The reason of the change in the Japanese gaming business (information)

[inthesky]

I love Koei Tecmo and I hope to see them continue but I wonder how in the world they keep themselves going

Well, now Konami (the company with the great sales but low profits) is gonna be "reorganized" a.k.a Full digital mobile and PC Online: http://www.konami-digital-entertainment.co.jp/en/news/release/2015/0303/?cm_sp=01-_-release-_-20150303-e


Kojima apparently expressed about this future change with the "no more MGS" response, although he maded this claim after the release of MGS4. Well maybe the ex-Castelvania producer could tell us about th-wait, he already did it.


Calling the media to report about that.....nobody...really? Even if it is relevant like the Sega deal?....no clickbait-a-like with this news I pressume.


Who's next? I choose Capcom....

Maybe I'm ignorant to the implied meaning of these things, but I can't discern immediately what the meaning of these restructurings are. Unless someone is familiar with Japanese gaming industry (the practice of corporate politics, more specifically, I guess) or Konami's management, it might be hard to know what those mean. For most of these executives' former positions it doesn't say what department they were previously from, it's not specified what "Production Divisions 1/2/3" do, etc.

The best I could try and guess is that perhaps "shifting production to a headquarters-based system" could possibly mean less arcade machines/slot stuff but I don't even know if they make those still.

I would've already assumed that Konami is straying from their legacy IPs and dedicated game platform development by the decreases in output for stuff for the old IPs, etc. No ZOE, Contra, Castlevania, etc. Silent Hill new game would be more of an anomaly.

[Aki-at]

Actually it seems Nirmugen was bang on the money somewhat, it seems likely Konami are going to be releasing even LESS consumer games as key staff for the Tokimeki Memorial and Love Plus series have now left them;

https://twitter.com/RyougaSaotome/status/577305368264474625
https://twitter.com/RyougaSaotome/status/577305613060812802

Infact the news got so big Konami even put out a press release for it! http://www.konami.jp/osirase/150318/ saying that both are still very important series for Konami... Which is why we had to get rid of key team members I'm sure : P

[Trippled]

The Japanese gaming industry is in such a damp is that developing games such as Miracle Girl Festival is considered higher end now for Japanese only games (full 3d modeling for various anime series)

[Aki-at]

The Japanese gaming industry is in such a damp is that developing games such as Miracle Girl Festival is considered higher end now for Japanese only games (full 3d modeling for various anime series)

It's a sad state of affairs isn't it? Or rather par the course. The Japanese mobile market is bigger than the traditional gaming market in Japan... And that's including hardware in the traditional gaming markets sales! Software sales mobile vs traditional is almost 2 to 1.

I don't think Japan is going to be making a comeback anytime soon unless their indie scene really kicks off.

[Nirmugen]

Now the media is talking about the "rumor" of Kojina leaving Konami in the end.

I hate when I have the reason but it was inevitable when clickbait articles only talk about that and not the whole thing in an analysis or report post.

Choose next, guys. Capcom will be buy it or ultrastreamlined?

[Aki-at]

Now the media is talking about the "rumor" of Kojina leaving Konami in the end.

I hate when I have the reason but it was inevitable when clickbait articles only talk about that and not the whole thing in an analysis or report post.

Choose next, guys. Capcom will be buy it or ultrastreamlined?

Haha I was about to post this!

Worrying times for Konami. But according to some people at least their better off than SEGA, I mean they have brand new technologies and a series that dwarfs several SEGA series, they'll be fine right, but SEGA? DOOMED.

I should stress though Konami itself is fine, but their console future? That's start to look more and more grim...

[CrazyT]

^what the...

Whoah. Thats kind of sad, seeing how ambitious mgs 5 is looking. Its sad to learn how companies can be in real trouble despite them appearing healthy.

Im still mad about what they did to castlevania. A 2d series turned into expensive and flawed AAA games. Decisions like that baffle me because castlevania didnt seem like an expensive franchise.

Hope mgs5 does really well

[Aki-at]

^what the...

Whoah. Thats kind of sad, seeing how ambitious mgs 5 is looking. Its sad to learn how companies can be in real trouble despite them appearing healthy.

Im still mad about what they did to castlevania. A 2d series turned into expensive and flawed AAA games. Decisions like that baffle me because castlevania didnt seem like an expensive franchise despite attempts from the N64 onwards.

Hope mgs5 does really well

2D Castlevania wasn't selling well.

Besides who's to say it should remain 2D? Konami just couldn't figure out how to update it like other developers did with their 2D series.

Further bad news for Konami, a video game columnist said there was massive layoffs this month and Koji-Pro finally game will be Metal Gear Solid V - https://twitter.com/Yoshidamian/status/577761486358982656

[CrazyT]

2D Castlevania wasn't selling well.

Besides who's to say it should remain 2D? Konami just couldn't figure out how to update it like other developers did with their 2D series.

I figured as much. The last one, orders of ecclesia was supposed to be the most ambitious one after portrait of ruin and dawn of sorrow. Im assuming they thought putting more into it was gonna help the franchise, but ended up declining in sales even more.

Despite all that, the game was amazing. The transition to 3d could have been better, but to me it was more of a case of dont try to fix what's broken. Aside from that i think piracy on ds could have also played a huge factor. But you can never prove something like that

[Nirmugen]

Oh boy, here we go.

Prepare your eyes because this is gonna be a looooooong journey.

[Trippled]

!

[Aki-at]

Gamespot reporting insider sources saying Kojima has left.

The man also had some cryptic tweets about being tired and needing a break. Could it have alluded to this?

Sad day if true, I was expecting the Japanese dream comeback, instead it seems that we have a nightmare on our hands : <

[JRcade19]

The report says he's leaving by the end of the year, because Konami are basically being Control Nazi's.

Still a crappy day none the less

[Aki-at]

The report says he's leaving by the end of the year, because Konami are basically being Control Nazi's.

Still a crappy day none the less

Evolution Studio getting layoffs, Yakuza 0 failing, Nintendo opening to mobile games and now this.

What a week. WHAT A WEEK.

That surely means good news for tomorrow, like Shenmue 3 helmed by Nagoshi, Suzuki and Kojima and SEGA re-enters the console market.

Right guys, right?

: (

[JRcade19]

Evolution Studio getting layoffs, Yakuza 0 failing, Nintendo opening to mobile games and now this.

What a week. WHAT A WEEK.

That surely means good news for tomorrow, like Shenmue 3 helmed by Nagoshi, Suzuki and Kojima and SEGA re-enters the console market.

Right guys, right?

: (

Did not hear about the bolded.

The end is truly nigh