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[miku]

Interview with Shuhei Yoshida

http://www.4gamer.net/games/251/G025118/20151208064/


I found some interesting parts in the interview where he talked about Japanese games

Some rough translations:

4gamer:
-There were many Japan made titles introduced from PSX such as Final Fantasy VII Remake, Ace Combat 7, Rez Infinite that left a great impression to the people.

Yoshida:
-It happened all thanks to the fact that Western paying more attention to Japanese games. Since the announcement of Japanese titles being carried out in America, people from Japan seems to wonder why a little bit; however, I actually feel like people from overseas are willing to evaluate Japanese games more than people from Japan.

-The reactions for Ni no Kuni II this time as well as Shenmue III from E3 2015 were really great isn't it?


4gamer:
-About the case where Dead or Alive Xtreme 3 is not being considered selling overseas......

Yoshida:
-Rather than being conscious of overseas, it should probably only aim at Japanese market to see how good it turned out and how it is judged. After all, there is a cultural differences. Because In Western countries, the awareness on how to treat and express females in the medium such as games are very differs from Japan.

-To me, in the Japanese culture, if the representation is acceptable by the general public, then people from Japan do not mind at all, though it is a difficult problem.

-Personally, I want to say I really really like Dragon's Crown, but that title received a lot of criticisms and also with extremely low review scores.

 

[Dawg]

-It happened all thanks to the fact that Western paying more attention to Japanese games.

that's because we're finally getting localizations of some games ;-;

 

[Nightengale]

Shu likes Dragon's Crown. Good taste.

 

[Toki767]

The west always paid attention to Japanese games.

Most people playing video games who are 20-30+ have a childhood full of Japanese games.

It's just that the transition last gen really hurt Japanese games since all of the developers seemingly had trouble transitioning to HD.

 

[Guymelef]

After Japan tendency to smartphones is nice to see things like Nier: Automata, World of Final Fantasy, Ni No Kuni II. etc... being presented to the world on western events.

 

[John Kowalski]

Hmm? I thought DC had been well reviewed? That's weird.

 

[GarciaHotspur]

-Personally, I want to say I really really like Dragon's Crown, but that title received a lot of criticisms and also with extremely low review scores.

Really ?

http://www.metacritic.com/game/playstation-3/dragons-crown

 

[captainpat]

-Personally, I want to say I really really like Dragon's Crown, but that title received a lot of criticisms and also with extremely low review scores.

???

 

[Zhao_Yun]

-Personally, I want to say I really really like Dragon's Crown, but that title received a lot of criticisms and also with extremely low review scores.

A metacritic score of 82 is considered "extremely low"?

 

[DarkLordMalik]

Hmm? I thought DC had been well reviewed? That's weird.

Maybe he is talking about Japanese reviews?

 

[Tapejara]

Hmm? I thought DC had been well reviewed? That's weird.

It's got an 82 meta on PS3 and a 78 on Vita. I'd say that's pretty good.

 

[Ouren]

Dragon's Crown is godlike

 

[WickedLaharl]

The sales expectations on localized games must be extremely low now which is a good thing.

dragon's crown got old really fast just like every vanillaware game.

 

[g11]

Weird that the whole DOAX3 thing just won't die, but even weirder is people in the Japanese industry bringing up "cultural differences", as if DOAX3 had something so crazy in it thats fine for Japan but verboten in the the West. It's just boobs...

 

[Yukinari]

Even after the attempt to "censor" Xenoblade X its still overflowing with ass and tits so honestly i dont understand why DoAX3 is such a big problem here.

Senran Kagura must be a really lucky series to survive this harsh world.

 

[5taquitos]

A metacritic score of 82 is considered "extremely low"?

Polygon, Eurogamer, and the Escapist all gave it scores in the 60s, may be what he's referring to. Those are pretty major outlets.

 

[Rymuth]

Shu likes Dragon's Crown. Good taste.

Aye

 

[Wanchan]

Yoshida: Because In Western countries, the awareness on how to treat and express females in the medium such as games very differs from Japan..

Western ≠ NA.

 

[Reveirg]

DC has a 82 metacritic score, that's a weird thing to say.

 

[inner-G]

A metacritic score of 82 is considered "extremely low"?

