Is the USA taking priority over JP as the target market for Smash 4...?

[Venus of the Desert Bloom]

Well, MK8 was released 1 day earlier in Japan (on a Thursday.) I could see a simultaneous release or one within a week again though. After all, this is THE WII U GAME for November/December 2014 worldwide. Not like NOA and NOE have anything else to translate.

Europe may have more people, but Japan alone has bought more Wii U's than that entire continent. It's a growing market but it's still smaller than Japan for Nintendo, especially if you look outside France, Germany, and to a lesser extent places like the UK, Italy, and Spain.



Who are you irked with though? I'm curious to hear your thoughts, I don't know very much about Japan and don't pretend to (market numbers aside.) The Best Buy demos were something NoA was behind for both USA and Canada. NoJ decided not to do the E3 demos, not even in Akihabara shops. It's not a slight against their own countrymen, it's the realities of changing market conditions. Depressingly, dedicated gaming sales are falling off a cliff in Japan as I noted in this post.

On a side note, it is an American trade show, maybe TGS will mean Smash U demos in Japan.

As for the release date, I think you're right but not by as much as Brawl, which was more than a month. More like Melee's less than 2 week difference as this will also be a late fall title. I suspect it'll be released between 1 week and 1 day earlier in Japan than in the west like MK8. NOA and NOE have nothing else huge to translate and publish and it's looking like the major Wii U game for November/December 2014 though.

I'm more so generally irked that I am unable to play the demo. Plus, the Best Buy 10-15 minutes from my parents house is having it so that also irks me. It's all personal. I understand that America has a larger market and console gaming is in the decline here in Japan. Thank god there is Twitch and YouTube to sate my appetite for Smash but, still, it would be great to be able to play a demo here. TGS may have a Smash demo but I doubt they will do a nation wide demo. They may but I doubt it.

not again not again no no no no no no no NO (if anyone remembers how bad brawl's early release in one place was... yeah) srsly global release please

Also iunno, Smash has always been pretty balanced. R0Y summed it up pretty well; not only does America have a bigger market but we've probably embraced the whole fighting game revival thing which is something else to consider. I think Nintendo wants in on that pot.

Yeah I wouldn't want it to be like Brawl. But I wouldn't mind Japan getting it a day or so earlier. That was how Pokemon X/Y and MK8 was. I do think both versions will get a worldwide release. I also hope that the 3DS game has different options for languages like X/Y. I played B/W in Japanese when it was released which was alright. Playing X/Y in English on my J-3DS had been great though.

 

[Frostwraith]

Well... game localization is a good point... for the past. Currently, NTSC version needs English, French (Quebec) and Spanish (Hispanic America). Europe just needs two more languages: Italian and German. So it's not that difficult I guess. Maybe a game like, I don't know, Wasteland 2 is pretty difficult, but games like Smash, Street Fighter, Mario... And, yes, you're right, PAL is not a problem anymore because modern screenplays do not have this distinction.

In my opinion, it's a problem of priority. Japanese enterprises try to expand their market to the US and American majors try to do it with Japan... But then there's Europe, which is not very interested in making games and cultural differences are higher than in other places. But also, I think it's a problem of taste or a problem of cultural interest. You know, Disneyland Paris was a bad idea until they realize Europeans didn't want a Mickey Mouse roller coaster, they wanted "It's a small world after all". I think European tastes are a bit different. If you take a look to a Paradox strategy games forum, you realize everybody is European. I'm not saying "Europe rules", it's just here people have other interests... and that's why Dragon Quest, which I love, is associated with "manga rubbish".

Well, you addressed some points I overlooked, but you're right nonetheless. Cultural differences also have a big role and I've noticed that among European countries there are different degrees of popularity for different types of games. This is why Japanese games and American games are generally very different.

For example, in Japan, what's more popular are JRPGs and visual novels, both being niche genres outside, whereas in America, the more popular games tend to be sandbox or FPSs, genres that are also popular here in Europe, but niche in Japan. In Europe, there's football games that are quite popular and I think also have a sizeable following in Japan.

