg9]

This is awesome. Does anyone know the western sales of Zero Escape for comparison?

 

[chicagocubsfan]

Well deserved.

 

[flohen95]

Kinda, the way it's worded is slightly worrying. I'm all for more VN but I want my jrpgs too.

Yeah, this. I hope they manage to strike a nice balance.

 

[theRizzle]

I purchased the first game at retail so I guess I am one of those 200,000+, but I'm not sure if I'll bother picking up the second or any subsequent entries in the series. I did enjoy my time with it, but the first game is still fresh in my mind and I'm worried Goodbye Despair will be a little too samey.

 

[Kandrick]

Deserved. It's the only games i played on my Vita last year.

 

[RockTurtle]

Arturo had a hand in this!

 

[Shizuka]

Congratulations, NISA. Well done.

 

[Nightbird]

Bought a Vita for those Games. (First Console i bought from my own Money!)

Best decision ever.

 

[jschreier]

“NISA is known for publishing niche JRPGs like Disgaea, but now we're shifting the system towards visual novels after the success of Danganronpa."

If true, this is huge.

Really huge, as long as they realize that what makes Danganronpa popular here is the great writing and mysteries, not the fan-service.

 

[Jucksalbe]

“NISA is known for publishing niche JRPGs like Disgaea, but now we're shifting the system towards visual novels after the success of Danganronpa."

That's interesting. I guess they had to find a new niche after several of their regular series got taken away. Glad they didn't just go for "crappier JRPGs".

 

[Isotope]

Go digital-only on it's mainline series, that's what it did /: That baffles me still.

Capcom gonna Capcom sadly . I was just taken aback by the quote because (The way I'm seeing the quote, not necessarily saying that's what it's saying) it's like it's implying that DR is the sole reason as to why VNs have become popular in the West, while disregarding/ignoring the acclaim and sales of previous games in the genre (The Phoenix Wright series being the biggest example, but I am aware not every VN can sell well like PW) have obtained. Keep in mind I am in no way lambasting DR, as I absolutely love the series and could not be happier for the success it is seeing in the West.

If anything made VNs popular in the West, it would be Ace Attorney. I love Danganronpa, but there's no way that it somehow paved the way for the genre in 2014. Publishers just weren't paying attention.

If only "Thought It Was a Harem Paradise, It Was a Yandere Hell" was on the Vita. we'd be getting that for sure.

Yeah, I pretty much feel the same way. Phoenix Wright made me even consider the VN genre in the first place! And I'd pay good money for a Vita port of the Yandere VN. :<

 

[Prelude.]

You can start with this one, NISA, btw.

Probably they won't get much more since Idea International, XSEED, Aksys and Atlus are grabbing all the games for localization.

Well, we still have all the Experience games, I don't think it'd be smart for NISA to lose those.

I'm worried Goodbye Despair will be a little too samey.

You shouldn't worry about this.

 

[Waxwing]

Did anything ever come of that teaser Aksys website?

 

[plutoknight]

This makes me really happy, Danganronpa is awesome and I can't wait for AE.


Now make ZE3.



I love DR but come on, Phoenix Wright is the reason I give a shit about VNs and I'm sure it's the same for many.

It was 999 for me, which then led me into Phoenix Wright and then Danganronpa... XD

Monokuma running NISA confirmed?

 

[Firestorm ZERO]

NISA is known for publishing niche JRPGs like Disgaea, but now we're shifting the system towards visual novels after the success of Danganronpa.

So does this mean Yandere Hell has a chance?

 

[bomblord1]

I personally wouldn't consider Dangan Ronpa a visual novel honestly. It has a lot of movement and gameplay that eclipses the "visual novel" stuff.

It's has more in common with old point and click games.