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[BuddyC]

http://www.gamedaily.com/general/feature/?id=352

Rumormill: 06.29.04
by Todd Mowatt

Another round of rumors comes your way from the Video Cowboy. Some you may already know about, others might just surprise you.

Welcome to another romp through the wild's of the video game industry, Video Cowboy style. This week I have been on a mission to saddle you up with some prime cut fine gaming gossip, the likes of which will keep you on the edge of your seat. First let's start off with the rumors you may not have heard about.

New Ridge Racer for XNA

Namco was in Toronto recently chatting it up with XNA developer Pseudo Interactive regarding their interactive car demo that was showcased at Microsoft's press conference at the Electronic Entertainment Expo. The two companies chatted about the possibility of Pseudo doing the next generation Ridge Racer title. We will keep you posted as more information becomes available. Pseudo Interactive is doing the port of Pariah for the PlayStation 2 and they are trying to drum up some other work. If you think you know the name Pseudo Interactive, you probably have, they are the folks who made Cel Damage in the early days of the Xbox!

Samurai Warriors XL

Word out of Japan has it that Koei is developing a new version of Samurai Warriors (Sengoku Musou). The new game will be entitled Sengoku Musou Moshoden in Japan, and will include several new characters, stages and scenarios, including a weapon level. The game will also be able to be combined with the original Samurai Warriors in much the same way that Dynasty Warriors 4XL remixed with Dynasty Warriors 4. The game will be released in Japan on September 16th and according to our sources, it will be making its way over to North America, sometime in 2005 or possibly sooner!

Now on to some rumors that you may already be aware of, but here's the full scoop.

Too Human Exclusively for Xbox

Silicon Knights might be going solo after breaking its ties with Nintendo as a second-party developer. We are not sure who broke the ties with whom, but suffice it to say that the St. Catharine's Canada based developer has had some rough luck with sluggish sales of Eternal Darkness and Metal Gear Solid: Twin Snakes for the GameCube. Now the company is working hard on Too Human for the Xbox. A little bird told us that Konami, Capcom and Atari have been poking around the company's offices checking out the game. Too Human was supposed to be a PSone title for MGM Interactive. That group got out of games, but before that, they sent the game document back to Silicon Knights for some much-needed tweaking. SK seems to have the design document locked down and the platform. The game will only be released for the Xbox and not the PlayStation 2 or GameCube.

No Backward Compatibility in Xbox Next

Sources close to the big M tell us that the next version of Bill Gates gaming console won't be backward compatible. Meaning that you won't be able to play the Xbox titles you already own on the new system. Sony Computer Entertainment of America and Nintendo are licking their chops waiting for Microsoft at high noon to expose any errors they make in launching their second system. There's a couple of reasons Nintendo's GameCube got smoked by Sony with the PlayStation 2. The two main reasons were backward compatibility with the PSone, and the DVD player being in the PlayStation 2 and not in the GameCube. In terms of when we can expect to see Microsoft's next gaming console analysts predict that we will see the system sometime in 2005.

GBA, Halo, and GTA

Nintendo's Game Boy Advance SP is a popular little beast, and we are hearing that some of gamings key franchises are heading to the Nintendo portable. One of these titles won't be that much of a shocker, but the other one will blow you away if you haven't already heard about it. We have it on good authority that a pint-sized version of Halo might be in the works for the Nintendo Game Boy Advance SP. While this may just be a mistake brought about by the 2D fan-developed Halo game for PC, if it does turn out to be true, you knew it had to happen due to the proximity of their offices in Redmond Washington. The Microsoft campus is right across the street from Nintendo. So when Bill Gates takes out the trash or gets the mail, he probably gets to chat it up with the Nintendo folks. Not sure when the game will be released, but we have heard that it is happening. In other GBA SP news Grand Theft Auto: Vice City is headed to the system and the game will feature the same ratched up game play, except you will be able to game it on the go!

Need for Speed on PS3

Need for Speed Underground 2 will be out later this year, and we are hearing that development has started on a new next generation PlayStation 3 Need for Speed: Most Wanted. The game will feature a potpourri of licensed cars including some muscle cars, exotic cars and maybe even the new Porsche from their affiliation with some upcoming movie properties that they are making games about.

