So I’m perfectly happy w/ my 360 (28 games), the achievements really have me hooked, contrary to the original Xbox which I bought like 5 games for (got suckered in by Shenmue 2). I really wish the Jpn gamers would give the system a chance, it really has a variety of games for everybody now. The only reason I could think of is the potential iffy hardware, otherwise I couldn’t think of anything other than them refusing to buy a US system even if it has tons of good games on it.

Funny thing is it got me play less JRPGs and more genres in general.

So I’m perfectly happy w/ my 360 (28 games), the achievements really have me hooked, contrary to the original Xbox which I bought like 5 games for (got suckered in by Shenmue 2). I really wish the Jpn gamers would give the system a chance, it really has a variety of games for everybody now. The only reason I could think of is the potential iffy hardware, otherwise I couldn’t think of anything other than them refusing to buy a US system even if it has tons of good games on it.

Funny thing is it got me play less JRPGs and more genres in general.

Actually, Mistwalker’s in the unique position where their 360 games dramatically outperformed their DS titles. Now, I loved Away myself but the game absolutely bombed at retail, and Blue Dragon+ did just as bad (nevermind ASH’s epic price collapse, which has probably killed any goodwill Gooch might’ve had with Nintendo). Honestly, I’m starting to wonder if MW’s DS bombs that AQi footed the bill on (Away & BD+) might be the real reason behind them pulling out of the even more expensive proposition they had building in Cry-On…

Actually, Mistwalker’s in the unique position where their 360 games dramatically outperformed their DS titles. Now, I loved Away myself but the game absolutely bombed at retail, and Blue Dragon+ did just as bad (nevermind ASH’s epic price collapse, which has probably killed any goodwill Gooch might’ve had with Nintendo). Honestly, I’m starting to wonder if MW’s DS bombs that AQi footed the bill on (Away & BD+) might be the real reason behind them pulling out of the even more expensive proposition they had building in Cry-On…

Should we waiting for that Sakaguchi/Itagaki collaboration people have been talking so much about?

Should we waiting for that Sakaguchi/Itagaki collaboration people have been talking so much about?

What made you ever ever ever think that your franchises would do remotely as well on an Xbox as they could on the Japanese systems? Sometimes I really don’t get the thinking behind these decisions.

Sure, Microsoft has a TON of money that they’re willing to throw at developers to coax them into developing 360 exclusives, but for someone as reputable as the Gooch to actually take the bait is pretty depressing. Having read a couple interviews with him, it’s pretty clear that he’s been told very specifically that he needs to tout the 360′s horn as much as possible…again, I find that pretty sad considering this is the man who has worked on a broad range of systems in the past, ranging from NES to SNES to PS1 to PS2.

Now you see this new Blue Dragon “pseudo-MMO” being released on DS, and it’s probably going to do much, much better than the original Blue Dragon did. This is the same situation as RARE in a way: Viva Pinata needed Pocket Paradise on the DS to help attract some attention to the franchise.

I guess I’m just trying to say, I really, really want to see Sakaguchi quit being Microsoft’s little puppy and do his own thing for a bit. I’m fairly certain he’s realized by now that Wii, DS and PSP development is where the money is to be made in Japan, especially with DQX, Monster Hunter Tri, DQIX, Phantasy Star 0 and Monster Hunter Portable being on those systems.

What made you ever ever ever think that your franchises would do remotely as well on an Xbox as they could on the Japanese systems? Sometimes I really don’t get the thinking behind these decisions.

Sure, Microsoft has a TON of money that they’re willing to throw at developers to coax them into developing 360 exclusives, but for someone as reputable as the Gooch to actually take the bait is pretty depressing. Having read a couple interviews with him, it’s pretty clear that he’s been told very specifically that he needs to tout the 360′s horn as much as possible…again, I find that pretty sad considering this is the man who has worked on a broad range of systems in the past, ranging from NES to SNES to PS1 to PS2.

Now you see this new Blue Dragon “pseudo-MMO” being released on DS, and it’s probably going to do much, much better than the original Blue Dragon did. This is the same situation as RARE in a way: Viva Pinata needed Pocket Paradise on the DS to help attract some attention to the franchise.

I guess I’m just trying to say, I really, really want to see Sakaguchi quit being Microsoft’s little puppy and do his own thing for a bit. I’m fairly certain he’s realized by now that Wii, DS and PSP development is where the money is to be made in Japan, especially with DQX, Monster Hunter Tri, DQIX, Phantasy Star 0 and Monster Hunter Portable being on those systems.

It’s really hard to speculate on that matter, since Mistwalker is not Microsoft’s and vice-versa both can get fed up at any time and cease to colaborate (well, as soon as Microsoft doesn’t come running waving notes they have to reason to support X360 exclusively from the start, marketwise).

Anyway, and this is my best bet on the matter, if the cooperation stands (if Microsoft is still willing) they’ll go for follow ups of the two properties they have, because each time you release a new franchise you have to market it, while releasing more on the same franchise you’re technically building up on it.

This said it clearly isn’t working with Blue Dragon and the DS titles for it… But it’s at least a more solid strategy with a focus and without getting to disperse. Problem being that both properties were regarding as so-so/good but not great, and so they failed to break the mold, now… they could do it through numbers, keep investing in spite of “actual” quality/reception until everyone knows it and the masses will be fooled by it or they can work to improve it’s quality for the sequel to be what the first game should have.

What path will they take? I bet on the first one (even through hearing they wanted BD2 to be a online MMO or something along those lines), but we’ll have to wait. This said, and since they just got a X360 project canned without M$ saving it, I don’t think internally things will be as they were; I think they’re more stuck with it because their properties are M$ trademarks than the opposite and if anything, they’d be wise to build their own franchises from now on if they’re gonna insist in growing them afterwards.

But that’s a tricky theme

It’s really hard to speculate on that matter, since Mistwalker is not Microsoft’s and vice-versa both can get fed up at any time and cease to colaborate (well, as soon as Microsoft doesn’t come running waving notes they have to reason to support X360 exclusively from the start, marketwise).

Anyway, and this is my best bet on the matter, if the cooperation stands (if Microsoft is still willing) they’ll go for follow ups of the two properties they have, because each time you release a new franchise you have to market it, while releasing more on the same franchise you’re technically building up on it.

This said it clearly isn’t working with Blue Dragon and the DS titles for it… But it’s at least a more solid strategy with a focus and without getting to disperse. Problem being that both properties were regarding as so-so/good but not great, and so they failed to break the mold, now… they could do it through numbers, keep investing in spite of “actual” quality/reception until everyone knows it and the masses will be fooled by it or they can work to improve it’s quality for the sequel to be what the first game should have.

What path will they take? I bet on the first one (even through hearing they wanted BD2 to be a online MMO or something along those lines), but we’ll have to wait. This said, and since they just got a X360 project canned without M$ saving it, I don’t think internally things will be as they were; I think they’re more stuck with it because their properties are M$ trademarks than the opposite and if anything, they’d be wise to build their own franchises from now on if they’re gonna insist in growing them afterwards.

But that’s a tricky theme