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[pastrami]

I don't believe we get numbers for Clash of Clans.

Candy Crush Saga was over 500 million in 2013 though: http://www.theverge.com/2013/11/15/5107794/candy-crush-saga-500-million-downloads

However, keep in mind that Japan only has 127 million people, so 36 million downloads is a huge percentage of the population.

Yeah, that was what I wanted to compare. That number is so impressive to me precisely because that's over 25% of the population. I was wondering if the attach rate of Clash of Clans (which seems to be the powerhouse mobile game in the west) was anywhere close to that. The world is in love with mobile gaming, but Japan seemed to fall head over heels for it.

 

[Nyoro SF]

Okay, I'll boil my argument down to a simple question: let's say you were the head of a major console manufacturer in, oh, 2008. How would you have approached hardware design and software acquisition such that you could compete with smart phones for casual consumers going forward? What changes would you have made in your approach to facilitate that?

For casuals who want the simple and easy access of games on phones? There would be nothing any console manufacturer could do. You can't conjure up a phone to compete with iOS and Android (Microsoft tried this, and the phone has pathetic marketshare).

The only possible option for survival against smartphones is to do what console manufacturers are doing right now, which is to basically ignore the casuals that you can't win, double down on AAA games that pull in mass dollar and court your small-time indie developers.

I've already answered your hypothetical scenario anyway. Consoles and smartphones are competing on accessibility, not software.

 

[Supermanisdead]

codename steam es FLOP TOTAL

 

[QaaQer]

Okay, I'll boil my argument down to a simple question: let's say you were the head of a major console manufacturer in, oh, 2008. How would you have approached hardware design and software acquisition such that you could compete with smart phones for casual consumers going forward? What changes would you have made in your approach to facilitate that?

In Japan? For home consoles? Wow, that would be a tough one.

 

[Hcoregamer00]

The world is in love with mobile gaming, but Japan seemed to fall head over heels for it.

You could argue that mobile gaming had always been prominent in Japan, before the iPhone came out, Japan was THE country for the best and most advanced phones. Likewise, they also had the most complete phone games, when the most popular phone game was Snake for the west.

What has changed is the acceptance of free to play, and it started a snowball effect. Companies try free to play, and those game that succeed make gigantic margins, like Puzzle and Dragons, Chain Chronicles, Monster Strike. The success of those games then entice the bigger Japanese companies that have tried in the home and portable console space with some success in Japan and with very little success in the West.

With the influx of larger development houses to Mobile, we could see a better mix of free to play, and more premium experiences.

 

[Opiate]

For casuals who want the simple and easy access of games on phones? There would be nothing any console manufacturer could do. You can't conjure up a phone to compete with iOS and Android (Microsoft tried this, and the phone has pathetic marketshare).

This is what I'm referring to: you are arguing that consoles could not possibly compete for these consumers.

This is where we disagree. Their inability to compete -- which is apparent -- is not proof that it's impossible. Instead, I'm suggesting it's a consequence of ineptitude. Microsoft and particularly Nintendo and Sony have been very poorly run companies over the last 1/2 of a decade, as their stock prices make readily clear.

The console market could look markedly different, but it would have required these companies to make many decisions that were friendlier to these casual consumers. For the most part, they haven't done that, and in many cases have done the opposite (I feel the 3DS and Wii U, in particular, are less friendly to casual consumers than their immediate predecessors, for instance).

 

[Somnid]

The argument hinges on the proven idea that the mass majority of consumers don't care about where their games come from as long as they are accessible and convenient to play.

That's why I'm laughing at the idea of compelling casual software stopping the trend.
No matter how open or casual or easy or accessible you make your console game it will never be as open or casual or easy or accessible as a phone game by virtue of the phone being on the person at all times, being used by that person at all times.

This is somewhat circular, your idea is speculation, it's not proven unless you have something to back that up. It also has not impacted other mediums as heavily, you will still see plenty of Japanese readers reading paperbacks for example. People have preferences, they compartmentalize things as performing certain tasks. This is why I don't think the issue comes so much from a device standpoint but rather that the software has not been enough to justify the device. I noted earlier that people have been playing games on phones in the PS2 era, it's not suddenly more convenient, the games have just improved. It's likely the issue that consoles are less interesting and you can look at the release lists from a generation ago to demonstrate that.

I think it's fine to argue that the console market can't be as big but many of the serious issues are unique to Japan. Ubisoft, EA, Activision and Take 2 aren't winding down their console business to go all in on smartphones, for example, even though they are making those games. It's also interesting that the US and Europe is a much healthier console market.

 

[ZSaberLink]

Btw, for what it's worth, the general impression I got was that most of the developers working on mobile games (at least for larger companies), don't really enjoy it? Especially the more social ones that seem to sell? I assume something like Terra Battle may be different though.

 

[Hcoregamer00]

It's also interesting that the US and Europe is a much healthier console market.

Well, that depends on your definition of healthy. Yes, the hardware is currently selling at a brisk pace, but are we seeing more new development houses start up or fail? Are the sales spread out across the board or are they bifurcating into two classes (gigantic sales or colossal failures)? Is it attracting a new audience to replace those who left?

