EA pulls plug on unproductive Japanese studio
by James Ransom-Wiley 
{ Feb 7th 2007 at 8:15PM }
EA Japan's muddling existence has come to an end, according to information received by 1UP. The studio has produced just one title, a port of Theme Park for DS (not yet released), in three years of operation, having failed at attempts to develop projects for PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360.The closure will apparently affect only about 20 employees -- many of whom will be relocated to other positions throughout the company -- as EA has been scaling back the studio's size for months. Despite EA Japan's collapse, studios in other parts of Asia, namely China and Singapore, continue to grow. "I think this closure is also as a result of the Japanese market not being as exciting compared to the possibilities for growth in China and other parts of Asia," a source told 1UP.
EA has yet to comment on the shutdown.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Baby21 @ Feb 7th 2007 8:32PM
EA don't mix asia gaming anyway.
Unit @ Feb 7th 2007 8:35PM
so why was there an ea japan in the first place?
Sammy D Kat @ Feb 7th 2007 8:36PM
Wow, I'm really tired of the racism on this site. I'm done with it.
Maylon @ Feb 8th 2007 4:51AM
What racism? I didnt see any.
you know @ Feb 7th 2007 8:50PM
boobs!
Number One @ Feb 7th 2007 9:08PM
@ #4
Its retarded aint it? Any jackass with a keyboard can force his opinions in someone's face. And by jackass I mean Moonfire, whatever the fuck that is...
fox @ Feb 7th 2007 9:14PM
Stupid EA. If they've spent the last 3 years focusing the studio's attention on developing for the 360 and the PS3, of course they're not going have any success. Considering that the 360 just came out a little over a year ago and the PS3 just three months ago and the install base for both consoles combined isn't half of what the DS sells in a month. Maybe something for the PS2 or GBA/DS would've have been the smarter business decision.
Dave @ Feb 7th 2007 9:24PM
EA barely knows how to create a half-decent game aimed at the American market. How they continue to make money with such mediocre offerings here is a mystery.
Justin @ Feb 7th 2007 11:28PM
Yet as Americans we clamor over games where we shoot police officers in the face, snipe Nazis in the head, become a spy and kill terrorists.
As for the Japanese they play games where you assume a character with a larger than life task, and the whole world is banking on your abilities to save them. And in the end you become a hero the likes of which they will never see again.
As for you Moonfire, you're one of the people I think should never have been born. Your ignorance and intolerance for other cultures proves your utter uselessness in society. Do joystiq and us all a big favor and burn your computer and stay indoors for the rest of your life, spewing your ignorance and racism to yourself. Consider it us sparing you your wasteful life.
As for EA closing, it is difficult having a game studio anywhere in the world, so I don't see a first time effort penetrating a difficult market.
Justin @ Feb 7th 2007 11:39PM
Moonfire is right (and funny) japanese people have a strange taste in games...
"As for the Japanese they play games where you assume a character with a larger than life task, and the whole world is banking on your abilities to save them. And in the end you become a hero the likes of which they will never see again."
Sounds like Halo! Why doesn't Japan like Halo?
Justin @ Feb 8th 2007 12:12AM
Not even worth my time =/
Cuja @ Feb 8th 2007 12:53AM
The Japanese ways are undermining any attempt by a North American company from establishing a market in their homeland. They're all setting pretty making all this loot from these Chinese sweatshops making sure nobody else gets in on this sweet prize. History repeats itself.
DeadPlasmaCell @ Feb 8th 2007 3:29AM
Aooohh this racism is killing me inside!! lol Charlie loves rape sims... Good times.
/is hispanic
JPRacer @ Feb 8th 2007 6:42AM
Stop screaming racism each time someone say something that you don't like. I don't see any racism here. There's some stereotypes but that's all.
jonathan @ Feb 8th 2007 7:42AM
Japanese don't buy Xbox because the games are boring and they're not interested in online.
If you think Japanese don't buy American you're completely wrong - just look at the iPod.
Oh and for the record, I'm not sure about games but I know many hentai anime sell more copies to America on import than they do in Japan.
Jeff @ Feb 8th 2007 7:53AM
"What racism? I didnt see any."
Yeah, racists usually don't think of themselves as such. But there's plenty of it in this thread, and any thread here about Japan.
"The Japanese ways are undermining any attempt by a North American company from establishing a market in their homeland. "
Yeah, a lot more likely that EA Japan proposed all sorts of ideas for games that would have sold well there and were shot down by a parent company that didn't understand the Japanese market.
I'm sure most of these guys are probably relieved to be out from under EA's thumb.
Slaziman @ Feb 8th 2007 10:13AM
@19
Games are boring huh? Are all the Europeans and Americans masochists then?
Jonathan @ Feb 8th 2007 2:10PM
Slaziman - My apologies, let me rephrase. They are boring to a Japanese audience.
If the 360 had lots of games that Japanese found fun and interesting, it would sell. Microsoft being a US company is irrelevant (aside from the fact that MS doesn't understand how to market to a Japanese audience).
I actually believe many Japanese are very welcoming and open-minded about products from foreign countries, but only if they make products that are well-suited for them.
http://youtube.com/watch?v=MJIyrcuX3oU
Guu @ Mar 1st 2007 11:43AM
I hear you look really cool when youcall the race card on internet forums.