Online play drifts far from the Asian version of Initial D Extreme Stage?

By Spencer . June 3, 2008 . 6:25pm

Online play drifts far from the Asian version of Initial D Extreme Stage?Usually Japanese/Asian PlayStation game releases are pretty similar. They are often identical, minus a foldout sheet with English and Chinese instructions. However, in a strange decision only the Japanese version of Initial D Extreme Stage will have online races. Play-Asia notes the cheaper Asian version has an English manual and it “does not support online game modes.”

 

If this news is true, it’s a bummer because Initial D Extreme Stage is a single player game. Online play is the only way for a player to challenge another human being. Well, at least challenge their ghost data. Initial D Extreme Stage also has downloadable content like extra cars, music, and avatars. Since the PlayStation 3 is region free (and even if it wasn’t Asian games work on Japanese consoles) the problem is solved simply by picking the more expensive Japanese version.

 

But why did Sega intentionally cut a completed feature for a game getting released in another region? One thought is Initial D Extreme Stage has national (read: national as in the nation of Japan) time attack data, which means the game is not designed to save/transfer data for other regions. Also, licensing issues may have prevented Sega from distributing music tracks, cars, and avatars in regions out than Japan. I'm just guessing here, but Sega must have a good reason for cutting an extra revenue stream. Publishers like money!

 

Images courtesy of Sega.


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  • wario4ever

    wow that blows chunks! i guess the more ya pay the more ya get ..

  • wario4ever

    wow that blows chunks! i guess the more ya pay the more ya get ..

  • thaKingRocka

    i’ve been wondering about this game for a long time now. i want to buy it when it releases, but i wonder if it will be released in the states. it seems an easy game to localize. the dialogue isn’t too tough and the menus are easy.

    wait a sec, are you saying that there is no head-to-head racing online with this game? what about system link? come to think of it, does the ps3 do that?

  • thaKingRocka

    i’ve been wondering about this game for a long time now. i want to buy it when it releases, but i wonder if it will be released in the states. it seems an easy game to localize. the dialogue isn’t too tough and the menus are easy.

    wait a sec, are you saying that there is no head-to-head racing online with this game? what about system link? come to think of it, does the ps3 do that?

  • http://www.siliconera.com Spencer

    @thaKingRocka – I haven’t heard anything about head to head racing online as one of the features, so it’s up in the air. However, the offline portion is single player only.

    Unfortunately licensing issues will probably prevent Initial D Extreme Stage from getting a proper domestic release.

  • http://www.siliconera.com Spencer

    @thaKingRocka – I haven’t heard anything about head to head racing online as one of the features, so it’s up in the air. However, the offline portion is single player only.

    Unfortunately licensing issues will probably prevent Initial D Extreme Stage from getting a proper domestic release.

  • http://www.fr4nz.be fr4nz

    Yesasia.com ( http://shurl.org/VbLYj )say :
    “NOTE: Initial D: Extreme Stage online play is only available in Japan”

    Maybe the games (asia & japan) are the same, just that online is only available from japan….

  • http://www.fr4nz.be fr4nz

    Yesasia.com ( http://shurl.org/VbLYj )say :
    “NOTE: Initial D: Extreme Stage online play is only available in Japan”

    Maybe the games (asia & japan) are the same, just that online is only available from japan….

  • http://www.siliconera.com Spencer

    @fr4nz – Hmm… that would be interesting, but it would require Sony blocking IP address and such. I doubt they or Sega would go that far.

  • http://www.siliconera.com Spencer

    @fr4nz – Hmm… that would be interesting, but it would require Sony blocking IP address and such. I doubt they or Sega would go that far.

  • http://www.fr4nz.be fr4nz

    detecting the country of an IP is not really hi-tech … and I guess it would be more easier to do this than releasing 2 different versions of the game (which imply doubling the certification process).

  • http://www.fr4nz.be fr4nz

    detecting the country of an IP is not really hi-tech … and I guess it would be more easier to do this than releasing 2 different versions of the game (which imply doubling the certification process).

  • thaKingRocka

    sony have limited online play by region in the past; this is nothing new. the fact that they’ve cut online play is a little surprising though. i just can’t figure out if online “play” is limited to ghost races in time attack.

  • thaKingRocka

    sony have limited online play by region in the past; this is nothing new. the fact that they’ve cut online play is a little surprising though. i just can’t figure out if online “play” is limited to ghost races in time attack.

  • jay

    Here’s the deal. The Asian version does not have Online in the menus in the first place. The Japanese version has it. But anyone from any region can participate online if they have the Japanese version (no IP blocking so far).

  • jay

    Here’s the deal. The Asian version does not have Online in the menus in the first place. The Japanese version has it. But anyone from any region can participate online if they have the Japanese version (no IP blocking so far).

  • Audwin

    Following jays comment,

    Has anyone outside of japan actually bought the japanese version of the game and tried to play online to confirm this?

    So basically, if i buy the yes-asia version i can be sure that im getting a jap version with online mode?

  • Audwin

    Following jays comment,

    Has anyone outside of japan actually bought the japanese version of the game and tried to play online to confirm this?

    So basically, if i buy the yes-asia version i can be sure that im getting a jap version with online mode?

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