Resident Evil 5 producer wary of Western developers

PS3 News | Thinks they might try and take over their turf.

Jun Takeuchi, producer of Resident Evil 5 for Capcom, has admitted he’s somewhat worried about Western developers moving into the Japanese market.

In an interview with the Japanese gaming magazine Famitsu, Takeuchi is quoted as saying, “I'm worried about the movements of Western developers. Japan is now their target - it's the last big marketplace. The truth is that Western studios are making great games, and they're going to continue to do so next year too.”

As such, he believes that it is critical that Japanese developers cater to the local market and make games that Japanese people can enjoy.

In what hopefully proves to be a boon for gamers, Takeuchi also discussed what is in store for us this year. "2009 will also see Resident Evil 5 finally released, and it'll also then see us onto our next step. We haven't shown what Capcom has in store for 2009 yet, so I hope we can surprise you all soon."

As always, stay tuned to PALGN for any big announcements.

Related Resident Evil 5 Content

Resident Evil 5 meets PlayStation Move
16 Sep, 2010 But can you shoot and move at the same time?

First look at Resident Evil 5 DLC
22 Jan, 2010 See Excella in action.

New Resident Evil 5 DLC coming soon
21 Nov, 2009 New DLC and a Gold Edition.

Page12 Next

38 Comments

3mt

3 years ago

I'm scared that the gaming industry will become one whole 'world culture', which basically has no diversity. I think we need more segregation, to introduce more innovation into games. I don't mean racial segregation, I mean segregation of the influence of culture on game development.
Because if Western developers started taking over Japan, it is likely the j-rpg genre will cease to be what it is today. No more Final Fantasy like it used to be.
And I'm not too keen on Ubisoft and the like taking over the market.

Benza

3 years ago

Well honestly I haven't been excited for a game from a Japanese developer that wasn't either by Suda 51 or whatever Clover call themselves now in a fair while.

[EDIT]

Quote

I'm scared that the gaming industry will become one whole 'world culture', which basically has no diversity.

Um, I'm not sure you understand how that works. The whole world culture means a free exchange of ideas wich if anything would improve diversity.
Like say the growing french influence on some games like Professor Layton or Mirrors Edge.

Quote

Because if Western developers started taking over Japan, it is likely the j-rpg genre will cease to be what it is today. No more Final Fantasy like it used to be.

Good, maybe they'll start being fun and stop being re hashes of the last 20 games in the series comprised of nothing but melodramatic pretty boys?

3mt

3 years ago

Benza wrote

I wasn't implying that. The Professor Layton thing is a good case, but the problem is that most other games won't be like that.
I read some article about how the the modern world is becoming a 'melting pot' of cultures, a world culture, where everyone conforms to one style, and boundaries between cultures are blurred. The blurring of cultures is good, but there comes a point when a line must be drawn.
I'm just afraid that developers will cross this line somewhere in the future.

Benza

3 years ago

Quote

but there comes a point when a line must be drawn.

Why?

The influence doesn't only go one way, while yeah there would be more western sensibilities influenced on japanese games (Like, making RPG's fun) There would also be japanese influences on Western games. It's not a one way street.

The more interaction and bluring between cultures the better if ya ask me.

Mr Waffle

3 years ago

Not gonna happen as long as the Japanese still believe they're unique snowflakes that those hairy foreign barbarians couldn't possibly understand or cater to.

3mt

3 years ago

I just don't want Western culture to overtly and violently take over Japanese culture. Like suddenly seeing some Japanese developer make an American cowboy game thing that totally copies all American cliches, storylines and ideas.
Because Japanese culture has some pretty cool stuff. But Western culture also has some pretty cool stuff. Combining them would seem like a good option, but I'm afraid most game developers won't do a good job of doing this, and instead falling into the trap of doing this thing which combines cliches from both parties, making a mess of this whole scheme.

Benza

3 years ago

3mt wrote

So they make a Samurai game?

Quote

Because Japanese culture has some pretty cool stuff. But Western culture also has some pretty cool stuff. Combining them would seem like a good option, but I'm afraid most game developers won't do a good job of doing this, and instead falling into the trap of doing this thing which combines cliches from both parties, making a mess of this whole scheme.

If a **** game developer is going to make a **** game, it's going to be ****, regardless of whos culture influenced it.

But honestly, in the past 5 years what have Japan brought to the game market? There's a reason why big japanese companies like SquareEnix are having financial troubles, it's cause the stuff they are putting out is only appealing to the hardcore otaku in Japan. No one else gives a **** about there games.

InvivnI

3 years ago

3MT you only need to look at the diversity in western games developers - look at the contrast between say Rockstar games and Maxis. Both are western developers (Rockstar from Britain, Maxis from the US), and both are very different in ideals, style and execution.

I think Japanese developers will be safe for some time yet, and remember that Japanese videogames have been heavily influenced by Western culture for a long time. Look at the entire Resident Evil series, it's basically an all-American or European cast (the upcoming RE5 excepted for obvious reasons), so don't expect any kind of mass cultural assimilation to come out of increased Western presence in the Japanese market.

Spanca

3 years ago

Benza has pretty well covered my thoughts (and rants) on this article, so here's a pretty picture.

