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MonkeyPaw Games Is Starting A Kickstarter For A Class Of Heroes 2 EN Physical Release

V_Ben

Banned
Yes, Kotaku. But follow the link.

Does Kotaku make you violently ill? Here's a direct link to the Kickstarter page!

If MonkeyPaw Games raises $500,000, they'll know that gamers still love JRPGs.

The publisher, previously responsible for bringing Japanese role-playing games like Alundra and Vanguard Bandits to the PlayStation Network, is launching a Kickstarter campaign to prove that the beloved genre ain't dead yet.

Tomorrow, MonkeyPaw (and partner Gaijinworks) will kick off their Kickstarter to create a deluxe physical version of the RPG Class of Heroes 2, the company has told Kotaku. They want to release an "old-school package," the type you might have seen in games a decade ago, stuffed with maps and figures and all sorts of other collectibles. To do so, they want half a million dollars.

If this project works out, the team has a "laundry list" of other JRPGs they'd like to bring over to the United States, Gaijinworks president (and former Working Designs head) Victor Ireland told Kotaku this afternoon. Ireland, responsible for the localization of wonderful games like the Lunar series, thinks there's room in the U.S. market for a resurgence of JRPGs.

The best part? (If you're worried about the game not getting localised if the Kickstarter fails)

Class of Heroes 2, the sequel to an Atlus-published PSP dungeon crawler (that received rather mediocre reviews), never made it to the U.S. when it was first released back in 2009. Whether or not this Kickstarter is successful, MonkeyPaw says it still plans to release digital versions of Class of Heroes 2 for PSP and its companion, Class of Heroes 2G, for PlayStation 3.

Also, the reward tiers are pretty damn badass.

So, there's that. More at the link, this is pretty damn great. What's that kick ass PSP RPG Capcom made that they didn't bring over? I know you're reading, Victor :p
 

MrDaravon

Member
Things like this are going to really depend on the original Japanese company to be fully on board right? I mean this is cool, but I don't think that if something similar happened for say a Capcom or S-E release that they're going to allow it.
 

Durante

Member
So, this is actually a kickstarter for a physical release only? If so, I see no need to participate, I'm perfectly fine with digital.

Can I kickstart dual audio for the PS3 version?
 

jett

D-Member
A half-a-mill kickstarter for an obscure PSP RPG? This is gonna be quite the test, see how successful these vidyagame kickstarters can be. :p
 
Not only do I not like the idea of kickstarting localizations I definitely would not chip in for a mediocre sequel to a mediocre game.
 
That's pretty cool, but I don't know if they'll get half a million. I do feel like them saying they're going to release the game even if the Kickstarter fails hurts it's chances though.
 

atomsk

Party Pooper
Is the game even any good?

Why not something people are actually asking for like Half Minute Hero 2, or Game Center CX 2

(yeah yeah, licensing issues I'm sure)
 

vireland

Member
the thread of "Would you "Kickstart" Japanese game localization?" will love this

I was amused at the timing, knowing this was scheduled to be posted today.

Thankfully the news is out there, at least in outline form of this story now. The Kickstarter tomorrow will have all the details of the reward levels. The Deluxe Pack physical release is going to be amazing, and the game itself is a huge improvement over the only English version we got. In fact, each CoH release in Japan has scored better than the one before. How many series can you say that about?
 

Durante

Member
Thankfully the news is out there, at least in outline form of this story now. The Kickstarter tomorrow will have all the details of the reward levels. The Deluxe Pack physical release is going to be amazing, and the game itself is a huge improvement over the only English version we got. In fact, each CoH release in Japan has scored better than the one before. How many series can you say that about?
The Arland Atelier series on PS3. That's a really good association to make.

Anyway, Japanese audio on the PS3 version?


why class of heroes 2 ? :|
Probably because every other title you'd want is already claimed by someone or not open for licensing. But honestly, I would have much preferred some indie/doujin PC title to be the litmus test for this kind of localization funding.
 

vireland

Member
That's pretty cool, but I don't know if they'll get half a million. I do feel like them saying they're going to release the game even if the Kickstarter fails hurts it's chances though.

The Kickstarter is primarily about physical/digital hybrid releases, but it's not JUST about the awesome KS-only Deluxe Pack. Fans that plan to do digital download still can get a better version of the game if we have more funds to devote to fixes/improvements/more extensive voice, etc.
 
I do really like the idea. Every part of this particular kickstart i dont like.
The first game was ass. Its getting a DD release anyhoo.

