Famitsu primer for the uninitiated
by Alexander Sliwinski 
{ Jan 21st 2007 at 4:25PM }
GameSetWatch's Kevin Gifford published a piece that finally explains what the big deal is with Japanese game magazine Famitsu. Not caring what Famitsu thinks about games is a big faux pas in the industry. Those who dare state publicly they could care less what some random Japanese magazine thinks are shunned in some circles. Most of the time journalists who cite the magazine for being über have never even read it -- but apparently it's respected as the holy grail of game journalism, so in the words of the Beatles, we'll follow their words of wisdom and "let it be."Gifford explains that the multi-editor score card originated with Famitsu and EGM went on to copy it. According to the article, Famitsu's scores actually matter though because they've been said to directly influence sales. The magazine has also not been immune to the shrinking print publishing industry, losing almost 40 percent of its circulation in the last six years. Gifford's piece gives a great rundown of this supposedly venerable magazine. He should have called the article: Everything you always wanted to know about Famitsu* but were afraid to ask pretentious geeks.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Quakeulf @ Jan 21st 2007 4:47PM
I tried to read some "Fuamitsuu" when I was in Japan. I could see why it is circulating less. It was nothing more than an ad-ridden multi-coloured shitfest with no clear definition between ads and articles, and with text so small and unreadable (blue text over pink backgrounds?) it was unbearably hard to get into.
Also, Hideo Kojima disapproves of their writers. :p
NotAnElitistPrick @ Jan 21st 2007 4:48PM
Does he have a large paragraph in there devoted to how it's considered taboo for a Japanese company to use Famitsu scores and blurbs in their ad material because it's commonly accepted that high Famitsu scores are generally bought?
Mark D @ Jan 21st 2007 5:43PM
The magazine is a pile. Just look at what they gave the latest Sonic games and DOA:X2 to see how hopeless they are.
Quakeulf @ Jan 21st 2007 5:53PM
@2 I thought the buying of high scores was a hoax. Well, I wouldn't be too surprised if it did happen. Stuff like that happens everywhere.
despoglee @ Jan 21st 2007 6:10PM
Please!
While Famitsu's influence is unquestioned, it has become almost legendary for selling review scores of late. Everyone knows that to get a game's real score you have to delete the number of weekly ad pages devoted to that game each issue.
kjartan @ Jan 21st 2007 6:27PM
sounds a lot like pitchforkmedia.com
If that site gives your album a good review, your sales will do well - it's that simple.
syco @ Jan 21st 2007 6:41PM
Famitsu generally has great tastes in games. Both Ocarina of Time and Wind Waker were nearly perfect, and so they got 40s. They gave ff12 a 40, and from what I've seen of it, it may very well deserve it. I don't know why you guys are yelling "Sell out". They have more experience criticizing games, and their critics carry more weight, than yours. Running a magazine requires ads, just like Joystiq presumably uses ads (I don't know, I use adblock, but I'm sure they're there). The reviewers probably don't even know who bought adspace that week, so they couldn't be biased even if they wanted to.
MoonfirePewPEwPEw @ Jan 21st 2007 7:04PM
@7
They gave Nintendogs a fucking 40/40. Explain that.
Psaakyrn @ Jan 21st 2007 7:50PM
to #8 MoonfirePewPEwPEw
And that game singlehandedly sold millions of DS. I don't see any arguement.
NintendoFanbot @ Jan 21st 2007 7:37PM
@ 8
They gave Zelda TP (both versions) 38/40 and generally agreeing with other websites that acclaimed in saying that it wasn't perfect either.
There MIGHT (not certainly, but MIGHT) be a parallel of giving Nintendogs a 40/40 and why WiiSports, despite not being incredibly deep, is getting so much attention.
And the guy at Gamespot that gave TP an 8.8 also gave Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3 a 10.
Big deal.
Also, I would really love a magazine the girth and frequency of Famitsu, but it just isn't possible here.
Sid Icarus @ Jan 21st 2007 7:46PM
I dont care, delete my post if you will, I'll just write another.
Like I said, Famitsu, anime, everything from Japan in general is crap.
The 360 is failing in Japan simply because American developers cant seem to make games bad enough for the Japanese market.
The Japanese game market is a joke so therefore I dont care what Famitsu has to say in regards to anything.
Sid Icarus @ Jan 21st 2007 8:03PM
To #11, Psaakym.
