American developers on the decline?

So now I've got your attention this is something I was just running through in my head.

Recently Japanese developers have come under fire for lagging behind in games this generation. There have been very few big blockbuster next-gen Japanese developed titles with many being criticised for falling back on outdated and stale ideas and concepts. I in part agree with that but one thing that's never brought up in this debate is that Japan is a single country. Perhaps comparing the output of the rest of the world vs Japan isn't really very fair.

So how about we single out America as an example. How many truly great American developed game can you think of?

Crysis? no that's German. Mass Effect? nope it's Canadian. GTAIV? sorry it's British? Fable II, Little Big Planet? sorry they're British too. Killzone 2? afraid not. It's Dutch. Assassin's Creed? try again it's French. Bioshock? Getting warmer. That was a joint U.S./Australian venture.

About the only games that spring to mind are Halo 3. Call of Duty 4, Gears of War and Oblivion. That's still a pretty impressive line up but compare it with MGS4, Mario Galaxy, Gran Turismo and Resident Evil 5 and the disparity doesn't seem quite so large.

So is it fair to pit Japan against the rest of the world? or should we be a little more even handed with our judgements and compare Japan with other individual nations?

Japan may no longer be the undisputed king of videogames but they're certainley not slacking.

Why does it matter where a game is made. I don't pass on a game because it's not made in the US.

Isn't God of War made in America? That is another great franchise.DireOwl

There is also anything from Valve or Metroid Prime. You could make a list that keeps going on but what's the point?

I am not attacking you. I just seen this a lot and have never understood the reason.

[QUOTE="DireOwl"]Isn't God of War made in America? That is another great franchise.HarlockJC

There is also anything from Valve or Metroid Prime. You could make a list that keeps going on but what's the point?

I am not attacking you. I just seen this a lot and have never understood the reason.

Well I'm not the TC, so I can't tell you the reason. I just said the God of War thing for arguments sake. This is sytem wars after all.:P

i am a brit, so its great to see brilliant games that come from this small island.

That said valve, blizzard, id, epic are all american and all make very cool games

So now I've got your attention this is something I was just running through in my head.

Recently Japanese developers have come under fire for lagging behind in games this generation. There have been very few big blockbuster next-gen Japanese developed titles with many being criticised for falling back on outdated and stale ideas and concepts. I in part agree with that but one thing that's never brought up in this debate is that Japan is a single country. Perhaps comparing the output of the rest of the world vs Japan isn't really very fair.

So how about we single out America as an example. How many truly great American developed game can you think of?

Crysis? no that's German. Mass Effect? nope it's Canadian. GTAIV? sorry it's British? Fable II, Little Big Planet? sorry they're British too. Killzone 2? afraid not. It's Dutch. Assassin's Creed? try again it's French. Bioshock? Getting warmer. That was a joint U.S./Australian venture.

About the only games that spring to mind are Halo 3. Call of Duty 4, Gears of War and Oblivion. That's still a pretty impressive line up but compare it with MGS4, Mario Galaxy, Gran Turismo and Resident Evil 5 and the disparity doesn't seem quite so large.

So is it fair to pit Japan against the rest of the world? or should we be a little more even handed with our judgements and compare Japan with other individual nations?

Now the real elites coms in play they cry!

Japan may no longer be the undisputed king of videogames but they're certainley not slacking.

Tamashii-sosaku

Japan is better then America at game development. Same thing goes with automobiles.

all devs are still from the same planet :)

Japan is better then America at game development. Same thing goes with automobiles.

UnbiasedViewer

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QdPrB_lcpBc

[QUOTE="UnbiasedViewer"]

Japan is better then America at game development. Same thing goes with automobiles.

blackdreamhunk

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QdPrB_lcpBc

japans brags too much about being the best for years! which is false statement! If you brag that you are the best then you better back up with proof!blackdreamhunk

You know I can't think of a single Japanese developer that's bragged about Japanese games being the best in the world. I'd be intrigued if you could show me some evidence of it ever happening. The reason Japan got the recognition it did certainley wasn't because of its own bragging. It's just a simple acknowledged fact that Japan has made great contributions to the history of gaming.

But alot of people missed my point. The question of weather American developers are on the decline was rhetorical. I'm not saying the U.S. doesn't produce some great games and developers but rather that it's a little unfair to compare a single small island nation against the rest of the entire world.

[QUOTE="blackdreamhunk"]japans brags too much about being the best for years! which is false statement! If you brag that you are the best then you better back up with proof!Tamashii-sosaku

You know I can't think of a single Japanese developer that's bragged about Japanese games being the best in the world. I'd be intrigued if you could show me some evidence of it ever happening. The reason Japan got the recognition it did certainley wasn't because of its own bragging. It's just a simple acknowledged fact that Japan has made great contributions to the history of gaming.

But alot of people missed my point. The question of weather American developers are on the decline was rhetorical. I'm not saying the U.S. doesn't produce some great games and developers but rather that it's a little unfair to compare a single small island nation against the rest of the entire world.

BTW assassins creed was made by people of various faiths and backgrounds

atleast that what it said in the intro after the ubisoft logo

[QUOTE="blackdreamhunk"][QUOTE="UnbiasedViewer"]

Japan is better then America at game development. Same thing goes with automobiles.

JLF1

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QdPrB_lcpBc

thats debate-able it is one of my favourite games to come out for a long time. i would say its my all time fav first person shooter.

