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Introducing NeoGAF Gold
Media Create Sales: Week 25, 2014 (Jun 16 - Jun 22)
- Thread starter Chris1964
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Square Enix's aggressive Chinese push as indicated in their financial briefing is actually much more aggressive than I thought.
Currently they have less than 2% of their Asian revenue coming in from China, but want to raise that to 30-40% of their Asian revenue within the next several years.
Via 1st Courses' thread: http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-...partners-for-asia-expansion-profit-boost.html
Given that's just China, it's possible they want almost half of their Asian revenue to not come from Japan, and I would expect to see aggressive investments in that direction (as in a heavy mobile, browser, online, and f2p push even beyond what we see now), given that console and handheld games aren't going to get them that in China.
Currently they have less than 2% of their Asian revenue coming in from China, but want to raise that to 30-40% of their Asian revenue within the next several years.
Via 1st Courses' thread: http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-...partners-for-asia-expansion-profit-boost.html
Given that's just China, it's possible they want almost half of their Asian revenue to not come from Japan, and I would expect to see aggressive investments in that direction (as in a heavy mobile, browser, online, and f2p push even beyond what we see now), given that console and handheld games aren't going to get them that in China.
So Youkai 2 will have long ass legs as well eh? Movie bump on top of Christmas bump.
I was thinking the same thing. The movie being some 6 months after the games release is sort of perfect.
Oh lord that would be silly, they are already clipping the first game. Its moving 30k a week and a sequel is coming soon, lol.
I was thinking the same thing. The movie being some 6 months after the games release is sort of perfect.
Oh lord that would be silly, they are already clipping the first game. Its moving 30k a week and a sequel is coming soon, lol.
Apparently there's some Famitsu White Paper info here: http://blog.hokanko-alt.com/archives/39628898.html
So Nirolak, I remember you saying something about the poor collective showing of Japanese publishers and their announcements at E3 this year. It seems as though we're getting more threads about special guests and special announcements at Japan Expo this year.
Could this be a sign of a shift in where publishers choose to announce their games? I mean, I'm not expecting too much, but maybe that's where we'll start to see some more meaty announcements.
Could this be a sign of a shift in where publishers choose to announce their games? I mean, I'm not expecting too much, but maybe that's where we'll start to see some more meaty announcements.
I suspect that's more a shift in the relevance of the products they're making.
Things like Naruto, Bravely Default, Senran Kagura, Tales, 999, and similar titles aren't big ticket items so they're hard to show off at E3 and get attention. However, they can get attention at Anime Expo given the audience crossover and the fact they're the only games there.
Things like Naruto, Bravely Default, Senran Kagura, Tales, 999, and similar titles aren't big ticket items so they're hard to show off at E3 and get attention. However, they can get attention at Anime Expo given the audience crossover and the fact they're the only games there.
Yeah, I'm expecting mostly handheld news.
I think on the positive side it's totally possible for Japanese niche devs to have an incredible line-up even if consoles are dead in Japan and handhelds are in an unideal state.
It does get somewhat less likely, but for example, Atlus still puts out great games despite the fact that Sega Japan itself is limping along in terms of core gamer appeal (before we even get to total basket cases like Konami).
My main complaint would be that the indie scene as defined in the West never took off in the same way in Japan. Most of what I think people liked from older Japanese titles is actually quite accessibly developed at that scale, but without the studios and local market for it, the number of titles possible is notably reduced.
I would say my pessimism stems more from market relevance (since this is a sales thread), but I do admittedly also have a personal pessimism on output since I think structural issues often result in things like great former Konami designers getting stuck on loli school girl mobile titles and eight good to great Square Enix teams getting merged into a gigantic blob to make one gigantic console game that may never come out and may be very troubled if it does without any of them splintering off to do what they used to do well.
We do see some change with people like Inafune and potentially IGA taking off to kickstarter, but it feels few and far between, without many signs of pick up in the future.