Multiplayer Golden Sun on GameCube

The rumormill has been spinning like a roulette wheel and it has stopped on the fact that Nintendo is considering making its third Golden Sun title; this time for the GameCube and Game Boy Advance. The second game didn't sell as well as the first, or end in a cliffhanger. However, insiders suggest that both titles set the table for a much larger and bigger presentation for the third game.

From what we are hearing Golden Sun will make the jump from the GBA to the GameCube in much the same way that Wario Ware, Advance Wars and Fire Emblem have. These same insiders suggested to the Video Cowboy ranch that Golden Sun for the GameCube might even include a multiplayer component.

 

[john tv]

Must be nice to get paid for summarizing what you read on GAF.

 

[solarplexus]

Must be nice to get paid for summarizing what you read on GAF.

I was thinking the same

 

[COCKLES]

Must be nice to get paid for summarizing what you read on GAF.

Joyus news just isn't the same without bananas though!

or damage control...

or STFU U <GAMECUBE/XBOT/PSYBORG> rants.

I thought Bungie played down GBA Halo - would make sense tho, a good quality 2D Halo would make a shitload of cash and won't negatively effect Xbox.

 

[Tellaerin]

The two companies chatted about the possibility of Pseudo doing the next generation Ridge Racer title.

The only way this would be good news is if the 'chatting' in question was Pseudo suggesting they produce a next-gen Ridge Racer title, and Namco telling them 'no way in hell'. Namco, please give us a new RR game developed in-house--don't farm out a property like that to the developers responsible for Cel Damage. ;_;

 

[SolidSnakex]

The only way this would be good news is if the 'chatting' in question was Pseudo suggesting they produce a next-gen Ridge Racer title, and Namco telling them 'no way in hell'. Namco, please give us a new RR game developed in-house--don't farm out a property like that to the developers responsible for Cel Damage. ;_;

Agreed. If they're going to farm the game out, look toward Sega. They're the only ones that could handle a new RR since the RR creator works at Sega now.

 

[Bishman]

Too Human Exclusively for Xbox

Silicon Knights might be going solo after breaking its ties with Nintendo as a second-party developer. We are not sure who broke the ties with whom, but suffice it to say that the St. Catharine's Canada based developer has had some rough luck with sluggish sales of Eternal Darkness and Metal Gear Solid: Twin Snakes for the GameCube. Now the company is working hard on Too Human for the Xbox. A little bird told us that Konami, Capcom and Atari have been poking around the company's offices checking out the game. Too Human was supposed to be a PSone title for MGM Interactive. That group got out of games, but before that, they sent the game document back to Silicon Knights for some much-needed tweaking. SK seems to have the design document locked down and the platform. The game will only be released for the Xbox and not the PlayStation 2 or GameCube.

This better not be true. And how is SK affording a game that has span over 2 gens? PS1, GC, now Xbox. So was SK even in development with Too Human for the GC or was it all a lie?

 

[Redbeard]

This better not be true. And how is SK affording a game that has span over 2 gens? PS1, GC, now Xbox. So was SK even in development with Too Human for the GC or was it all a lie?

Well, presumably MGM was paying for it on PS1, Nintendo on GC, and whoever picks it up will be paying to wrap it up on Xbox.

 

[element]

What is with Japanese developers outsourcing out their franchaises now to western developers ?

Every franchaise outsourced is never the same, and in most cases butchered.

What for I ask ? ?

because JPN developers are starting to understand that they dont make the best games, and sometimes these franchises need to breath of fresh air.

 

[Tellaerin]

because JPN developers are starting to understand that they dont make the best games

Maybe you should qualify that as, 'JPN developers are starting to understand that they don't always make the best games.' On the other hand, you could've meant that exactly as you said it, in which case you're just plain wrong. *shrug*

 

[MightyHedgehog]

Didn't many of the RR team and others at Namco already leave the company, anyway?

 

[element]

On the other hand, you could've meant that exactly as you said it, in which case you're just plain wrong. *shrug*

no. Japanese developers and publishers are starting to understand that they have to make games for the largest market, and that is the US. Games like GTA, Doom, Halo, Half-Life, and others don't make 'sense' to many Japanese publishers and developers, but they still want a cut of the pie, so they get NA and UK devs to work with.

Power to the US and UK devs. It is their time to shine.

 

[Blackace]

no. Japanese developers and publishers are starting to understand that they have to make games for the largest market, and that is the US. Games like GTA, Doom, Halo, Half-Life, and others don't make 'sense' to many Japanese publishers and developers, but they still want a cut of the pie, so they get NA and UK devs to work with.

