Hey Guys, Does anyone else get annoyed at games, consoles, and accessories that are only released to Japan or to just Asia/Europe? I say Asia/Europe because I know a couple games were released every but the US but for the life of me I can't remember :shrug:. For me it was the limited edition Playstation 3 Slim Final Fantasy Edition. I love the look of that Playstation 3, yeah its just a Playstation 3 Slim with a customized controller and console art but still, I would have loved bought that here however it was a Japanese only release. The only way I'll ever get that console now is if I fork up about $750 US to get it shipped to me from Asia :banghead:. Also you have accessories that were Japanese release only. Nintendo is really bad about doing this, though I don't collect Nintendo stuff, off the top of my head I can think of the following: Famicom Disk Drive (Ok granted the Famicom looked complete and utterly different from the NES to the point that I'd argue they really are almost two different consoles). Then for the N64 you have N64 Disk Drive. Utill I joined this website, I always thought that was an unreleased prototype piece of hardware for the N64, but come to find out though it was not the common even in Japan, it was released with a couple of games. Then you have the PSX DVR from Sony a Sony Playstation 2 with the Menu System like that of the PS3 and PSP. Also the lastest from Sony is the new Bravia TV with a built-in PS2. I would have bought that in a heart beat! One less console I have to around, I one less set of cables as well perfect! Its not going to be released in the US :dammit: I'm sure there are many many more. My point being does anyone else find it utterly annoying that somethings are Japan release only? In my opinion and I don't know if this is true or not, but if it weren't for the Xbox, I think even more games, accessories and limited edition items would be kept from the US and even Europe. I have noticed since the success of the Xbox Consoles more limited edition items have been coming to the US. Oh also, the other thing I would love to see more of, and this is recently possible because the availability of space on discs/consoles and I realize this. Lets say I buy a Japanese game that was only released in Japan, I would love to be able to play it with English menus and at the minimum subtitles. I don't know about the Xbox, but I know Playstation 3 is a region free console. I'm pretty sure the Wii isn't. For my Playstation, if I get the Japanese version of a game, I would love the ability to download a local language pack and have it install on my PS3 hard drive . . . What do ya'll think? I know this came off as a bit of a rant but I do find it annoying that there are products I would buy however they were never released in the US. -Disjaukifa
I think you're completely right, and companies should let the gamers decide what we want.And if a finished game is going to be cancelled release a demo and let us decide if we want it or not.
As much as I would love to say I find all this annoying, I'd be lying if I denied that any obstacle to ownership didn't just make me want that stuff more. This effect is, of course, multiplied when talking about dev/NFR items. If I can march down to Best Buy and purchase something, odds are I don't want it. If, rather, a certain item can only be pertained by engaging in hand-to-hand combat with Mothra and then rectally muling it over the border back into the United States, I probably want it pretty bad. I barely have time to actually PLAY games anymore other than portables, my desire to own most things is more tied to their "unobtanium" quotient than it is to their function.
I'm not much of a hardware collector, but I've got a decent DVD collection and therefore know the situation's sometimes similar with movies - For example, I've had to import an US movie from Sweden and a French one from Australia, just because those were the only places world wide they had been released. There's also a few digital-distribution-only titles I'd like to buy that are US- and/or Japan-only, no luck so far. Looks like some people simply don't want us to give them our money... English option for J games: Not likely to happen, since that'd mean extra efforts (= costs) for translation (even if it's just a few menus), extra time (= costs) to code up a subtitle system for cutscenes, then the subs need to be properly timed (= time = costs), etc. Not really economically feasible doing all that just for the very, very few people who play imports...
You raise a very valid point, part of the fun is trying to get and find something that is not easily obtainable, which I truly do understand. Dev equipment totally makes sense with it. I'm actually saying release everything, but for something that would obviously sale in the US, such as the Final Fantasy XIII Playstation 3, release it here as well . . . -Disjaukifa
Eh, it doesn't really annoy me, they are there if I wanna get them. What annoys me is the prehistoric system of area codes: seriously, maybe in the 8/16-bit era these were somewhat effective since there were relatively few places that sold import games, but today anyone can go to Play-Asia.com or whatever to get any import game, get over it already and stop this BS. What I really don't get it what the Xbox has to do with more games and accessories being brought over? Actually, I didn't even get whether you meant the original Xbox or the 360.
Now while you are complaining, how have the gamers must get annoyed back in the late 80s/early 90s, only getting shit ported with cover arts directly from hell? And Europa in additional had to struggle with frowsy 60Hz to 50Hz ports all the time. Today it seems to be the real gamer paradise (beside most of the games suck today )
I actually wasn't referring to easily gotten games in my original post though I don't think I made that clear. Most games are easily bought on websites, however some are not. I guess for me its the limited released hardware and accessories that get me. Again the Limited Edition Final Fantasy XIII Playstation 3, the PSX, and a couple of other accessories. As for just going to play-asia and getting over it . . . if I could just order the console and few other accessories from there I would but its not available. Yeah gaming and getting import games is seriously better than it was before. I'm not arguing that . . . ah I don't know, I understand something being a limited release . . . Ehhh it might just be me. As for the Xbox being relevant, it seemed when the Xbox came out, original, there were quiet a few titles and stuff that was US only and I remember people in Europe and Japan complaining back when the Xbox first came out. And it seemed since then more stuff for Xbox is sent over seas and more stuff from over-seas is sent here. PLEASE understand that is just my view of what MIGHT be going on, I can't prove it, it just seems that way. Maybe it was because of the internet which maybe global markets much easier and spread to more people. Who knows! -Disjaukifa
On a side note, it's not about gaming stuff only. Music albums also features different releases across the world... specially in Japan. My favourite bands have special edition albums (bonus tracks, different artwork) for the japanese crowd and not for the ocident people.
From a collector's point of view, I don't think it really depicts a problem. Also all relevant Famicom Disk Drive games came out in the West as NES cartridges (Zelda, Metroid, Castlevania), the marketing idea of the FCDS wasn't possible to pursue in the US - disk writer stations, rewritten disks for little money... no way. I'm not annoyed by it, no
Yes. As an ex-collector of Sonic and Final Fantasy VII merchandise it irritates me greatly. I used to scour ebay for every item I could find and more often than not I'd stumble across a Japan only promo item. I often wondered why they never released stuff like this here in Europe.
