Overheard at E3: Japanese don't accept first-person shooters
by Ludwig Kietzmann 
{ May 11th 2006 at 12:15AM }
While waiting impatiently to try out Metroid Prime 3: Corruption at the Nintendo booth, I "This Metroid game is a first-person shooter. They're very popular in America, but not in Japan. We don't accept these kinds of games because you cannot see your character on the screen."
The spectacular failure of the Xbox brand in Japan would seem to lend this line of thought some credence, but there are several other factors worthy of consideration, pontification and other things that you do with your brain. It's odd that Metroid Prime would be the game to spur on the man's comments, as the series has always emphasized exploration and platforming over frantic shooting. Is it really just the perspective that causes Japanese gamers to shake their heads in disgust, or do first-person shooters merely have a bad reputation? Why is it important to constantly view your character on the screen? And, if this is such a prominent issue amongst Japanese gamers, why would Nintendo present one of their cherished franchises in a way that would be the least popular?
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Jakanden @ May 11th 2006 7:17AM
From what I understand from a friend of mine over there, the Metroid series overall was never popular in Japan.
Regarding FPS's, de did say the same thing about why they are not popular (Cannot see your character).
ecchichuu @ May 11th 2006 7:36AM
Personally, I don't like FPS because of the themes the games revolve around (like WWII), I can't see my own character, and I'm not fond of shooting gameplay (unless we're talking schmups).
I believe Japanese dislike FPS for similar reasons.
ecchichuu @ May 11th 2006 7:45AM
And in regards to that question "Why is it important to constantly view your character on the screen?"
Seeing your character is important because you're playing as him and if you can't see him it's almost like he doesn't exist. I want to see how awesome my character is.
Like in an mmorpg, why would you spend all this time designing your great avatar if you can't see him? One of the best features added in the MORPG PSU is a pop up window to see your characters face in full detail while he's talking. I want to see my character.
takipsilim @ May 11th 2006 7:46AM
Perhaps the new FPS Metroids are unpopular in Japan, but I bet the original Metroid was. It does seem that the Japanese do not take a liking to FPS's. Take note, Microsoft! This warrants further study.
Lestrade @ May 11th 2006 8:28AM
The Metroid series was never as popular in Japan as it is in the west. Nintendo made Metroid first-person because, I imagine, they thought that was its future. Knowing that Japanese gamers prefer third-person games was of little consequence.
I also think the notion of always seeing your character on-screen is ridiculous. But in Japan, a lot of effort is put into designing, marketing, and selling products based on characters. It's hard to do that if you're an arm and a gun, I suppose.
Terry @ May 11th 2006 8:56AM
Personally, I hate not being able to see your character. I mean, you can't see where your feet are in situations that involve walking around and not falling into pits and such, and you cannot tell if part of your character's body is exposed to fire when hiding behind cover, and well, you just can't see yourself, that bugs me. Give me a hybrid third-person set up like Resident Evil 4 any day, that was just about perfection.
Markster @ May 11th 2006 9:20AM
Man, Half-Life must be the embodiment of the "anti-game" over in Japan! They would go through complete character withdrawl in 5 minutes!
James Spiers @ May 11th 2006 9:53AM
I recall reading in the past that the avg Japanese gamer has a preferance for seeing their avatar on screen as it enhances the escapist sense of 'you are the character in the game' rather than the disembodied hand that reinforces that 'the character in the game is you' -- if that makes sense. Also remember reading that the Japanese are more susceptible to motion sickness that cen be induced in a small percentage of the poulation from playing these games. Having said that - neither point tallies with the popularity of f1st person train driving/horseriding sims...
Tucker @ May 11th 2006 10:14AM
"Seeing your character is important because you're playing as him and if you can't see him it's almost like he doesn't exist. I want to see how awesome my character is."
Why? This makes no sense to me. Go watch a movie, then. In a good, immersive FPS you ARE the character. YOU are doing the things. Sure, cultural differences, whatever, but this just seems like an absurd sentiment.
sean @ May 11th 2006 10:29AM
seems like not seeing your character would be moot, givin the 40,000 text-baed adventures available in japan, all from a first person perspective with the characters talking directly at the screen...
King @ May 11th 2006 10:38AM
Why do we all care soooo much about what they like.....F**k them. I know what I like and that's what's important. This idea that we have to get Japans approval is ridiculous.
