With controversy having cooled, Capcom has reached a deal with Rockstar to localize, publish, and distribute the PlayStation 2 version of Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas in Japan. The release is scheduled for January, a full 27 months after the game's initial debut in North America. What's with the delay? Guess car jacking and gang banging doesn't move units at quite the same pace in Japan.
With controversy having cooled, Capcom has reached a deal with Rockstar to localize, publish, and distribute the PlayStation 2 version of Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas in Japan. The release is scheduled for January, a full 27 months after the game's initial debut in North America. What's with the delay? Guess car jacking and gang banging doesn't move units at quite the same pace in Japan.
Reader Comments (5)
Posted: Nov 14th 2006 8:15PM (Unverified) said
I had no idea it WASN'T released in Japan. WTF have I been?
Posted: Nov 14th 2006 8:48PM NoBullet said
And before anyone says it'll never sell over there. GTA3 sold 350,000+ copies in Japan and Vice City was listed #76 as Japans All Time top 100 games.
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Posted: Nov 14th 2006 9:31PM (Unverified) said
" Guess car jacking and gang banging doesn't move units at quite the same pace in Japan. "
Nooo, they like kiddie games like Mario Kart and Mario this, Mario that. a game like GTA would probably only kills sales for a console in Japan. playing such a game on the DS would probably cause it to short circuit from all the pen-stabbing at the screen! and lets not talk about GTA on the wii. instead of shooting bullets, the main character would probably have some high-powered water pistol; running around a free roam environment with a tu tu on, jacking innocents for their horse and carriage. stick with ur ninny games, Nintendo. apparently your not built for the MA-rated crowd..
But the PS3 is!! Haaa!
Nooo, they like kiddie games like Mario Kart and Mario this, Mario that. a game like GTA would probably only kills sales for a console in Japan. playing such a game on the DS would probably cause it to short circuit from all the pen-stabbing at the screen! and lets not talk about GTA on the wii. instead of shooting bullets, the main character would probably have some high-powered water pistol; running around a free roam environment with a tu tu on, jacking innocents for their horse and carriage. stick with ur ninny games, Nintendo. apparently your not built for the MA-rated crowd..
But the PS3 is!! Haaa!
Posted: Nov 14th 2006 9:48PM (Unverified) said
"And before anyone says it'll never sell over there. GTA3 sold 350,000+ copies in Japan and Vice City was listed #76 as Japans All Time top 100 games."
350,000 ain't jack in Japan and #76 is not in sales, it's a vote by hardcore gamers.
The GTA series is mildly successful for a foreign series in Japan. It's also completely illegal in some prefectures, and given that it's hardly the cultural phenomenon it has been in the USA, it's not as if anyone there is willing to travel 100 miles to buy it somewhere else (or pay a premium for a trafficked black market copy). So I'm kind of surprised Capcom even bothered. Rockstar must be giving this game away to them for a song.
350,000 ain't jack in Japan and #76 is not in sales, it's a vote by hardcore gamers.
The GTA series is mildly successful for a foreign series in Japan. It's also completely illegal in some prefectures, and given that it's hardly the cultural phenomenon it has been in the USA, it's not as if anyone there is willing to travel 100 miles to buy it somewhere else (or pay a premium for a trafficked black market copy). So I'm kind of surprised Capcom even bothered. Rockstar must be giving this game away to them for a song.
Posted: Nov 14th 2006 10:50PM fob2000 said
I think this is very significant in many ways. For one, this shows that video game companies do not necessarily NEED the market in Japan to be complete successful. In fact, some would argue that GTA on PS2 was the reason why so many people stayed with the PS2 over the original Xbox. Well, I guess Square's FF series and some dude name Solid Snake may have something to say about this, but the point is you don't have to be successful in Japan to be successful.
While MS is failing in the Japanese market, I think by concentrating on all other regions (read: Europe, Australia, and now even Brazil) they will soon have such a good market share that Japanese developers will no longer be able to ignore the 360 if they want to profit.
For Capcom, this is extra gravy $ that they're going to make by being the Japanese publisher for a two year old game.
While MS is failing in the Japanese market, I think by concentrating on all other regions (read: Europe, Australia, and now even Brazil) they will soon have such a good market share that Japanese developers will no longer be able to ignore the 360 if they want to profit.
For Capcom, this is extra gravy $ that they're going to make by being the Japanese publisher for a two year old game.
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