Throughout the Xbox 360 and PS3 generation, there was a noticeable movement among Japanese game developers as they aimed to capture the attention of western gamers. Capcom was a significant player in this shift with titles like Lost Planet 2, which attempted to merge elements of Monster Hunter with firearms and mechs, as well as the darker reimagining of the series with DmC: Devil May Cry. However, a remarkable turnaround has occurred in recent years, with Japanese games like Persona, Yakuza, Monster Hunter, and Nier achieving unprecedented success—a trend that continues to grow.
Recently, former PlayStation head Shuhei Yoshida remarked that Nier: Automata played a crucial role in revitalizing the Japanese gaming industry, noting that the game’s director, Yoko Taro, “crafted it without considering its overseas sales.” Yoko Taro responded to this acknowledgment while shedding light on an interesting aspect of the game’s development.
In a tweet, Yoko Taro expressed (via Twitter’s translation feature), “I’m honored to see Automata receiving such praise,” but clarified that the decision to focus solely on the Japanese market was not purely his. “Producer [Yosuke] Saito instructed me to create it for the Japanese audience without worrying about international reviews.” Following this, Yoko Taro shared more details, reminiscing, “I was told something like, ‘Yokoo, you can’t make games for overseas markets, so please do your best to create one for Japan at least.’
Although Saito’s initial response might seem blunt, he followed up with a subsequent tweet, stating, “I didn’t say it quite like that. As Japanese developers, there’s no need for us to alter ourselves to gain popularity overseas.” Saito elaborated, “Furthermore, if we gather a global audience that enjoys Japanese games made by a Japanese creator (Yoko-san, uniquely him), there should be about 1 million fans!”
The original Nier had a notably lackluster commercial performance; in a 2019 discussion, Yoko Taro revealed to GameInformer that “we sold around 500,000 units. For the first Nier, we weren’t particularly in the red, but it didn’t exactly qualify as a success either.” Therefore, the phenomenal success of Automata caught many by surprise; the title skyrocketed in popularity, resulting in increased merchandise sales for Square Enix, while its lead character, 2B, featured as a guest in several games, including Soul Calibur 6 and Monster Hunter Frontier Z.
Masahiro Sakurai, the esteemed creator of Super Smash Bros., recently expressed that instead of focusing on creating more “Americanized” games, Japanese developers should “embrace the uniqueness and enjoyment of Japanese gaming”