Power to the US and UK devs. It is their time to shine.

Well someone forgot to tell the Japanese developers in Japan that.... They still think they are in the driver seat... I am sure they look at the western developers and think they make good games... but I will ice skate in the frozen lakes of hell when I hear Japanese developers say "We make crap games... time to let the US and UK developers shine"

 

[kiryogi]

Ridge Racer will never be as good as it was in the PSX days with this kinda news..

 

[SolidSnakex]

I don't even know why they're so hesitant to make a new RR. It's not like RRV sold badly. It might have not done as well as other RR's but it still sold more than most racers this gen.

 

[Alcibiades]

The way I see it Too Human on XBox would be a bit of a mistake since next year all the hype will center around XBox 2 launch in the fall...

SK should make it multiplatform and at least get it to the GCN, which should be alive and well with the new Zelda title...

 

[TekunoRobby]

GBA Grand Theft Auto has been in development for atleast two years now (it was started then scrapped, repeat) I think. The series is a perfect match for the GBA (top down perspective), just look at Payback and you can see the possibilities are certainly there.

 

[element]

but I will ice skate in the frozen lakes of hell when I hear Japanese developers say "We make crap games... time to let the US and UK developers shine"

I never said they make crap, I said that they understand that their games are getting stale and need some new life. Using an outside group, and a group in the country you want to suceed in doesn't hurt.

If Japan is in the leader, then why don't they dominate the top 10 each month?
Jan 2004 - 2 JPN titles (Sonic Heroes GCN & MKDD)
Feb 2004 - 2 JPN titles (FFCC & Metroid Zero Missions)
March 2004 - 4 JPN titles (Ninja Gaiden, Pokemon Colosseum, FFXI, RE: Outbreak)
April 2004 - 2 JPN titles (Pokemon Colosseum, RE: Outbreak)

as you can see, Japanese publishers and developers aren't really the leader in the states.

 

[Blackace]

I didn't say they were the leader... but they don't feel that they are slipping too much.. believe everyday I talk to people who work for Japanese devolpers here in Japan. Most Japanese companies won't outsource their work to non-Japanese companies if their life depended on it.. I also have quite a few producers here, who believe that Japan is ready to come back and take the industry back over...they fail to see that the industry has completely changed almost overnight.....

It is mostly a pride thing here in Japan... all I was saying is you said they know they no longer make "top notch" games.. and I'm saying they don't know that yet

 

[dorio]

Can't wait to see how Too Human looks.

 

[TekunoRobby]

^ Joke character right? Do I get a cookie?

 

[element]

Most Japanese companies won't outsource their work to non-Japanese companies if their life depended on it..

and if they keep that practice they will go bankrupt. no wonder why the size of the japanese development community has dropped 40% in 10 years.

It is mostly a pride thing here in Japan... all I was saying is you said they know they no longer make "top notch" games.. and I'm saying they don't know that yet

I'd agree that a large amount of JPN publisher and developers are like that. But some are coming around that in order to stay in business they have to cater to the US market, since it is really where all the money is made.

Every franchaise turned over to western developers has been butchered, and the quality has been lost in the process.

so we should judge every joint JPN and US project on previous games? And US and UK developers haven't improved in the last 6 years?

 

[SolidSnakex]

"and if they keep that practice they will go bankrupt. no wonder why the size of the japanese development community has dropped 40% in 10 years."

So you're saying if Japanese developers don't start outsourcing their games to Western developers they're doomed? Umm ok.

 

[element]

"and if they keep that practice they will go bankrupt. no wonder why the size of the japanese development community has dropped 40% in 10 years."

So you're saying if Japanese developers don't start outsourcing their games to Western developers they're doomed? Umm ok.

no, i just say outsourcing in general. Outsource to China, Korea, Austraila, Russia, India, and the US and UK. he posted that JPN companies would never outsource to non-JPN companies. If they do that, they will go bankrupt.

 

[Solid]

"Too Human Exclusively for Xbox"

I hope that's true! :B

 

[SolidSnakex]

no, i just say outsourcing in general. Outsource to China, Korea, Austraila, Russia, India, and the US and UK. he posted that JPN companies would never outsource to non-JPN companies. If they do that, they will go bankrupt.

That still doesn't make sense. How is it that if they don't outsource they'll go bankrupt? What exactly are you basing this on?

