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XSEED interview: Touhou & Xanadu underperform; Akiba & Nitro+ do well; more PC coming

Mechazawa

Member
Xanadu :(

They really did just drop it out of nowhere, but I don't know if it would've mattered one way or another. It's an older, clean, but pretty unexceptional looking game without the buttrock magic of something like Ys. It's a game that pretty much lives and dies on it's design.
 

Wagram

Member
Isn't it Ys-like? I guess that's the reason they picked it up. I'd have probably checked it out on PC as long as it had positive reviews.

Ys like, but it's not Ys and even then Ys doesn't sell like gangbusters (which should be a capital crime).
 

Ascheroth

Member
Xanadu Next ;_;

I know indies have destroyed the "Souls-like" label in their desperate marketing pushes.

But Xanadu Next is a true Souls-like game. All the way from stat allotment, to hidden shortcuts that loop you back to previous areas, to slower methodical back and forth combat where you can specialize in either magic or melee. And the best part is, it's not a long game either. The art is lovely and reminiscent of old 80's/90's PC games and the 3D, despite being old, still holds up well.

Also good luck XSEED on PC and thanks for supporting the platform! And yes, you do need to advertise games farther ahead of time and let people preorder. :)
It's also technically older then Souls games!

Xanadu Next was my second favorite game of last yeat, just behind House in Fata Morgana, but it really had no chance from the beginning :(
Like, if you weren't a Falcom fanboy stalking Xseed twitter or being on GAF I'm not sure how you'd even know of its existence.

I hope that when the newer Falcom games drop this year people want to check out other Falcom games and discover it.
 

matmanx1

Member
You guys really need to buy Xanadu Next. I've been loving it.

First post nails it. I loved Xanadu Next although I can see how some folks would be turned off by the old school look and feel of the game. No complaints here though, the game play was fantastic and the story was pretty good also. I highly recommend it for folks who prioritize gameplay and smart level design over modern graphics or movie like effects.
 

mejin

Member
I hope they step up their game with PS4. A better selection of games to localize would be great. I thought YS VIII would be one of them but for my surprise it was NisA.
 

Kientin

Member
Shame about Xanadu. Never played it before the Steam released but it looked like my kind of game and I bought it day one. It was great.
 
This topic reminded me that I never did pick up Xanadu Next. It's apparently on sale on steam for 25% off too so...guess I'd better do it now.
 

Shizuka

Member
Did they had a choice though ?
I mean, as for your point, it doesnt make sense. Is there any platform you can expect all of your titles to sell well ?
As for Vita, it's an abandonned platform. They still have a lot of work with PS4 and now PC.

As for the not always successful part, it's true. But as opposed to Vita, Steam and PC are well and alive platforms, which will still be around in a decade. Any title they bring can also be a long term revenue stream.

That's the thing, there is still money to be made on the platform, contrary to popular belief, or else there wouldn't be these many titles getting announced and released for the platform in 2017.

The same can be said about PC, it's a platform that's "alive", but if you can't sell well at launch and have to rely on sales during such a long period of time, is that sustainable?
 

Linkark07

Banned
I know most people here will lynch me for saying this but the art style of Xanadu Next turns me off. It is the main reason I skipped it.

Perhaps later in a sale I will buy it
and leave it collecting digital dust in my backlog
but so far, I'm not interested in it.
 
That's the thing, there is still money to be made on the platform, contrary to popular belief, or else there wouldn't be these many titles getting announced and released for the platform in 2017.

The same can be said about PC, it's a platform that's "alive", but if you can't sell well at launch and have to rely on sales during such a long period of time, is that sustainable?


No, it's not a "popular" belief, which would imply I'm not knowing what's happening on the platform.
A lot of these titles are either late indie ports with no dates, smaller indie titles and multiplatform localizations. What's my point by saying that ? It's that the cost to bring these games to the platform isnt too high to not do it. But in the case of XSeed, you're saying that as if dropping Vita was their choice. But Vita was already dropped.

As for your point about PC, it's not making sense at all considering you're envisioning a case where all release wouldnt do well at launch. Which is false as stated by the article. The point I made is that titles underperforming will still sell in 10 years. Especially for the titles that will sell well. But in Vita's case ? It's all or nothing. How long until Vita store is closed ?
 

MLH

Member
Sorry XSEED, I'm interested in Xanadu Next, it looks like my type of game, there's just been so many games to play at the moment, I've less free time and still have no money for all the games :(

Don't worry I'll pick up TitS 3rd on release day - I know you've gambled on that one. Xanadu Next will be soon - even if it sits in my ever growing backlog...
 

ArjanN

Member
It's one of the worst Falcom game I played so I'm not suer people "need" to buy it.
But some might.

