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How Role-Playing Games Arrived In Japan With Black Onyx
eggboard writes "Henk Rogers was a Dutchman who arrived in Japan in the 1980s following a girlfriend (later, his wife). An inveterate D&D player, he became enthralled with the NEC-8801, and nearly killed himself trying to create a D&D-like world that he released as The Black Onyx. No one initially knew what to make of it, and the game sold slowly at first. Through savvy pricing, packaging, and press attention, sales grew, and the game jumpstarted RPGs in Japan. Rogers got left behind, though, as Dragon Quest and Final Fantasy hit a local nerve better than his efforts. 'I also realized that I didn't quite understand the Japanese aesthetic and way. These games were quite different to mine, and just struck a more effective cultural chord.' Rogers went on to license Tetris to Nintendo, though, so he did just fine."
Dude, your game didn't do as well as Final Fantasy and Dragon Quest because it wasn't as good. Japanese culture has nothing to do with it.
Basically he's a thief? I found that the most interesting part of the story too - and hope this dude rots.
He made money off of non free and non open source software.
Obviously he must be hanged.