absolutely right. no games FOR Japanese gamers = no console sales TO Japanese gamers. but WHY aren't there any killer titles for 360 by Capcom, Namco, Square Enix, etc.? because MS has not cultivated relationships with those publishers the way Sony has. now, I'm no expert on Japanese business culture, and maybe it's not even possible for M$ to do so, but trash-talking Sony, flashing a ton of American money and bravado around -- maybe that's NOT what the Japanese respond to. just a hunch.
Problem with this analogy is, independent film budgets can be much smaller than "mainstream" film budgets and still look as good/be as entertaining (if not more). Take $100 million for the average "blockbuster" film. Compare it to films that are made for 10% of that cost or even less. Blair Witch Project. El Mariachi. Countless others. They can still deliver a compelling experience which is competitive with the blockbuster.
Games on the other hand, have an intrinsic need to look good. Period. And that takes time/talent/effort, all of which costs $$$. PC titles have more room for independents since the lack of licensing fees lowers development cost. If you're making console games though, there's not a whole lot you can do for 10% of the budget of the big boys. A puzzle game, maybe. But I don't think there's much of a hope for "low-budget" console games, unless Sony/MS/Nintendo cut specific breaks on the licensing side to drop the costs.
Slashdot Mirror
absolutely right. no games FOR Japanese gamers = no console sales TO Japanese gamers. but WHY aren't there any killer titles for 360 by Capcom, Namco, Square Enix, etc.? because MS has not cultivated relationships with those publishers the way Sony has. now, I'm no expert on Japanese business culture, and maybe it's not even possible for M$ to do so, but trash-talking Sony, flashing a ton of American money and bravado around -- maybe that's NOT what the Japanese respond to. just a hunch.
Games on the other hand, have an intrinsic need to look good. Period. And that takes time/talent/effort, all of which costs $$$. PC titles have more room for independents since the lack of licensing fees lowers development cost. If you're making console games though, there's not a whole lot you can do for 10% of the budget of the big boys. A puzzle game, maybe. But I don't think there's much of a hope for "low-budget" console games, unless Sony/MS/Nintendo cut specific breaks on the licensing side to drop the costs.