K @ May 11th 2006 11:14AM
King - we don't all care. but you can bet MS does, considering it's one market that they haven't been able to tap into. the benefits of the japanese market are plenty: rabid gamers who were willing to buy at least two versions of one of the most vapid games in existence (final fantasy x-2), a userbase which can actually realize the kind of "gaming on the go" that microsoft is pushing for (though admittedly, unless microsoft gets a deal with cellphone companies in japan, this is not going to work), japanese people, if their television shows are to be believed, are massively monomaniacal, and that, for a company, means that you can churn out the same shit year after year and gamers will gobble it up like it's golden chunky chicken nuggets from heaven (the japanese equivalent being ramen and okonomiyaki raining down from the sky).
SuicideNinja @ May 11th 2006 12:53PM
Hmmm. That's too bad. Metroid Prime was the first FPS game that I got into. I would have never picked up any other console FPS if it wasn't for MP.
CAP @ May 11th 2006 1:03PM
I for one am not a fan of FPS for similar reasons. Sometimes you can't see where you are going, you get stuck on stuff on the floor and go nowhere, which really stinks when you are trying to get out of a hectic situation. I wonder how hard it would be for a developer to give the player a third person option. I have passed on many games that looked good just because of the first person perspective. 360's COD2 actually made me want to play it but I still prefer third person.
Monkiavelli @ May 11th 2006 1:48PM
XBox Guy #1: How should we position ourselves in Japan? Do we have enough FPSs to satisfy them?
Guy #2: I'm not sure the Japanese enjoy FPSs as much as we do, sir.
Guy #1: I know! How about FPSs about a WAR THEY LOST?
Guy #2: Sheer brilliance!
Richard @ May 11th 2006 2:27PM
I don't like the first person view because you don't have any peripheral vision so its hard to see whats beside you. Same goes for any racing game in the cockpit view.
Ianc02 @ May 11th 2006 5:46PM
.....and you had to wait until E3 2006 to realise this then......????????
elle @ May 11th 2006 7:11PM
Monkiavelli: WWII is not a taboo subject for a Japanese game. Hell, I remember PTO for NES. Slate had a good article on this a while back: http://www.slate.com/id/2096112/
Rebecca Vanderbilt @ May 12th 2006 2:16AM
I get sick and disgusted at the racist, idiotic, uneducated comments by Monkiavelli against Japanese.
It just shows you how smart the Japanese are in understanding the US market on what sells in the USA.
We, stupid Americans, can only whine and bitch. We are way too lazy to put quality research and thoughts into how things work.
Which is why Japanese, Europeans products are selling like hot cakes and American products sell like shit even at its home turf. It's because of idiots like you who are too lazy to think.
Shane-o-mac @ May 12th 2006 12:02PM
My take on 1st person shooters is that they are immersive. They give you a chance to be someone your not. Kinda like that show Quantum leap...(in a way) Its like being inside someone else and somewhat possesing them if u will. The 1st person mode just puts you in their prospective. One day sit down, smoke your favorite herb of choice,sit close to the tv, turn the volume up and play halo 3 (or your fps of choice). I guarantee you will feel submerged in the experience. Exspecially with all the new FPS commin out on the 360 and PS3. They look so real I wonder if little kids will be affected by how real the violence looks? (hehe...yea right...)
Now dont get me wrong, I like 3rd person just as much as the next guy. I guess Im just saying I dont prefer one way over the other. Maybe they should put a 1st and 3rd person mode on every game? Im sure that would be too much of a hassle.
Joystiq pwnz meh soxorz!
Monkiavelli @ May 12th 2006 1:04PM
@Rebecca: Knee-jerk much? Apparently you're unfamiliar with sarcasm.
I think you're completely misreading my comment. (Or, just not reading it at all, because you apparently *want* to find racism in everything.) What precisely in my comments is *against* the Japanese? I'm making fun of Microsoft here in their attempts to promote to the Japanese a console line best known for FPSs and, what's more, WWII FPSs.
As a note: I don't even *like* FPSs. My favorite genre, in fact, is SRPGs, a genre that, with very few exceptions, doesn't even get *made* outside of Japan. (On the subject of SRPGs, someone mentioned awhile ago that it wouldn't have been so hard for Microsoft to snatch up, say, Atlus and Nippon Ichi, rather than another FPS dev house, and immediately gain some better positioning in the Japanese market.)
No, what's idiotic is going into an article expecting to find racist comments and then *trying* to read racism into everything, even a joke *against* dumb American companies forgetting that different cultures like different sorts of games. (Elle, on the other hand, obviously *read* what I wrote, although she(?) disagreed with one of my underlying assumptions. Interesting article, btw; thanks!)