Ashley Simpson has singlehandly sold millions.. Do you feel she deserves a 40/40?
I hate it when people equate quantity to quality.
syco @ Jan 21st 2007 8:09PM
Nintendogs is, from what I've seen, the best dog-simulation game ever. If you're into dogsims, it's probably a perfect game. Not my genre, but I'm not going to say that Famitsu made a bad call there.
And anyone who thinks that the market that created virtually every good game ever made isn't really worth considering... I just looked at my gamerack and the only game I own that wasn't made in Japan is Metroid Prime.
Japan Owns You.
NintendoFanbot @ Jan 21st 2007 8:11PM
"Like I said, Famitsu, anime, everything from Japan in general is crap.
The 360 is failing in Japan simply because American developers cant seem to make games bad enough for the Japanese market.
The Japanese game market is a joke so therefore I dont care what Famitsu has to say in regards to anything."
Yeah, that's how we Americans rule the videogame industry. Oh wait, no we don't.
We might sell the most games here but we are not the most vital in the creation part of videogames. I hate when people equate quantity to quality myself. *cough*
If one recalls how MS intially tried to sell to Japan with the original Xbox, they did a shit job doing it.
In Japan, first impressions are vital. Microsoft is still paying for their foul-up years ago.
Dan @ Jan 21st 2007 8:16PM
They gave the new Sonic 30, and Gundam Crossfire a 32. If those weren't bought, then I question the sanity of Famitsu's authors.
dick @ Jan 21st 2007 8:21PM
zelda gets a 38/40 gundam get 42/40.zelda took 2 years to make, gundam took about 4 weeks (and it shows). can i get some of that weed.
nick @ Jan 21st 2007 8:22PM
I thought I read somewhere that some reviews in Famitsu are given higher scores simply because they're well known properties, and not necessarily based on gameplay.
Whether or that's true or not, I do know that it's NOT a magazine I reference for any buying decisions. Rather I check with metacritic.
dick ur a retard, @ Jan 21st 2007 8:23PM
name says it all.
Sid Icarus @ Jan 21st 2007 9:10PM
#14.
In fact, contrary to popular belief, America is the single biggest video game consumer in the world. More PS2's have been sold in American then Japan nearly 2 to 1.
CW @ Jan 21st 2007 9:27PM
#19
And people wonder why the world hates America.
Pedantico @ Jan 21st 2007 9:45PM
"Those who dare state publicly they could care less what some ..."
It's "couldn't care less" -- "could care less is the exact opposite of what you're trying to say, think about it.
bill pullman @ Jan 21st 2007 9:50PM
#20
you mean Japan. or does anyone in the US (besides nerds) actually enjoy "Underage Manga Beastiality Schoolgirl Rape Simulators"?
uberwaffle @ Jan 21st 2007 9:55PM
#19
You say "Underage Manga Beastiality Schoolgirl Rape Simulators" like they're a bad thing.
SuperChuck @ Jan 21st 2007 10:44PM
Ads vs. reviews is a SERIOUS problem in the cigar biz. It's tough for a magazine to have a glossy ad on one page and give the cigar a crappy review on the next. Similarly, it's REALLY tough to convince your readers that your reviews are unbiased while you're running a full-age ad on the next page...
samfish @ Jan 21st 2007 11:00PM
sid, stop being a right-wing xenophobic douche. It's friggin' obnoxious having to read what you racist snakes think.
WHITE POWER!!!!1!
Tacoman @ Jan 21st 2007 11:12PM
I ocassionally bought Famitsu when I was in Japan, usually for what was on the cover, or the bonus stuff that came with it. Even though it's a magazine, Famitsu gets exclusive first looks at a lot of games and breaks many stories, which is important in Japan where internet access isn't as ubiquitous as in the US. It also offers a good cross-section of gaming platforms as it tends to cover everything while other periodicals are generally limited to a certain console. Plus the weekly format is really nice.
Quakeulf @ Jan 21st 2007 11:28PM
samfish has dug himself a cave in which he can safely point his head out and randomly call people "racist" before he hides again, and at the same time be completely shut off from the real world.
So here's the real for ya, samfish:
http://www.somethingawful.com/index.php?a=3104
http://www.somethingawful.com/index.php?a=3572
http://www.somethingawful.com/index.php?a=348
CJC @ Jan 21st 2007 11:36PM
Sid Icarus. How DO you cram so much ignorance into a single comment? You MUST tell me your dark secrets.
