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[Tiktaalik]

You knew it was coming. (See Propeller Arena)

Via: JohnTV's twitter.

Wow, Irem outright cancels Disaster Report 4, originally due out this spring. This close to release, that's gotta hurt. (thx @jonnyram)

 

[Riposte]

Yeah... not much to say.

 

[BocoDragon]

I was just musing on the Leviathan summon in FF... probably not gonna see "Tsunami" again for a good while...

 

[Tenbatsu]

I guess they did the right thing.

 

[speedpop]

Irem going to be okay with this financially? I mean, they don't pump out many products and this series has become one of their bigger showcases in recent times.

 

[mollipen]

Doh, I JUST posted this in the official thread! I wasted my time looking for it while you were off living up the care-free lifestyle of creating new threads!

As I said on twitter, I understand, but I don't agree.

 

[Diebuster]

Kindof an extreme reaction no? I think a delay would have sufficed.

 

[Riposte]

This reminds me of when Red Sun Gamer(might have been someone else) was talking about this game. They were talking about how Japan was due for a huge earthquake and stuff. This was a couple months ago I think.

 

[rabbitsyndrome]

I can understand why they chose to do this, but it still doesn't change the fact that this sucks.

 

[godhandiscen]

Kindof an extreme reaction no? I think a delay would have sufficed.

Delay into what? Japan might not recover for years to come.

 

[Takao]

Wow, I wasn't expecting a cancellation, a delay - yes, but not a cancellation. I hope Irem can manage with this.

Interestingly, Chris in the MediaCreate thread noticed a spike in the game's popularity on Amazon after the events in Japan.

 

[Aaron]

I love the series and really wanted to play this one... but I couldn't see how they could release it without coming off as offensive. Maybe in a few years.

 

[N.A]

I understand why they did it but I think just delaying for 6-12 months would have been better.

If it's not tasteless when no natural disaster has recently occurred I don't see why it should be tasteless months after the event.

 

[DR2K]

The game was canceled as a result of the events in Japan or because the game depicts disasters in Japan?

 

[BishopLamont]

Ugh, this shouldn't have happened.

 

[Atomski]

Out of respect for his own country this seems like the best move. No one will want to be reminded of this in a videogame.

 

[Clevinger]

It's too bad. I hope they manage to stay afloat.

 

[Nirolak]

The game was canceled as a result of the events in Japan or because the game depicts disasters in Japan?

While there was no official reason provided, it is the latter.

Motorstorm 3 was also delayed indefinitely in Japan.

 

[Ratrat]

Delay into what? Japan might not recover for years to come.

This. Do people actually think its suddenly going to be ok in 6 months or a year? Shit is still going on right now.

I understand why they did it but I think just delaying for 6-12 months would have been better.

If it's not tasteless when no natural disaster has recently occurred I don't see why it should be tasteless months after the event.

ugh.

 

[Absoludacrous]

If it's that close to release I imagine it might pop up in a year or so, depending on how well recovery efforts go. Movies like Collateral Damage eventually made their way into theaters after 9/11.

 

[BocoDragon]

I didn't want to ask this in the earthquake thread because it is, admittedly, quite trivial in comparison to the real suffering that's occuring... but I wonder what the effect of this will be on the trends in Japanese art and fiction?

It is too much to hope for that it might kill moe?

Spoiler

It will probably boost moe won't it ><

 

[Keyser Soze]

Delay into what? Japan might not recover for years to come.

This. Do people actually think its suddenly going to be ok in 6 months or a year? Shit is still going on right now.

They released Disaster Report 2 a little over a year after the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake/tsunami. Now seven years on, they have still not recovered there, but Irem thought it was okay to release a game, with the main storyline been about floods, after 230,000 died because of one a year before... Going by your logic, and they past decisions, a delay would be okay then.

Of course, it is obvious why it was canceled, and obvious why they did it.

 

[N.A]

This. Do people actually think its suddenly going to be ok in 6 months or a year? Shit is still going on right now.

So when is the cut off point for when something is no longer offensive? The Kobe earthquake happened decades ago, does that mean the previous Disaster Report games were offensive to that?

Were the numerous 9/11 films offensive?

Spoiler

Yes, but they were cynically designed to cash in on the nations grief.

What about all the dudebro war games?

Unless the game is deliberately created and marketed to take advantage of the disaster I think delaying it until next year would be fine.

 

[Why would you do that?]

Hmm, I didn't know Irem was still in existence...

I've never heard of the Disaster Report series until after the earthquakes, and even then, I didn't go into any of the threads until now. It would be unfortunate if Irem went under because of something not entirely in their control, but yeah, unfortunate timing.

