Gaming Why Games Dont Get Localizations?

[Skelletonike]

Games don't get localized due to a global threaty to purge the population of the Weeboo by causing them to mentally starve due to lack of Weeboo input or learn Japanese and (perhaps) move there in the future. Titles worthy of localization for the western audience are carefuly picked as to preserve the sanity of all nations.

Seriously though, some games just don't necessitate a translation simply because they won't pay back the expenses or the profit will be so minute that the studio might as well spend that time doing something productive and more profitable in comparison.

A good example of that are games like Senran Kagura, Love Plus, Code of Princess (surprised that one actually went to the US, here's hoping it also comes here), Dokidoki Majo Shinpan, Days of Memories, etc... I love that sort of game, but they're looked at with disgust by most Europeans and Americans, whereas they're quite successful in Japan (I just gave DS and 3DS games as examples, but there's a lot for PSP and many other platforms). They probably make market studies before thinking about localising a game, so yeah, even though some people some games, the majority isn't really interested in them, hence it wouldn't be as profitable as they'd like.

Gaming is just a business in the end after all. =3

 

[Foxi4]

Meaning an objectifying action game with breasts physics as its sales pitch, a dating sim that could be considered creepy due to its stalking nature, an actual Action-RPG, a breast-rubbing simulator and another dating sim and another dating sim, except this time minus the gameplay and plus loads of chit-chat.

...and only the Action-RPG gets localized, WHO WOULD'VE THOUGHT!

 

[RodrigoDavy]

It seems the lack of localizations isn't the only problem. The lack of games produced by western developers + the lack of variety in western games seems to affect our gaming ecosystem too.

 

[McHaggis]

Meaning an objectifying action game with breasts physics as its sales pitch, a dating sim that could be considered creepy due to its stalking nature, an actual Action-RPG, a breast-rubbing simulator and another dating sim and another dating sim, except this time minus the gameplay and plus loads of chit-chat.

...and only the Action-RPG gets localized, WHO WOULD'VE THOUGHT!

I guess, in the west, our desire to cop a feel cannot be quelled by a game simulating the process using a touch screen and stylus, so there's not much interest for that kind of game. That's my take on it, anyway Although, 'objectifying action game with breasts physics as its sales pitch' pretty much describes any DOA game, more so for Beach Volleyball, and we have those here.

 

[Foxi4]

I guess, in the west, our desire to cop a feel cannot be quelled by a game simulating the process using a touch screen and stylus, so there's not much interest for that kind of game. That's my take on it, anyway Although, 'objectifying action game with breasts physics as its sales pitch' pretty much describes any DOA game, more so for Beach Volleyball, and we have those here.

DOA describes woman in an art style relatively acceptable in the west though - Senran Kagura on the other hand is quite clearly about schoolgirls.

 

[JulietStMoon]

I honestly believe we'd have a better chance receiving games if companies only opted for subtitles rather than full voiceovers. I know it costs money regardless, but cutting out voiceovers could spare a lot of cash.

True, but a lack of full english voiceovers would turn a lot of potential customers off. I know it might turn me off.

 

[Skelletonike]

Meaning an objectifying action game with breasts physics as its sales pitch, a dating sim that could be considered creepy due to its stalking nature, an actual Action-RPG, a breast-rubbing simulator and another dating sim and another dating sim, except this time minus the gameplay and plus loads of chit-chat.

...and only the Action-RPG gets localized, WHO WOULD'VE THOUGHT!

Lol, all the examples I gave were related to the same thing in a way, of course there's also hyped games like Sigma Harmonics, Tales games among a few others (although the Sigma Harmonics problem was apparently the way the put the text in traditional japanese style) that never made it here, which weren't so 'special' like those I mentioned before (still, I like the 'special' ones just as much), which weren't released for lack different reasons that only devs and publishers know.

 

[Foxi4]

Lol, all the examples I gave were related to the same thing in a way, of course there's also hyped games like Sigma Harmonics, Tales games among a few others (although the Sigma Harmonics problem was apparently the way the put the text in traditional japanese style) that never made it here, which weren't so 'special' like those I mentioned before (still, I like the 'special' ones just as much), which weren't released for lack different reasons that only devs and publishers know.

I was making a crafty joke, I got your point the first time...

 

[PolloDiablo]

because there is only 1 ATLUS
also... Americans are dumb

 

[JulietStMoon]

because there is only 1 ATLUS
also... Americans are dumb

The "Sorry for my shitty english" note in your signature should instead read "Sorry for my offensively shitty and shittily offensive posts."

 

[PolloDiablo]

The "Sorry for my shitty english" note in your signature should instead read "Sorry for my offensively shitty and shittily offensive posts."

hey hey, dont blame me, that was the mindset of japanese developers/publishers back in the 90s (see FF Mystic Quest)
I'm just being ironic

 

[JulietStMoon]

hey hey, dont blame me, that was the mindset of japanese developers/publishers back in the 90s (see FF Mystic Quest)
I'm just being ironic

Funny... nothing in your post indicates that you were being ironic or pointing out others' mindsets at all.

