@wexorian: Vita sold really well in Japan, so your comment doesn't really apply. The only reason it was around for that long is because of the big support it had over there. There has been constant releases for Vita, just not many that made their way to the West.
Portability is a big deal because of the lifestyle in big cities in Japan. People spend a lot more time on transit and homes are generally much smaller, which makes it difficult to have a big TV hooked up with a console in many cases. Obviously, the system and software have to be good. Switch is delivering on both, so no wonder it is such a success. Games like Arms and Splatoon 2, for example, are huge in Japan with ads constantly running on trains and massive advertisement boards/posters all over.
@fatalbert1020: Christmas and Black Friday are not nearly as big in Japan as the US though, so I don't think that would make a huge impact on sales in Japan. While more and more retailers hold Black Friday sales, it is not comparable to the frenzy in the US. Also, Christmas is primarily a couple/lovers thing in Japan, not so much a gift-giving madness. March is actually much better as the high school student's year ends, before starting again in April. And the summer break would be a good time to pick up a Switch for the kids.
Totally agree with you. I just think the developers have the freedom to shape their product the way they want. Square created FF and it became a great franchise. I don't think it is really smart to dismiss the work they do because it doesn't exactly match what some gamers expect. They are simply trying to redefine the franchise to move forward and I'd rather give them a chance than simply whine about it. Doesn't mean people can't share their opinions, especially after the game comes out and they've played it. I'm just suggesting it is more pleasant to be somewhat open to new ideas.
It seems too many gamers have a sens of entitlement towards the franchises they love. I think Square(Soft)Enix has been defining what Final Fantasy is since the beginning. They might have started and based their early success on traditional turn-based combat, but that doesn't mean they can't change the formula. It is still Final Fantasy. Don't be so afraid of changes.
I have to admit that I do enjoy turn-based JRPG more than anything, and in my opinion the gameplay of FFX is the peak of the series, although all the previous FF games are great. I haven't played FFXII, so I can<t comment on that one. As for FFXIIIs, it isn't nearly as bad as people say in my opinion. It might be the FF game I liked the last, but it didn't suck at all. It was just not the same awesome experience as prevous entries in the series, but still a fun JRPG.
I think this change to non-turn-based combat could be quite interesting. After all, there are a lot of examples of very fun RPGs following that formula, namely Tales and Star Ocean franchises. Although I was as many others looking forward to a new turn-based FF game, I will definitely not pass judgment before I play the game. As long as the story is great and gameplay is fun, it can ba an awesome game. We'll have to wait and see. But I think it is utterly tiring to see all the whining coming from fans of the franchise. Don't be so conservative and be more open. You might enjoy your gaming life a lot more that way. And if you don't like the final product, it's not the end of the world people.
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