Japanese game pubs jumping from Sony to Nintendo

by Kyle Orland { Jun 27th 2007 at 11:06AM }

The biggest third parties in Japan are throwing their support behind Nintendo in a big way. Namco/Bandai, Sega and Capcom are all increasing both the number of distinct titles and the number of units ordered for games on Nintendo systems, according to research done by the Nikkei newspaper and reported by Variety Asia. Namco Bandai alone is planning a ridiculous 115 games for the DS and Wii in fiscal 2007, a 109 percent increase. Sony, meanwhile, can expect a 30 to 40 percent decline in shipment orders from the big three, according to the report.

In more potential bad news for Sony, the Variety article off-handedly mentions that "Square Enix ... has no plans to develop titles for the PS3 until sales improve enough to make the steep development costs financially worthwhile." This seems to confirm earlier reports that the company wouldn't release any PS3 games until the next fiscal year starts on April 1, 2008. Deep breaths, Final Fantasy fans. Just remember, patience is a virtue.

Tags: Bandai, Capcom, Japan, jump ship, JumpShip, Namco, Namco Bandai, NamcoBandai, Nintendo, Sony, third-party

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)

vidGuy @ Jun 27th 2007 11:14AM

Capcom got it perfect with RE4 controls... can we get an exclusive RE that isn't on rails? Some of their other games are great franchises and would be more than welcome on Wii.

Sega's nice to have onboard but I haven't been much into their games. Are there any gems I'm missing, Sega fans?

I wouldn't be surprised if Square Enix does everything they can to get out of any deals they have for exclusivity with Sony.

Arglor @ Jun 27th 2007 11:15AM

Isn't odd how they use "Games" in the descriptor to demonstrate how the DS and Wii games are growing, and then percentages for how Sony's games are dropping. This ambiguity brings to mind a lack of cohesion and can allow for drastic interpretations.

Vince @ Jun 27th 2007 11:17AM

Actually they use both, you just read what works best for trolling, though.

The True Gamer @ Jun 27th 2007 11:18AM

Squenix has finally come to the conclusion that Sony's Bloo-ray machine is a DVD player and not a game console.

Shagittarius @ Jun 27th 2007 11:20AM

These companies are gonna be hurting when A) They realize casual gamers don't buy many games. and B) The Wii bubble of interest bursts and people move on.

Oh well though, thats what you'll get for jumping on the hype bandwagon. They will return to the real consoles later on.

CowboyGA @ Jun 27th 2007 11:23AM

From that many games that soon, I fear it'll turn into a poop factory, coming up with one great winner and then churning crap to mimic it.

MAL @ Jun 27th 2007 11:24AM

Remember all those demos of Final Fantasy 6 for the N64 but the game came eventually came out on another console. What if the next FF comes out for the DS; if the Square Wii game does well, that could be another option... I am just saying

FrankTheCrank @ Jun 27th 2007 11:30AM

This is what happens when you sell a bazillion pieces of hardware.

Nintendo knocked it out of the park. Cheap hardware at great prices and a killer franchise.

Pre-Wii, everyone, including myself, thought high end graphics were a must. Wow, N proved them wrong. Wow.

whosmav @ Jun 27th 2007 11:30AM

Say bye bye to FF fanboys. Like I've been sayin'!

whosmav @ Jun 27th 2007 11:31AM

poor shaggy

Vidikron @ Jun 27th 2007 11:33AM

Yay to downgrades! 480p, here I come (again)!

FrankTheCrank @ Jun 27th 2007 11:34AM

@11, hehehe...seriously, farking 480P. jeeezus kryst!

Matt B @ Jun 27th 2007 11:38AM

10 stellar titles > 100 crappy titles.

MB @ Jun 27th 2007 11:39AM

#7 aint gonna happen, FF developers said on numerous occassion they want FF to be realistic,and Nomura just recently said PS3 was only console that could allow him to do as he wanted. The only other viable option would be 360, but that one does even worse in Japan, even after 2 high profile rpgs. Basically theyre stuck with ps3, hence why theyre waiting it out till it picks up steam in Japan.

vidGuy @ Jun 27th 2007 11:39AM

"I'm in ur Wii, stealing ur polygonz"

flameofdoom666 @ Jun 27th 2007 11:40AM

FF 13 for Wii... FTW! Who knows anymore!

flameofdoom666 @ Jun 27th 2007 11:43AM

Honestly, Square made a decent amount of DS titles, with DQ 9 for the DS, maybe FF 13 can be a reality on Wii!