He probably is referencing individuals who scored the game low, rather than the overall impressions.

Some sites slagged on it because of the character designs because of... reasons.

 

[Elios83]

Indeed Dragon's Crown was well received, I don't understand his comment unless he's talking about how many criticized this representation of women but it was just a proportion thing, it's not like it was considered offensive and the game was poorly received because of it:

LOL

 

[captainpat]

Weird that the whole DOAX3 thing just won't die, but even weirder is people in the Japanese industry bringing up "cultural differences", as if DOAX3 had something so crazy in it thats fine for Japan but verboten in the the West. It's just boobs...

I know. I thought boobs where pretty popular in the west.

 

[LiK]

Shu likes Dragon's Crown. Good taste.

correction: "really really like"

I know. I thought boobs where pretty popular in the west.

it's fine unless they're in a video game.

 

[Joni]

Don't get why they can't at least bring extreme to Europe.

 

[NinjaCoachZ]

Weird that the whole DOAX3 thing just won't die, but even weirder is people in the Japanese industry bringing up "cultural differences", as if DOAX3 had something so crazy in it thats fine for Japan but verboten in the the West. It's just boobs...

I really feel like the issue is less the idea of it being a fanservicey bikini game, and more the fact that it's a fanservicey bikini game which prominently features Marie Rose.

 

[Eolz]

Interesting points. Guess the DC reviews are japanese yeah. There were some average ones, but nothing really low from what I remember.
And yeah, again, seems that KT is mostly testing the waters first (reception + sales).

Weird that the whole DOAX3 thing just won't die, but even weirder is people in the Japanese industry bringing up "cultural differences", as if DOAX3 had something so crazy in it thats fine for Japan but verboten in the the West. It's just boobs...

You should go read the other threads about thid topic, it's sadly not like that...

 

[gundamkyoukai]

Weird that the whole DOAX3 thing just won't die, but even weirder is people in the Japanese industry bringing up "cultural differences", as if DOAX3 had something so crazy in it thats fine for Japan but verboten in the the West. It's just boobs...

Boobs are a problem in the west at least in USA .
The usa seem to have a problem with T&A in certain ways .

 

[JordanN]

After all, there is a cultural differences. Because In Western countries, the awareness on how to treat and express females in the medium such as games are very differs from Japan.

It was only nigh 5 years ago this game was localized...

But honestly, I find this whole blaming cultural differences weird. I thought Publishers only care about the bottom line? Why is it now that a multi-million company would choose an issue to pick up on and not the myriad of other complaints in the game industry?

 

[Hubb]

I believe some of that Dragon's Crown statement is lost in translation, and I would love for someone better at Japanese to correct me. I think it is stating that some low review scores were because of the criticism of the art style (not game play), and not that the game scored low overall.

 

[Crankshaft]

"Personally, I want to say I really really like Dragon's Crown, but that title received a lot of criticisms and also with extremely low review scores."


Low review scores? Dragon's Crown has an 82 on metacritic. Fallout 4 has 84.

Shu, whatchu talkin bout?

 

[Abriael]

Really ?

http://www.metacritic.com/game/playstation-3/dragons-crown

There were some low review scores due to the game's look (polygon for one, calling "alienating and gross." 65 for Dragon's Crown is a travesty). He wasn't talking about all or an average.

 

[Folstern]

But honestly, I find this whole blaming cultural differences weird. I thought Publishers only care about the bottom line? Why is it now that a multi-million company would choose an issue to pick up on and not the myriad of other complaints in the game industry?

This may come as a shock but different companies are run by different people.

 

[DOWN]

I just hope Yakuza 6 comes over because I'm dying to try the series but already loathe the cross gen entries for being cross gen

 

[GrayFoxPL]

A metacritic score of 82 is considered "extremely low"?

By Famitsu standards....

 

[John Kowalski]

Polygon, Eurogamer, and the Escapist all gave it scores in the 60s, may be what he's referring to. Those are pretty major outlets.

Oh.

 

[Reallink]

Polygon, Eurogamer, and the Escapist all gave it scores in the 60s, may be what he's referring to. Those are pretty major outlets.

