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http://www.4gamer.net/games/999/G999905/20130518005/

The writing's been on the wall for a while now, but it finally happened.

Edit:

Sorry, but the era is not actually over yet. Someone pointed out to me that the article doesn't actually say that this is happening now. This is an industry wide assessment/analysis by 4Gamer as part of their reports on the end of the financial year. No one bothered to read the introduction to the article (including me!) and everyone jumped into the summary on Cave.

4Gamer's analysis is saying that based on the business trends of the company and their results, this is the likely route they will take in the future. It's an analysis I think most people will agree with, but it's not something the company has confirmed or commented on. Cave's year end report to shareholders should come out mid-July. If there are any actual announcements about a major shift, that's where it will be.

Edit2:

The analysis assessment by the 4Gamer reporter is based on Cave's 3rd Quarter shareholder's report. I think what is stated is not a full representation of what was actually stated in the report. I'll post some slides and explain.

What has happened is that Cave has restructured their company and moved to new offices recently. As such, the structural change means there is no longer a Consumer Game Division. But it also means there is no longer a Social Game Division or Online Game Division. Instead the entire company is one department meant to leverage on the skills and experience of all the staff to make development more agile.

The new management structure will focus on 3 points of development:
- Existing Social Games
- Existing Online Games
- New Products

It is important to note that what they're saying is that they're going to continue supporting existing services, while creating new products as well.

They're looking to target audiences in-between heavy core users (who play shmups for example) and light casual users. There are other slides I didn't post, which basically also implies heavily that yes, they will be focusing mostly on Smartphones and online distribution of titles.

The last slide there shows the sort of new upcoming products they are developing. ARPU is Average Revenue Per User, and the horizontal axis represents the Social aspect of a product from low on the left to high on the right. In the top left corner is "Bullet Hell Shooters" specifically, which are very high ARPU games with almost no social aspects. The fact that they're still looking to release new stuff close to that range indicates that they're still making shooters, and will probably not abandon arcade development entirely. It's possible that most of the future shmup ports released by Cave themselves will be Smartphone only, but maybe that doesn't rule out arcade ports from other publishers?


tl;dr:
- Cave restructured but they didn't fire everyone from their gaming division
- They still plan to make games with high revenue per user with no social content (ie: shmups)
- Not entirely dead yet, business as usual

 

[tearsofash]

But what does this mean for me?

 

[Risette]

Any full translation?

 

[wonzo]

 

[ULTROS!]

But what does this mean for me?

No more new shmups. I guess some third party company will port their older works to other platforms in the future?

 

[Takao]

not even moe could save you

rip

 

[Femmeworth]

Pizzaroll, post if you are okay.

 

[Risette]

Pizzaroll, post if you are okay.

I already did.

 

[Himself]

Yep. Fuck.

 

[mullet2000]

No more new shmups. I guess some third party company will port their older works to other platforms in the future?

 

[zerokoolpsx]

Maybe they'll make moe shmups on iOS?

 

[fatgamecat]

SDOJ the last great hurrah of Cave?

Other than iOS ports of their backlog are they even going to make new shoot em ups?

 

[speedpop]

The end of a generation.

 

[Vigilance]

Sad news.

 

[nailbombxx]

That Dodonpachi Saidaioujou limited edition is going to be sooo expensive.

 

[MaschinenZimmer]

OH GOD NO!!!!

That is terrible!

 

[Zweisy1]

This is bad. The king of bullet hell shooters is no more? Sad day for gaming..

 

[Face it Tiger..]

I guess that's what happens, going for Xbox exclusivity in a land where it is an afterthought.

 

[maquiladora]

You never go full social.

 

[Canis lupus]

Pfffffff, always sad to see studio closing down/relegating to mobile and social games

 

[Risette]

I guess that's what happens, going for Xbox exclusivity in a land where it is an afterthought.

The entire genre is an afterthought. You think these would sell anymore on any platform? lol

 

[gundamkyoukai]

This really sucks was a huge fan of cave games .
Just did not want to buy a 360 to only play there games they will be missed .

The entire genre is an afterthought. You think these would sell anymore on any platform? lol

Yes they should have been ports on 360 & PS3 on DD world wide .
Selling the games only on 360 on disc was a mistake .

 

[Riposte]

 

[EYEL1NER]

No more awesome Cave shmups? Well that is some shit news...

 

[ULTROS!]

The entire genre is an afterthought. You think these would sell anymore on any platform? lol

They could have done better if they were PSN/XBLA titles rather than retail titles on the 360 IMO.

