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[JohannCK]

Bloodstained- Japan Release Interview with Igarashi Koji - Frontline Gaming Japan

Former Castlevania series producer and Bloodstained creator Igarashi Koji discusses the development of Bloodstained in this interview.

www.frontlinejp.net

I'll refrain from speaking my mind about what Igarashi has to say, and will instead just quote the interview.

The interview begins with Igarashi being asked how he feels now that the game has been released in Japan. (...) He says that the delay was caused by problems in distribution, and apologises to Japanese players, and says that he currently feels very relieved.

Igarashi says that his stance towards video game development is that it is basically a service job (...) a service job thinks of how to satisfy the customer. He says that a product is only a product once bought by a customer, and that they had to think of this more than usual this time due to how customers had already paid for the product.

By the way, apparently the download and physical versions of the Japanese release cannot share saves, meaning that even if physical backers eventually get the download they've been promised, they won't be able to use the physical version with its saves. Not a real problem at the moment given how they're still refusing to ship the game, but nevertheless.

 

[ranmafan]

Apparently the Japanese section of the bloodstained discord has a few links to twitter of some Japanese backers saying they have gotten their physical copies. They included pictures with the extra sleeve and the Japanese physical box. Hopefully that means everyone should have theirs soon, I hope.

One thing I wonder about the download and physical saves not working together. Since both versions are technically from different publishers, does that mean we could have two different trophy lists for the game in Japan on PS4?

 

[JohannCK]

That's what I've heard, that the trophies aren't shared either.

 

[ranmafan]

That's what I've heard, that the trophies aren't shared either.

That’s actually nice for me. I don’t mind having double the trophy fun. Hoping mine comes today considering some are getting it. But still no shipping notice. What a crazy thing this has been.

Also the 505 person on discord says the codes will start going out in the next 24 hours. Hopefully this turns out to be true.

 

[BlackTron]

Castlevania games were my favorite of the GBA library but man am I happy that I never backed or bought this game...

Just gonna skip it entirely.

 

[ranmafan]

Well I just received my digital code! However it’s not working. Not sure why. Hopefully it works shortly.

Still waiting on physical version.

 

[Red Crayon Aristocrat]

Castlevania games were my favorite of the GBA library but man am I happy that I never backed or bought this game...

Just gonna skip it entirely.

Don't skip it entirely, it's worth playing.

 

[JohannCK]

Well I just received my digital code! However it’s not working.

Every report I'm seeing online of people trying the codes say that they're getting a message that the codes are invalid.

Great job they're doing here.

 

[ranmafan]

Every report I'm seeing online of people trying the codes say that they're getting a message that the codes are invalid.

Great job they're doing here.

Yeah it’s weird. The only time I’ve ever gotten that error is when I got a preorder early. Not sure why it’s happened here. Hoping they fix it soon.

 

[smbu2000]

They sent me an email on Oct. 30th saying that my Xbox One JP Physical version had shipped and checking the USPS tracking link it is in customs here in Japan, so hopefully it will arrive sometime soon. The Alchemist box arrived last month in good condition.

Still waiting on the Switch JP digital code though. (I guess I'll be getting two of them now though.)

They did also send out complimentary Steam codes shortly after the US release though. I got two Steam codes since I had two copies of the game backed.

 

[ranmafan]

One day since we got the PS4 codes, and they still don’t work. Fangamer isn’t responding, neither is 505. Crazy.

And now just trying to input the code again gave me a rate limit on entering codes into the psn store. Which means I might be locked out of inputting codes for 24 hours. Anger rising

 

[JohannCK]

My physical copy finally arrived today. It unsurprisingly did not include the bonus soundtrack that came with all retail sales of the game in Japan.

 

[ranmafan]

My physical copy finally arrived today. It unsurprisingly did not include the bonus soundtrack that came with all retail sales of the game in Japan.

How did it come? Japan post? I’m still waiting on mine. Still not happy that I locked my psn account from adding codes for a day since I inputed the ones they sent me too many times.

 

[JohannCK]

Japan Post Yu Packet from Fangamer's Japanese branch in Aichi. Japan Post's website says that a package from there would take no more than a day to reach me which means they didn't actually ship it till yesterday. I thought they were doing something stupid like shipping copies from the US, if they were shipping from within Japan there's really no excuse for making backers wait this long.

 

[ranmafan]

Yeah if they are shipping from inside Japan it really makes no sense why it’s taking so long. Still have no idea why mine hasn’t shown up yet. Hopefully tomorrow it will and I can try the codes again. Either way all my enthusiasm for the game is gone

 

[ranmafan]

Well my wait is over. My disk arrived just now. Thank goodness. I’m happy I can finally play this (and thankfully it arrives before my copy of death stranding has.) Hoping the download codes work soon too.

