Resident Evil 5's producer Jun Takeuchi is worried about changing trends in western game development.
Capcom as a whole may not have a lot to be worried about - especially when they have such a strong line-up for the first half of 2009, with new
Street Fighter and
Resident Evil games making the rounds - but
Resident Evil 5's producer Jun Takeuchi is still concerned about the way that western developers may be approaching Japanese audiences.
Specifically, Takeuchi said that he was "
concerned about the movements of western developers on Japan" in a fresh interview with Famitsu magazine.
"
I'm worried about the movements of Western developers," said Takeuchi. "
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."
"
It's not good if Japanese developers are making games that can't be enjoyed by Japanese people," he added.
Takeuchi then hinted that Capcom was ready to turn things around however, with a host of unannounced games in development that would appeal to Japanese and western gamers alike.
"
I hope that 2009 is a year where developers - not just Capcom, but other makers too - can have big hits that improve the Japanese games industry as a whole."
"
2009 will also see Resident Evil 5 finally released, and it'll also then see us on to our next step. We haven't shown what Capcom has in store for 2009 yet, so I hope we can surprise you all soon," finished Takeuchi.
Are you looking forward to anything particular from Capcom, or anyone else, this year? Let us know in
the forums.
I can't even think of the last outstanding RPG i've played not including FF7. Oh if anyone says F3 i'll ****ing smack you because that isn't a traditional RPG!
Japanese arrogance at play here methinks.
lmao couldn't agree more
Sounds like hes saying "Im worried there are better developers out there"...well gee, shucks....step up your game then!
Geographically the US is east of Japan.. I'm trying to re-educate those using this 19th century term.
Resident evil 4 was so incredibly cheesy plot, voice acting, and story wise... Gameplay rocked though same for metal gear.
"It's not good if Japanese developers are making games that can't be enjoyed by Japanese people,"
Then it turns to this...
Takeuchi then hinted that Capcom was ready to turn things around however, with a host of unannounced games in development that would appeal to Japanese and western gamers alike.
When Capcom stopped making Japanese style games, they stopped appealing to their Japanese audience. It's not some great revelation that Capcom has lost them in their hard on for the Western Audience because of the Xbox 360's success. Western and Eastern tastes in games are vastly different. Just because it sells in the west doesn't mean it will in Japan and vice versca. Only a hand full of games managed to do it, and that was thanks to a huge marketing blitz (FF7, Devil May Cry, Ninja Gaiden) at the time to push the games overseas and also being that Japanese development was the primary source on consoles.
Now the tide has turned, Capcom is worried because they aren't the premiere developer overseas they used to be, and at the same time, they adandoned their native audience to pursue the Western market, now they want to go back? Too late now. You only need to look at SF4 (art direction) and RE4/5 (gameplay) to see just how lacking their Japanese style is in their games now.