Surely, people of different places couldn't have tastes...
Tamyu @ Jan 22nd 2007 12:01AM
It`s funny though, because people outside of Japan take Famitsu review numbers at *face value*. People in Japan actually know which games are going to have biased reviews, and automatically read that into the score. Certain games are going to get a score in a certain range - it`s where in the range they score that makes the difference. If you know a game is going to get between 30 and 40 no matter what, and they score a 32... It`s similar to scoring a 40/100 on a different scale. On the other hand, if it`s an unknown game by a tiny company with no advertising power, and they get a 32/40, it`s a real 32. It`s also biased toward "If you are the type who likes this type of game!", which makes far more sense to me than just a random guy reviewing. I hate FPS games, and would probably not enjoy one, so I would score it low. However, that has nothing to do with how "good" the actual game is, and a fan wouldn`t take my review seriously. A high score doesn`t mean a game is great, it just scores for people who enjoy those types of games. If you play a game because it got a high score and think it sucks... You probably don`t enjoy that type of game. Instead of having to hunt around for a review from someone who shares your gaming style, it`s all in one magazine. Really though - if you hate a certain type of game, even if it gets a perfect score you`re not going to enjoy it. That isn`t a problem with the review, that`s just your personal taste.
If you know the magazine and their scoring style, then they are generally very accurate. People in Japan who read Famitsu understand the scoring, people in other places who aren`t familiar with it don`t. I`ll stick to Famitsu.
samfish @ Jan 22nd 2007 12:05AM
When I start to care about what xenophobic troglodytes like yourself think, Quakeulf, I'll be sure to let you know first.
Ignorance offends me. And you are perilously close to doing so, too.
If you don't like that, go crawl back under your bridge.
Quakeulf @ Jan 22nd 2007 12:18AM
If you keep turning left you end up going in a circle, lol.
GhaleonQ @ Jan 22nd 2007 1:14AM
THE PHRASE IS, "COULD NOT CARE LESS."
Grunge @ Jan 22nd 2007 2:30AM
How in the hell can you call bought reviews part of the "scoring system"? That's ridiculous.
And as for Japan - their culture is very different from ours. You can buy used panties out of a vending machine. The age of consent is 13. The United States has the death penalty, a gun culture, and a rabid fear driven media. And as for Japan relying more on paper publication because there's not as high a proliferation of internet ... here's some data from the CIA:
Japan:
86.3 million users, 28.3 million hosts, 127.5 million people (68% of country are users)
United States:
205.3 million users, 195.1 million hosts, 298.4 million (68% of country are users)
syco @ Jan 22nd 2007 2:41AM
I inadvertently lied, actually I own two non-Japanese games. Metroid Prime (Texan) and Eternal Darkness (Canadian).
Cryoakira @ Jan 22nd 2007 4:14AM
It's pretty sad that the article does not explain how Famitsu work.
Here is a translation of what said a french journalist (Gregoire Helliot aka "Greg") who also used to work for Famitus Xbox (among other).
"
The scores of famitsu, how it works :
1) Famitsu is a weekly magazine. Thus there are 4 teams making one magazine per month, with one chief editor each.
2) Before starting testing a game, the chief editor and the reviewers have a meeting and discuss about the game. If the chief editor got special orders from the publisher (don't be to harsh or so) he tells them there.
3) The 4 reviewers play the game.
4) They go back to the chief editor the day the magazine is finished and discuss again. They each agree on the score they will give to the game.
5) The chief editor sends the scores to the publishers so they can comment about them.
6) If the publicher is not happy with the scores, he negotiates. For example : "All right, you are harsh on that one, but the next one you give me a free ad, ok ?"
There it is, it's not that difficult. I say "Famitsu" because I know it from the inside, but in Japan it works like that everywhere. The magazine get the images and infos MONTHS before the official press release, but wait for the publishers before doing anything with them. There is absolutely no research from them.
All the pages about a game are sent and verified by each publisher. If they do a feature about Devil May Cry, it will be checked by Capcom who will send back the page saying them to change a title or some texts...
I hope I did not destroy a myth"
And some might call it journalism...
