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Falcom: Players in the west are moving to Nintendo Switch

Deleted member 58846

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So this comes from GamesIndustry Japan, in an article analysing the sales trends for Stadia, PS4, and Switch in Japan as well as globally. It's a long article, and I'm using machine translation as my base, so there's actually a high scope for error (so if someone who reads Japanese can/does correct any mistake I may have made, I will really appreciate it).

However, it seems like Falcom has identified a trend where players in the west are migrating towards the Nintendo Switch:

Other than Nintendo, Falcom also noted during their recent fiscal results briefing that players appear to be shifting to the Nintendo Switch in the United States, which seems to be manifesting as a big shift in trends there. This is potentially a trend that could have an impact on PlayStation 5 sales, and it's something that needs to be observed going forward.
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While I am not sure on the extent to which Switch sales will affect PS5 sales (if at all), at the very least it seems like Falcom has identified that the Switch is a platform that hosts a great RPG-playing demographic, which may inform their decisions as to which platform to target going forward. At the very least, the announcement that NISA will be porting Trails of Cold Steel 3 today (after Falcom already identified the global success of Ys 8 on the Switch) does seem to signal some change coming.
 
Comic Obsessed

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If they're talking about AA JRPGs, which is something Falcom especializes in, then I guess they're right.

Still, is pretty weird that Falcom are acknowledging the Switch this way.
 
DaveLong

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Certainly at the beginning of a generation on PS5 or Xbox whatevs, you're going to see graphical quality set a bar that will make anything even remotely "indie" seem like a waste of time. It will take a little bit for that to smooth out to where the winner can see a broadening of content that includes more games that are not pushing system resources like the launch games will.
 
Lant_War

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Said it before: Home console gaming's got their days counted. The current lifestyle is too volatile for gaming to be only available at home.
 
Mr_Antimatter

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DaveLong said:
Certainly at the beginning of a generation on PS5 or Xbox whatevs, you're going to see graphical quality set a bar that will make anything even remotely "indie" seem like a waste of time. It will take a little bit for that to smooth out to where the winner can see a broadening of content that includes more games that are not pushing system resources like the launch games will.
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I doubt many indie fans care about visuals, given the sort of games they are buying.
 

Deleted member 8593

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If Falcom is only now realizing that the Switch might be a viable platform for them, I wanna join them on one of their after-work parties. Must be pretty lit if not downright depraved.
 
gundamkyoukai

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Are they going to say the same thing after PS5\Next xbox come out .
PS4 and XB on there last legs which is a given and switch is on normally the best time in a system life.
 
Xero grimlock

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now release us classic collection with their top down games and and an ys 3d collection with the newer style.
 
CaviarMeths

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DaveLong said:
I agree, which means these games don't need to be on PS5 or Xbox whatevs for awhile. Switch and the prior consoles will be fine for them. These developers/publishers need the expanded base to sell to.
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Indies were crucial to Sony's strategy at the beginning of the PS4 life cycle before they had a full library of AAA games to market. I remember Transistor in particular benefiting greatly from the relatively weak launch line-up.

And they're still crucial to Microsoft's Gamepass strategy.
 

konoka

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The notorious writer "Ace Yasuda" (エース安田) should be a banned source.
Don't believe this.
 
OP
OP

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gundamkyoukai said:
Are they going to say the same thing after PS5\Next xbox come out .
PS4 and XB on there last legs which is a given and switch is on normal the best time in a system life.
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For a domestic focused company like Falcom, restricting themselves to PlayStation makes increasingly less sense with each passing day. Unless PlayStation puts out a product actually appealing for Japan (i.e., not a home console), their market presence is going to continue to shrink.
 
PMS341

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Mr_Antimatter said:
I doubt many indie fans care about visuals, given the sort of games they are buying.
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Visuals are one of the most important aspects of a game to me, including indie games. Why would indies be excluded from having a good visual style, or are you referring specifically to HD 3D models/textures/etc. with the aesthetic of a AAA budget? Games like Hollow Knight look better than something like Anthem, for instance, to me.
 
Xx 720

Xx 720

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Octopath Traveler hit number one the month it came out, don't think that would of happened on the other consoles. I suspect Japanese heavy hitters will migrate to Switch its too much money to leave on the table.
 