That's very concerning and a very big problem that he's so invested and hyper aware of the outrage sphere/culture, that a minority of blowhards completely perverted his impression and the reality of how the game was actually received on the whole.

 

[Jigorath]

-It happened all thanks to the fact that Western paying more attention to Japanese games. Since the announcement of Japanese titles being carried out in America, people from Japan seems to wonder why a little bit; however, I actually feel like people from overseas are willing to evaluate Japanese games more than people from Japan.

Then maybe you can start developing some more 1st party Japanese games. So many great IPs are just sitting around collecting dust.

 

[Father_Brain]

It was only nigh 5 years ago this game was localized...

But honestly, I find this whole blaming cultural differences weird. I thought Publishers only care about the bottom line? Why is it now that a multi-million company would choose an issue to pick up on and not the myriad of other complaints in the game industry?

It's BS. There are more anime titty games being localized than ever before; no one is actually too afraid of the SJW army to localize a game that they believe would sell.

 

[LiK]

I just hope Yakuza 6 comes over because I'm dying to try the series but already loathe the cross gen entries for being cross gen

pick up Y5 and Y0! support it! if you did already then ignore my comment.

 

[Have a Nice Day]

A metacritic score of 82 is considered "extremely low"?

It's lower than New Vegas. So, yes.

 

[Basketball]

This thing with DOAX is one of the most dumbest things in recent years in this industry.

I really hope this does not set a precedent in the future.

 

[5taquitos]

That's very concerning and a very big problem that he's so invested and hyper aware of the outrage sphere/culture, that it completely perverted his impression and the reality of how the game was actually received on the whole.

It's just a fan translation of a quote, I wouldn't read too much into it (not trying to diss on your translation, OP!)

 

[potatohead]

Polygon, Eurogamer, and the Escapist all gave it scores in the 60s, may be what he's referring to. Those are pretty major outlets.

Well they all suck then because Dragon's Crown is freaking amazing.

 

[Firestorm ZERO]

Hmm? I thought DC had been well reviewed? That's weird.

Maybe talking about specific reviews. Like most are in the 80s and 90s but then you get a 50 and bunch on 60s and 70s.

Looking at small blurbs of the low reviews state "questionable taste" and "alienating over-exaggerated art style" which I guess why Shu mentions about cultural differences.

 

[g11]

I really feel like the issue is less the idea of it being a fanservicey bikini game, and more the fact that it's a fanservicey bikini game which prominently features Marie Rose.

I don't follow the DOA series religiously so I have no idea why that would be significant.


Also, I guess I missed the quote from Shu about Dragon's Crown the first time. That game is awesome, even if some of the character design is...over the top. The gameplay is fantastic and the art is beautiful. If only the online/matchmaking was better. I really hope the places that rated it in the 60s like someone else mentioned had good reason because fundamentally the game was crazy good. One of my favorite PS3 exclusives.

 

[Flarin]

Japan really doesn't get how much the rest of the world likes their games, do they? I find it funny that Square was surprised at how well Bravely Default sold in the West. I think what Japanese developers fail to realize is that gamers in their 20s and 30s grew up playing Japanese games and now that they have disposable income they want more of what they played when they were kids. The Final Fantasy VII Remake hype should prove that.

I think the biggest offender in this sense is Atlus. It's like they don't care about the West when it comes to Persona 5. They skipped out on E3, Gamescom and PSX. All great opportunities to get their Western fans excited.

Hopefully as this generation goes on Japan realizes that Western fans really enjoy their games and want more.

 

[SarusGray]

That's very concerning and a very big problem that he's so invested and hyper aware of the outrage sphere/culture, that a minority of blowhards completely perverted his impression and the reality of how the game was actually received on the whole.

or its a rough translation that might be mistranslated so we're really not sure.

 

[Tohsaka]

The "low review scores" thing is stupid, there are always a handful of low scores for pretty much every game no matter what kind of content it has.

 

[Jigorath]

And yeah, Dragon's Crown sold and reviewed very well in the West. Shu's straight up wrong on that.

 

[JordanN]

This may come as a shock but different companies are run by different people.

I feel like spreadsheets are universal and I can't imagine in a boardroom meeting everyone agrees "but for this one game, we wont do it for non-money related reason".