I'm happy to hear that you will be translating an otome game but.. why the PSP version? They did make a DS and it seems the more popular console in the states. I dunno, I was mega hyped but sadly I don't own a PSP nor plan to so no otome game for me. Those with one I hope you enjoy your game though.
Hakuoki is out on the regular DS not the 3DS. They are making a 3DS version but it's not out yet.
To me personally there is no game that has pushed me that far to buy one. If for instance say Growlanser was localized I think that would be my push but I made a list of all the games I would buy for PSP and none really grab me that I NEED to get one.
Also I just purchased a 3DS so I don't plan on purchasing Vita anytime soon. I tend to buy systems with the idea of what games I'll play for it. For instance the 3DS will be having Harvest Moon later and the recently announced Rune Factory 4 (which I'm 99% sure Natsume would localize both). Vita has yet anything if at all yet and even if it did what are the odds of it being localized? PSP DOES have a lot of games out for it, yes, but not here. Prime example is Growlanser like I said earlier.
Wrath
Member
Im happy they are going for the PSP considering thus far any DS system hurts my hands after about twently minuts and to me I wont overly play the games for it because of that the PSP on the other hand dosent hurt therfor,even though I have so few games for it, I play the hell outta those games because I dont have to take hour breaks every twenty minuts.
So im much happier to have any game on the PSP over any ,old or new DS type system.
Hollow_Ninja
Member
Well, about time for a PSP VN. Funny that it should happen just after I get a 3DS...
You know, these days it feels like Aksys always focuses on consoles while I don't own them. They stopped favoring the 360 as soon as I got one, too...
It's probably just me, though.
caddyalan
Member
You can buy a PSP system pretty cheap these days, especially one in used condition.
I'm curious why the Aksys and Idea Factory staff chose Hakuouki. As far as I know, it's a straightforward visual novel, and doesn't include any complex gameplay. I was expecting the two companies would choose a title with stat-building, such as Wand of Fortune, or Otometeki Koi Kakumei Love Revo.
Also, I was rather surprised that Hakuouki will be released not only on the Playstation Store, but also on UMDs. There's two reasons why I say this...
First, it's no secret that much of the video game industry believes that PSP games in English aren't profitable. Gamestop stores rarely stock more than two copies of niche PSP games, and other stores only stock a handful of PSP games.
Second, it's rather surprising that Sony is allowing a visual novel to be published in English on one of its consoles. According to a Siliconera article from late June 2010, the NIS America staff stated that Sony rejected the PSP port of Sakura Wars 1-2 for localization because it didn't seem to have much gamplay. I wonder if something changed, or if this is a coincidence.
I'm still concerned on whether Hakuouki has much of an audience. It has an anime spinoff, but that series hasn't been licensed, and isn't officially streaming anywhere. While I will probably buy it, I suspect that only a modest number of other English speaking fans are interested in a visual novel loosely based on Japanese history. (In that same June 2010 article, NIS America staff said that the English version of Sakura Wars 5 did not sell well.)
Well, I suppose we'll see if any news or announcements get made during the Idea Factory panel.
I totally agree to your line of thinking, caddyalan!
Hakuouki might just not be the best choice for Aksys' first otome game release. The theme is very particular and hard to localise imo. It's also a very depressing game, storywise and got a huge amount of text to read.
I'd also have thought that they'd choose a stat raiser or some other genre hybrid (like Kanuchi with the item collecting / weapon forging). I'm interested in Hakuouki and I'll surely import it (as I'm not from the US), but I'm afraid it won't be the best selling game and that there'll be no future otome game releases. ;_;
I could have seen them release a game like Kurayami no Hate de Kimi o Matsu as it's quite similar to 999, in terms of story and gameplay (only that you're not trapped in a boat but an old school building).
innuendologist
Member
I was also thinking it would sell just so-so, but on Siliconera it got a ton of comments quickly.
Now it has probably around 150 (pretty much all positive) comments from maybe 120ish people.
With most game announcements or even articles in general, we have maybe 50 to 75 at most.
Though it could be loyal fans expressing support.
demonview
Member
caddyalan said:According to a Siliconera article from late June 2010, the NIS America staff stated that Sony rejected the PSP port of Sakura Wars 1-2 for localization because it didn't seem to have much gamplay. I wonder if something changed, or if this is a coincidence.
The PSP has Disgaea Infinite, which has the gameplay of a choose-your-own-adventure book (and which was released in America in June 2010.) And it has that MGS:PW comic book. So this is a strange reason for them to reject a PSP game. Maybe there also weren't redeeming factors for Sony: exclusivity, etc.
A few years ago, when I was talking with an Idea Factory staff member, he said, that Sony is rather strict about novel games and also didn't like Japanese-only voice overs back then. Seeing how Disgaea Infinite and Agarest Senki have been localised they might have changed their mind?
kasumi1970
Member
Hollow_Ninja said:
Well, about time for a PSP VN. Funny that it should happen just after I get a 3DS...You know, these days it feels like Aksys always focuses on consoles while I don't own them. They stopped favoring the 360 as soon as I got one, too...
It's probably just me, though.
this sound like the Arcana Heart 3 problem all over again. if there is DS and psp version why not bring out both? The PSP is dead in the us and i can not see this game selling a lot. Aksys said Both games will be retail & PSN. so i could not see why they could not release this for the DS also. (just let people know I don't have a psp or DS )
Savvy
Member
Now this is just speculation here, but I'm pretty sure Aksys is aware of the state of the American PSP market. They probably had a lot of reasons to release Hakuoki PSP. It probably has the biggest brand recognition than any other otome game from Idea Factory because of the anime. Its voice overs might be cheaper to license. And as for the PSP, it has digital distribution and might have smaller royalty fees than the DS or home consoles. It's very likely that they have low sales projections for a game aimed at such a niche audience. But if you crunch everything down, it's possible to make a small profit even with tiny sales.
I'm looking at the glass half full here, because I'm super excited for Hakuoki and want even more otome games to come out afterwards. (Did someone say Kanuchi? YES PLEASE!)
animelly
Member
I don't have a PSP either. I can't even afford one right now since I only have a DS and a PS2 but it's completely dead now that all video games are released in PS3.
I really want Hakuouki games but now that I found out that it's gonna be on PSP. And I was so looking forward to play those games.
Hollow_Ninja
Member
Milki said:
A few years ago, when I was talking with an Idea Factory staff member, he said, that Sony is rather strict about novel games and also didn't like Japanese-only voice overs back then. Seeing how Disgaea Infinite and Agarest Senki have been localised they might have changed their mind?
I imagine that's the case. A company's standards typically change over time, and in the text of the NISA interview talking about Sakura Wars PSP, they said that it was another company that wanted to localize it, not NISA. I got the idea that it had happened a good while ago beforehand, too.
Sony's unlikely to review a game that they've already decided upon and make a different decision, though.
There's also the fact that in this case, the PSP is almost dead. Sony can't afford to be as picky right now.
Rogue Ninja
Member
animelly said:
I don't have a PSP either. I can't even afford one right now since I only have a DS and a PS2 but it's completely dead now that all video games are released in PS3.
I really want Hakuouki games but now that I found out that it's gonna be on PSP. And I was so looking forward to play those games.
But, it was only released in Japan on the PSP and PS3... and you don't seem to have either system. So what system did you want it for and how were you going to play it? If you really want to that much, you can always borrow a friend's PSP.
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