 

[Blackace]

"and if they keep that practice they will go bankrupt. no wonder why the size of the japanese development community has dropped 40% in 10 years."

Wrong... they will just merge... why do you think we have been seeing so many companies becoming one? Square-Enix... Sammy-Sega.. Old business practices were not working.. money was being lost.. so merging or being bought was all they had left... however MS could have afforded Sega or Square...but they would rather be owned by another Japanese company.. and who can blame them... they pretty much started the console gaming industry... and they know that....

 

[Mike Works]

They're the only ones that could handle a new RR since the RR creator works at Sega now.

How the fuck does that work?

 

[element]

That still doesn't make sense. How is it that if they don't outsource they'll go bankrupt? What exactly are you basing this on?

The fact that games require so much content these days and in next generation they will require even more that you can afford to have 30 artists making $40k a year, when you can outsource to a place like China or Russia for a fraction of the cost.
Things like props, objects that just populate the world (lamps, desks, cars, whatever) Do you really think Konami wants to pay 5 guys $40k each a year to work on this stuff? Or would it be better for Konami to spend just $40k and hire a company from Russia to do all that work in 2 months?

It just comes down to games are going to cost a lot of money and ANY way you can reduce costs is something that EVERYONE is going to have to do to stay in business.

 

[Optimistic]

They're the only ones that could handle a new RR since the RR creator works at Sega now.

Wow, really? Awesome. Maybe he'll learn something, like how to make a decent arcade racer.

 

[Blackace]

The fact that games require so much content these days and in next generation they will require even more that you can afford to have 30 artists making $40k a year, when you can outsource to a place like China or Russia for a fraction of the cost.
Things like props, objects that just populate the world (lamps, desks, cars, whatever) Do you really think Konami wants to pay 5 guys $40k each a year to work on this stuff? Or would it be better for Konami to spend just $40k and hire a company from Russia to do all that work in 2 months?

It just comes down to games are going to cost a lot of money and ANY way you can reduce costs is something that EVERYONE is going to have to do to stay in business.

umm ok... well I am sure EA doesn't outsource everything to Russia or China for programming... I guess they are doomed as well... Bioware? no outsourcing to China there... they'll be gone yup...

You were doing ok until you said that junk...

 

[element]

umm ok... well I am sure EA doesn't outsource everything to Russia or China for programming... I guess they are doomed as well... Bioware? no outsourcing to China there... they'll be gone yup...

You were doing ok until you said that junk...

who said everything? I said smaller parts, like props, CG, CONTENT. Programming will pretty much always be done in-house.
EA outsource 5000 objects to India for NFSU
Bioware outsourced worked for Jade Empire

you guys just aren't reading my posts.

 

[Blackace]

it is because your post keep chaning the point... outsourcing objects is completely different than outsourcing whole projects...

 

[element]

it is because your post keep chaning the point... outsourcing objects is completely different than outsourcing whole projects...

Original point is that Japanese publishers need to spice up their games, because they are stale due to the 'typical' Japanese design philosophy, which is radically different then US or UK design philosophy. Hiring a US/UK firm to develop and design the game could lead to a nice change and revitialize the franchise.

Point Two. If Japanese developers want to stay profitable, they have to find ways to cut costs and outsourcing CONTENT is something that they will HAVE to do to stay competitive. They can not have the ego 'if you're not japanese, you're not good enough'. Games is so much of a world market, that they can't have that type of ego any longer.

 

[Blackace]

Original point is that Japanese publishers need to spice up their games, because they are stale. Hiring a US/UK firm to develop and design the game could lead to a nice change and revitialize the franchise.

Point Two. If Japanese developers want to stay profitable, they have to find ways to cut costs and outsourcing CONTENT is something that they will HAVE to do to stay competitive. They can not have the ego 'if you're not japanese, you're not good enough'. Games is so much of a world market, that they can't have that type of ego any longer.

Points taken... but original post said "they know that US and UK developers are making better games." which brought us to where we are now.... if you would have said that in or right after your original post I would have taken it and said you are right sir (I hope you are a sir... damn Internet) However, one thing to be said for Japanese developers they have a real bad situation on their hands... Japanese taste have not changed so much in Japan, but worldwide taste have... they do provide their own country with what it wants for the most part... Almost all of the top sellers in Japan are Japanese made games.. it is quite a pickle to be in for them...