 

[Regulus Tera]

Wondreful 101 sold almost ~3x more than S.T.E.A.M. in its launch week, despite Wii U having at the time ~1/18 of the 3DS install base nowdays.

Holy shit, this is a whole new level of bomba. Rabbids Land sales sound good now...

I blame the artstyle, more than anything.

 

[theprodigy]

I think print magazines are an excellent analog, because some of them are not only surviving, but thriving in the current landscape (if you need examples, a large scale one is VICE; it is also true that indie newspapers are thriving in a variety of niches).

Of course, most magazines and newspapers are dead or dying, no question. But what we're asking is whether it's possible to thrive in that industry, if you position yourself intelligently and plan for the future. As print clearly shows, it very much is -- but you better have a good plan. I don't feel that any of the three console manufacturers currently have a good plan for the future right now, and they've certainly failed so far in aggregate.

you're switching arguments here: first you say it's possible for the entire industry to avoid losing people to mobile, then you say certain companies can come out of the transition perfectly fine even if everyone else falls, which is not unlike what is happening now with the big AAA companies (EA, Activision, etc.)

 

[Opiate]

you're switching arguments here: first you say it's possible for the entire industry to avoid losing people to mobile, then you say certain companies can come out of the transition perfectly fine even if everyone else falls, which is not unlike what is happening now with the big AAA companies (EA, Activision, etc.)

I'm not suggesting that literally everyone can do well -- I'm sorry if that's what it sounded like -- but right now everyone is losing.

What Japanese companies are doing well in the console market?

 

[Box]

This is what I'm referring to: you are arguing that consoles could not possibly compete for these consumers.

This is where we disagree. Their inability to compete -- which is apparent -- is not proof that it's impossible. Instead, I'm suggesting it's a consequence of ineptitude. Microsoft and particularly Nintendo and Sony have been very poorly run companies over the last 1/2 of a decade, as their stock prices make readily clear.

The console market could look markedly different, but it would have required these companies to make many decisions that were friendlier to these casual consumers. For the most part, they haven't done that, and in many cases have done the opposite (I feel the 3DS and Wii U, in particular, are less friendly to casual consumers than their immediate predecessors, for instance).

Now I'm interested since you posed the question. What do you think the console manufacturers should have done more specifically than this sort of nebulous "making better decisions"? I think a lot of people genuinely don't know what they could have done. Do you? Because otherwise we're all incompetent as you put it.

 

[Opiate]

Now I'm interested since you posed the question. What do you think the console manufacturers should have done more specifically than this sort of nebulous "making better decisions"? I think a lot of people genuinely don't know what they could have done. Do you? Because otherwise we're all incompetent as you put it.

The first thing I would have done would be to make a much cheaper console, in the range of $100. I would have focused considerably more on social networking, too.

But I can't get very specific, either. One of the points I'm trying to make here is that there is a very important difference between "I don't know how to fix this problem, personally" and "this problem is unfixable / impossible."

I think most of us also would not have figured out the Wii mote, either, and yet Nintendo did, to very considerable success with the exact audience we're talking about. It's possible to come up with ideas that appeal to them, clearly.

 

[Hero of Legend]

The first thing I would have done would be to make a much cheaper console, in the range of $100. I would have focused considerably more on social networking, too.

But I can't get very specific, either. One of the points I'm making is that there is a very important difference between "I don't know how to fix this problem, personally" and "this problem is unfixable / impossible."

I think most of us also would not have figured out the Wii mote, either, and yet Nintendo did, to very considerable success with the exact audience we're talking about. It's possible to come up with ideas that appeal to them, clearly.

See, I like this idea.

Why does everything need to be uber powerful and hundreds of dollars?

Companies all are in such a rush to the biggest and most powerful tech, that honestly I'd like it if we just slowed down and go up on a more little by little basis. It'd still be a 5-year gen to clarify.

This would vastly reduce hardware and development costs, it'd be easier to get the devices into peoples hands and it'd be easier on developers so they don't have to make a game cost 10's of millions of dollars to make.

I don't know, I'd just like to see that.

 

[Zero²]

The first thing I would have done would be to make a much cheaper console, in the range of $100. I would have focused considerably more on social networking, too.

I know we are focusing the conversation more on home consoles, but I wonder how well the 2DS did overall. It seemed a really smart idea at the beginning, but even then it was just another version of a already existent 3DS... Same as the Wii Mini lol
How expensive was the Wii at launch?

 

[Opiate]

I know we are focusing the conversation more on home consoles, but I wonder how well the 2DS did overall. It seemed a really smart idea at the beginning, but even then it was just another version of a already existent 3DS... Same as the Wii Mini lol
How expensive was the Wii at launch?

250 in the US, and similarly priced in Japan (which is what we're talking about here). It was modestly cheaper, but didn't include Wii Sports in the box.

 

[Zero²]

See, I like this idea.

Why does everything need to be uber powerful and hundreds of dollars?

Companies all are in such a rush to the biggest and most powerful tech, that honestly I'd like it if we just slowed down and go up on a more little by little basis. It'd still be a 5-year gen to clarify.

