Nino Kuni sequel possible if PS3 version succeeds overseas - Level-5 CEO
By
Jonathan Toyad, Associate Editor
Level-5 is confident about localised version's success; the DS version has been canned halfway, due to logistics issue.
Gamers wishing to see a sequel to the Studio Ghibli and Level-5 role-playing game collaboration Ni no Kuni (out on the PS3 in Japan last year) would do well to buy the international copy of the PS3 version.
According to an interview with Level-5 CEO Akihiro Hino on Famitsu, the studio would love to continue the Ni no Kuni series if overseas sales for the title are strong.
Hino also expressed his confidence that the game will succeed, citing PS2 title Dark Cloud's 1 million worldwide sales on its international release. He also stated that Dark Chronicle and the Layton series did better outside of Japan.
When asked about the DS version of Ni no Kuni, Level-5 said that it gave up on localising the title because it would be difficult to sell the game with its physical Magic Master book, as well as to translate the book itself. Hino also mentioned that the reason the game is taking a long time to be localised is that the game has more than 1 million words to translate, and he wishes to be methodical in ensuring a proper translation.
Namco Bandai will be releasing the international version of Ni no Kuni in the first quarter of 2013. For more on Ni no Kuni for the PS3, check out GameSpot's video coverage.
[480px WIDE player]
By
Jonathan Toyad, Associate Editor
Born and raised from a jungle-laden village in Sarawak, Malaysia, Jonathan Toyad has been playing games since the early 90s. He favors fighting games, RPGs, and rhythm titles above every other genre, and occasionally spaces out like Pavlov's dog to video game music on his iPod.
36 comments
I'm glad this game is becoming popular, a sequel would be great! I would really like to see what happens next in both worlds, or how the characters' lives carry on after the end of the first game. I hope this game sells well enough for them to consider creating the sequel.
1 Like As astounding Ni No Kuni is I think making a sequel just for the sales isn't doing it justice. Level-5 should make another JRPG as promising as this one, and keep the sequel to Ni No Kuni for a later project.
@Ledah as I just finished the main game at around 48 hours in I've got to agree, if it's a follow up story in the same universe this one 'Wrath of the White Witch' will be a hard act to follow.
If it does come to be, I hope Level 5 and Studio Ghibli take their time to make a sequel with new characters, Ollie & Drippy's story feels finished. :/
hey guys just wondering for whoever played this game. do just the minions fight or does the main charcter battle too? and if so how should u manage which charcter should fight for u
@killermike567 There are some boss fights in which it is preferable to have the main character do the fighting, mainly because of specific spells needed to cause max damage. You can easily switch back and forth as you like, to suit your play style. Great game.
@Garnog @killermike567 hey gar apreciate u getting back to me I can't wait to get this game in the mail
@Garnog @killermike567 thanks a lot Gar for getting back to me realty apericate it I can't wait to get this game in the mail
@killermike567 The main character could also fight if you choose, however its more likely you will fight with your familiars. The familiar and the main character share the same health though.
@killermike567 The main character is mainly used as a healer, same with your first ally, haven't found a good use for the 2nd ally in combat yet though. So mainly use your minions until you need healing.
Last treu JRPG's I played were FF7 and Chrono Trigger back in the day. Great to be back at this genre.
8 Like The game is gaining popularity, ALOT of people who have left JRPGs are getting back to the genre (myself included) thanks to this game. And the fact it's animated by Ghibli studios really added to its appeal. Not sure if it'll be a huge hit with 10's of millions of copies sold, like call of duty for example. But for sure it'll sell well. The store i buy games from ran out of stock in just 2 days. I do wish it success, i just bought the game, and will start playing next week, can't wait !
1 Like @Lazy_Marine This is true, I haven't played a JRPG since FF7, and now I'm back enjoying the classic style, especially as it feels like a 50+ hour Miyazaki movie.
@Lazy_Marine Well it's most certainly true you haven't played JRPG's in a while, because saying Ni No Kuni is single handedly bringing people back to the JRPG genre is a pretty ignorant statement. The tales series has been gaining a goog bit of popularity as well with tales of graces, not to mention tales of xillia releasing in a few months.
@dom28 @Lazy_Marine Tales series have been gradually gaining bit of popularity but even they haven't captured imagination like NKN has. It is not an indicator of quality, but just that the overall package is bringing back old JRPG fans. I didn't play a single JRPG last gen and did try FFXIII [liked it, not loved it] but am stoked for NKN.
In the last few months with all the comments i saw about peoples saying they were going to buy a PS3 just for this games and all the peoples who were saying they didn't play any JRPG for years before this one, i don't think he's completely wrong in his statement.
@packtop @dom28 @Lazy_Marine This game was the main reason I purchased a PS3. I also purchased Tales of Graces F and I can say Tales of Graces wasn't very good, but Ni No Kuni was worth the purchase of my PS3! Such a great game and I'm glad people are coming back. Truly, Ni No Kuni isn't the greatest JRPG ever made but it's a darn good one. Best in years, really!
Tough to sell a game when you have a limited amount of copies. Luckily I had mine pre-ordered and got the steel case and all, but everyone that didn't pre-order or that didn't get their Wizard's Edition version of the game sound like they're having a tough time getting it. The game clearly has a lot of people's attention and has sold out at a lot of stores in my area. We NEED a sequel, this game is too amazing, won't stop playing it anytime soon. I'm not all for sequels, but I'd trust these guys to do it right.
All Wizard's Edition sold out worldwide, if this is any indicator I think we have a new franchise.
@NeOmeGamer Which seriously sucks as this is the one game I would consider getting a CE for. Having a real life wizard manual would be A) awesome and B) useful.
yes, yes, yes, my god yes i have paid for my copy of ni no kuni this could be franchise that could relaunch jrpgs
Very true. But games that have a fantastic story line, characters and top notch production values behind it, then it most certainly does need a sequel.
I haven't played a decent JRPG in YEARS, and this is the first to come along that has a strangle hold on my interests it's that good. If the genre needed a jump-start after a long hiatus? Well, here you go.
So i'm definitely hoping this game sells very well and gets greenlighted for a sequel.
@R34Vegeta @nathanmaxtro I agree with nathanmaxtro. Ni No Kuni JUST came out in the US. They want to make it into a 'series'.
Whatever happened to just telling a story and making a game? Does every story and game need a sequel? I don't know what this particular game is like, if it seems like a self-contained story or something with the potential to be a series...
But it's like these industries suck up our money and keep coming back for seconds and thirds. Look at how many Marvel movies they make anymore. Look at all of the video games that get sequels within a year or two.
I think more than anything that it's all about the money. They should only be making sequels if they have good ideas for one, or if they think there's something they could do with new technology that they can't improve upon the original with. But I think it's more about hurrying up and following through with a sequel to ride the waves of the success of the original.
Furthermore, I think game companies purposely fudge on the first game in the series a bit, so they can come back and add more stuff to a sequel to make it more appealing. Hopefully that isn't the case with this game.
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Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch
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- Publisher(s): Namco Bandai Games America
- Developer(s): Level 5
- Genre: Role-Playing
- Release:
- ESRB: E10+
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