SE President Talks about making RPGs again

[Wolf Kanno]

So found this lovely interview

Bravely Default's Success In The West Is Making Square Enix Rethink Their JRPGs - Siliconera (http://www.siliconera.com/2014/03/31/bravely-defaults-success-west-making-square-enix-rethink-jrpgs/)

The gist of it is that the surprise success of Bravery Default, an old school RPG created for the Japanese crowd, sold very well abroad and was really well loved by Western fans, that it is making the company rethink how they design their games for global markets. Basically because most of the games they design for "mass appeal" usually under performs yet this game designed for a niche group took off and became a global success for them. Thoughts?

[Fynn]

Balls yeah! Someone finally drew some sensible conclusions :D

[Bolivar]

It's kind of like everyone saying consoles are going away because smart phones and tablets are taking over, only for the PS4 to shatter all sales records. The guys in suits underestimate how badly people want to play core video games and want to play awesome RPGs.

[Del Murder]

It's good to see that when fans speak out with their pocketbooks, executives still listen. Here's to hoping that this not only results in more traditional style JRPGs from SE but also the release of some old holdovers like Type-0 to English audiences.

[Spooniest]

Wait a minute.

An old-school JRPG designed for a niche market takes off in the west, and causes the producers of said JRPG to redirect their plans?

Sounds like... (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Final_Fantasy_%28video_game%29)

[Del Murder]

Hahaha!

[Fynn]

All hail Bravely Default, the new prophet!

[Freya]

Damnit wk, you posted it before I could write an article. You now have to fluff it up for frontsite postage :colbert:

Also, I was really excited about this when I read it today. I think they were trying too hard to be something they weren't and the western fans have shown for decades now we do like jrpgs.

[Skyblade]

Wait a minute.

An old-school JRPG designed for a niche market takes off in the west, and causes the producers of said JRPG to redirect their plans?

Sounds like... (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Final_Fantasy_%28video_game%29)

Yep, I was thinking exactly this.

I had thought ATLUS was the only developer who still understood that JRPG fans actually want JRPGs, regardless of where they live. It would be nice to see Square finally read that memo.

It's also nice for them to see that it applies to more than just JRPGs as well. I don't play the Hitman games, but I've seen tons of fans criticize the new one for being overly linear and allowing less freedom in setup and execution compared to the earlier games of the series.

Finally, they might be realizing that "making things that appeal to everyone" only results in mediocre products that don't excel in any particular area and therefore have nothing to recommend them over the thousands of other similar titles currently on the market.

[Ayen]

It's about damn time, is all I have to say.

[Jiro]

Yes. Maybe you are clever, Mr Wada.

[Skyblade]

Given that FFXV has already been in development this long before Square came to this incredibly obvious conclusion, it's not going to be the golden shiny wire of hope for the series, is it?

[Vyk]

I have reservations yet. Their "observations" about things, rarely lead to conclusions anyone with a normal thinking brain would actually conclude. So I wouldn't be surprised if they start making mistakes based on this, rather than in spite of it. And ship over ridiculously niche games that won't sell well, and lead them to be even further confused by what "western" gamers want. I'll get excited only after they appear to start making sense. Until then I'll stick to viewing them cautiously as I have before. Hopefully this at least secures us Bravely Default 2

[Sephiroth]

Yes. Maybe you are clever, Mr Wada.

You know Yoichi Wada is no longer the president?

[Depression Moon]

Hopefully we can get JRPGs like this on consoles now. I want to play Bravely Default so badly, but I don't own a 3DS.

[Jiro]

Yes. Maybe you are clever, Mr Wada.

You know Yoichi Wada is no longer the president?

Wow, time flies. When did he leave?

[Wolf Kanno]

Like a year ago.

[Jiro]

Huh. Guess I stopped paying attention for a while there :monster:

[Shauna]

Jim Sterling recently made a video about this sort of thing on his Jimquisition show. I would link but I am at work.