Soul Sacrifice and an interesting twist on Pre-Order Bonuses

[PolloDiablo]

Dubbing for a game in the language native to its audience in a given region is essential (when available), dubbing in a language that this audience is not accustomed with is entirely optional.

essential? you think gamers won't buy a JRPG because it doesn't have an english dub?

each game targets specific markets... for example, you can't have a FPS without english voice overs. In that case, it's essential, because it's marketed towards american gamers or casual gamers that prefers to have the game in his native language (we are talking about USA here).

But a niche genre like RPG doesn't need at all an english dub. People that plays those types of games don't care about it, actually... they find it annoying. In fact, like you've said earlier, if the publisher wants to reduce costs, they should avoid dubbing the game, it costs money and it won't report any benefit.
One could argue and say "they try to westernise japanese games in order to sell more"... but that ship has sailed long ago. For a non dedicated RPG gamer, an english dub is not a deciding factor for buying or not buying a game.

 

[Foxi4]

essential? you think gamers won't buy a JRPG because it doesn't have an english dub?

Probably not, which doesn't change anything I previously said. Dubbing in the native tongue is generally more welcome than dubbing in a language nobody in a given country understands - anything beyond that is a matter of being weeboo.

each game targets specific markets... for example, you can't have a FPS without english voice overs. In that case, it's essential, because it's marketed towards american gamers or casual gamers that prefers to have the game in his native language (we are talking about USA here).

Shooters are not for casual gamers - Angry Birds is for casual gamers. Moreover, what makes a shooter any different from other genres in this respect? I can have a shooter with subtitles, why not? What's stopping me from being weeboo enough to demand a Japanese shooter with Japanese dubbing and English subtitles? (other than common sense)

But a niche genre like RPG

Not a niche genre. Almost every game these days has RPG elements, it's ridiculous. Also, just so you know, RPG? Western invention.

doesn't need at all an english dub. People that plays those types of games don't care about it, actually... they find it annoying. In fact, like you've said earlier, if the publisher wants to reduce costs, they should avoid dubbing the game.

Or they could dub the game in an attempt to bring the game to a wider audience rather than narrow it down to a few Japanophiles.

One could argue and say "they try to westernise japanese games in order to sell more"... but that ship has sailed long ago. For a non dedicated RPG gamer, an english dub is not a deciding factor for buying or not buying a game.

If it's not a deciding factor, why throw hissy fits about it? They want to sell the games to a wider audience which is to be expected in times when Anime and Manga are all the rage and people actually want Japanese games.

What you're arguing is that Pokemon, Naruto and whatever other popular Anime would be much, much better if it was in Japanese with English dubs. Maybe it would for a group of Japanophiles, but not for a broad audience that just wants to enjoy the show. Publishers want a wide audience to play their products, which is why they bother with dubbing in the first place.

 

[Deleted_171835]

Probably not, which doesn't change anything I previously said.

Yeah, that's utter bullshit. I highly doubt that whether a game has an English dub or not has any major impact on sales.

 

[Foxi4]

Yeah, that's utter bullshit. I highly doubt that whether a game has an English dub or not has any major impact on sales.

Let's imagine a situation where you have a choice between choosing a game in Arabic with English subs and the same game with English dubbing. They're on the shelf, you have a choice - which one will you pick? Plain curiousity here. I sincerely doubt that publishers would even bother with dubbing if it had no impact on sales - it's an additional expense, so surely it must be a factor with some titles.

Here's my case - I sure as hell don't want my attention diverted from what the hell is going on on-screen just to read dialogue in places where it wasn't originally meant to be. Now, subbing is perfectly okay in games that have dialogue boxes in which action stops when characters talk - that's acceptable, however that's also not always the case. Sometimes the subtitles are added artificially on the screen and instead of watching a cutscene, you focus your attention on a small bar at the bottom of the screen, missing what you're supposed to watch entirely.

 

[ForteGospel]

Probably not, which doesn't change anything I previously said. Dubbing in the native tongue is generally more welcome than dubbing in a language nobody in a given country understands - anything beyond that is a matter of being weeboo.

first, it's not dubbing a game in a language no one understands... they are just keeping it the original way, also it doesn't have anything to being a weeboo... that is just you trying to insult the intelligence and the way of thinking of others.
have you ever read a book in your native language? then read it in the original language? watching movies in your native language and then in the original? most of the time the original is better by far... the same applies to here

what makes a shooter any different from other genres in this respect? I can have a shooter with subtitles, why not? What's stopping me from being weeboo enough to demand a Japanese shooter with Japanese dubbing and English subtitles? (other than common sense)

shooters demand you to understand the language, as many times the npcs say thing that help you understand the situation and most of the time you need to act by instinct... like hearing "ambush to the left!", "grenade!!" or "RPG!!!!!!" where if the game is in a language you don't understand you have to read the sub, understand it and only then act

What you're arguing is that Pokemon, Naruto and whatever other popular Anime would be much, much better if it was in Japanese with English subs.

they are better in the original language... you cannot deny it... the problem starts when you have to deal with an uneducated audience that cannot appreciate the original work and just want to make it easier for themself

also... why are you so closed to this being Japanese vs English?
and for your question... if i need to choice a French movie in the original language to the same movie dubbed in English i will always choose the original one, even if the dubbed one casts renown actors
or, if i need to choose between a game in Arabic or English, if Arabic is the original language, I'll choose the Arabic one... chances are they choose to use the Arabic language to represent something in game that will be lost if it gets dubbed to another language

 

[Guild McCommunist]

I do find it funny that everyone complains when there's not a Japanese dub which is just completely lacking effort compared to localizing a game with an entirely new dub.

People will complain about the port with more effort than the lazy one they half assed and decided not to do a new voiceover for.

Dubs are completely irrelevant for a language you don't speak. You're basically saying you'd rather listen to moonspeak or Elvish than the language you actually understand. Only time I find this tolerable is if the English dub is so noticeably horrible that you'd rather listen to a cat orgy than the actual dubs.

 

[PolloDiablo]

What you're arguing is that Pokemon, Naruto and whatever other popular Anime would be much, much better if it was in Japanese with English dubs.

no, I'm not saying that.... read my post again

 

[Valwin]

Upcoming Fire emblem awakening has English and Japanese dub options too all in one cart.

that's the only way to do it well, no need for bonuses or BS

 

[koimayeul]

Nice timing, i just got a Vita with Ninja Gaiden Sigma.. I'm saving for Gravity Rush, Uncharted golden Abyss, Persona 4 Golden and FF X in the future but i'll keep an eye out on this one as well. The idea is original enough and looking great! Don't care for undub either.