CESA Boss Talks Japanese Gaming Problems

Thanks to GameSpy for its interview with CESA executive managing director Kazuya Watanabe, as the head of the "game industry's trade organization" in Japan discusses issues such as the Japanese games industry's dislike of the used videogame market: "Used software sales are now legal and covered by the law. Despite the fact that the court has passed judgment, the software manufacturers are still not satisfied with the outcome because of the high percentage of used sales in overall Japanese game sales." He also addresses the perception that many Japanese PC titles are adult-oriented: "They stand out. They do not have a large market, but they catch your eyes. If you look at that, you may think, 'Boy, these Japanese are very strange.' It is not the case."

Comments

This guy knows his stuff.

[Naffer]

From the article:
"Also, ownership is an important component of American culture. People do not like to buy things unless they feel that they own it with no strings attached"
How is it that the head of Japan's major video game trade group has more insight into American consumer desires then our own trade groups?

Used games

[Neo-Rio-101]

I can't see how used games is really any different than used book sales. Publishers also have to deal with these things called public libraries, where books can be traded and lent around freely. A new release book often sports the same price tag as a new release game.

I honestly don't see Mills and Boon whining about how much of their stuff is in a used book shop.

I suppose if the game industry wants to cut down on used game sales, they could always re-release their old stuff as an added bonus with the new game.

Re:Japanese? Weird??

[WolfWithoutAClause]

But there is a reason why there isn't an english translation for hentai.

It literally means 'pervert'.

I think you are trying to make out the Japanese to be more different than they really are- for example, the tentacle rape is just a side effect of their weird legal system (no human penises allowed, no sex between women and animals either, but sex with imaginary creatures apparently falls into a legal grey area... go figure!); and the apparent youth of the manga characters is illusory- the Japanese consider the characters to be older than Americans do- there are some cultural differences relating to reducing sun exposure in Japanese women and physical differences that tends to make them look younger to western eyes than they really are. You cannot really condemn Japanese Hentai manga unless you understand the environment that it has evolved in.

I mean, the Japanese may well consider LA porn to be barbaric and offensive (you can see pubic hair?)