Japan in Trouble? Amsterdam of games?

[Wing Zero]

yea we need a portal

Yamaoka: Japanese game development 'is in trouble' - Joystiq

The man who makes Silent Hill sound so creepy, Konami's Akira Yamaoka, has been working with an American team to bring you Silent Hill 5 and as a result, has a pretty unique perspective on how Japanese and U.S. teams compare. His conclusion? The future isn't particularly bright for Japanese houses. "[The U.S teams'] graphical and technical ability is amazing," he says. "There's a huge gap, actually. They're very advanced. I'm Japanese, and I think this is not just with Silent Hill but with the whole of the industry -- I look at what American developers are doing and I think wow ... Japan is in trouble."

He elaborates on the problems, citing too much pressure on aging developers and the language barrier slowing some development. We would have guessed that the troubles would stem from trying to work under the constant threat of ninja attack, but it should be noted that we're not big readers.

Piracy: Caribbean Nation Can Now Legally Pirate Games

Ever heard of Antigua and Barbuda? I have, but then I played the **** out of Sid Meier's Pirates (oh, the poignancy) when I was little, and have thus grown up knowing the names of a lot more tiny and insignificant Caribbean islands than I really should. Anyway, in a strange, strange ruling made by the World Trade Organisation with regards to a trade dispute over online gambling between them and the US, Antigua is now allowed to pirate US intellectual property. Including games. Legally. There's a catch (they can only produce $21 million worth annually), but if any of you are keen on some cheap games and drinks with umbrellas in them, you just found your ideal holiday spot.

 

[concrete_sox]

what the hell does this have to do with amsterdam

 

[Metal Gear Flash]

bad stuff is legal in Am.

 

[concrete_sox]

your mums puss must be legal then LMFAO ROFL

 

[x42bn6]

On the other hand, if there's a market that cares less about graphics, it's Japan. Not really incredibly bad.*

 

[bUlLeT_pRoOf]

The thing is, Japan is way more creative. Look at Final Fantasy and games similar to it. But, American games like Call Of Duty 4 and GTA might be fun, but they are mostly just run n' gun type of games. So if we have graphics going for us, we still need Japan for the rest.