If sega came out and said "we have no plans for a VC3 release as VC2 didnt do so great, but if you pay for the localization so we dont lose any money(aka Kickstart)" id be all over it.

EDIT: im just using sega/vc as a example as VC seemed to be the goto IP for this discussion in the other thread
 

Dwayne

Member
Count me in. I don't even know what this game is, but the idea that this being successful will mean other untranslated PSP titles will come across is enough for me.
 

Durante

Member
Game has been out in JP for a while now, so localisation it seems :)
Not really localisation, physical distribution of the localized version. (and if that requires 500k I can entirely understand why more and more niche games go digital only)
 
The Kickstarter is primarily about physical/digital hybrid releases, but it's not JUST about the awesome KS-only Deluxe Pack. Fans that plan to do digital download still can get a better version of the game if we have more funds to devote to fixes/improvements/more extensive voice, etc.

Hopefully people check out the Kickstarter than, because the Kotaku article made it seem like it was just to fund a physical release.
 

Sinatar

Official GAF Bottom Feeder
PSP only?

Good luck with that, sorry Vic.

Seriously, this seems like one of the most poorly thought out projects I've seen in awhile. Lets release a game nobody wants, on a platform nobody owns and we want the public to fund it.

Brilliant!
 

mollipen

Member
Nope, sorry. For me personally, this is really going agains the whole idea of Kickstarter. Doing one to get the game brought over period? Sure, yes. Absolutely.

Doing it for a bunch of fluff special edition? Ugh, no. Really can't believe this is being done.
 

ZoddGutts

Member
Wow 500k? Most kickstarter games takes less money to get a game actually made. Is it that much because there going to dub it or something?
 

mollipen

Member
Seriously, this seems like one of the most poorly thought out projects I've seen in awhile. Lets release a game nobody wants, on a platform nobody owns and we want the public to fund it.

Brilliant!

I don't agree with the concept of this Kickstarter, but I can't at all see why you're saying the above. You could say the exact same thing about Double Fine's drive to make an old-school point and click adventure. Who wants that anymore? Who would play that?

People obviously did, and people obviously still enjoy PSP games, as evident by the fact that publishers over here are still releasing them. Kickstarter is there to help projects that are more about dedicated fan support, which is exactly what a platform like the PSP is. Don't sit here and speak for everybody by saying that the PSP is a platform "nobody owns". As of right now, the upcoming releases that get me the most excited are the ones still coming for the PSP, because it's one of the systems I have the most emotional attachment to.
 

LegatoB

Member
Nope, sorry. For me personally, this is really going agains the whole idea of Kickstarter. Doing one to get the game brought over period? Sure, yes. Absolutely.

Doing it for a bunch of fluff special edition? Ugh, no. Really can't believe this is being done.
Yeah, I missed this detail the first time I read the summary. I'm not comfortable with this. I feel like it crosses a line that simply funding the localization of the game at all wouldn't have.
 

vireland

Member
Wow 500k? Most kickstarter games takes less money to get a game actually made. Is it that much because there going to dub it or something?

Not for a console, they don't. You're thinking PC/DD with little or no upfront costs. You have a double immediate whammy of royalties for the media and license fees for the original game itself for something like this. I think it will be a lot clearer when the actual detailed KS is up tomorrow.
 

Dwayne

Member
Count me in. I don't even know what this game is, but the idea that this being successful will mean other untranslated PSP titles will come across is enough for me.

Re-reading I see this isn't the case. Yeah, half a million for a physical release is just too much. Would be great if Vic could breakdown this number so we can at least understand why it's so large.
 
Seriously, this seems like one of the most poorly thought out projects I've seen in awhile. Lets release a game nobody wants, on a platform nobody owns and we want the public to fund it.

Brilliant!

They have nothing to lose. If this works out they know they can do this with p. much any game ever.

And it will work.
 

Jucksalbe

Banned
Don't know about the deluxe edition, but I will get at least the download version of 2G. I really liked the original game. I lost all hope any of the sequels would ever be localized.
Also where is this Kickstarter page, haven't seen a link in either the Kotaku or Siliconera article?
 

vireland

Member
Don't know about the deluxe edition, but I will get at least the download version of 2G. I really liked the original game. I lost all hope any of the sequels would ever be localized.
Also where is this Kickstarter page, haven't seen a link in either the Kotaku or Siliconera article?

Live tomorrow.
 
I don't really get this. They are going to release it anyways on PSN... So you have to donate to get a deluxe physical version that you can't play on your vita?
 
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