This would vastly reduce hardware and development costs, it'd be easier to get the devices into peoples hands and it'd be easier on developers so they don't have to make a game cost 10's of millions of dollars to make.

I don't know, I'd just like to see that.

Just look at the thread here on neogaf about the rumour of the new Monster Hunter or Dragon Quest, or about how everyone says that third parties wont release on Nintendo consoles because they are weaker (when the fact is more about audience than anything else).
Being a weak console is bad marketing for the "core" audience, making it risky to try to go for a more casual audience.
Damn just look at the Wii, the backslash was immense, people saying Nintendo betrayed them, or saying that they'd never buy anything Nintendo related again. Sounds childish, but it happened unfortunately. Imagine if the Wii failed to attract the casuals as it did, it would be a failure almost as big as the WiiU.

250 in the US, and similarly priced in Japan (which is what we're talking about here). It was modestly cheaper, but didn't include Wii Sports in the box.

And damn it took almost 3 years to have price drop ($50 dollar price drop though).
One thing we need to think about is how Nintendo turned the 3DS into a moderate success after a horrible launch, I think that shows that there is still space for game consoles on Japan, just maybe not in the traditional home console way.

 

[Somnid]

Well, that depends on your definition of healthy. Yes, the hardware is currently selling at a brisk pace, but are we seeing more new development houses start up or fail? Are the sales spread out across the board or are they bifurcating into two classes (gigantic sales or colossal failures)? Is it attracting a new audience to replace those who left?

I'd say we have an extremely healthy indie market and seem to be building a super-indie market which is replacing the old mid-tier. All the big software houses aside from Take 2 seem to be doing well and are selling lots of software. The big guys are a bit conservative but they aren't afraid to spend big bucks on new potential megafranchises. Lot's of research is going into new areas like AR, VR and wearables. Everyone has an AND strategy not an OR.

I think looking at things like toys-to-life and how Skylanders and DI existing also boosts interest in Amiibo and make Lego want to get in on that you can see how there is healthy expansion in areas beyond mobile and new ideas.

 

[Cosmo Clock 21]

edit: nvm forgot to refresh

 

[AniHawk]

well, the dedicated hardware market had a good run.

i know that seems like hyperbole, but it seems like next gen will be a mildly successful nx and a niche playstation 5 and that will probably be it.

 

[Alebrije]

1./00. [PS4] Final Fantasy X/X-2 HD Remaster <Final Fantasy X Final Fantasy X-2> <RPG> (Square Enix) {2015.05.14} (¥7.344) - 15.913 / NEW

best seller 16 k copies and is a FF game...

I think at this point is better to track Germany or U.K. markets than Japan , even Mexico sales could be more interesting......

 

[FluxWaveZ]

well, the dedicated hardware market had a good run.

i know that seems like hyperbole, but it seems like next gen will be a mildly successful nx and a niche playstation 5 and that will probably be it.

You mean exactly how things are now? Or do you mean that consoles will no longer exist after that?

This is fun to look back to:

Sometome in the near future(I predict within 2 years) we will see the end of
videogamming as we know it. Companies will fall and in their ashes will lie
the endless number of videogamers desperate for new technology.

Much like the crash of the early 80's, this one will be bigger and more
devestating. Nintendo, Sega, NEC, and Atari will be hit hard. The worst of
these will be Nintendo. With the price dropping on all cartridges as the store
attempt to rid them from their shelves, Nintendo will loose millions of
dollars. They will be the next Atari.

Sega will fall much like Matel(remember the intelevision?). The system will
continue, unlike the nintendo who will be swamped with debts, but it will not
be the same level of gaming that currently exists. In fact, I would expect a
downshift in gaming sales for the Genesis quite soon.

NEC will be dead. There will be nothing left of the company's game
devision. Importation of games might be possible if the PC Engine can survive.

Atari will loose little. It's already small role and hard core users will
keep it alive. In fact I find little to suggest that Atari could die if it
wanted to. I know, I am one of these people.

The US will be bad, but not as bad as Japan. They owe so much money to the
US and they have so little to pay us with. They also have all investments over
here. When Congress passes laws to surpress the import/exprt trade deficits,
then the people of Japan will really have a problem. Japan will go belly up.
All money will keep Japan form becoming a civil war.

Now why do I saw this? I saw it once. The next generation of video games
took the market, Genesis(5200), TG-16(ColecoVision)... It is just a matter of
time. There is nothing anyone can do either.

In the dust a company shall rise again. Perhaps Atari, perhaps someone
else. It WILL be an American company. Japan will have no money to invest
toward this. Who says that you can't tell the future?

 

[Hero of Legend]

Just look at the thread here on neogaf about the rumour of the new Monster Hunter or Dragon Quest,

Link please? I can't find this.

 

[test_account]

I didn´t care about Minecraft so I had no specific expectation for its ltd, what I said is that it seems to be what keeps PSV afloat, but PSV is heading towards sub 10k regardless. Every system declined compared to last week but I´m more concerned about hypothetical new entries into the sub 10k-club.

