Mistwalker Vs SqaureEnix?

[XandrewX]

ATLUS..just kidding =X

[Mogi]

Square, square, square.
Has to be square.

[Karellen]

I doubt JRPGs will ever become particularly popular with your average gamer. To most people, JRPGs just plain aren't that fun to play.

[Slothy]

Second, I think XBox's traditional unpopularity in Japan is something that is changing as we speak. A good number of systems were sold in Japan off of BD alone and I can only imagine what will happen when LO comes out. Take into account Mass Effect and the fact that along with the DS it has possibly the most RPGs being made for it, I think the times are changing, if only a little right now.

I wouldn't count on the 360 getting all that popular in Japan. In the last two years it's managed to sell less than 400,000 units. Pretty pathetic by anyone's standards. Granted it saw a boost when Blue Dragon came out, but it's sales quickly dropped again, and it never came close to outselling anything but the Gamecube. Lost Odyssey may have a similar effect, but I doubt it will last. Also, this may sound a little bad, but the Japanese aren't likely to care about Mass Effect. Regardless of how good it looks, they don't typically care for North American games. North American RPG's in particular. The only place Mistwalker will ever do well if they stick with the 360 is North America and possibly Europe, but not if every game is as average as Blue Dragon. My preference would be for Square.

[Yew-Yevon]

Sqaure all the way. They don't juast make RPG's eather they've also made other games in different genres.

[Raebus]

Different genre games that sold well but were generally terrible*

Square should stick to RPG's but I'm still holding onto my opinion until I see more of Mistwalker.

[Yew-Yevon]

Full metal alchemist was not a terrible game.

[edczxcvbnm]

Full metal alchemist was not a terrible game.

But it wasn't good either :P

I don't care which one wins as neither makes RPGs I really want to play now and days. I have pretty much left RPG fixes up to Namco/Bandai.

[Madame Adequate]

I doubt JRPGs will ever become particularly popular with your average gamer. To most people, JRPGs just plain aren't that fun to play.

Which is why FFs are generally one of the biggest releases in whichever year a new one comes out?

[Hazzard]

I doubt JRPGs will ever become particularly popular with your average gamer. To most people, JRPGs just plain aren't that fun to play.

Which is why FFs are generally one of the biggest releases in whichever year a new one comes out?

Yeah, I think you got confused there, Karellen. JRPGs are the genre that Final Fantasy is slotted under, my friend.

[Karellen]

Yeah, looking back I didn't quite think that through.

[Bolivar]

Also, I want to refute what Zora said - that Americans "dislike" RPGs. Just because something isn't bought doesn't mean that there is a negative opinion about it, much less an opinion at all. In America the PC contributed to games as the console did in Japan, and because of the mouse and keyboard instead of a controller, we received and played some groundbreaking and amazing titles that are foreign (in 2 senses of the word) in Japan - The RTS with Command & Conquer, the FPS with Doom and then reborn with Half Life, and the PC RPG with Balder's Gate, Ultima, and Everquest. In Japan they are just starting to realize what these games are about just like Americans realized what RPGs are all about with FFVII.

I am talking about modern times here. I am not going to deny it, few people like JRPGs outside FF, KH, Mario RPGs, and Pokemon. What I am saying, is that unless a game can appeal to many, only established RPGs are going to make noteworthy sales in America, and MistWalker isn't creating anything that can appeal to many. RPGs have strong fanbase, but is mroe of a cult fanbase than a large appeal fanbase, which will let MW from getting popular in America. I just doubt that MW will get any mass appeal in America, simply because of the fact people, generally, do not like MOST RPGs THESE days (in the Western World).

That's just how the American Economy works. Whether its Japanese RPGs, Hip Hop CD's, Martial Arts Films, or cleaning products, the market traditionally directs consumers to a select few products.

Toriyama created a lot of fans, but also many don't like his works (or don't find them attractive in a sense), simply because they can't stand his style. Albeit, it isn't just his style, because most of what he does is traditional for Japan anyways, just the spikes on the hair are a bit different. Anyways, America has a strong dislike for graphical styling, Toriyama or not. They just LIKE realistic graphics, which LO has to offer.

The problem is that they, sometimes, incoopared graphics meaning better gameplay too much, even if they don't admit it. Just put Blue Dragon and Lost Odyssey next to each other, or Wind Waker and Twlight Princess, or Animal Crossing and the Sims next to each other, a garuntee you your average American will say the one with more realistic graphics is better. I am probably boring you with this, I just noticed that during the time before Blue Dragon even had a demo, I observed that people complained about the DBZ-styled graphics.

I think there's alot of truth in that.

Second, I think XBox's traditional unpopularity in Japan is something that is changing as we speak. A good number of systems were sold in Japan off of BD alone and I can only imagine what will happen when LO comes out. Take into account Mass Effect and the fact that along with the DS it has possibly the most RPGs being made for it, I think the times are changing, if only a little right now.

I wouldn't count on the 360 getting all that popular in Japan. In the last two years it's managed to sell less than 400,000 units. Pretty pathetic by anyone's standards. Granted it saw a boost when Blue Dragon came out, but it's sales quickly dropped again, and it never came close to outselling anything but the Gamecube. Lost Odyssey may have a similar effect, but I doubt it will last. Also, this may sound a little bad, but the Japanese aren't likely to care about Mass Effect. Regardless of how good it looks, they don't typically care for North American games. North American RPG's in particular. The only place Mistwalker will ever do well if they stick with the 360 is North America and possibly Europe, but not if every game is as average as Blue Dragon. My preference would be for Square.

Well, like I said, if anything it's very small steps, but they are steps forward. I can only see them being replicated with Lost Odyssey, and especially down the line since Amano and Sakaguchi have said that they want to/will be working together down the line. If Uematsu is also on that game, it is going to be a big event. Considering these games sell consoles, it's going to leave Japanese gamers with XBox360's who are going to be buying different games and the hype will eventually start rolling from there.

[Hazzard]

Well, like I said, if anything it's very small steps, but they are steps forward. I can only see them being replicated with Lost Odyssey, and especially down the line since Amano and Sakaguchi have said that they want to/will be working together down the line. If Uematsu is also on that game, it is going to be a big event. Considering these games sell consoles, it's going to leave Japanese gamers with XBox360's who are going to be buying different games and the hype will eventually start rolling from there.

Now that's, something I agree with.

[Slothy]

Different genre games that sold well but were generally terrible*

Bite your tongue. Einhander was godly.

Well, like I said, if anything it's very small steps, but they are steps forward. I can only see them being replicated with Lost Odyssey, and especially down the line since Amano and Sakaguchi have said that they want to/will be working together down the line. If Uematsu is also on that game, it is going to be a big event. Considering these games sell consoles, it's going to leave Japanese gamers with XBox360's who are going to be buying different games and the hype will eventually start rolling from there.

Well, there are other factors to consider. Yes, Japanese gamers who bought the 360 for Blue Dragon will likely buy other games, but the fact is it's an American console and largely supported by American developers. Japanese developer support has certainly increased since the days of the Xbox but American games and consoles rarely do well over there. Especially now when the Japanese market is turning heavily to the casual games of systems like the Wii and DS. American games don't interest your typical Japanese gamer, just as much because they aren't Japanese as because of the differences in gameplay styles. The 360 is certainly a bigger success than the Xbox in Japan, but I don't think we'll see a meaningful shift in the Japanese market towards the console. I agree that they're taking small steps forward, but I doubt even Microsoft's next console years from now will be able to make a sizable dent in that market.