 

[Tellaerin]

no. Japanese developers and publishers are starting to understand that they have to make games for the largest market, and that is the US. Games like GTA, Doom, Halo, Half-Life, and others don't make 'sense' to many Japanese publishers and developers, but they still want a cut of the pie, so they get NA and UK devs to work with.

Power to the US and UK devs. It is their time to shine.

That still doesn't address your statement that 'Japanese developers are starting to understand that they dont make the best games', and that the 'best' games are exclusively the province of western devs. Can you name for me a western-developed action-adventure that equals or surpasses Ninja Gaiden? How about a fighting game designed by a western company that equals or surpasses the best fighters from Sega, Namco, or Capcom? Whether or not you feel those genres are important is irrelevant--that has no bearing on the quality of the games in question, and said games are indisputably top-notch.

For all their accomplishments, western console developers can hardly claim to be turning out the best titles in every genre (or even in every genre that matters--there's still more to the videogame market than GTA clones and FPS's even in the US, thank God). They deserve their place in the spotlight alongside the Japanese, as equals. They haven't usurped that spotlight yet, though, and I honestly doubt they ever will.

 

[Kon Tiki]

Too Human Exclusively for Xbox

Silicon Knights might be going solo after breaking its ties with Nintendo as a second-party developer. We are not sure who broke the ties with whom, but suffice it to say that the St. Catharine's Canada based developer has had some rough luck with sluggish sales of Eternal Darkness and Metal Gear Solid: Twin Snakes for the GameCube. Now the company is working hard on Too Human for the Xbox. A little bird told us that Konami, Capcom and Atari have been poking around the company's offices checking out the game. Too Human was supposed to be a PSone title for MGM Interactive. That group got out of games, but before that, they sent the game document back to Silicon Knights for some much-needed tweaking. SK seems to have the design document locked down and the platform. The game will only be released for the Xbox and not the PlayStation 2 or GameCube.

St. Catharines. Credibility = 0

 

[callous]

I don't understand how anyone can look at Western and Japanese developers and then say that Japanese developers are getting stale in comparison. It simply doesn't make any sense to me.

 

[Mashing]

Must be nice to get paid for summarizing what you read on GAF.

I couldn't have said it better myself

 

[sc0la]

no. Japanese developers and publishers are starting to understand that they have to make games for the largest market, and that is the US. Games like GTA, Doom, Halo, Half-Life, and others don't make 'sense' to many Japanese publishers and developers, but they still want a cut of the pie, so they get NA and UK devs to work with.

Power to the US and UK devs. It is their time to shine.

I never said they make crap, I said that they understand that their games are getting stale and need some new life. Using an outside group, and a group in the country you want to suceed in doesn't hurt.

If Japan is in the leader, then why don't they dominate the top 10 each month?
Jan 2004 - 2 JPN titles (Sonic Heroes GCN & MKDD)
Feb 2004 - 2 JPN titles (FFCC & Metroid Zero Missions)
March 2004 - 4 JPN titles (Ninja Gaiden, Pokemon Colosseum, FFXI, RE: Outbreak)
April 2004 - 2 JPN titles (Pokemon Colosseum, RE: Outbreak)

as you can see, Japanese publishers and developers aren't really the leader in the states.

I understand there are preference differences, and that Japanese publishers and franchises are just not as powerful in the US anymore. But these statements you are making somewhat contradict themselves. Ridge Racer will still be a Japanese franchise with a Japanese publisher, that isn't going to change no matter who develops it.

Unless they gut Ridge Racer, make some sort of Ridge Racer "underground", and market it in a wholey different matter, it will still feel the same. It being developed by an Western developer doesn't really change anything in the way of sales, and it would take a sort of feat to give the franchise fresh air while simultaneously upping its US selling power. Ridge Racer isn't just going to turn into a GTA/Half-Life by getting handed over to NA dev. And then one could argue that it wouldn't even be a ridge racer anymore.

Ridge Racer is a funny example because they already tried to reinvent it once this gen.

edit: damn that is a messy second paragraph. In short I agree with your observations, but I disagree that giving ridge racer to an NA dev will fundamentally change their problems.

 

[jedimike]

I didn't say they were the leader... but they don't feel that they are slipping too much.. believe everyday I talk to people who work for Japanese devolpers here in Japan. Most Japanese companies won't outsource their work to non-Japanese companies if their life depended on it.. I also have quite a few producers here, who believe that Japan is ready to come back and take the industry back over...they fail to see that the industry has completely changed almost overnight.....