I'm pretty sure you have heard of the Inazuma Eleven series before? Until very recently, that series was exclusive to Japan and Europe. Likewise, games like Call of Duty sell well in both America and Europe, but poorly in Japan and often releasing several weeks or months later there. In Japan, you're likely to have games such as Tales of or Dragon Quest selling quite well, but not so much outside.

It all comes down to which sort of games are popular in each region or what appeals to most people in each place. All of this to say that Smash is no different. Like some said, however, they could be giving attention to the US right now, because E3 is in the US. I think the game will get more exposure in Japan thanks to TGS.

Well, that's the advantage of being neighbours and having a very warm relation between Spanish and Portuguese people. I'm going to the Alentejo and the Estremadoura this summer for a weekend. Pretty good land, I really love it.

It's actually written "Estremadura".

Anyway, I take this to a PM. (I don't want to derail this thread, after all...)

I do think both versions will get a worldwide release.

Same here. The marketing for this game has been on par with MK8 and Pokémon X/Y. Even Kid Icarus: Uprising had a almost worldwide release.

At worst, the release date will be a few days apart for each region.

 

[Smashoperatingbuddy123]

Hmmm i did notice that seems more stuff involves the worlds wants and not just japans.

(If im saying it right?)

 

[κomıc]

I've noticed that this game has been trying to cater to the competitive audience, so maybe they just think that America has a larger competitive community?

Most likely, yeah. But I heard the Japanese competitive community is the MOST respectful around. I kinda wish all American players had this mentality, but I digress.

I do believe that Japan and other countries are being ignored. I'm sure that Japan and Europe will get an announcement for the GCN adapter during E3.

 

[R0Y]

Yeah I wouldn't want it to be like Brawl. But I wouldn't mind Japan getting it a day or so earlier. That was how Pokemon X/Y and MK8 was. I do think both versions will get a worldwide release. I also hope that the 3DS game has different options for languages like X/Y. I played B/W in Japanese when it was released which was alright. Playing X/Y in English on my J-3DS had been great though.

Melee was less than 2 weeks. Since this release is probably going to go down to the wire for the holiday season, I think it will be like that, a week or less difference. Not like NOA and NOE will be bogged down with releases to translate.

Smash 64 was a surprise western-release than took 3 months in North America and nearly a year for the PAL region to come over, that was brutal. Was a smart idea to bring that title to the west. Ironically, the N64 nearly sold as well in North America as the SNES did, but far worse in Japan and the PAL region, bringing total hardware sales down. Nintendo sure did recover home console-wise in Japan with Wii, but I wonder if the N64 wasn't a moderate success in North America but was a Famicom, Game Boy, or Super Famicom-esque hit in Japan, that Smash wouldn't have been localized.

It is theoretically possible the Wii U version would release in North America first but that's more of a Metroid or Zelda thing (Other M, Skyward Sword, A Link Between Worlds.) I've read that those series do better in the west, especially Metroid.

I don't think you'd have to worry about a later release date than the rest of the world for a title like Smash U, especially with Japan having bought more Wii U's than the entire world outside of the Americas combined. Page 15 of this official earning report.


Europe is a great market with a bright future but I'm not sure why some users were presenting it as bigger than Japan for Nintendo hardware and software. NOE is very good about releases but there's a very real concern that some retailers will no longer stock the Wii U.

Spoiler

So essentially...little chance of a large-scale demo unit setup in the region outside of France and maybe Germany. Nintendo has a bigger pull on Japanese and North American retailers. If Europe gets demo units at some point or an official release of the Wii U GC adapter, it'd be very bizarre if Japan didn't.

 

[egaddmario]

I think it's all just coincidence due to E3. Come back and see me when Smash starts adding more Western popular characters.

Briefly entertaining the notion that this Smash is focused more on America, they sure are reluctant to show it. I guess E3 will be the deciding factor.

Little Mac is huge in the West. I'd be curious to see if other Western characters are added as well. If someone like Ridley makes it, then it'll be a red flag, especially if we don't get someone like Takamaru to even it off, so to speak.