Marketing problem?

[KenKen]

From what I've seen, Japanese games haven't been selling all too well recently.
They've broken a million, but Capcom wants this game specifically to break five million.
I've seen Western games do that: God of War, Uncharted, the Elder Scrolls series, and both Arkham games; to name some good examples (I'm not going to talk about the war simulators here).
And that's great.
But in the most recent years the only Japanese games that have sold that much were Tekken, Street Fighter, and Resident Evil.

Even the ones that I expected to do very well didn't do so great: Asura's Wrath, SFxTekken, and Dark Souls are all great games in their own right and pre-release fan reaction to the games was almost consistently positive. They even had awesome marketing campaigns (especially Dark Souls), but they all performed less than spectacular.

Not bashing these games or anything, but what exactly is driving the market away from Japanese games (specifically new Japanese IP's), and do you think Capcom can market this game?

 

[Railazel]

It's because of our nationalistic rationale. America doesn't invest enough in the culture of other countries, specifically that of the Video Game industry. So while some of us worry about Japan's state as a video game powerhouse, others look at it and say "Meh, we still got great games here." Furthermore, foreign games aren't "exposed" enough to the masses, so even games that have marketing campaigns behind and are referrenced by famous people and media, it's just not enough to change people's view on other cultures.

Another factor is that Japanese games have a particular "feel" to them that doesn't always appeal to Americans (for some odd reason). It could be because games, in general, were thought of stuff that "geeks" worry about with stuff like points, stats, and having to learn the controls of the game which, seemingly, not many people were able to catch on to. Plus, not many people know that alot of our popular gaming icons were of Japanese origin, like Super Mario for example.

So it all comes down to our own ignorance. This could very well affect DmC because it still is a game of Japanese origin despite being produced by a western developer. Its controversial content (Angels and Demons getting together, Angels being less moral, less pure, etc...) and already- done storyline (Two- sided world where only a few can see the other side, the other side being evil or dominant over the other) will probably turn people off. If anything, the characters will probably have some people stay but overall, it'll probably sale less than what Capcom wants. Its only hope would be that people see as just that good and start telling people about it.

 

[mrrandomlulz]

As a TLDR For Railazel's post: we only buy our own video games, every other kind of product we buy is from china

 

[Xeroxis]

Just watch. In the future, the gaming pendulim will swing back to Japan, and the world will be happy again.

 

[KenKen]

Good points, guys.

And I did forget to mention obvious winners like any game from Nintendo.

Anyway, I guess what really matters is that this game turn out to be really good.

I mean really good.

For example, Arkham City didn't really need much marketing, as every trailer just made the fans want more. And those fans told other fans.

 

[mrrandomlulz]

Good points, guys.

And I did forget to mention obvious winners like any game from Nintendo.

Anyway, I guess what really matters is that this game turn out to be really good.

I mean really good.

For example, Arkham City didn't really need much marketing, as every trailer just made the fans want more. And those fans told other fans.

Speaking of Nintendo, am I the only one who finds it ironic that Ninja Theory said West makes better story lines, when Nintendo made god damn Zelda, a game with an awesome storyline

 

[Vezild]

Well, you also have to look at the way these games are.
Many Japanese games are hardcore role-playing games, for example, and the video game industry is a bit more full of casual people with their iPads and Wii's than hardcore players like us with our Xbox's, PS3's, and computers.

I'm addicted to Dark Souls, and I always tell my friends about it, but when I mention how hard it gets, they get scared and stick to Elder Scrolls ("Dark Souls eats Skyrim's face!" is something I'd shout at my Elder Scrolls playing friends) and Mass Effect.

And if you go to some of the really good, mass-appeal quality games from Japan, the marketing just doesn't exist here. You don't really see anything other than Resident Evil or Final Fantasy having a commercial on cable TV, at least not on the more popular channels like Comedy Central, Cartoon Network, or MTV. Sure there are gaming channels, but not even I go on them, and I love video games with a passion.

Games like Asura's Wrath, Dark Souls, and even Devil May Cry are those games that only a handful of people would know about. They're hardcore in the way they play, in style, and in substance. Many people are just tuned out by that (especially on Asura's Wrath part, with all of its Japanese influences).

So it all comes down to the lack of marketing, the demographic, and attitude.

This is from an American's point of view, of course, and I know there are people from other countries here, so maybe it's not the same every where.

Speaking of Nintendo, am I the only one who finds it ironic that Ninja Theory said West makes better story lines, when Nintendo made god damn Zelda, a game with an awesome storyline

You mean the same storyline multiplied by pi and repeated over generations and generations? Yeaaahhh...
I'm not hatin'! I love LoZ (damn played LoZ: TP and OoT for hours straight), but I don't care much for the story at all.

 

[mrrandomlulz]

Well, you also have to look at the way these games are.
Many Japanese games are hardcore role-playing games, for example, and the video game industry is a bit more full of casual people with their iPads and Wii's than hardcore players like us with our Xbox's, PS3's, and computers.

I'm addicted to Dark Souls, and I always tell my friends about it, but when I mention how hard it gets, they get scared and stick to Elder Scrolls ("Dark Souls eats Skyrim's face!" is something I'd shout at my Elder Scrolls playing friends).

I remember this debate on IGN and I remember how it ended
A user pointed out that Skyrim won because it got 9.5 where as Dark Souls only got 9

Flame me all you want, its the facts

 

[Vezild]

I remember this debate on IGN and I remember how it ended
A user pointed out that Skyrim won because it got 9.5 where as Dark Souls only got 9

Flame me all you want, its the facts

Hah yeah, yeah that's true. But I still like Dark Souls more. Really, I don't think they should be compared. I just say that because I want to turn some heads.

