The video game world is a diverse one in terms of development. For dev teams all over the world can make video game titles and release them to gamers all over the world. However, there are certain “sections” of the world where the most video games are made. And that would be the United States and Japan. In the last decade or so, the West has seen a bigger boom in size and scale in console and handheld titles. Because of this, the producers of games like Nier: Automata and Yakuza think that Japan can’t make major AAA titles anymore.
Daisuke Sato, producer of Yakuza, had this to say about the state of the industry in Japan:
“I feel that [the state of Japanese games is] kind of similar to the situation with Japanese movies and director Akira Kurosawa[‘s films],” Sato explains. “Japanese movies in the past were renowned around the world and had a certain level or quality position within the international fandom. Then came big budget Hollywood movies which were something the Japanese movie industry couldn’t compete with. Hollywood movies took over and Japanese movies became more of a domestic [product].”
He went on:
“Similarly, Japanese games were the top level, worldwide phenomenon back then, before a lot of companies started bringing out AAA titles [with] big budgets.Western games became the big boys of the industry.”
He’s not the only one to think this though, the producer of Nier: Automata noted:
“I believe this reality is due to cost,” adds Yoko Taro . “Japan is no longer able to create AAA titled games – unlike the Western games industry. At the same time, I feel that Japan was able to shift into the mobile gaming genre faster than anywhere else in the world so I believe they’re evolving in their own way.”
Now obviously video game development in Japan isn’t dead, especially since Nintendo is still there cranking out AAA titles like Breath of the Wild, Fire Emblem Three Houses and more. But is a change in perspective coming to the country? It might actually be there now.