If the Crystal Chronicals series does well on the DS and Wii, I wouldn't count it out! (plus FF13 is supposed to be the only FF next gen -in the numbered series-). They want to make a few games of it so the whole universe of the game is covered. So if FF 13 does appear on the Wii, it can also appear on every other system.

JodyAnthony @ Jun 27th 2007 11:43AM

sure am glad I love games for the games themselves, and not for what console they come out for.

X_Arre @ Jun 27th 2007 11:43AM

Matt B, that is absolutely true. But I really don't understand how it fits into this conversation.

I mean, you honestly don't beleive that if a system has a lot more games, its going to have less good games than a console which gets substantially less games in the first place, do you?

OrganicShadow @ Jun 27th 2007 11:45AM

They want to make nextgen games, they just need money to do it. Selling quick, easy-to-make, Wii and DS games for the price of full game will get them some serious profit to fund their real nextgen games.

This is just a phase.

One thing I find funny though is SE kept boasting about their White Engine, and now PS3 is too expensive to develop for? I thought you guys were making good progress and had this engine going? Is it the number of PS3's sold? Because last time I checked it's almost at the 6 million mark globally.

Oh yeah, that's right. You guys want to sell your games to the Japanese first and not US or UK. How does that fit in with your new strategy you just talked about? You know, the one about releasing games globally now instead of in Japan first... ;)

JodyAnthony @ Jun 27th 2007 11:45AM

every console has shovelware. the most popular console usually ends up with the most shovelware.

Shagittarius @ Jun 27th 2007 11:48AM

But Nintendo consoles always end up with more shovelware than the average...and its going to be extra bad for the wii.

JodyAnthony @ Jun 27th 2007 11:53AM

yeah, gamecube with its 500 or so games had more shovelware than ps2 with its 1500 or so. Whatever you say, shagi.

ps2 was more popular, the biggest seller, thus ps2 got the a lot more of the shit that companies tried to make a quick buck off of such as Knight Rider 2 or Gravity Games Bike: Street, Vert, Dirt.

JodyAnthony @ Jun 27th 2007 11:54AM

its a fact of life in any business. The most popular item has the most shit for it. Just look at the myriad of ipod carrying cases and the like out there.

sheppy @ Jun 27th 2007 11:57AM

Okay, seriously.... I don't know where to chime in here.

I mean, the fantards are attacking from all sides. It's pretty much like trying to decide where to put that pill that you KNOW won't do a fucking thing in Dr. Mario lv29. It's useless, absolutely useless! The swirling mass of trolling threatens to pull me in but it's hard to tell, with such a vortex, what rock I should cling to... I mean, even 360 is mentioned here... HOW THE HELL DOES THAT HAPPEN?!?

JodyAnthony @ Jun 27th 2007 11:58AM

dont fight it, sheppy

embrace teh joystiq

Twinkie @ Jun 27th 2007 12:02PM

Now I feel good about myself for owning the Wii60 combo. Square Enix is being a lil' harsh on Sony, because a game like Final Fantasy (even though i'm not a fan of the series) would be a system seller for Sony.

Fernando Rocker @ Jun 27th 2007 12:05PM

@Matt B

"10 stellar titles > 100 crappy titles"

Just like the PS2... face it, Nintendo will dominate this gen, and will have a lot of good games.

Shagittarius @ Jun 27th 2007 12:08PM

Let me know when Nintendo releases their first great game.

And no I don't count that puzzle game with travel time as a great game.

Adv2k1 @ Jun 27th 2007 12:09PM

This proves Sony and PS3 isn't just a PRESENT DAY failure but will be A FUTURE DATED bomb.

It's one thing to say "PS3 will have better games in future", its another if they DON"T EXIST!

Casuals may not buy Final Fantasy but hardcore people who own the console will.

Look at Breath of Fire 2 just came out on VC in Japan, thats not for casual and for $8 thats a freaken steal. The casual market is only part of the wii marketbase, the hardcore as well. I camped out day before launch date FOR ZELDA, casual gamers didn't camp out on day one, but now are for Wiisports

vidGuy @ Jun 27th 2007 12:14PM

Shaggi, you are decades late for Nintendo as a whole and 7 months late for the Wii's lineup.