Ah ok, i see. I thought you maybe thought Minecraft should be pushing more Vita systems than it did, or how much the Vita would potentially have sold right now if it wasnt for Minecraft.

well, the dedicated hardware market had a good run.

i know that seems like hyperbole, but it seems like next gen will be a mildly successful nx and a niche playstation 5 and that will probably be it.

I wonder if Nintendo and/or Sony can come up with some interesting idea that becomes really interesting to people in general, or if mobile game simply is too convenient ("everyone" has a phone and its something that you carry with you).

I think at this point is better to track Germany or U.K. markets than Japan , even Mexico sales could be more interesting......

The "problem" with those charts is that we only get the rankings itself and basically no numbers.

 

[Zero²]

Link please? I can't find this.

It was the thread about the Capcom event on May 31th

Spoiler

just look at the OP lol

, and about the new DQ, just look at any Square-Enix E3 related stuff, or the DQVIII 3DS announcement thread.
This were just examples from the top of my head though, I'm sure most of the hate and port begging are just from people that dont want to buy a Nintendo console besides their console of choice to play those games.

 

[Kouriozan]

Traditional gaming had a good run in Japan.
Seriously, this week is sad when you see a 15k seller being 1st.

Also not surprised about Codename STEAM bombing. Didn't really feel that game and the demo confirmed my feeling.

 

[jamesinclair]

What was the last hardware price drop in Japan?

 

[Hero of Legend]

It was the thread about the Capcom event on May 31th

Spoiler

just look at the OP lol

, and about the new DQ, just look at any Square-Enix E3 related stuff, or the DQVIII 3DS announcement thread.
This were just examples from the top of my head though, I'm sure most of the hate and port begging are just from people that dont want to buy a Nintendo console besides their console of choice to play those games.

Oooooooh. I thought you meant threads popped up pointing to those being on other systems or something. Misread. Yeah I've seen that kind of sentiment far too often.

 

[Acosta]

You know, I don't care.

If most Japan consumers want to limit their videogames to gatcha and stamina fueled passtimes, so be it. And if developers feel more satisfied doing that, they are free to do what they want with their lifes.

The people who want to do honest to god traditional videogames, that's the people I want staying. And I know some studios will still want to do that and will be able to do it thanks to global appeal, publisher relationships or even kickstarters.

And if what remains of Japanese industry is the equivalent of VNs actual market, so be it, I'll take it.

I'm fucking tired of worrying and arguing and hoping for a "better" future, it´s not going to happen.

So I will do what I have been doing, I'll support the industry, I'll keep buying the games I'm interested day one, I'll back the KS available. I may even get more stuff, not that it will change anything, but that's what I can do.

I'm going to enjoy the ride until it last.

 

[Aeriscloud]

Shut it down, it's over.

 

[Smellycat]

I feel really bad for Intelligent Systems.

I don't. The game looks boring as hell. Should have stuck with what works. Advance Wars

 

[Sandfox]

I don't. The game looks boring as hell. Should have stuck with what works. Advance Wars

Advance Wars works?

 

[theprodigy]

Advance Wars works?

well, anything would've sold better LOL

 

[Acosta]

I don't. The game looks boring as hell. Should have stuck with what works. Advance Wars with waifus.

I fixed that for you.

 

[Fafalada]

Though I do find they denial funny, since the western market will head this direction too.

Stationary device-gaming is (a lot)bigger than just console worldwide, and popular in a lot more places than "West" - it wouldn't be the first time industry collectively decided to leave money on the table by ignoring something, but IMO it just seems less likely that exodus will happen without another disruption (Mobile market as it is now could use one, anyway).

 

[Sandfox]

well, anything would've sold better LOL

The last Advance Wars game on the DS didn't even get retail release in Japan so that's not saying much.

 

[Diffense]

I feel like the mobile revolution is a classic example of the old concept of "first they came for X, and I did nothing. Then they came for Y, and I said nothing. Then they came for what I liked, and it was too late."

The mobile revolution didn't happen overnight; it has gradually been siphoning away customers for more than half a decade now, and people didn't really care when it was just the casual gamers (and casual games) leaving. But then, over time, it started siphoning away things like Breath of Fire or causing industry stalwarts to leave the console industry entirely, and suddenly it was a big deal.

I feel like Sony and Nintendo -- along with their fans -- seemed to shrug it off as long as their core audience still seemed engaged. If there was ever a hope of stopping this migration, that opportunity has long since passed. They would have had to fight for those "casual" consumers much more aggressively, because they are the future.

I've been thinking that in retrpospect the Wii was a turning point. It was a nexus of the 'casual' market and dedicated console gaming and it was amazingly successful as a consumer product. However it didn't affect the direction the rest of the industry was heading in despite pulling in an immense userbase (along with the similarly accessible touch-based DS). Mobile will do what Wii couldn't do but far more drastically.

 

[theprodigy]

The last Advance Wars game on the DS didn't even get retail release in Japan so that's not saying much.

I mean any game IS could've made, including Advance Wars, could have sold better than Codename STEAM as long as it actually got released.

 

[Smellycat]

Advance Wars works?