 

[dallow_bg]

I would think it would turn up at a much later time, perhaps edited a bit.

 

[Dresden]

It is too much to hope for that it might kill moe?

Spoiler

It will probably boost moe won't it ><

This is complete speculation, but I'd imagine that the disasters are bound to create a change of some sort regarding just what kind of stories get produced. That change will likely be reflected in stuff like novels and manga first, and since most anime these days are adaptations... yeah.

Moe won't die because, ultimately, it's all about the profit in this business driven by hardcore fans buying niche items, but I think we'll see some change.

And I'm sad that the game got cancelled, but it's understandable.

 

[Phoenician_Viking]

I expected a delay not a cancellation.

 

[Diebuster]

Delay into what? Japan might not recover for years to come.

I don't think making the subject taboo is going to help recovery. Admittedly I don't know much about this particular game, but if it's not exploitative I don't see why it's tasteless for it to eventually release.

 

[godhandiscen]

They released Disaster Report 2 a little over a year after the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake/tsunami. Now seven years on, they have still not recovered there, but Irem thought it was okay to release a game, with the main storyline been about floods, after 230,000 died because of one a year before... Going by your logic, and they past decisions, a delay would be okay then.

Of course, it is obvious why it was canceled, and obvious why they did it.

Then why did you discuss this logic? They cancelled the game because the disaster affected Japan this time.

I don't think making the subject taboo is going to help recovery. Admittedly I don't know much about this particular game, but if it's not exploitative I don't see why it's tasteless for it to eventually release.

I agree, in fact, now the economy needs to keep going, however, none of us make those choices.

 

[DR2K]

Out of respect for his own country this seems like the best move. No one will want to be reminded of this in a videogame.

Then they don't have to buy it. The people of Japan are going to exposed to the natural disasters and whatnot for months and years to come regardless of media.

Their hearts are in the right place, but I don't agree with canceling the game.

 

[reminder]

As far as i know it's original release was march 10th before it got deleayed... creepy

 

[BocoDragon]

This is complete speculation, but I'd imagine that the disasters are bound to create a change of some sort regarding just what kind of stories get produced. That change will likely be reflected in stuff like novels and manga first, and since most anime these days are adaptations... yeah.

Moe won't die because, ultimately, it's all about the profit in this business driven by hardcore fans buying niche items, but I think we'll see some change.

All sensitivity to the tragedy occurring right now... but I would love a revival of the same apocalyptic sentiment that led to things like Godzilla and Akira....

....but it just as well might be an increase in feel good bland pap.... ><

 

[Aaron]

I expected a delay not a cancellation.

This probably is a long delay. Cancelling it is better PR.

 

[Keyser Soze]

Then why did you discuss this logic? They cancelled the game because the disaster affected Japan this time.

Then what is stopping the release of this game in US/Europe a year down the line if previously Irem thought the death of 250,000 people a few 1000 miles away was not bad enough to cancel a game back then?

I don't want it to happen, I think it would be bad, but they did a similar thing with DR2. By there own logic, it should not really have happen then, should it.

 

[Dwayne]

That's a real shame. It could have least have been sold in international markets.

 

[Ravidrath]

Then what is stopping the release of this game in US/Europe a tear down the line if previously they though the death of 250,000 people a few 1000 miles away was okay?

They weren't selling the game there, so it was merely speculative fiction for Japanese people.

Now that it's happened to them... well, they're worried about hitting some nerves.

Completely hypocritical, I know, but it's pretty obvious.
\

Regarding the fate of the company, I have a friend there... curious what he's hearing.

Like any competent business they probably have some kind of insurance to cover against this kind of thing, and can write off the losses on R&D, etc. Not saying it won't hurt them, but they'll probably survive.

 

[Red Blaster]

That's a shame. This move seems somewhat contradictory to the director's vision for the game to educate players on disaster survival as per FINALFANTASYDOG's post in the news thread. Anyone care to translate the message on the website?

 

[ZoddGutts]

Irem will be fine, they've been secretly working on Steambot Chronicles 2!

 

[N.A]

Then what is stopping the release of this game in US/Europe a tear down the line if previously they though the death of 250,000 people a few 1000 miles away was okay?

I don't want it to happen, I think it would be bad, but they did a similar thing with DR2.

Why would it be bad?

I haven't played a Disaster Report game but are they particularly tasteless?

The games were never based on real life events and as far as I can tell were never deliberately marketed to take advantage of them. Unless it's a tasteless depiction of disasters or trivializes the consequences I don't see why games based on disasters shouldn't be released (though obviously they shouldn't be released within weeks of a terrible event)

 

[Keyser Soze]

Why would it be bad?

