Selling video games is an odd business, and in recent years it has become perhaps its most unusual in all of its history. Where the old terms of better graphics and more high tech conponements meant the difference in winning a console war or not a few generations ago, today, it is all down to innovation that makes games and systems sell. An example of this would be the optomistic Wii, which has been changing everyones perspective on gaming for the last year or so it has been in business. Problem is, it is because of the Wii, the job of selling games has become a much harder task, especially for eastern game producers. How does a strategy work for everyone in gaming? How can games be altered to suit all audiences world wide rather than just one?

Back in the past, games were almost completely changed for the western audience when this question arised. Take Contra for example, the game was shaped into almost a different game when it was released as "Probotector" in Europe. The design was changed almost everywhere on everything! Interestingly enough too, into robots! Another example is the Final Fantasy and Dragon Quest games. Both of these had scenes of kissing and romance cut out as well as a few references due to the audiences Square were working with over in America. We as gamers, we're too serious and edgey about the content in our games, and with Japanese audiences being mainly open about subjects we darn not to discuss, we sadly missed out on key features and devices in several games.

Today however, that story almost seems the absoloute reverse. It is something that really isn't necessary now. Games in Japan are being changed there in bizzare ways. Infact take a look at Soul Calibur 4, it almost lives and breaths fanservice the way characters have been presented in the game. Namco have gone to use some skimpy revealing clothes, similar to something found in Dead or Alive simply to sell a few extra copies of the game. What the hell?

Now Soul Calibur 4 is actually a good game, no doubt about that, but when it comes down to developers doing changes like this for the sad, sad perverted gamer something seriously has changed in gaming. Whether its for the better, I seriously don't know. But all that outrage about explicit content in games has been thrown out the window now. Don't get me wrong on this, explicit content should be in games, if it is a gameplay element or realistic element, but this is a mainstream game we're talking about!

Just imagine it yourself, what if your favourite game was changed just so it could suit everyone? Rememeber the Jak and Daxter games? The game was originally a cutesy, beautiful 3D platformer, and it took the old platformer roots from Mario, Crash and Sonic making a fantastic game just by mixing the 3. Yet with its sequel, everyones jaws dropped when they saw how gritty the game had become. Jak now had a gun, he now had a voice, he now swore his head off! And the whole plot of the first game was just ripped up to shreads. In fact, the game was no longer a platformer following this change, but rather an action adventure game. It followed as a GTA clone, something that became increasingly popular following Jak's release.

This seriously effects Japanese games. Not long ago, a game known as Okami was released. The game was a wonder for those few people who played it. The game had a tranquil atmosphere, it made a few unique touches to be a game worth remembering but sadly it sold very poorly. That isn't the end of it though. The Katamari games, also unique of a game, and an excellent game indeed, also did badly as far as sales were concerned due to how different it was.