Skiller

3 years ago

Japanese games = awesome.
American games = over-hyped bland-fests.

As long as they release their games in english and make them available for me to buy then they can do what they want IMO

Benza

3 years ago

Skiller wrote

Japanese games = awesome.
American games = over-hyped bland-fests.

So there's more to it then just a hate on for EA hey?

Skiller

3 years ago

Benza wrote

So there's more to it then just a hate on for EA hey?

Yer, I hate MS too. EA and MS seem determined to ruin gaming, the only decent releases from MS/EA are ones which they had the least involvement in (usually buying a dev studio and not manhandling them). Other companies just aren't refining their games enough so they don't feel quite right so no hate for them, just dissapointment.

Ovbiously there are some exceptions though like valve and left 4 dead which is a brilliant game in which it's easy to see it has be heavily play-tested and polished to a mirror finish

Spanca

3 years ago

Itach, instead of negging people for their opinions, why don't you put your own thoughts out there?

Or would I be correct in guessing that "it's Asian so it must be mega-awesome!"? No? Well tell us what you think.

Itachi

3 years ago

I negged your post above because it was point less isn't this why we have a neg and positive system. You plussed Benza and therefore you agree with him plain and simple. We didn't need:

Spanca wrote

Benza has pretty well covered my thoughts (and rants) on this article, so here's a pretty picture.

nor did we need:

Spanca wrote

This is classified as spam but as a "mod" i am pretty sure you know that.

Now to my opinion:

IMO the Japanese market has nothing to worry about because the western audience loves violence and blood and they don't. Plain and simple. So i think western games has no chance in Japan cheers. ^^

EDIT: Also what about kurupt ask him why he negged you to?!?!?! pfft!

ObsoletE

3 years ago

i don't really care where a game is from, provided i have fun playing it.

both sides of the central meridian have made some awesome, and some absolute sh*t games - and not just when they try and emulate the other side, as some of these have been awesome games, such as FEAR, which has a very Japanese sense of aesthetic and plot, wrapped in a very western style of game.

specifically on the article though - why not concentrate on making good games (continue concentrating?).
to paraphrase the film, if you make it, they will buy.
i can see that Western developers might have an advantage for little bit, since for almost the first time, they are actually breaking into Japan, and thus a flood of "new" ideas are making it there, and if they take off, then i can see a return of some interpretations on some genres which really haven't been seen in the Japanese market - such as FPS titles.

personally, i'm excited to see how they adapt, interpret and create from this "invasion".

not because of where they come from, but because new ideas, and new interpretations of old ideas are always good, and healthy to the industry.

EDIT:

Itachi wrote

because the western audience loves violence and blood and they don't.

i'm sorry, what?
did you happen to see what game the developer quoted is making?

EDIT2:
Spanca beat me to it below...

Spanca

3 years ago

As a "mod" (why the quotation?) I don't believe my post was spam, otherwise I wouldn't have posted it. I was supporting what was said above, with a bit of humour.

Regarding your input, I know where you're coming from, but you're talking about the Japanese market not liking violence and blood... in the context of comments from a Resident Evil developer...

Fetidchimp

3 years ago

Yes i look forward to a meeting of western and eastern games in "Magibon : The beast must die"

Itachi

3 years ago

Spanca wrote

Regarding your input, I know where you're coming from, but you're talking about the Japanese market not liking violence and blood... in the context of comments from a Resident Evil developer...

Yeah but my case example is No more heroes it was cut for the japanese audience but for the USA audience it had blood. You also have a point about resident evil haha ^^.

Benza

3 years ago

Skiller wrote

Ovbiously there are some exceptions though like valve and left 4 dead which is a brilliant game in which it's easy to see it has be heavily play-tested and polished to a mirror finish

Honestly if anything I think japanese games are the over-hyped blandfests. With the exceptions being the occasional japanese game that rocks the **** out.

Japanese games are just... boring.

ObsoletE

3 years ago

Itachi wrote

You also have a point about resident evil haha ^^.

and Silent Hill, Siren, Fatal Frame, Clock Tower...

hell, the Survival Horror genre in general.

Fetidchimp

3 years ago

i think there is more loveable characters going to save bubble land games than horror ones, by a huge margin...

3mt

3 years ago

Benza wrote

Japanese games are just... boring.

Each to his own. There will always be people for and against the collaboration. The thing that should transcend all cultures should be innovation. Not just the same ol' fps and rpg's. We need more Mirror's Edge and De Blob.

ObsoletE

3 years ago

3mt wrote

Each to his own. There will always be people for and against the collaboration. The thing that should transcend all cultures should be innovation. Not just the same ol' fps and [/u]rpg[/u]'s. We need more Mirror's Edge and De Blob.

while i agree with your take on game genres, tastes and opinions, the main problem i have with the innovation call and mentioning RPGs in the context of Japanese games really reflects what Benza said - they haven't innovated in 20 years (exaggeration).

STANKY J

3 years ago

what would MGS be without western influence? as developers they should be sharing around ideas and culture its only going to breath new life into stale JPRGS and space marine shooters.

Page12 Next

View as forum topic

Add Comment