Konami planning to localize Guitar Freaks and DrumMania in 08?

By Spencer . December 17, 2007 . 1:50pm

Konami planning to localize Guitar Freaks and DrumMania in 08?Last week we dug up old Konami trademarks for Drum Revolution and Guitar Revolution, which I presumed were related to DrumMania and Guitar Freaks respectively. After seeing our article, Luke recalled he inquired about this months ago and sent us a copy of an e-mail reply by Konami (huge thanks!). The e-mail mentions Konami is planning to test and launch the latest Guitar Freaks and Drum Mania games sometime in the future. However, it is unclear if Konami is only eying an arcade release or if they are contemplating a home version in the too. Of course, this remains a tantalizing rumor until Konami says something, but it will be interesting to see what happens if they try to take ground away from Rock Band and the well established Guitar Hero franchise.

 

From: xxxxxxxx@konami.com (*edited for protection)

To: xxxxxxxxx@hotmail.com (* also edited)

Subject: RE: music arcade games

Date: Wed, 15 Aug 2007 16:24:46 +0100

 

Dear Luke,

 

Sorry for the short delay in coming back to you.  I hope you had a good trip to Japan and I am pleased you liked the games you played over there.

 

At this time I cannot release much information as it is still confidential however I can say that we are planning to test and then launch the latest Guitar Freaks and Drum Mania later this year / early next year into the European markets.  Ref the other BEMANI games we are discussing and will decide after the initial launch.

 

If you need more information please let me know.


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  • Visionnerz

    If the email was from Jason Enos, then Bemani fans should be worried. He messed up with the American version of Beatmania. Well, not entirely.. most people got it for the redesigned controller.

  • Visionnerz

    If the email was from Jason Enos, then Bemani fans should be worried. He messed up with the American version of Beatmania. Well, not entirely.. most people got it for the redesigned controller.

  • Visionnerz

    If the email was from Jason Enos, then Bemani fans should be worried. He messed up with the American version of Beatmania. Well, not entirely.. most people got it for the redesigned controller.

  • http://twitter.com/iidxgold scott

    i hardly think it was Enos’s fault. The american version of beatmania was mostly out of KOA’s control and was developed by the people who did pop’n home versions in japan. Talk about giving the reins to people who have little idea what the american market is like…

    I think KOJ is realizing a HUGE potential market now for music games, not just drum and guitar, but possibly another shot at beatmania. And didnt KOJ change their CEO recently?

  • http://twitter.com/iidxgold scott

    i hardly think it was Enos’s fault. The american version of beatmania was mostly out of KOA’s control and was developed by the people who did pop’n home versions in japan. Talk about giving the reins to people who have little idea what the american market is like…

    I think KOJ is realizing a HUGE potential market now for music games, not just drum and guitar, but possibly another shot at beatmania. And didnt KOJ change their CEO recently?

  • scott

    i hardly think it was Enos’s fault. The american version of beatmania was mostly out of KOA’s control and was developed by the people who did pop’n home versions in japan. Talk about giving the reins to people who have little idea what the american market is like…

    I think KOJ is realizing a HUGE potential market now for music games, not just drum and guitar, but possibly another shot at beatmania. And didnt KOJ change their CEO recently?

  • MazingerZ

    Pretty sure they are already testing GFDM V4 in America, the default sort shows English songs, and they can indeed battle online with players in Japan.

  • MazingerZ

    Pretty sure they are already testing GFDM V4 in America, the default sort shows English songs, and they can indeed battle online with players in Japan.

  • BurntToast256

    Too little, too late.

  • BurntToast256

    Too little, too late.

  • http://www.bemanistyle.com Eddie

    GFdm V4 WERE tested in the US (Naperville,IL to be exact) back in October/early November and it is pretty well known that Konami has some release plan for the U.S. regarding arcade music titles.

    My question is, where were you guys like 6 months ago when all of this stuff first came up. Konami finally localizing arcade music titles has been common knowledge in the Bemani community since like June.