JodyAnthony @ Jun 27th 2007 12:15PM

#29 is proof why noone should take anything shagi says seriously.

Shagittarius @ Jun 27th 2007 12:17PM

Really? Beacuse I found Zelda boring and totally devoid of any actual gaming other than the puzzle type?

Is that really reason enough? Maybe if your a total fanboy who can't bear to hear their favorite console or its software questioned.

tituspullo @ Jun 27th 2007 12:18PM

hey sony fans! what's wrong with your console?

megaStryke @ Jun 27th 2007 12:19PM

I am NPC.

"This road will take you to the palace, but it is currently guarded by a sinister beast. You must seek the Siren's Lute in order to quell the beast and gain passage."

Fernando Rocker @ Jun 27th 2007 12:22PM

@Shagittarius

"B) The Wii bubble of interest bursts and people move on."

Its been almost 7 months since the Wii launch... and every month I keep reading the same... so, no, the "buble" will not burst anytime soon...

And I bet my ass that there are a lot of more casual gamers with the PS3, people with money that doesnt now anything about videogames, who use it as a Bluray player.

All the thousands and thousansd of people who camped the launch day for the Wii (and the ones who still camp) are real hardcore gamers.

copa @ Jun 27th 2007 12:22PM

@13 MattB "10 stellar titles > 100 crappy titles."

I was wondering how long this would take. On June 27, 2007, Final Fantasy XIII now became a 'crappy title' because it is indefinitely delayed on the PS3.

Enter the world of madness:

Gamer: PS3 sales look awful.

Matt B: As soon as the big games come out, the sales will skyrocket.

Gamer: But the big games are keep getting pushed back to 2008 and beyond.

Matt B: As soon as the sales pick up, publishers will be all over the PS3.

Gamer: But PS3 sales look awful.

Matt B: As soon as the big games come out, the sales will skyrocket...

Snukadaman @ Aug 17th 2007 4:19AM

ROFLMAO its like a robot..how cute

JodyAnthony @ Jun 27th 2007 12:25PM

"Really? Beacuse I found Zelda boring and totally devoid of any actual gaming other than the puzzle type?

Is that really reason enough? Maybe if your a total fanboy who can't bear to hear their favorite console or its software questioned."

My favorite console right now is PS2, unless you count handhelds in which case its PSP (Wipeout Pure has been kicking my ass)

The reason is because it doesnt matter WHAT nintendo puts out, you will say its shit or 'kiddie' or whatever because YOU sir are the worthless fanboy, not I.

Shagittarius @ Jun 27th 2007 12:34PM

I'm a fanboy because I own every console and am disappointed that the only console that hasn't had a great game yet is the Wii?

I'll be happy when the Wii gets a game I want to play beacuse then I'll actually turn it on and use it.

I'm so desperate for a Wii game right now I'm actually considering Alien Syndrome. I didnt even like the original Alien Syndrome but I'm so desperate I'm actually planning on buying the Wiimake.

john @ Jun 27th 2007 12:38PM

When was the last time the system with the most games (crap games or not) did not come out on top in it's generation?

Fernando Rocker @ Jun 27th 2007 12:39PM

@Shagittarius

Metroid Prime 3 come un about a month and a half... remember, patience is a virtue.

This game will be so damn good.

Amir @ Jun 27th 2007 12:44PM

I am not sure why someone thinks the wii bubble will pop soon, for example look at the IPOD. If you juxapose those two against their competitors, for example Zune(or one of the many creative labs has produced over the years). They are inferior technically, but they have strong sells. It reminds me of a cheap cashmeir shirt vs buying the Raulph Lauren one for 100 bucks more. Nintendo Wii, is, and will continue to dominate the market. Sony, unfortunaly seems to be going the way the N64 went, I dont think they are out of the industry, but I think that they will need a lot more time to recoup the losses they have had from this endevor. 360 is here to stay, like it or not, though I assume that it could possibly do better then the PS3 if they contuie to lose deveolopers. at 9k a week in japan it will take them almost 10 months just to reach a million there, unfortunate, but the user base is just not there yet. It is going to take time to redevolpe it, and with all the wii360 owners, its going to be tough to recoop some of the ground they have lost. In addition, you should expect the WII to have a USB HD and also, since they are making a profit off each one, in about two-three years you will get a more refined Hi Def, hard drive WII 2 with better waggle