Company loyalty runs deep in Japan (both from an employer and employee perspective), so if the companies go down hill, the careers of those who work for them often follow unless the companies literally go bankrupt or the employees break with tradition.
But yeah, while I'm off on a tangent now, this is a large part of what makes me regret the direction things went on a personal level even if I think the publishers in question are largely making the right business decisions. I just try to not let that color my business analysis which is "mobile, social, asian online, and a few key retail titles is the best way forward for a traditional Japanese publisher in the modern market", since it focuses on proven growth areas without giving up the biggest impact titles that work in the remaining dedicated market and what little is left of Japanese publisher market share in the West.
I think on the positive side it's totally possible for Japanese niche devs to have an incredible line-up even if consoles are dead in Japan and handhelds are in an unideal state.
It does get somewhat less likely, but for example, Atlus still puts out great games despite the fact that Sega Japan itself is limping along in terms of core gamer appeal (before we even get to total basket cases like Konami).
My main complaint would be that the indie scene as defined in the West never took off in the same way in Japan. Most of what I think people liked from older Japanese titles is actually quite accessibly developed at that scale, but without the studios and local market for it, the number of titles possible is notably reduced.
I would say my pessimism stems more from market relevance (since this is a sales thread), but I do admittedly also have a personal pessimism on output since I think structural issues often result in things like great former Konami designers getting stuck on loli school girl mobile titles and eight good to great Square Enix teams getting merged into a gigantic blob to make one gigantic console game that may never come out and may be very troubled if it does without any of them splintering off to do what they used to do well.
We do see some change with people like Inafune and potentially IGA taking off to kickstarter, but it feels few and far between, without many signs of pick up in the future.
Company loyalty runs deep in Japan (both from an employer and employee perspective), so if the companies go down hill, the careers of those who work for them often follow unless the companies literally go bankrupt or the employees break with tradition.
But yeah, while I'm off on a tangent now, this is a large part of what makes me regret the direction things went on a personal level even if I think the publishers in question are largely making the right business decisions. I just try to not let that color my business analysis which is "mobile, social, asian online, and a few key retail titles is the best way forward for a traditional Japanese publisher in the modern market", since it focuses on proven growth areas without giving up the biggest impact titles that work in the remaining dedicated market and what little is left of Japanese publisher market share in the West.
From the game's producer:
http://blog.us.playstation.com/2014/06/30/freedom-wars-new-details-on-ps-vitas-upcoming-action-rpg/
http://blog.us.playstation.com/2014/06/30/freedom-wars-new-details-on-ps-vitas-upcoming-action-rpg/
I don't begrudge these companies making strategic decisions in order to survive, whether that means getting into the gym business or making Chinese f2play games as opposed to developing a $70 000 000 USD AAA jrpg.
I'm no expert, but it doesn't take one to see Japan as whole is having trouble competing and making compelling products across the board, not just in gaming. Maybe the upcoming 3rd Arrow of Abenomics will change things up and we'll see more innovation, entrepreneurialism, and immigration into Japan.
I'm no expert, but it doesn't take one to see Japan as whole is having trouble competing and making compelling products across the board, not just in gaming. Maybe the upcoming 3rd Arrow of Abenomics will change things up and we'll see more innovation, entrepreneurialism, and immigration into Japan.
Dragon Quest X "oversea release" = 100% confirmed to be China (as if there was any doubt left).
To be honest, I don't think we'll notice any bump at all. I mean, we'll already be well into Christmas season.
Wasn't it the localisation of the first game they were teasing? But yeah, pretty cool if we get another game.
To be honest, I don't think we'll notice any bump at all. I mean, we'll already be well into Christmas season.
Wasn't it the localisation of the first game they were teasing? But yeah, pretty cool if we get another game.
Ha, yeah, this doesn't often get mentioned, but the constant flow of layoffs in the US is a large part of what shifted the culture of many industries from "go work at one company for 40 years and retire with your golden watch and pension" to "get laid off all the time, move between companies frequently, repeatedly end up back at your original company, and then maybe leave to go to or setup a start-up".
