I saw in one of the other columns that someone got it for $7. Crazy!

That whole “hey, people in japan who bought a wii arent' the type of people who play those kind of games” is just a falacy, as is when applied to the rest of the world. There are new users with the Wii yes, and the old ones and the mainstream ones, that's what it means to be a leading platform, it doesn't mean a freaking wall between that and “real” platforms/games whatsoever.

Also, I'd like to enforce the point that PSone was considered casual back in the days before FF7 launched, Saturn had a lower install base already and it's multiplatform games even used to sell better than PSone's (such is not the case with the Wii); of course then FF7 came and PSone left Saturn in the dust in that area, but was, at some point, hence the reason why it brought new public to the table.

In fact… FF7 expansion wouldn't be possible in any console other than a market leading one; why? because it sold to the fans and then some more. In that sense, any developer not going all out on the Wii is losing some big opportunity, which leaves a window of oportunity for others. Such could and should be the case for Atlus, seeing that higher development costs really don't suit them, investing more in a HD platform for what? selling 500.000 units worldwide with luck? (the same they're shipping with P4 on PS2). It's either Wii, or PSP/DS no other platforms really make sense for them.

Atlus knew how to see that and exploit it back in the day seeing that Megami Ibunroku Persona came before FF7 at least.

Also, regarding Disgaea 3, there was an obvious reason for it to happen on PS3, I just called it :p but it can be summed up as “missed preemptive strike”.

Disgaea clearly did the jump because they felt they needed to at the time (look at the graphics)

I'll agree developers attitude so far don't make it cut clear for 2009 though, but that's not because it is so hard to reach a obvious conclusion; I'd say it's pretty simple (and well… obvious). that is, unless they want to be stubborn.

As for what they should focus on… Wii is market leader worldwide, so they shouldn't have to think that much when it comes to the platform and they have a limited budget just the same. Still they should focus on making games for their market, for it's the one they understand the best; just make it have a broader appeal, like persona did, sells well in japan because it's a quality title and sells well outside it for the same reasons.

And everyone knows it's Ys, not Y's!!

http://www.amazon.ca/s/ref=nb_ss_gw?url=search-…

I'm not saying that the wii is a bad choice, and ps3 is better, but there is a reason why Nippon Ichi released Disgaea 3 and X-edge on the ps3.

To be honest even 2009, things are really hard to predict from the Japanese side of things. The casual game market is huge in japan, and developers are scrambling to handle an industry that has a)become western oriented in sales and b)driven by a domestic casual market.

There is no easy answer, and anybody in the know, understands that japanese devs/pubs are completely blind-sided by all of this.

Sure the wii is cheap to develop on, and has a large consumer base, but the only software that really sells are casual games, or nintendo published franchises. Its like selling hardcore punk music to tween girls that listen to Hannah Montana, sure there are a lot of them and yeah they generate tons of revenue to the music industry, but it would be ridiculous to focus your marketing toward this demographic. They just won't buy it.

BTW if you want a GOOD Y's game, go and play Y's Ark of Naphtism, 1 and 2 aren't that great, those 2 games definitely didn't age well.

My publisher of the year so far is shaping up to be either Xseed/Marvelous or Sega

Disgaea 3 fell on the PS3 because they thought the PS2 wouldn't live up till it's release, and because they thought it would be the next leading platform; I don't believe they would have decided that if they knew what they know today. We have to see it as a 2005/early 2006 (before PS3 launch) decision, and something Atlus didn't commit seeing they kept doing PS2 games… They'd have to be pretty dumb to fall into “that” one in 2009.

This said, true: they haven't announced their plans just yet, so let's hope they take the logic decisions.

Since they are such a niche, even in Japan, I'd say either Wii or Playstation 3, obviously with some DS and PSP titles as well.

Wii would seem more likely, what with development costs on HD consoles so much higher than SD ones like the Wii and PS2. Then again, Disgaea 3 was on the Playstation 3…

Doesn't change the fact that atlus usa is running out of games to release now that the ps2 is slowly being abandoned.

The question I have is what system will Atlus start focusing their releases on (atlus japan not usa). I really wonder which console will receive those niche jrpgs. Right now the portables are keeping small time dev/pubs like Atlus and Nippon Ichi a float, but sooner or later they need to start putting their focus on the big consoles. 2009 looks pretty damn sad for jrpgs. With only Star Ocean 4 (a 360 release that won't sell at all in japan or in the US, thanks to it being a 360 exclusive) and White Knight Chronicles, its looking like slim pickings for us Console jrpg fans. One rpg console exclusive on each console for the whole year…does anyone miss the psx and ps2 days when we were flooded with crap loads of rpgs, sure lots of them were crap, but at least we had choices…

The other titles being released aren't great, but that's Atlus USA for you…publishing quirky titles for the US audience. It's gives us a chance to play games that might not even be released here if it wasn't for them.