But whatever.

 

[kimekaro]

It will always come down to the following;

- Licensing fees (companies that own the rights in Japan versus who owns those rights in NA or elsewhere)
- Localization costs (marketing, translation, art adjustment (changing any sprites including text and characters)
- International Marketability (do people know what it is and how likely are they to actually PURCHASE the game)

Games like New Love Plus, while sort of fun and definetly having a huge audience in Japan, are *not* likely to sell outside of that country due to a huge number of stereotypes and misconceptions that the teen-based date sim carry. When you factor in the amount of effort it would take to do a good translation of that game, along with how the game really relies on you basically paying attention to your artificial girlfriend in real-time - you arn't going to see many guys hanging out at school speaking sweet nothings to their 3DS.

 

[RodrigoDavy]

because there is only 1 ATLUS

What about EA, Activison and Ubisoft?
............ Oh well, it's not like they are as big as Nintendo, Capcom, Konami. Video game market is mostly dominated by japanese =/

 

[Deleted member 158512]

It will always come down to the following;

- Licensing fees (companies that own the rights in Japan versus who owns those rights in NA or elsewhere)
- Localization costs (marketing, translation, art adjustment (changing any sprites including text and characters)
- International Marketability (do people know what it is and how likely are they to actually PURCHASE the game)

Games like New Love Plus, while sort of fun and definetly having a huge audience in Japan, are *not* likely to sell outside of that country due to a huge number of stereotypes and misconceptions that the teen-based date sim carry. When you factor in the amount of effort it would take to do a good translation of that game, along with how the game really relies on you basically paying attention to your artificial girlfriend in real-time - you arn't going to see many guys hanging out at school speaking sweet nothings to their 3DS.

You fool, this thread is for bashing Japanese things and making young kids feel bad. Don't bring logic and reason into it!

 

[Skelletonike]

It will always come down to the following;

- Licensing fees (companies that own the rights in Japan versus who owns those rights in NA or elsewhere)
- Localization costs (marketing, translation, art adjustment (changing any sprites including text and characters)
- International Marketability (do people know what it is and how likely are they to actually PURCHASE the game)

Games like New Love Plus, while sort of fun and definetly having a huge audience in Japan, are *not* likely to sell outside of that country due to a huge number of stereotypes and misconceptions that the teen-based date sim carry. When you factor in the amount of effort it would take to do a good translation of that game, along with how the game really relies on you basically paying attention to your artificial girlfriend in real-time - you arn't going to see many guys hanging out at school speaking sweet nothings to their 3DS.

I know, that's what I meant with my post before. Although the games have and always will have western fans, for most people they're just games that sad and messed up people would even think of playing (which isn't actually true but oh well, some people actually are like that), and yeah, dating sims might be even more text heavy than a normal RPG game, and they're already one of the hardest genres to translate because of the story which ends up being a pain for most to translate.

Luckily like mentioned above, there is Atlus, which often brings games like Thousand Arms, Luminous Arc and a few others and NIS America that brought games like Ar Tonelico and Sakura Wars. They're actually pretty brave to release games that have small fanbases on the outside, but then again, most of their market is those said niche games (I'm talking about the ones they publish, not developed ones like SMT).

In the end it's just better for people to learn Japanese to play games like To Love-Ru -Trouble- Waku Waku! with those boings. T_T

On a side note, we shouldn't really complain about not getting localisations, it's been getting better and better in the past few years, back in the SNES and PSX days, a lot of good games were left behind, which were recently brought here in the forms of their remakes.

 

[Guild McCommunist]

What about EA, Activison and Ubisoft?
............ Oh well, it's not like they are as big as Nintendo, Capcom, Konami. Video game market is mostly dominated by japanese =/

EA, Activision, and Ubisoft are all western-owned.

Nintendo, Capcom, and Konami are all Japanese owned.

So herp de derp I wonder why EA, Activision, and Ubisoft don't localize Japanese games.

 

[RodrigoDavy]

So herp de derp I wonder why EA, Activision, and Ubisoft don't localize Japanese games.

My mistake, I thought ATLUS was american and that NahuelDS was replying to the post I made which he liked. Herp Derp

 

[RodrigoDavy]

Although a brazilian company called TecToy (former Sega representant in Brazil) did localize, port and/or translate many titles to Master System and Mega Drive (Genesis in the USA) for the brazilian market. It even made an brazilian exclusive version of Street Fighter to the Master System.

 

[Guild McCommunist]

t even made an brazilian exclusive version of Street Fighter to the Master System.

So it gave Street Fighter a Brazilian?