[QUOTE="Tamashii-sosaku"]

[QUOTE="blackdreamhunk"]japans brags too much about being the best for years! which is false statement! If you brag that you are the best then you better back up with proof!blackdreamhunk

You know I can't think of a single Japanese developer that's bragged about Japanese games being the best in the world. I'd be intrigued if you could show me some evidence of it ever happening. The reason Japan got the recognition it did certainley wasn't because of its own bragging. It's just a simple acknowledged fact that Japan has made great contributions to the history of gaming.

But alot of people missed my point. The question of weather American developers are on the decline was rhetorical. I'm not saying the U.S. doesn't produce some great games and developers but rather that it's a little unfair to compare a single small island nation against the rest of the entire world.

The TC didn't mention a single Swedish game :cry:JLF1

Dice are Swedish right? I was going to include Mirror's Edge in the list but forgot and left it off. Didn't mean to leave Sweden out. Part of my point was that too often people equate Western games to American games and think they're the same thing. Europe in general doesn't get the credit it deserves.

[QUOTE="blackdreamhunk"][QUOTE="Tamashii-sosaku"]

[QUOTE="blackdreamhunk"]japans brags too much about being the best for years! which is false statement! If you brag that you are the best then you better back up with proof!JLF1

You know I can't think of a single Japanese developer that's bragged about Japanese games being the best in the world. I'd be intrigued if you could show me some evidence of it ever happening. The reason Japan got the recognition it did certainley wasn't because of its own bragging. It's just a simple acknowledged fact that Japan has made great contributions to the history of gaming.

But alot of people missed my point. The question of weather American developers are on the decline was rhetorical. I'm not saying the U.S. doesn't produce some great games and developers but rather that it's a little unfair to compare a single small island nation against the rest of the entire world.

http://www.g4tv.com/tgs2008/blog/post/689938/Tokyo_Game_Show_Keynote_Blog.html

http://pc.qj.net/PlatinumGames-Inaba-to-Japanese-game-devs-be-more-creative-go-beyond-what-is-given/pg/49/aid/123962

[QUOTE="JLF1"]The TC didn't mention a single Swedish game :cry:Tamashii-sosaku

Dice are Swedish right? I was going to include Mirror's Edge in the list but forgot and left it off. Didn't mean to leave Sweden out. Part of my point was that too often people equate Western games to American games and think they're the same thing. Europe in general doesn't get the credit it deserves.

Come on I was just joking but it is interesting that not a lot of people know that Sweden has done some great games this gen like Mirror's Edge, Bionic Commando: Rearmed, Europa Universalis 3, The Darkness, World in Conflict, Penumbra etc.

European develoeprs are the second best. American develoeprs only make FPS games. GTA, Fable, Little Big Planet and, Banjo Kazooie, Mirrors Edge, viva pinata all came out of Europe

Japanese are still the best.

here is a link I'm sure I can find more were they think they are world leaders

http://www.g4tv.com/tgs2008/blog/post/689938/Tokyo_Game_Show_Keynote_Blog.html

http://pc.qj.net/PlatinumGames-Inaba-to-Japanese-game-devs-be-more-creative-go-beyond-what-is-given/pg/49/aid/123962

blackdreamhunk

I hac read alot articles for years japan saying they are the best!blackdreamhunk

http://www.g4tv.com/tgs2008/blog/post/689938/Tokyo_Game_Show_Keynote_Blog.html

http://pc.qj.net/PlatinumGames-Inaba-to-Japanese-game-devs-be-more-creative-go-beyond-what-is-given/pg/49/aid/123962

Sorry but how is a keynote speech about Japan's decline in the games industry given by a Japanese developer supposed to be proof that Japan used to always brag about how great it was?

You also have to take into account Japanese hardware if we're talking about the industry as a whole and not just development of games. Japanese hardware has ruled every console generation since the release of the original NES/Famicon. Not untill the 360 has any non Japanese hadware been able to even come close to touching them. Like it or not and imaginery bragging aside Japan has dominated the games world for the last 2 decades.

[QUOTE="Tamashii-sosaku"]

[QUOTE="JLF1"]The TC didn't mention a single Swedish game :cry:JLF1

Dice are Swedish right? I was going to include Mirror's Edge in the list but forgot and left it off. Didn't mean to leave Sweden out. Part of my point was that too often people equate Western games to American games and think they're the same thing. Europe in general doesn't get the credit it deserves.

Come on I was just joking but it is interesting that not a lot of people know that Sweden has done some great games this gen like Mirror's Edge, Bionic Commando: Rearmed, Europa Universalis 3, The Darkness, World in Conflict, Penumbra etc.

Didn't know World in Conflict was developed in Sweden. I totally agree with you not alot of countries outside the U.S. or Japan get their dues when it comes to games. When you actually look into it it's surprising just how great some of the other regions are.

European develoeprs are the second best. American develoeprs only make FPS games. GTA, Fable, Little Big Planet and, Banjo Kazooie, Mirrors Edge, viva pinata all came out of Europe

Japanese are still the best.

MarloStanfield

must of japanses games compared to pc is trash. They are mustly rehash game play!blackdreamhunk

Nope. The 2 best RPGs of this year were Japanese, the best scoring platformer this gen is japanes, the best scoring fighting game is japanese. I might actually say that Europe is ebtter than Japan because they also make Burnout, battlefield bad company and heavy rain but Japan is still better thant he USA

the USA has become a joke that pumps out shooters