No, Xanadu Next is excellent. I'd point out specifically why you're wrong, but you didn't actually provide any arguments to shoot down.

I wouldn't call 260,000 units gangbusters, but I never realized how well Ys did for them. It's much more understandable now why they were upset over losing Ys VIII to NISA.

I mean, considering that game originally came out like a decade ago, it's pretty impressive.
 

Shizuka

Member
No, it's not a "popular" belief, which would imply I'm not knowing what's happening on the platform.
A lot of these titles are either late indie ports with no dates, smaller indie titles and multiplatform localizations. What's my point by saying that ? It's that the cost to bring these games to the platform isnt too high to not do it. But in the case of XSeed, you're saying that as if dropping Vita was their choice. But Vita was already dropped.

As for your point about PC, it's not making sense at all considering you're envisioning a case where all release wouldnt do well at launch. Which is false as stated by the article. The point I made is that titles underperforming will still sell in 10 years. Especially for the titles that will sell well. But in Vita's case ? It's all or nothing. How long until Vita store is closed ?

Isn't publishers developing PC ports for Vita games left and right? Not that all of them are working, as there are quite a few selling bad on Steam, but still, you'd think they could do that instead of porting an older title to PC or localizing a PC exclusive.

Now for the second point, you'll have to excuse me, but I don't partake in that PC hivemind where everything released on PC will be successful no matter what, and when titles do bomb, you'd fall into the excuse that at least the platform will last decades and will be successful in five, ten years, eventually.
 

Momentary

Banned
So many people on my friend list have Xanadu. And they are all STEAM thread compatriots. It's hard to belive we are the only ones that own it.
 
Isn't publishers developing PC ports for Vita games left and right? Not that all of them are working, as there are quite a few selling bad on Steam, but still, you'd think they could do that instead of porting an older title to PC or localizing a PC exclusive.

Now for the second point, you'll have to excuse me, but I don't partake in that PC hivemind where everything released on PC will be successful no matter what, and when titles do bomb, you'd fall into the excuse that at least the platform will last decades and will be successful in five, ten years, eventually.


I didnt said successful. I said moving additional units. I'm sorry if it's factual that, at least, your game is still on sale when the platform is still here in 5 or 10 years.

As for your first question, you answer it with your second point, even though you're doubtful:
What is less risky ? Releasing something on a smaller, nearly dead without any future platform or releasing something on a platform that is bigger, well alive and here to stay in the upcoming years, if not decade ?

Then again, XSeed isnt moving to a PC only publisher and they're not dropping Vita on purpose. Vita has been dropped by its manufacturer and it's harder to localize sth if that something dont have much to localize from your parent company.
 
Then again, XSeed isnt moving to a PC only publisher and they're not dropping Vita on purpose. Vita has been dropped by its manufacturer and it's harder to localize sth if that something dont have much to localize from your parent company.

Shiz's whole point with his post was that XSEED passed on a total of 4 Vita exclusive games from their parent company in the past year, so that last part just isn't true.

I thought you knew what was going on with the console? :p
 
I'm sure it will ... for Aksys. XSEED lost that game due to their Vita phobia and inability to launch PC ports in a timely fashion.


Now that's unfair. Their "inability" as you call it is also because they're understaffed and also because they at least spend a lot of time to make sure their PC release are well made. Even though some arent perfect, they actually take time to make them up to standards and even bring a lot of changes to these outdated PC releases with newer assets and such. Sara've been doing an amazing work.

As for their Vita phobia, then again is it their fault if a contract isnt happening here ?



Shiz's whole point with his post was that XSEED passed on a total of 4 Vita exclusive games from their parent company in the past year, so that last part just isn't true.

I thought you knew what was going on with the console? :p


Right, but I'm talking about this year.
As for last year, what did they skipped ? Net High which according to them would be a nightmare to localize ? Uppers which didnt seem to do well for Marvelous iirc ?
 

Granjinha

Member
Xanadu Next is GOTY tier stuff. Go buy it.

Can't wait to see what they're bringing for PC next. LKS really surprised me.
 
No, it's not a "popular" belief, which would imply I'm not knowing what's happening on the platform.
A lot of these titles are either late indie ports with no dates, smaller indie titles and multiplatform localizations. What's my point by saying that ? It's that the cost to bring these games to the platform isnt too high to not do it. But in the case of XSeed, you're saying that as if dropping Vita was their choice. But Vita was already dropped.

As for your point about PC, it's not making sense at all considering you're envisioning a case where all release wouldnt do well at launch. Which is false as stated by the article. The point I made is that titles underperforming will still sell in 10 years. Especially for the titles that will sell well. But in Vita's case ? It's all or nothing. How long until Vita store is closed ?
"A lot of these titles" are exactly the kind of games XSEED usually localises.
Living in Europe I'm not complaining though. XSEED has shit European support when it comes to physical games.
 