SMERSH @ Jan 22nd 2007 6:01AM
Okay, so what? The seminal gaming magazine is at least moderately corrupt? Are we really surprised? Gaming media is pathetic, mostly. Everything is measured, nothing is analyzed. Is this better than that? Is it evolution or revolution? Give me a magazine that doesn't give me scores, but insight. That weighs and measures and doesn't spoon-feed me a definite answer.
I want perspective, I want critical thinking. I want fucking reviews, not someone telling me how to spend my money.
SMERSH @ Jan 22nd 2007 6:08AM
I know I just used 'everything is measured' as an insult and then said 'give me something that measures'. I know what I meant.
Quakeulf @ Jan 22nd 2007 6:12AM
There is a place for people like you, SMERSH, it is called... Utopia :p
Sid Icarus @ Jan 22nd 2007 6:57AM
To #25.
I happen to be a moderate Liberal.
However I still feel that the importation of Japans so called "Cool" industry into America is more of a cure rather then a blessing.
SMERSH @ Jan 22nd 2007 7:34AM
@38: Yes, Quakeulf you're probably right. Just one little magazine? Please? It doesn't seem so hard. That guy who said we need a Lester Bangs was dead on the money, except he was a little bit naive. But so am I. It's a shame the industry is so...I dunno. Centralized? There's not much place for indie developers or indie (print) media in the console scene.
Oh, for a perfect world...
Feanor @ Jan 22nd 2007 10:29AM
"Like I said, Famitsu, anime, everything from Japan in general is crap."
You're not a liberal, you're a fu*king idiot.
jdb @ Jan 22nd 2007 11:13AM
Sid,
I imagine most people realize that the US/Europe console video game market is considerably larger than the Japanese market. Nonetheless, the US market is still driven predominantly by Japanese games and development styles -- or atleast, such was true up to and including last generation; this new generation could be different.
Generally (obviously there are exceptions), the US console gamer market tends to fall into gamers who grew-up on Japanese consoles and gamers who grew up on PCs. It comes as no surprise that the two camps tend to favor Japanese games and American games respectively. Prior to last generation, consoles were played almost exclusively by console gamers -- lack of quality FPS/RTS/etc games and online play turned off PC gamers. The Xbox changed that, as did PS2 exclusives that appealed to PC gamer interests. Since 2001, the console market has become much more complex and interesting with a more varied gaming taste than ever before. Nevertheless, the market still leans heavily in favor of Japanese gaming for the time being. Those who found Super Mario World, Final Fantasy, Ocarina of Time, etc to be amazing games as youth are probably still buying predominately Japanese games as adults. And, frankly, there's nothing wrong with that. Neither is it wrong to dislike Japanese games. Both sides, however, should be intelligent enough to realize that neither gaming type is going away anytime soon, nor will either gaming type ever garnish more than 70% market share.
======
However I still feel that the importation of Japans so called "Cool" industry into America is more of a cure rather then a blessing.
======
Why? Everything Japan is today is influenced by the United States. The US established it's modern government and economy, the US provides it's military security and international importance. This is nothing akin to the US becoming dependant on Chinese products and culture, given that such is an ideologically conflicting nation with generally less than friendly intentions towards the US (and vice versa, mind you). Japan is as influenced by American cultures as American culture is influenced by Japan, and the two nations are one of the few left in the world that focus heavily on R&D and a strong middle class vs. the low-wage mass-manufacturing economic system employed in most of the other top economies.
As for anime, I'll be the first to admit that most of it sucks. On the other hand, there's plenty of good anime too. The primary reason I'm an anime fan, however, is simply because the US has largely gave up on animation and anime is all that is left. My wife and I both talk fondly of the late 80s/90s when animation ruled the US airwaves: there were cartoons from 5-9 every morning, 2-5 every afternoon, and the big 6-12 Saturday morning block on every network. This was quality American animation too: Ninja Turtles, GI Joe, Mighty Max, Xmen, Animaniacs, etc. These days, US animations is generally found only on a few cartoon-specific channels and the overall lack of competition has resulted in shitty shows. Even Hollywood has given up on 2D animation. Disney is no longer making theatrical 2D movies anymore, releasing all 2D straight-to-DVD (which means low budgets and thus shitter shows) and focusing solely on 3D. I'd estimate the Ghibli/Miyazaki craze in recent years is only 50% due to anime nerd fandom with the other 50% simply because those films appeal to the same market that 2D Disney films used to. And hell, Disney realizes this fact given their involvement in the localization and theatrical release of all recent Ghibli films.