 

[V]

I find that one hard to answer because I am more drawn to niche titles either from Japan or from here and there that have a different feel to them from the mainstream. Not a deliberate, I-want-to-be-different conscious choice, but when I look at my favourite series they are not necessarily the biggest-selling ones here. Some though, such as Assassin's Creed, that I am a fan of, are quite different from games gone before and set in unfamiliar 'foreign' environments and times and have still done very well here. It could have been a combination of marketing and making the character and game subjects appeal to Western standards. For instance many people here have still heard of The Crusades and the Templars. That familiarity may mean the difference between people feeling engaged or put off by the game. And as I recall, that series' debut was extremely hyped.

However I do know some of my American and UK friends either don't know about certain niche titles that I know about, either because of poor or non-existent marketing over here (where people get to know about them in the 'fan network'), or because the characters do not appeal to them personally. For example, the Resident Evil series of games is Japanese but was set in the American mid-west, with 'typically American' styled characters. It did relatively well over here. Final Fantasy is another well-selling franchise here, but I have heard some of my friends complaining about the look of the characters, especially my male friends about the male characters. Take Kuja for example, or Tidus. I have heard bemusement at their 'effiminate' appearance, and other complaints about the Japanese-ness of those games. It has never bothered me in the slightest, in fact I enjoy playing games that are not full of the stereotypes *I* encounter all too often over here, but are full of some other culture's stereotypes or character types - it's a novelty for me. But it does not impress some of the gamers I know. They do not like the idea of playing as a character that does not conform with their ideas as to what a 'lead male' should be, act like, look like, speak like and dress like. It could be as simple, and as shallow, as that. That people - in general, not all - want to play with settings or characters and stories that are familiar to their own culture. I hear it's the same in Japan, in that many Japanese gamers do not care about Western games, and Western games do not sell especially well there, because they simply don't cater to the Japanese taste.

If that truly is the case, then no amount of marketing will make a game sell 'well' in an unfamiliar market if it does not directly appeal to the culture of the buyer.

 

[DreadnoughtDT]

I find that one hard to answer because I am more drawn to niche titles either from Japan or from here and there that have a different feel to them from the mainstream. Not a deliberate, I-want-to-be-different conscious choice, but when I look at my favourite series they are not necessarily the biggest-selling ones here. Some though, such as Assassin's Creed, that I am a fan of, are quite different from games gone before and set in unfamiliar 'foreign' environments and times and have still done very well here. It could have been a combination of marketing and making the character and game subjects appeal to Western standards. For instance many people here have still heard of The Crusades and the Templars. That familiarity may mean the difference between people feeling engaged or put off by the game. And as I recall, that series' debut was extremely hyped.

However I do know some of my American and UK friends either don't know about certain niche titles that I know about, either because of poor or non-existent marketing over here (where people get to know about them in the 'fan network'), or because the characters do not appeal to them personally. For example, the Resident Evil series of games is Japanese but was set in the American mid-west, with 'typically American' styled characters. It did relatively well over here. Final Fantasy is another well-selling franchise here, but I have heard some of my friends complaining about the look of the characters, especially my male friends about the male characters. Take Kuja for example, or Tidus. I have heard bemusement at their 'effiminate' appearance, and other complaints about the Japanese-ness of those games. It has never bothered me in the slightest, in fact I enjoy playing games that are not full of the stereotypes *I* encounter all too often over here, but are full of some other culture's stereotypes or character types - it's a novelty for me. But it does not impress some of the gamers I know. They do not like the idea of playing as a character that does not conform with their ideas as to what a 'lead male' should be, act like, look like, speak like and dress like. It could be as simple, and as shallow, as that. That people - in general, not all - want to play with settings or characters and stories that are familiar to their own culture. I hear it's the same in Japan, in that many Japanese gamers do not care about Western games, and Western games do not sell especially well there, because they simply don't cater to the Japanese taste.

If that truly is the case, then no amount of marketing will make a game sell 'well' in an unfamiliar market if it does not directly appeal to the culture of the buyer.

I tend to buy into the niche games too. I like Freespace, Trauma Center, Bakugan, Baldur's Gate, Dot Hack, Zone of the Enders... The list goes on. I buy games not because I find them popular, but that I find them fun. New. Exciting.

And on the Tidus bit... Wasn't he actually made to look Asian? He pulls the look off quite well. I thought it suited him.

 

[mrrandomlulz]

It's funny when you think about it Dante acted mostly like a Western character

Not only is this character described as a "Party dude" He is obsessed with partying, loves pizza, is full of awesome one-liners, and jokes about almost every situation he is in

 

[Vezild]

It's funny when you think about it Dante acted mostly like a Western character

Not only is this character described as a "Party dude" He is obsessed with partying, loves pizza, is full of awesome one-liners, and jokes about almost every situation he is in

Cannot not be unthought!!! xD Capcom should throw a Mikey costume for the HD Collection. I think it'd fit DMC 3 Dante perfectly. And Cerberus could be his nunchucks :steve:

 

[Sieghart]

They need to advertise more.

 

[KenKen]

Actually, I was talking to a friend about this.

how much do sales depend too much upon brand recognition? When Devil May Cry came out as a new IP back in 2001, that may have not been the case, but the market today emphasizes it hardcore.

 

[chocolateghost79]

after captivate i hope capcom market the crap out of this game.