Wada: Japanese Retailers are Prejudiced Against Western Games

[moogling]

Square bossman Yoichi Wada has told Edge that western games don’t do well in Japan, and it has less to do with the consumer and more to do with retail outlets that are prejudiced towards “overseas titles”.

“Well, actually, I’ve found the person that is prejudiced is actually the retailer and not the actual players,” he said. “The retailers have a prejudice against overseas titles, and they won’t procure them. But something like Batman: Arkham Asylum, for example, is something that is very like the Japanese taste in games, in fact it caters to very much the Japanese taste.

“Arkham Asylum is like the best aspects of Metal Gear Solid, but evolved”.

According to an interview Wada did with Japanese media in 2009 (via Kotkau), “Even now, there have been people in Japan using the label ‘youge’ (derogatory term for Western games) with a terribly discriminatory meaning,” he said.

“I’d like them to try it once. If they play it once, they’d realize how incorrect that label is.”

In the same Edge interview, Wada hinted that Square may rely less on Final Fantasy in the future and look more closely at internal western games development.

Source: VG247

 

[Abstract Debauchery]

We were actually agreeing with Wada for once until we read this:

In the same Edge interview, Wada hinted that Square may rely less on Final Fantasy in the future and look more closely at internal western games development.

NO! Damn you Wada! We hate you, we really do. Quit fucking up our games with your "western is better" bullshit.

Damned Wada and his propaganda...

 

[Dionysos]

"Youge"... Interesting term.

I don't think I've ever heard of that before.. And I'm not sure if the internet (at least that in English) has either as searching for it brings up all sorts of weird slang definitions, companies and then comments about Wada's remarks.

 

[Linnaete]

Being cynical as always, I have the impression that this is or will be a rather common excuse for why western games don't do well in Japan. Don't blame the gamers! Blame the incompetent retailers!

If what Wada says isn't some fabricated crap I normally see from him, it really intrigues me. Why be so demeaning towards western games? Have they played a lot of western games? Have they ever considered the impossibility that is western games could be superior to many Japanese games now?

Have they the necessary expertise to deliver the judgement that it's OK to refer to western games as "Youge" as a demeaning term? Surely I always thought Japan has a fondness for American things seeing as though they're so attracted to the English language.

And please Wada, don't forget your company is actually a JRPG developer primarily. Change isn't necessarily a good thing especially with you.

 

[Tmoo]

haha, he kinda debases his assertions about western games at the end there. XD

i do think there is some prejudice against any western game/system in japan - just look at their xbox/360 sales and tell me they aren't

that said, i view it akin to some western gamers' views of jrpg's - the people who have this mindset are either fiercely nationalist or close-minded morons, or both.

 

[Gingerbread Lesbian]

It probably makes sense in a way, it's just a vicious circle really. Japanese players sound like they haven't been introduced to western games very much which means, unless it's a huge title, then people won't buy them. That means retailers won't stock them because they won't make a profit out of it, therefore, Japanese gamers don't have the chance to play them.

Summary: Retailers don't stock them, Japanese don't play them. Japanese don't play them, no profit and retailers don't stock them.

All being said, Modern Warfare 2 apparently sold quite well over there. Maybe it just needs Japanese companies (not necessarily Square Enix) to start introducing western influenced games to the market.

 

[caucasian-eagle]

does this mean this is the end to final fantasy~????? O__O i hate Wada now!!!!!!!!

 

[Linnaete]

does this mean this is the end to final fantasy~????? O__O i hate Wada now!!!!!!!!

No Caucasian Eagle, it doesn't. Final Fantasy is irrelevant here.

It's about Japanese game retailers having some "prejudice" against most western games. Cid Raines sums it up rather well:

Summary: Retailers don't stock them, Japanese don't play them. Japanese don't play them, no profit and retailers don't stock them.

Final Fantasy is perfectly fine as it is because it's a Japanese game from Wada's company himself. It's the western games that are in a bit of trouble in Japan at the moment, excluding big name ones like Modern Warfare 2 because well known names (Square Enix in this case) published it.

 

[caucasian-eagle]

ooow i see, thank u so much for telling matie! =} i must have misunderstood coz i quickly read through the info... sorry, my bad

 

[Ohri-Jin]

Modern WarFare 2 is like a Gods gift...its like the best first person shooter Ive ever played, and then ONLINE omg it makes me jizz when I give some poor fool a headshot hihihiiihihi