It is mostly a pride thing here in Japan... all I was saying is you said they know they no longer make "top notch" games.. and I'm saying they don't know that yet

Kojima and Itagaki have bot recently said in interviews that Japan is losing it an that Japanese developers better innovate and adapt to the Western market or they will fail.

 

[Alcibiades]

you have to admit though, that Itagaki's games haven't exactly taken off in Japan...

I think statements about the situation in Japan would be very different from a company great Japanese sales (like SquareEnix) or just decent sales (like Team Ninja)...

while the market may definitely be shrinking, if a company is still selling a ton of games there, it will no doubt be an issue for this and the next generation...

 

[jarrod]

no, i just say outsourcing in general. Outsource to China, Korea, Austraila, Russia, India, and the US and UK. he posted that JPN companies would never outsource to non-JPN companies. If they do that, they will go bankrupt.

Most large Japanese publishers don't need to outsource development to foreign teams... they already own foreign teams. SCE China, NSTC, Retro Studios, Naughty Dog, KCEH, Konami Digital, Capcom Studio 8, Namco Hometek, Visual Concepts, Sammy Studios, Noise Factory, Amuse...

 

[MadOdorMachine]

Need for Speed on PS3

Need for Speed Underground 2 will be out later this year, and we are hearing that development has started on a new next generation PlayStation 3 Need for Speed: Most Wanted. The game will feature a potpourri of licensed cars including some muscle cars, exotic cars and maybe even the new Porsche from their affiliation with some upcoming movie properties that they are making games about.

It's about damn time! With all the emphasis being put on sim racers, I was beginning to think publishers had given up on arcade racers. It's a shame we'll have to wait until PS3, but in the meantime, there's Burnout 3 and OutRun 2. I hope EA continues to cover all three platforms next gen. I'll probably get a Nintendo first, and if need be, pick up PS3 later. Hopefully next gen the only reason to buy more than one system will be for exclusives. I think it's rediculous that a game comes out for two of the systems and not all three. Hopefully this will change next gen.

 

[ManDudeChild]

Must be nice to get paid for summarizing what you read on GAF.

I've said it before and i'll say it again, it's a shame GameDaily was dragged down by the trash of GamerFeed.

 

[BuddyC]

I've said it before and i'll say it again, it's a shame GameDaily was dragged down by the trash of GamerFeed.

Oh?

 

[GigaDrive]

wtf Namco needs to get Ridge Racer 6 out for current generation consoles. what is its status?

 

[Mike Works]

They're the only ones that could handle a new RR since the RR creator works at Sega now.

No seriously, I'd really like to know why the only team/company that could possibly make a new Ridge Racer game would be the one that the original creator works at.

 

[Agent Dormer]

I've said it before and i'll say it again, it's a shame GameDaily was dragged down by the trash of GamerFeed.

I'm just curious as how you reasoned this out. GamerFeed was brought aboard by Gigex (who owned GameDaily) to provide editorial content, which is now syndicated to a variety of sites - Gamers.com, Lycos Gamesville, Yahoo! GamesDomain, Xbox.com. Oh, that's right sorry to get off topic, you were saying something about trash?

 

[element]

Most large Japanese publishers don't need to outsource development to foreign teams... they already own foreign teams. SCE China, NSTC, Retro Studios, Naughty Dog, KCEH, Konami Digital, Capcom Studio 8, Namco Hometek, Visual Concepts, Sammy Studios, Noise Factory, Amuse...

All of those companies you listed have full teams that make full games and all with full time employees with royalties, health insurance, taxes, and other great things. I'd say most of those already use outsourcing in the places I already mentioned for content (art & music), because it is far cheaper to hire 5 people for the price of one internal person.

They deserve their place in the spotlight alongside the Japanese, as equals.

I'm personally fine with that as well, but as you can see in this thread. If you try to give any credit to Western Devs for doing new and exciting things, you get jumped on.

I don't understand how anyone can look at Western and Japanese developers and then say that Japanese developers are getting stale in comparison. It simply doesn't make any sense to me.

Go play Final Fantasy 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15 and you see what is wrong.

Kojima and Itagaki have bot recently said in interviews that Japan is losing it an that Japanese developers better innovate and adapt to the Western market or they will fail.

And both of these guys get it and are actively making games for a Western audience. they understand games are a global market and they can't depend on Japan and Japan alone to stay in business.