 

[Haruhater]

JESUS CHRIST!

So, does this mean that Treasure is now the only professional, non-indie, non-doujin game company that still produces STGs?

 

[Risette]

They could have done better if they were PSN/XBLA titles rather than retail titles on the 360 IMO.

They wouldn't have. Guwange bombed too.

Few people wanted to play these games because gaming is full of scrubs. It's just an unfortunate fact.

 

[Kincaido]

 

[@MUWANdo]

JESUS CHRIST!

So, does this mean that Treasure is now the only professional, non-indie, non-doujin game company that still produces STGs?

What does "non-indie" mean in this context?

 

[Septimius]

What does "non-indie" mean in this context?

Have made a game that is released on and for dedicated arcade hardware?

 

[Himself]

JESUS CHRIST!

So, does this mean that Treasure is now the only professional, non-indie, non-doujin game company that still produces STGs?

What does G.Rev count as? And are they still active?

I'd also like an answer to Haruhater's question.

 

[astronautcowboy]

This is sad. Clearly they shouldn't have canceled those Vita games.

Now all they'll be doing is Shirotsuku and other lame stuff.

Only making stuff for the Xbox was a silly choice. Also selling it all for ridiculous amounts of money. I can practically hear their bad decision-making sha-cho in my head.

That guy must have been so happy when he realized how easy it was to destroy that door.

 

[BHK3]

Exclusive 360 games in japan doesn't sound like success to me.

 

[Four_Chamber]

Pizzaroll, post if you are okay.

My greatest concern at this moment

 

[REMEMBER CITADEL]

JESUS CHRIST!

So, does this mean that Treasure is now the only professional, non-indie, non-doujin game company that still produces STGs?

G.rev?

 

[Haruhater]

What does "non-indie" mean in this context?

That they are given a budget by a game publisher.

 

[gundamkyoukai]

They wouldn't have. Guwange bombed too.

Few people wanted to play these games because gaming is full of scrubs. It's just an unfortunate fact.

Guwange is a 13 year old game that was on MAME for years was a waste of time .
Cave wanted to sell expensive disc of ports , when they should have been on DD .

 

[Risette]

My greatest concern at this moment

I'm right here!

G.rev?

+ Triangle Service

 

[nailbombxx]

But what does this mean for me?

Probably that there will be less quality games for you to play.

 

[saelz8]

End of an era.

 

[Unknown Soldier]

The entire genre is an afterthought. You think these would sell anymore on any platform? lol

I'm pretty sure they would have sold more if they were available for PS3 and Wii in Japan.

 

[Kandrick]

I love all the people going "THEY WOULD BE SAVED IF THEY WERE ON PS3"

Yeah no, so stop already, it's embarrassing.

 

[Risette]

I'm pretty sure they would have sold more if they were available for PS3 and Wii in Japan.

I don't think you know how the audience for these games works.

 

[bobbytkc]

I don't think you know how the audience for these games works.

Are you saying there is no audience for vertical shooters on the PS3?

 

[Unknown Soldier]

I don't think you know how the audience for these games works.

I'm interested. Tell me how.

 

[Kandrick]

Are you saying there is no audience for vertical shooters on the PS3?

That audience bought a 360.

 

[MaschinenZimmer]

Well, there is still Qute (Ginga Force) and 5pb (Bullet Soul).

But they are not on the same level as CAVE...

 

[Risette]

I'm interested. Tell me how.

The arcade gaming audience does not care what platform they are on. This is the same audience that drops a thousand or more per game to have the PCB at home. They are also not interested in other console games -- they only want the arcade ports. It is simply a small audience.

It's best to educate yourself before playing armchair industry analyst.

Are you saying there is no audience for vertical shooters on the PS3?

Yes. G.rev's efforts on PS3 have sold about as much as they did on the 360 or less; Ketsui will likely be the same.

 

[SmokyDave]

They did seem to make some pretty crazy platform choices. Still, it's a real pisser to see 'em go.

 

[bobbytkc]

The arcade gaming audience does not care what platform they are on. This is the same audience that drops a thousand or more per game to have the PCB at home. They are also not interested in other console games -- they only want the arcade ports. It is simply a small audience.

It's best to educate yourself before playing armchair industry analyst.

That is ridiculous. The audience that will buy the game is not restricted to the people who will spend thousands on an arcade cabinet. If that were so, they have doomed themselves right from the start. If this is the reason they develop on the xbox exclusively, well, that is a pretty good explanation for why they are now online/social only.