Although Japan has exported some of the world’s most popular game franchises, such as Pokémon, Dark Souls, and JRPGs like Final Fantasy and Legend of Zelda, it has not produced many games that have been widely influential on the global market. A recent move by Nintendo to localize its mobile games like Super Mario Run may change that. This article will explain what Japanese gamers can look forward to in 2021.
In a recent Nintendo Direct held in New York, Nintendo announced that it would begin localizing its popular mobile games to foreign countries. This is an unprecedented move for Nintendo since it makes about half of its revenue from overseas markets. With the company finally looking outside of Japan to make money, there are new possibilities for Japanese games overseas. In the future, Japanese developers may be able to explore a wider audience while continuing to develop unique content. As of now, it is unclear how Nintendo’s mobile games will be localized, but we can be sure that many Japanese developers are taking notes.
Outside of mobile gaming, the biggest news in video gaming is the recent announcement of The Last of Us Zero, a prequel to the hit PS3 game The Last of Us. The original game was praised for its beautiful art style and a well-crafted story about the power struggle between humanity and a fungal infection outbreak. The story’s director, Neil Druckmann, decided to create a prequel because he felt that the events leading up to the game would be better served if it were told from another character’s perspective. This news leaves many consumers and critics interested in hearing more about how the story will continue in this new game.
In 2021, Japanese games overseas may take on these stylistic trends from Western developers and combine them with their own unique elements. If this happens, we will likely see an increase of highly cinematic games that drive emotional engagement with users.
In addition to the many blockbuster titles that are due out in 2021, there will also be a number of indie games that provide a new perspective on video gaming. One of these is Solar Warden, a strategy game about space colonization. While the gameplay is not groundbreaking, it presents a unique story through news broadcasts as you build up your colony and decide how to interact with other colonies in the system. The game was recently released in Japan but is not yet available to foreigners.
The trend that may affect Japanese developers the most in 2021 is the rise of more unique gameplay experiences that are focused on subtlety and expression. This genre, known as “psycho-game development,” uses art to provoke players’ emotions. These types of games have a unique way of allowing players to define their own emotional response, rather than following traditional game mechanics and conventions. Some of these games will include the highly anticipated game I Am Setsuna, which was released in Japan this year. The game’s director says that he wants to create an experience in which players can “feel the loneliness of a world without communication.”
In addition to new ways for Japanese developers to escape from their normal conventions, we may also see some unique gameplay styles targeting niche audiences. If Namco’s Dark Souls-inspired game Project Re Fantasy is any indication, there will be a number of highly difficult games that tailor to its fans.
As the Japanese games market begins to open up, we can expect to see more unique experiences from developers who have been previously limited by their own genre or creative conventions. As Japan becomes a more important part of the global industry, there may be more opportunities for Western and Japanese collaborations.
Tokyo Olympic Games Will Go Ahead in 2021
Although the announcement was initially delayed, the Tokyo Olympic Games are set to go ahead in 2021.
On September 6th, a statement was finally released confirming that the Olympics will be held in Tokyo for a second time, following hosting back in 1964. The decision finally came about the following criticism over preparations for 2020’s games after concerns were raised about cost overruns and delays.
Despite the announcement, some are still uncertain over the exact location of the event due to cost concerns and safety issues. The organizing committee is not even sure where they will run their events, as a potential solution is to move venues from one city to another. Originally planned in Fukushima Prefecture, they fear that their remote region could be cut off from other cities if an earthquake or tsunami occurred. The organizing committee has already received a proposal to move the games out of Fukushima, and have also considered taking the games to other cities including Kitakyushu, Okinawa or Aichi. The Prime Minister’s Office is currently investigating whether or not taxpayers’ money should be used for moving the games.
The delay in announcing the Games will cost an extra 1.4 billion dollars to taxpayers, which will be used for finishing preparations for 2020’s Tokyo Olympics. The Tokyo Metropolitan Government has already spent 1.2 billion dollars on the 2020 Games, which is another reason they have delayed the announcement of the 2016 Games.
The Organizing Committee for the Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games has also appealed to the Japanese government to provide financial support for hosting future Olympics in Japan. The Prime Minister’s Office has yet to announce a decision regarding this. This unexpected delay will also adversely affect preparations for the 2020 Summer Olympics, which was scheduled to be held in Tokyo. This year’s Summer Olympics took place in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