Aaronrules380

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9-Volt said:
Add Namco there too. They are the master of "testing" the Switch owners. Give me my Kakarot already, Namco. I did what you asked me to.
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With Namco I'm pretty confident they always have the switch ports planned they just don't prioritize development so it comes later and they keep it under wraps because they see people begging for games as free marketing
 
Mr_Antimatter

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PMS341 said:
Visuals are one of the most important aspects of a game to me, including indie games. Why would indies be excluded from having a good visual style, or are you referring specifically to HD 3D models/textures/etc. with the aesthetic of a AAA budget? Games like Hollow Knight look better than something like Anthem, for instance, to me.
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Was referring to ultra realistic AAA art styles. I love non realistic rendered games and high quality pixel art.
 
logash

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The One Who Knocks said:
For a domestic focused company like Falcom, restricting themselves to PlayStation makes increasingly less sense with each passing day. Unless PlayStation puts out a product actually appealing for Japan (i.e., not a home console), their market presence is going to continue to shrink.
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True but that has nothing to do with what this thread is about right? I think it's pretty obvious that Falcon should eventually release for both but isn't the point of this thread to say that Western fans are moving to switch? In which case, isn't it a valid response to say some of that has to do with PS4 being on its last legs and Switch being in it's prime?
 
gundamkyoukai

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The One Who Knocks said:
For a domestic focused company like Falcom, restricting themselves to PlayStation makes increasingly less sense with each passing day. Unless PlayStation puts out a product actually appealing for Japan (i.e., not a home console), their market presence is going to continue to shrink.
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I mean i agree .
They should put there games on everything even XB since the systems so similar and will be even more so next gen .( plus there games don't take much power )
Even if they have to outsource the port just that what he saying don't make sense if we talking about the upcoming system sales in the western market .
 
OP
OP

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Dust said:
So why did you post this lmao
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For discussion? If anyone has a correction, I'll gladly make it, as I say right there in the OP.
Any other questions?

logash said:
True but that has nothing to do with what this thread is about right? I think it's pretty obvious that Falcon should eventually release for both but isn't the point of this thread to say that Western fans are moving to switch? In which case, isn't it a valid response to say some of that has to do with PS4 being on its last legs and Switch being in it's prime?
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Does it, necessarily, have to do with that? Because software sales for niche releases are typically not affected by life cycle considerations for a platform (see also, how strong the Vita was for niche releases in spite of Sony openly declaring it as discontinued, or a legacy system, multiple times). I think it just has to do with the fact that the Switch is an appealing platform for this kind of game, and that Nintendo has done a good job with cultivating that kind of audience for it.
 
Delusibeta

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Now, watch Cold Steel 3 get bashed by the Nintendo specific games press for having a story that assumes that you've played the (not available on any Nintendo platform) previous two games in the series. :v
 
gundamkyoukai

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The One Who Knocks said:
For discussion? If anyone has a correction, I'll gladly make it, as I say right there in the OP.
Any other questions?


Does it, necessarily, have to do with that? Because software sales for niche releases are typically not affected by life cycle considerations for a platform (see also, how strong the Vita was for niche releases in spite of Sony openly declaring it as discontinued, or a legacy system, multiple times). I think it just has to do with the fact that the Switch is an appealing platform for this kind of game, and that Nintendo has done a good job with cultivating that kind of audience for it.
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But he not talking software he is talking hardware other wise why mention how PS5 will sell .
Plus PS5 has BC so even if they on PS4 only PS5 players will still get to play them .
 
Flame Lord

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The One Who Knocks said:
For a domestic focused company like Falcom, restricting themselves to PlayStation makes increasingly less sense with each passing day. Unless PlayStation puts out a product actually appealing for Japan (i.e., not a home console), their market presence is going to continue to shrink.
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They still say the port is more due to the Switch's popularity in the west. Given that the PS5(maybe even Xbox) will probably blow up the Switch's spot in the west I'd be surprised they don't ditch it and move to the PS5.
 
logash

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The One Who Knocks said:
For discussion? If anyone has a correction, I'll gladly make it, as I say right there in the OP.
Any other questions?


Does it, necessarily, have to do with that? Because software sales for niche releases are typically not affected by life cycle considerations for a platform (see also, how strong the Vita was for niche releases in spite of Sony openly declaring it as discontinued, or a legacy system, multiple times). I think it just has to do with the fact that the Switch is an appealing platform for this kind of game, and that Nintendo has done a good job with cultivating that kind of audience for it.
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There is no denying that but there is no denying the other part of it either. PS4 is at the end of its life and a lot of fans have moved on. Whether the PS5 can renew interest in Western JRPG fan remains to be seen but we can't compare PS4 to Switch without also acknowledging that they are in different points of their life cycle.
 
cw_sasuke

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In Japan as well - looking at the current numbers...but they they rather stay ignorant about that.
 
smoothj

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If they get cod or battlefield on switch I wouldn't mind leaving my other gaming consoles
 
Dust

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Falcom definitely should expand themselves more to PC and Switch, I guess they are simply too small for multiplat development and they still like PlayStation the most.

CS III generally ran fine on PS4 but there two or three areas that ran like total ass so I don't expect wonders on PS5.
 

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Lol at Stadia. I'm guessing that initial sales are far from encouraging to devs who were on the fence like Falcom. Stadia Base needs to get here quickly.
9-Volt said:
Add Namco there too. They are the master of "testing" the Switch owners. Give me my Kakarot already, Namco. I did what you asked me to.
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The Kakarot devs pretty definitively ruled out a Switch version

I'll try to find the article later, think it was a Dualshocker interview
 
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