Better than STEAM

I still can't believe Nintendo held a special conference for this game.

 

[Chris1964]

Media Create Sales: Week 20, 2015 (May 11 - May 17)

01./00. [PS4] Final Fantasy X/X-2 HD Remaster <Final Fantasy X \ Final Fantasy X-2> <RPG> (Square Enix) {2015.05.14} (¥7.344) - 15.913 / NEW
02./01. [3DS] Puzzle & Dragons: Super Mario Bros. Edition <RPG> (GungHo Online Entertainment) {2015.04.29} (¥4.320) - 13.844 / 232.683 (-64%)
03./03. [PSV] Minecraft: PlayStation Vita Edition <ADV> (Sony Computer Entertainment) {2015.03.19} (¥2.592) - 11.303 / 155.278 (-37%)
04./02. [3DS] Style Savvy 3: Kira Kira Code <ETC> (Nintendo) {2015.04.16} (¥5.076) - 7.422 / 128.213 (-66%)
05./00. [PS4] Borderlands: The Handsome Collection <Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel! \ Borderlands 2> <RPG> (Take-Two Interactive Japan) {2015.05.14} (¥6.804) - 6.922 / NEW
06./05. [WIU] Mario Kart 8 # <RCE> (Nintendo) {2014.05.29} (¥6.156) - 5.405 / 989.307 (-43%)
07./06. [3DS] Bravely Second: End Layer <RPG> (Square Enix) {2015.04.23} (¥6.458) - 5.260 / 134.905 (-44%)
08./04. [WIU] Xenoblade Chronicles X # <RPG> (Nintendo) {2015.04.29} (¥8.316) - 4.236 / 101.511 (-64%)
09./07. [3DS] Pokemon Omega Ruby / Alpha Sapphire <RPG> (Pokemon Co.) {2014.11.21} (¥4.937) - 3.648 / 2.622.489 (-57%)
10./34. [PS4] Dying Light <ADV> (Warner Entertainment Japan) {2015.04.16} (¥8.208) - 3.252 / 44.450 (+38%)
11./08. [WIU] Mario Party 10 # <ETC> (Nintendo) {2015.03.12} (¥5.616) - 3.204 / 140.963 (-57%)
12./09. [3DS] Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS <FTG> (Nintendo) {2014.09.13} (¥5.616) - 3.133 / 2.230.716 (-56%)
13./10. [3DS] Yo-kai Watch 2: Shin Uchi <RPG> (Level 5) {2014.12.13} (¥4.968) - 2.723 / 2.606.206 (-56%)
14./13. [3DS] Animal Crossing: New Leaf # <ETC> (Nintendo) {2012.11.08} (¥4.800) - 2.439 / 3.972.933 (-48%)
15./12. [WIU] Dragon Quest X: Inishie no Ryuu no Denshou Online <RPG> (Square Enix) {2015.04.30} (¥4.104) - 2.300 / 105.342 (-51%)
16./30. [PS4] Tropico 5 <SLG> (Square Enix) {2015.04.23} (¥8.424) - 2.133 / 17.997 (-20%)
17./11. [3DS] Theatrhythm Dragon Quest <ACT> (Square Enix) {2015.03.26} (¥6.264) - 2.072 / 117.161 (-57%)
18./14. [WIU] Super Smash Bros. for Wii U # <FTG> (Nintendo) {2014.12.06} (¥7.776) - 2.041 / 636.111 (-54%)
19./19. [3DS] Xenoblade Chronicles 3D |new 3DS| <RPG> (Nintendo) {2015.04.02} (¥3.996) - 1.944 / 84.347 (-45%)
20./24. [PS3] Pro Baseball Spirits 2015 <SPT> (Konami) {2015.03.26} (¥8.208) - 1.863 / 100.345

Top 20

3DS - 9
WIU - 5
PS4 - 4
PS3 - 1
PSV - 1

HARDWARE

+-------+------------+------------+------------+------------+------------+-------------+
|System | This Week  | Last Week  | Last Year  |     YTD    |  Last YTD  |     LTD     |
+-------+------------+------------+------------+------------+------------+-------------+
| 3DS # |     16.355 |     26.092 |     23.600 |    794.808 |    900.842 |  18.633.253 |
|  PS4  |     11.489 |     15.992 |      6.792 |    505.851 |    573.639 |   1.476.518 |
| PSV # |     11.124 |     17.938 |     13.865 |    416.890 |    551.650 |   3.940.817 |
|  WIU  |      6.428 |     11.137 |      6.716 |    186.686 |    211.100 |   2.330.266 |
|  PS3  |      2.964 |      4.351 |      7.339 |    134.303 |    253.721 |  10.303.294 |
|  XB1  |        148 |        187 |            |      8.027 |            |      51.294 |
+-------+------------+------------+------------+------------+------------+-------------+
|  ALL  |     48.508 |     75.697 |     60.155 |  2.046.565 |  2.567.474 |  36.735.442 |
+-------+------------+------------+------------+------------+------------+-------------+
| PSVTV |        439 |        665 |      1.055 |     13.284 |     35.791 |     163.497 |
|  PSV  |     10.685 |     17.273 |     12.810 |    403.606 |    515.859 |   3.777.320 |
|n-3DSLL|     11.340 |     17.875 |            |    474.683 |            |   1.341.741 |
| n-3DS |      3.483 |      5.446 |            |    183.508 |            |     552.814 |
| 3DSLL |        790 |      1.358 |     18.350 |     70.598 |    640.246 |   6.903.221 |
|  3DS  |        742 |      1.413 |      5.250 |     66.019 |    260.596 |   9.835.477 |
+-------+------------+------------+------------+------------+------------+-------------+