Brazil

Living in the shadow of Amaz
Unfortunately, I'll end up moving away from XSEED if good games like Xanadu fail and garbage like Akiba do well. But I'm happy for them.
 
"A lot of these titles" are exactly the kind of games XSEED usually localises.


Right but it doesnt mean you can localize everything. Specifically the multiplatform I'm talking about like KT titles which will obviously be localized by KT.
Heck for this year, they brought Fate/Extella on both PS4 and Vita and they're bringing Akiba's Beat, both on these platforms.
 

Nyoro SF

Member
I'm sure it will ... for Aksys. XSEED lost that game due to their Vita phobia and inability to launch PC ports in a timely fashion.

Writing speculation as fact is bad manners.

Unfortunately, I'll end up moving away from XSEED if good games like Xanadu fail and garbage like Akiba do well. But I'm happy for them.

It can't be helped if the users don't buy the stuff we like; but we can't really blame XSEED for that. Small time localizers aren't going to ignore successful titles.
 
Right, but I'm talking about this year.
As for last year, what did they skipped ? Net High which according to them would be a nightmare to localize ? Uppers which didnt seem to do well for Marvelous iirc ?

Why are you talking about this year when the comparison is being made to games which released late last year, the same time frame it would've taken to localize (and port) any of those games?

And yes, they've been very good at coming up with excuses for all of them, you're correct. Except Valkyrie Drive :p
 

Takao

Banned
Now that's unfair. Their "inability" as you call it is also because they're understaffed and also because they at least spend a lot of time to make sure their PC release are well made. Even though some arent perfect, they actually take time to make them up to standards and even bring a lot of changes to these outdated PC releases with newer assets and such. Sara've been doing an amazing work.

As for their Vita phobia, then again is it their fault if a contract isnt happening here ?

Falcom isn't a charity (though, CS3 being PS4-only implies otherwise). If XSEED can't meet their demands, they can and have looked for partners elsewhere. That's only one company's fault and it's not Falcom's.
 
Why are you talking about this year when the comparison is being made to games which released late last year, the same time frame it would've taken to localize (and port) any of those games?

And yes, they've been very good at coming up with excuses for all of them, you're correct. Except Valkyrie Drive :p


I'm talking about this year because we were talking about a trend, which is dropping Vita and focusing PS4/PC. When you talk about an upcoming trend, you generaly focus on what's next.

As for Valkyrie Drive, I can see why in term of content, they may had to step out.
 

Takao

Banned
Writing speculation as fact is bad manners.

It is speculation, but the least improbable kind. What do Tokyo Xanadu and Ys 8 have in common? They were originally Vita-only games from Falcom. They're also the first new Falcom games in nearly a decade to be published in the west by someone not named XSEED. XSEED has been skipping Vita-only games from their partners and even their parent company.

As for Valkyrie Drive, I can see why in term of content, they may had to step out.

Yes, I'm sure a company that publishes Senran Kagura and Oneechanbara would find VD objectionable ...
 

Brazil

Living in the shadow of Amaz
It can't be helped if the users don't buy the stuff we like; but we can't really blame XSEED for that. Small time localizers aren't going to ignore successful titles.

Yeah, definitely. I hope every title they release turns out a profit, even if it's something I really dislike.

I just hope that they'll still be able to throw people like me a bone once in a while, like they just did with Story of Seasons 2, for example. I'm really looking forward to TitS3, and I'll be relieved when they announce CS3 as well.
 
It is speculation, but the least improbable kind. What do Tokyo Xanadu and Ys 8 have in common? They were originally Vita-only games from Falcom. They're also the first new Falcom games in nearly a decade to be published in the west by someone not named XSEED. XSEED has been skipping Vita-only games from their partners and even their parent company.



Yes, I'm sure a company that publishes Senran Kagura and Oneechanbara would find VD objectionable ...


Maybe because VD is one step too much ?
 
As for Valkyrie Drive, I can see why in term of content, they may had to step out.

Considering they've brought every Senran Kagura game over and will most likely be bringing Peach Beach as well, I'd like to see an excuse for how Valkyrie Drive was too much compared to the rest.

Maybe because VD is one step too much ?

Have you played VD or are you just going off the anime? Because both the VD and SK games may as well be the same in terms of fanservice content, with SK going beyond VD at times.
 

Theswweet

Member
XSEED, in the past, has said that they don't want to be seen as "that company that brings over ecchi games", so I can only assume that - while they're fine with continuing to bring over Senran Kagura, because that ship has sailed and they're already on it - they didn't want to touch Valkyrie Drive. Might be a similar reason why they haven't done Uppers.
 
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