Also was nice to see slopes game room on youtube go into great detail, using JohannCK’s article for reference, on the Japan release screwups on his latest Kickstarter news video.

 

[Kagoshima_Luke]

Where do you even see shipment status? I'm looking at my backer survey and the only thing under the Shipments link is my Dark Grimoire Sleeve + Book and digital items. I have the Japanese eshop code for the game, but can't see any place to verify status of physical version shipment.

 

[ranmafan]

Where do you even see shipment status? I'm looking at my backer survey and the only thing under the Shipments link is my Dark Grimoire Sleeve + Book and digital items. I have the Japanese eshop code for the game, but can't see any place to verify status of physical version shipment.

Unfortunately for myself and lots of others, when they started sending the game to us backers in Japan they only gave an update saying that drop shipment was in progress. Other than that I never got a shipment confirmation on the backers page or email from fangamer. It just showed up at my door today from Japan post. Hopefully everyone will have theirs shortly. Seems that people started getting theirs two days ago. Shouldn’t be much longer for everyone else.

But they now need to address why the codes still aren’t working on PS4.

 

[smbu2000]

Well I got my Xbox Physical Edition and it arrived just fine along with the "Bloodstained Campaign Backer" holographic sleeve. They had sent me an email when they originally shipped it along with the USPS tracking number.

I didn't receive an email about it, but when I checked my fangamer backer page, there were DL codes for the Nintendo eshop Switch (JP version) that I had selected. The game one as well as the Iga backpack DLC code. My GF used one set of codes on her Switch without any problems and I used the other set of codes (that were included for free with the "apology") on my own Switch just fine as well. Currently downloading it from the JP Nintendo eshop.

 

[ranmafan]

Update on the codes. Just tried my game download code and it finally works. However the dlc codes still don’t work. I have a feeling they sent them out before they were activated. But looks like this whole ordeal is finally coming to a close.

I just hope all those involved learned a lesson from this situation. I still think their everyone’s mistake in this was incredibly poor communication with the backers about everything. Of course also announcing a release of the game and then delaying it for the reasons that have come up also was ridiculous. It will be interesting to see how Shenmue 3 goes since that has fangamer involved. I wonder if they will send Japanese backers shipping emails for the game since they didn’t for bloodstained.

 

[Virex]

Update on the codes. Just tried my game download code and it finally works. However the dlc codes still don’t work. I have a feeling they sent them out before they were activated. But looks like this whole ordeal is finally coming to a close.

I just hope all those involved learned a lesson from this situation. I still think their everyone’s mistake in this was incredibly poor communication with the backers about everything. Of course also announcing a release of the game and then delaying it for the reasons that have come up also was ridiculous. It will be interesting to see how Shenmue 3 goes since that has fangamer involved. I wonder if they will send Japanese backers shipping emails for the game since they didn’t for bloodstained.

Damn dude, I feel so bad for you guys in Japan. It seems like you guys are getting fucked over so bad with this. I'm happy things are slowly working out for all of you. But this is still absolute bullshit how they have treated the Japanese release.

 

[ranmafan]

Damn dude, I feel so bad for you guys in Japan. It seems like you guys are getting fucked over so bad with this. I'm happy things are slowly working out for all of you. But this is still absolute bullshit how they have treated the Japanese release.

Yeah what happened to us was really unacceptable. Thankfully we finally have pretty much all our things but there are still problems. Lost a lot of respect for all the people handling this campaign. I am glad the game is fantastic. I just wish they had treated us better in the end.

 

[Virex]

Yeah what happened to us was really unacceptable. Thankfully we finally have pretty much all our things but there are still problems. Lost a lot of respect for all the people handling this campaign. I am glad the game is fantastic. I just wish they had treated us better in the end.

That's the worst part. You'd expect stuff like this to happen when the game is a train wreck. But Bloodstained is a damn fine game. I'm just glad its all getting sorted out. Just a pity that all of this happened.

 

[JohannCK]

I just want to add that my slipcase arrived damaged, and when I asked Fangamer for a replacement they said that they'd ship me one but never actually did, and then proceeded to ignore all of my e-mails (I sent 3-4 over the course of a month) regarding the matter.

I understand that it's the holiday season and all but it boggles the mind that they can stay fully active on Twitter yet can't answer a single e-mail.

 

[Dane]

Fangamer has the worst handling of stuff from what i've heard, they fucked up with Shenmue 3 too.