Famitsu Sales: Week 20, 2015 (May 11 - May 17)

01./00. [PS4] Final Fantasy X/X-2 HD Remaster <Final Fantasy X \ Final Fantasy X-2> <RPG> (Square Enix) {2015.05.14} (¥7.344) - 17.972 / NEW <60-80%>
02./01. [3DS] Puzzle & Dragons: Super Mario Bros. Edition <RPG> (GungHo Online Entertainment) {2015.04.29} (¥4.320) - 17.876 / 246.259 <60-80%> (-65%)
03./03. [PSV] Minecraft: PlayStation Vita Edition <ADV> (Sony Computer Entertainment) {2015.03.19} (¥2.592) - 10.156 / 154.482 <80-100%> (-37%)
04./02. [3DS] Style Savvy 3: Kira Kira Code <ETC> (Nintendo) {2015.04.16} (¥5.076) - 7.728 / 139.760 <80-100%> (-64%)
05./00. [PS4] Borderlands: The Handsome Collection <Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel! \ Borderlands 2> <RPG> (Take-Two Interactive Japan) {2015.05.14} (¥6.804) - 7.433 / NEW <60-80%>
06./05. [3DS] Bravely Second: End Layer <RPG> (Square Enix) {2015.04.23} (¥6.458) - 6.683 / 140.856 <60-80%> (-42%)
07./08. [WIU] Mario Kart 8 # <RCE> (Nintendo) {2014.05.29} (¥6.156) - 5.571 / 985.814 <80-100%> (-27%)
08./04. [WIU] Xenoblade Chronicles X # <RPG> (Nintendo) {2015.04.29} (¥8.316) - 4.211 / 104.334 <80-100%> (-64%)
09./07. [3DS] Yo-kai Watch 2: Shin Uchi <RPG> (Level 5) {2014.12.13} (¥4.968) - 4.001 / 2.591.496 <80-100%> (-49%)
10./11. [3DS] Pokemon Omega Ruby / Alpha Sapphire # <RPG> (Pokemon Co.) {2014.11.21} (¥4.937) - 3.230 / 2.800.856 <80-100%> (-47%)
11./09. [3DS] Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS <FTG> (Nintendo) {2014.09.13} (¥5.616) - 2.949 / 2.323.243 <80-100%> (-56%)
12./10. [3DS] Theatrhythm Dragon Quest <ACT> (Square Enix) {2015.03.26} (¥6.264) - 2.924 / 105.898 <60-80%> (-55%)
13./06. [WIU] Mario Party 10 # <ETC> (Nintendo) {2015.03.12} (¥5.616) - 2.867 / 148.061 <80-100%> (-64%)
14./25. [PS4] Dying Light <ADV> (Warner Entertainment Japan) {2015.04.16} (¥8.208) - 2.694 / 45.419 <80-100%> (-2%)
15./13. [3DS] Animal Crossing: New Leaf # <ETC> (Nintendo) {2012.11.08} (¥4.800) - 2.316 / 4.332.499 <80-100%> (-48%)
16./12. [WIU] Dragon Quest X: Inishie no Ryuu no Denshou Online <RPG> (Square Enix) {2015.04.30} (¥4.104) - 2.083 / 103.897 <80-100%> (-54%)
17./17. [PS3] One Piece: Pirate Warriors 3 <ACT> (Bandai Namco Games) {2015.03.26} (¥8.424) - 1.942 / 142.102 <80-100%> (-46%)
18./21. [PS3] Pro Baseball Spirits 2015 <SPT> (Konami) {2015.03.26} (¥8.208) - 1.893 / 105.355 <80-100%> (-34%)
19./00. [3DS] Code Name: S.T.E.A.M. <ACT> (Nintendo) {2015.05.14} (¥5.076) - 1.835 / NEW <0-20%>
20./20. [WIU] Super Smash Bros. for Wii U # <FTG> (Nintendo) {2014.12.06} (¥7.776) - 1.814 / 643.000 <80-100%> (-42%)
21./24. [PSV] Sword Art Online: Lost Song # <RPG> (Bandai Namco Games) {2015.03.26} (¥6.664) - 1.755 / 174.336 <80-100%> (-37%)
22./00. [PSV] Digimon Story: Cyber Sleuth <RPG> (Bandai Namco Games) {2015.03.12} (¥7.171) - 1.739 / 102.912 <80-100%>
23./27. [3DS] Xenoblade Chronicles 3D |new 3DS| <RPG> (Nintendo) {2015.04.02} (¥3.996) - 1.719 / 72.556 <80-100%> (-36%)
24./26. [3DS] Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate # <ACT> (Capcom) {2014.10.11} (¥6.264) - 1.689 / 2.546.814 <80-100%> (-37%)
25./00. [PS4] Tropico 5 <SLG> (Square Enix) {2015.04.23} (¥8.424) - 1.686 / 16.107 <80-100%> (-12%)
26./18. [3DS] Mario Kart 7 <RCE> (Nintendo) {2011.12.01} (¥4.800) - 1.655 / 2.410.322 <80-100%> (-51%)
27./15. [WII] Dragon Quest X: Inishie no Ryuu no Denshou Online <RPG> (Square Enix) {2015.04.30} (¥4.104) - 1.628 / 89.696 <80-100%> (-58%)
28./16. [3DS] LEGO City Undercover: The Chase Begins <ADV> (Nintendo) {2015.03.05} (¥5.076) - 1.608 / 48.378 <80-100%> (-56%)
29./00. [3DS] Dragon Quest X Online <RPG> (Square Enix) {2014.09.04} (¥4.104) - 1.538 / 166.436 <80-100%>
30./00. [PS4] Grand Theft Auto V # <ACT> (Take-Two Interactive Japan) {2014.12.11} (¥7.992) - 1.530 / 167.654 <80-100%>