My use of "bad," was meant to to mean people would overreact, and it would be bad publicity for them. It could be seen as tasteless too. Overall, it is much easier for people to connect the dots between the events in Japan and DR4 than the events in the Indian Ocean and DR2.

My only annoyance is they are slightly contradicting themselves a bit by canceling this, yet they continued with the development of DR2 for a year, and then released it after a similar event.

 

[Ravidrath]

Irem will be fine, they've been secretly working on Steambot Chronicles 2!

I think it's secret to them even, at this point... they announced it 4 years ago, and there hasn't been any updates on it since.

 

[BocoDragon]

Why would it be bad?

I haven't played a Disaster Report game but are they particularly tasteless?

The games were never based on real life events and as far as I can tell were never deliberately marketed to take advantage of them. Unless it's a tasteless depiction of disasters or trivializes the consequences I don't see why games based on disasters shouldn't be released (though obviously they shouldn't be released within weeks of a terrible event)

It's not that it's particularly insensitive.. it's just that people don't want to be reminded of real world tragedy in games, or the media reporting on what might be seen as a cash in or an insensitivity to the real events... even if that relation was accidental.

I mean Propeller Arena was just a game where you fly around, and it was cancelled after 9/11 because you could accidentally/intentionally crash into some of the terrain... which was buildings in cities... there was nothing even remotely disrespectful in relation to the real event involved... just an unintentional relation, and so the game was cancelled.

 

[Ravidrath]

I mean Propeller Arena was just a game where you fly around, and it was cancelled after 9/11 because you could accidentally/intentionally crash into some of the terrain... which was buildings in cities... there was nothing even remotely disrespectful in relation to the real event involved... just an unintentional relation, and so the game was cancelled.

Sega always has seemed extemely oversensitive, but my feeling was that the game wasn't going to be all that good, and it was a handy excuse not to waste money trying to sell it.

 

[BocoDragon]

Sega always has seemed extemely oversensitive, but my feeling was that the game wasn't going to be all that good, and it was a handy excuse not to waste money trying to sell it.

True.. It was late Dreamcast era, post-death announcement.

 

[Red Blaster]

To be fair, DR2 featured heavy rains and consequent flooding; not earthquakes like DR4 was slated to have.

Sega always has seemed extemely oversensitive, but my feeling was that the game wasn't going to be all that good, and it was a handy excuse not to waste money trying to sell it.

Yep, especially considering Ace Combat 04 came out only a month after 9/11.

 

[tearsofash]

Hopefully this doesn't mean they are closing up shop on the series for good, though.

 

[N.A]

It's not that it's particularly insensitive.. it's just that people don't want to be reminded of real world tragedy in games, or the media reporting on what might be seen as a cash in or an insensitivity to the real events... even if that relation was accidental.

I mean Propeller Arena was just a game where you fly around, and it was cancelled after 9/11 because you could accidentally/intentionally crash into some of the terrain... which was buildings in cities... there was nothing even remotely disrespectful in relation to the real event involved... just an unintentional relation, and so the game was cancelled.

I understand the reasoning (and obviously the media would have a field day if the game was released anytime soon) but people are going to be reminded of it every day on TV for months and those who are affected the most will never forget it.

Either the game is tasteless to natural disasters and offensive to the victims and should never be released (and none of the previous games should have been released) or it isn't and should be released at an appropriate time.

 

[Ravidrath]

Hopefully this doesn't mean they are closing up shop on the series for good, though.

Given how long this event will remain lodged in the Japanese psyche, regardless of how long it takes them to recover, I still think the series is gone for good.

I understand the reasoning (and obviously the media would have a field day if the game was released anytime soon) but people are going to be reminded of it every day on TV for months and those who are affected the most will never forget it.

I'm actually not sure if the media would pounce on them or not... I don't get the sense that Japan really has that kind of sensitivity or any kind of Fox News-equivalent to stir the pot.

I mean, fuck... it took them forever to ban rape games.

 

[BocoDragon]

I understand the reasoning (and obviously the media would have a field day if the game was released anytime soon) but people are going to be reminded of it every day on TV for months and those who are affected the most will never forget it.

Either the game is tasteless to natural disasters and offensive to the victims and should never be released (and none of the previous games should have been released) or it isn't and should be released at an appropriate time.

That actually kinda makes sense!

Though as Ravidrath is implying... the appropriate time might be "not anytime soon" and thus an indefinitely cancelled release might be in the cards.

 

[faridmon]

This doesn't make sense. What about the Ace Combat games that was released after 9/11 or the countless movies that involves planes crashing into eth US soils etc...

A year long delay would suffice, but cancelling it would seem a bit hypocritical.