Like Bastion/Transistor were actually made by a group of people who were laid off from EA Los Angeles the first time they canceled the Command & Conquer series.
Irrational's slow rolling collapse lead to Fullbright (Gone Home).
Drinkbox (Guacamelee) came from Pseudo Interactive who worked on Full Auto games and then closed down.
There's a ton more examples of this.
The downside is obviously that layoffs are really hard on the people who go through them, especially if it happens more than once, and for the success stories, there are also a bunch of failure stories and those who end up at worse jobs or out of the industry.
Like Bastion/Transistor were actually made by a group of people who were laid off from EA Los Angeles the first time they canceled the Command & Conquer series.
Irrational's slow rolling collapse lead to Fullbright (Gone Home).
Drinkbox (Guacamelee) came from Pseudo Interactive who worked on Full Auto games and then closed down.
There's a ton more examples of this.
The downside is obviously that layoffs are really hard on the people who go through them, especially if it happens more than once, and for the success stories, there are also a bunch of failure stories and those who end up at worse jobs or out of the industry.
Tsutaya stores:
- Freedom Wars sells more than expected. Comparable sales to God Eater 2 Vita.
- Vita sales more than double from last week.
http://mantan-web.jp/2014/07/01/20140701dog00m200036000c.html
Reminder: Tsutaya stores only.
- Freedom Wars sells more than expected. Comparable sales to God Eater 2 Vita.
- Vita sales more than double from last week.
http://mantan-web.jp/2014/07/01/20140701dog00m200036000c.html
Reminder: Tsutaya stores only.
One of the first Japan Expo announcements has come out.
I'm going to go out on a limb and say this is Mistwalker's main (and perhaps only) project.
It's a mobile f2p JRPG that might end up with a port to dedicated devices later.
I suspect as time goes on this is more and more what we'll see, since there's a really big userbase on mobile (and you want to be f2p for that), but the shrinking dedicated devices still have a highly engaged, somewhat more predictable userbase that can also be reached via f2p.
I'm going to go out on a limb and say this is Mistwalker's main (and perhaps only) project.
It's a mobile f2p JRPG that might end up with a port to dedicated devices later.
I suspect as time goes on this is more and more what we'll see, since there's a really big userbase on mobile (and you want to be f2p for that), but the shrinking dedicated devices still have a highly engaged, somewhat more predictable userbase that can also be reached via f2p.
Takao said:
PREDICTION LEAGUE JULY 2014
Predict how much these titles will sell in the month (from Jun 30 to Jul 27):
[3DS] Yo-Kai Watch 2 Ganso/Honke (18 days) - 1400k
[WIU] Wii Sports Club (11 days) - 25k
[PSV] Oreshika 2 (11 days) - 40k
[PS3] Atelier Shallie (11 days) - 40k
[3DS] Yoshi's New Island (4 days) - 100k
Bonus prediction: How low will the PS4 go in July?
Between:
a) 5k and 6k[/QUOTE]
Predict how much these titles will sell in the month (from Jun 30 to Jul 27):
[3DS] Yo-Kai Watch 2 Ganso/Honke (18 days) - 1400k
[WIU] Wii Sports Club (11 days) - 25k
[PSV] Oreshika 2 (11 days) - 40k
[PS3] Atelier Shallie (11 days) - 40k
[3DS] Yoshi's New Island (4 days) - 100k
Bonus prediction: How low will the PS4 go in July?
Between:
a) 5k and 6k[/QUOTE]
I wouldn't say that. Famitsu's last total on the game was 50k, but that doesn't mean it stopped selling. It was 9th most downloaded game on J-PSN last year.
But what I can say is that it's moved 20K+ since late April: http://www.siliconera.com/2014/04/25/demon-gaze-ships-180000-units-worldwide/
But what I can say is that it's moved 20K+ since late April: http://www.siliconera.com/2014/04/25/demon-gaze-ships-180000-units-worldwide/