Top 30

3DS - 14
PS4 - 5
WIU - 5
PSV - 3
PS3 - 2
WII - 1

HARDWARE

+-------+------------+------------+------------+------------+------------+-------------+
|System | This Week  | Last Week  | Last Year  |     YTD    |  Last YTD  |     LTD     |
+-------+------------+------------+------------+------------+------------+-------------+
| 3DS # |     16.010 |     24.711 |     25.440 |    801.224 |    910.975 |  18.648.280 |
| PSV # |     11.335 |     17.199 |     13.699 |    414.733 |    546.205 |   3.837.808 |
|  PS4  |     10.945 |     14.591 |      6.887 |    472.219 |    569.400 |   1.397.789 |
|  WIU  |      6.698 |      8.864 |      6.836 |    187.716 |    223.391 |   2.310.999 |
|  PS3  |      2.663 |      3.480 |      7.060 |    119.734 |    259.134 |  10.138.268 |
|  XB1  |        155 |        256 |            |      8.833 |            |      54.791 |
+-------+------------+------------+------------+------------+------------+-------------+
|  ALL  |     47.806 |     69.101 |     61.497 |  2.004.459 |  2.583.128 |  36.387.935 |
+-------+------------+------------+------------+------------+------------+-------------+

D a t a b a s e
Japanese Sales database <-download it here

Previous Threads
2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015

Media Create Sales: Week 19, 2015 (May 04 - May 10)

 

[Xenus]

I think that the decline in console development in particular in Japan is something which would have happened with or without mobile. The biggest factor is that the Japanese software development environment simply failed to scale when it needed to most. They had a unique way of developing games which worked very well in the 8-bit and 16-bit era, scaled surprisingly well into larger teams when they needed to make 3D games in the 32-bit era, and somehow still managed to cling on for most of the PS2 generation.

But once gaming became super big business with the explosion of the PS2 and Xbox worldwide, western publishers expanded their production pipelines in a much more efficient way than Japanese publishers did, and the added experience of dealing with PC-based architecture coupled with the popularity of the Xbox and 360 in the US in particular, meant that Japanese developers quickly found themselves outpaced. This hurt them really badly in both output and in perception, and all the big publishers are still feeling that hurt today.

So it's not surprising that when the option of making mobile which were cheaper and easier to develop for, requiring smaller teams and offering faster development cycles, they're so eager to jump onboard. Especially if they've been burnt hard during the PS3 generation. It's not unusual to read interviews where they talk about how much better it is to work in small teams again and have regular output.

Here is my problem with that. Just like when a lot of devolpers retreated to DS/PSP last gen where those methods still worked.. They aren't fixing the problem. They are just running away and pushing it off into the future. At somepoint they will have to fix their development models or die. It doesn't matter what platform they are on Mobile/handheld/console. They need to face reality and fix their processes even if they still end up working on mobile games.

 

[Nibel]

Can't believe those numbers; I mean I knew these days would come but seeing it feels unreal.

 

[StevieP]

I've been thinking that in retrpospect the Wii was a turning point. It was a nexus of the 'casual' market and dedicated console gaming and it was amazingly successful as a consumer product. However it didn't affect the direction the rest of the industry was heading in despite pulling in an immense userbase (along with the similarly accessible touch-based DS). Mobile will do what Wii couldn't do but far more drastically.

There were a lot of developers that really didn't want to work on the Wii.

 

[Fdkn]

We love our doom threads but I think Japan no longer being the powerhouse it was at the begginig of the century in the dedicated hardware bussiness doesn't mean it can't still end being a stable and profitable market by itself.

In its current state I'd say its still a larger market in both hw & sw than say the UK or Germany (unless I'm proven wrong), so its not like there isn't a relevant amount of money to be made by the companies that position themselves to do so.

