Gaming Why Japan does not translate games?

Kawaii · May 6, 2015

Okay, this might be a silly topic but it has been going on for ages and I was always thinking why do they not translate games into English whenever I find out titles JPN only (ie, dragon ball, one piece, digimon, other JRPG).

Won't they have much more revenue selling their games worldwide in comparison to just Japan only?

Arkansaw · May 6, 2015

because worldwide sales is overrated and seldom pays for the cost of localization. home-grown demand still forms the bulk of their sales

KasaiWolf · May 6, 2015

The one I resent most on that list is Digimon. Not only do they skip awesome games like Re-Digitize and Adventure but they then have the nerve to give us that trash heap all star rumble, something that didn't even get a scare in on Japan's market. Cheeky buggers lol.

WiiUBricker · May 6, 2015

No, because Nintendo Japan competes with NoE and NoA.

Dragaan · May 6, 2015

It costs quite a bit to get stuff localized and exported to an international audience. Believe me, if it was economically viable, they'd probably be doing it. It's not... so they don't. That's why you won't see many niche games sent out, but only things that companies are sure will turn a profit.

earlynovfan · May 6, 2015

Agreed with Dragaan.

Though they give us like 4 Hyperdimension Neptunia games but make us wait over 2 years to get Final Fantasy Type-0 and then they don't even release it on a handheld.

They're sly dogs over there, I'll tell ya.

fatsquirrel · May 6, 2015

Cause in Japan people actually buy their games

Pippin666 · May 6, 2015

Because it is not to Japan to translate it, but to developpers.

Pip'

Wowfunhappy · May 6, 2015

WiiUBricker said:
No, because Nintendo Japan competes with NoE and NoA.

...no they don't. Nintendo of Japan OWNS NoA and NoE. They're wholly-owned subsidiaries.

Anyway, translating games costs money, so why would they bother doing so for a game they don't plan to release outside of Japan (either because of licensing, or because they don't think it will sell in large enough quantities, etc etc). Games that are released worldwide often DO contain text for other languages hidden inside the JP gamecart—look what happens if you use RegionThree/Four on a JP Smash Brothers cart.

linuxares · May 6, 2015

I will be so sad if they keep Bravely Second for themselves.

xile6 · May 6, 2015

cost more to make then they will earn in sells.

They have to convert the whole game over so all the text and voice recordings have to be redone.
Just like with anime. Its pretty easy to add subtitles but then most are off in some way.
Now changing all the voices cost money to pay someone to do it.
Kinda like funimation. They get paid alot to convert anime over. And alot of shows didnt get converted because they didnt get enough fans that wanted to buy the dvd sets to cover there cost.

So in the end its more or less about money

WiiUBricker · May 6, 2015

Wowfunhappy said:
...no they don't. Nintendo of Japan OWNS NoA and NoE. They're wholly-owned subsidiaries.

Anyway, translating games costs money, so why would they bother doing so for a game they don't plan to release outside of Japan (either because of licensing, or because they don't think it will sell in large enough quantities, etc etc). Games that are released worldwide often DO contain text for other languages hidden inside the JP gamecart—look what happens if you use RegionThree/Four on a JP Smash Brothers cart.

...yes they do. Nintendo Japan doesn't make money from US and EUR game buys. It's actually very simple. NoA makes money from US game buys. NoE makes money from EUR game buys and NoJ makes money from JAP game buys.

Wowfunhappy · May 6, 2015

WiiUBricker said:
NoA makes money from US game buys. NoE makes money from EUR game buys and NoJ makes money from JAP game buys.

...and all of that money eventually goes to NoJ because they own NoA and NoE.

WiiUBricker · May 6, 2015

Wowfunhappy said:
...and all of that money eventually goes to NoJ because they own NoA and NoE.

Now that's just plain stupid. How do you think NoE and NoA make any money if all the money they make goes to NoJ?

Scorpiopt · May 6, 2015

WiiUBricker said:
Now that's just plain stupid. How do you think NoE and NoA make any money if all the money they make goes to NoJ?

dude by your awnsers you have no idea how the corporate world works ( check this http://www.investopedia.com/terms/s/subsidiary.asp)

Nintendo of Japan owns both NoE and NoA , they don't simply hand all the revenue of sales in the US to NoJ , thats not how it works

WiiUBricker · May 6, 2015

Scorpiopt said:
dude by your awnsers you have no idea how the corporate world works ( check this http://www.investopedia.com/terms/s/subsidiary.asp)

Nintendo of Japan owns both NoE and NoA , they don't simply hand all the revenue of sales in the US to NoJ , thats not how it works

Yeah, but that's what you exactly said.

Blebleman · May 6, 2015

Those titles you mentioned are all anime -- and those are licensing nightmares for the people translating them.

Deleted User · May 6, 2015

It costs money to translate a game, and people may not actually buy the game outside Japan.
Also, the population of Tokyo is around that of the population of Canada.
If Tokyo has that many people, then Japan probably has a lot of people in all of it, so companies would still profit off of games released only in Japan.
It's also sometimes copyright issues, the same reason MOTHER 3 wasn't released outside of Japan. Copyright laws are different all over the world, and it may be difficult to bring games to some parts of the world because of those laws.
Localization also can cut or majorly change a lot of content from a game, an example would be the Ace Attorney series, they changed a bunch of lines so they fit in with American Pop Culture, and in some cases so they could keep the rating at T for Teen.
There are probably tons of other reasons, too.

Wowfunhappy · May 6, 2015

WiiUBricker said:
How do you think NoE and NoA make any money if all the money they make goes to NoJ?

Nintendo of Japan (aka Nintendo) allocates funds to cover the operating costs of its subsidiaries (Nintendo of America and Nintendo of Europe, among others).

RevPokemon · May 6, 2015

Cuz they hate you and want you to be in pain

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