  • http://www.bemanistyle.com Eddie

    GFdm V4 WERE tested in the US (Naperville,IL to be exact) back in October/early November and it is pretty well known that Konami has some release plan for the U.S. regarding arcade music titles.

    My question is, where were you guys like 6 months ago when all of this stuff first came up. Konami finally localizing arcade music titles has been common knowledge in the Bemani community since like June.

  • http://www.bemanistyle.com Eddie

    GFdm V4 WERE tested in the US (Naperville,IL to be exact) back in October/early November and it is pretty well known that Konami has some release plan for the U.S. regarding arcade music titles.

    My question is, where were you guys like 6 months ago when all of this stuff first came up. Konami finally localizing arcade music titles has been common knowledge in the Bemani community since like June.

  • http://www.madebyluke.com Luke

    When I emailed I was asking about localizing in Europe, not many rhythm games make it over here even when they land in the states, for example, Taiko Drum Master.

    The person who replied was talking about the European market and not the American which, like you said, had already had the games tested there.

    I emailed Namco as well asking the same thing but they said they had no plans to release Taiko Drum Master for the European market or back in the American due to poor sales.

  • http://www.madebyluke.com Luke

    When I emailed I was asking about localizing in Europe, not many rhythm games make it over here even when they land in the states, for example, Taiko Drum Master.

    The person who replied was talking about the European market and not the American which, like you said, had already had the games tested there.

    I emailed Namco as well asking the same thing but they said they had no plans to release Taiko Drum Master for the European market or back in the American due to poor sales.

  • http://www.madebyluke.com Luke

    When I emailed I was asking about localizing in Europe, not many rhythm games make it over here even when they land in the states, for example, Taiko Drum Master.

    The person who replied was talking about the European market and not the American which, like you said, had already had the games tested there.

    I emailed Namco as well asking the same thing but they said they had no plans to release Taiko Drum Master for the European market or back in the American due to poor sales.

  • http://www.bemanistyle.com Eddie

    That’s not what my point was. As a fan of the series it really bothers me that no one really bothered to take notice earlier. This news was submitted several times to many different game blogs and websites when it was first announced for the US (both IIDX, GFdm and e-amuse mind you) and no one posted it. It made it’s way on the front pages of all of the music game websites, but no one else seemed to give a shit then.

    Now you get a half-assed confirmation that the games are coming out in the UK and it gets posted. GFdm V4 already tested in both areas, it did well in the U.S. because of the die hard fans but I can’t help but think it’d have done even better if at least one major gaming news site had bothered to post it, but since it wasn’t Rock Band or Guitar Hero none of them cared enough to give it the time of day and it sucks pretty hard.

  • http://www.bemanistyle.com Eddie

    That’s not what my point was. As a fan of the series it really bothers me that no one really bothered to take notice earlier. This news was submitted several times to many different game blogs and websites when it was first announced for the US (both IIDX, GFdm and e-amuse mind you) and no one posted it. It made it’s way on the front pages of all of the music game websites, but no one else seemed to give a shit then.

    Now you get a half-assed confirmation that the games are coming out in the UK and it gets posted. GFdm V4 already tested in both areas, it did well in the U.S. because of the die hard fans but I can’t help but think it’d have done even better if at least one major gaming news site had bothered to post it, but since it wasn’t Rock Band or Guitar Hero none of them cared enough to give it the time of day and it sucks pretty hard.

  • http://www.bemanistyle.com Eddie

    That’s not what my point was. As a fan of the series it really bothers me that no one really bothered to take notice earlier. This news was submitted several times to many different game blogs and websites when it was first announced for the US (both IIDX, GFdm and e-amuse mind you) and no one posted it. It made it’s way on the front pages of all of the music game websites, but no one else seemed to give a shit then.

    Now you get a half-assed confirmation that the games are coming out in the UK and it gets posted. GFdm V4 already tested in both areas, it did well in the U.S. because of the die hard fans but I can’t help but think it’d have done even better if at least one major gaming news site had bothered to post it, but since it wasn’t Rock Band or Guitar Hero none of them cared enough to give it the time of day and it sucks pretty hard.

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