I don't see SQE, BandaiNamco or Koei disappearing or evolving into mobile only just because Konami ruined their console bussiness, and I don't see them stop releasing their console/handheld games in Japan even if they indeed have been taking the west into consideration for many years now.

 

[Vena]

Isn't STEAM a more minor Garage project? Or was that not part of that program?

The game, outside of the VAs, has fairly low production value feel to it. This coming from someone who generally enjoyed the game but felt it was rather lacking in substance on the by and large when compared to even just other 3DS offerings in the SRPG genre.

 

[theprodigy]

Isn't STEAM a more minor Garage project? Or was that not part of that program?

The game, outside of the VAs, has fairly low production value feel to it. This coming from someone who generally enjoyed the game but felt it was rather lacking in substance on the by and large when compared to even just other 3DS offerings in the SRPG genre.

I definitely remember them saying Splatoon was the first game out of that program

 

[Rymuth]

You know, I don't care.

If most Japan consumers want to limit their videogames to gatcha and stamina fueled passtimes, so be it. And if developers feel more satisfied doing that, they are free to do what they want with their lifes.

The people who want to do honest to god traditional videogames, that's the people I want staying. And I know some studios will still want to do that and will be able to do it thanks to global appeal, publisher relationships or even kickstarters.

And if what remains of Japanese industry is the equivalent of VNs actual market, so be it, I'll take it.

I'm fucking tired of worrying and arguing and hoping for a "better" future, it´s not going to happen.

So I will do what I have been doing, I'll support the industry, I'll keep buying the games I'm interested day one, I'll back the KS available. I may even get more stuff, not that it will change anything, but that's what I can do.

I'm going to enjoy the ride until it last.

*nod of approval*

 

[Chris1964]

new releases {2015.05.28}

[3DS] Hatsune Miku: Project Mirai Deluxe <ACT> (Sega) (¥5.378)
[3DS] Tribe Cool Crew: The G@me <ACT> (Bandai Namco Games) (¥5.627)
[3DS] Downtown Nekketsu Jidaigeki <ACT> (Arc System Works) (¥4.860)

[PSV] Cross Ange: Tenshi to Ryuu no Rondo tr. <ACT> (Bandai Namco Games) (¥7.171)
[PSV] Nobunaga's Ambition: Creation with Power-Up Kit <SLG> (Koei Tecmo) (¥9.504)
[PSV] Possession Magenta # <ADV> (C-Territory) (¥7.344)
[PSV] Possession Magenta (1/1)(Limited Edition) <ADV> (C-Territory) (¥9.504)
[PSV] Hanayaka Kana, Ware ga Ichizoku: Gentou Nostalgia <ADV> (Idea Factory) (¥7.020)
[PSV] ChuSingura46+1 V <ADV> (Dramatic Create) (¥7.452)

[WIU] Splatoon <ACT> (Nintendo) (¥6.156)

[PS4] Wolfenstein: The Old Blood <ACT> (Bethesda Softworks) (¥3.218)

[XB1] Psycho-Pass: Sentaku Naki Koufuku # <ADV> (5pb.) (¥8.424)
[XB1] Psycho-Pass: Sentaku Naki Koufuku (1/1)(Limited Edition) <ADV> (5pb.) (¥10.584)
[XB1] Wolfenstein: The Old Blood <ACT> (Bethesda Softworks) (¥3.218)

[PS3] Disgaea D2: A Brighter Darkness [1/1][PlayStation 3 the Best] <SLG> (Nippon Ichi Software) (¥4.104)
[PS3] Mobile Suit Gundam Extreme Vs. Full Boost [1/1][PlayStation 3 the Best] <ACT> (Bandai Namco Games) (¥4.104)
[PS3] Assassin's Creed: Ezio Trilogy {Assassin's Creed II \ Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood \ Assassin's Creed: Revelations} [1/1][Ubi the Best] <ACT> (Ubisoft) (¥3.218)
[PS3] Assassin's Creed: Connor Saga <Assassin's Creed III \ Assassin's Creed: Liberation HD> [1/1][Ubi the Best] <ACT> (Ubisoft) (¥3.218)

 

[Eolz]

Of course Altus is leading the project, but they also produce a number of titles which are outsourced to other developers due to resource constrains or other reasons - the earlier EO games and SMT SJ were developed by Lancarse, the P4 fighting games are Arc System Works, the P4 dancing game was Dingo until they fucked up hard, EOMD is Spike Chunsoft. For #FE they haven't actually revealed any development staff other than the producer.

Uh, didn't know that. Nice to discover that my favorite SMT wasn't even developed by Atlus

Btw, for what it's worth, the general impression I got was that most of the developers working on mobile games (at least for larger companies), don't really enjoy it? Especially the more social ones that seem to sell? I assume something like Terra Battle may be different though.

Depends like everywhere. Developers might legit like what they do, some might not for different reasons, and not necessarily because it's mobile (can be theme, management, etc). Some might not like it at first and start loving it, others might like it at first and become tired of everything and/or cynical (happens a lot more often, aaa included).

I fixed that for you.

Didn't Advance Wars have waifus from the start? (I mean since the first game that was also in the west)