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.

Yup, all I'm looking forward to are sequels. Can you forgive me for wanting that?

Alot of games I've been enjoying lately are newer franchises (Animal Crossing, Zak and Wiki, No More Heroes)  I've just been getting really sick of sequels.

There are a ton of sequels on the way but look at all the new stuff coming.  Mirrors Edge, Dragon Age, Left 4 Dead, Rage, Dead Space, just to name a few.  There has always been money to be made with sequels in the video game industry, but I don't think there is a shortage of new IPs.  I do agree on many points you made though.  It's a shame that we probably won't see another Okami, because it really was one of the best games in the past 5 years.  Great article!

Like I've said before, it's the "Halo Effect". Once a game gets popular, there's a flood of games that generally follow the same idea and format of the original and successful title. Shame, really, but what can we do? People will still buy the sequels and clones, so we'll just have to wait for a different change in gaming to happen (and hope it's better than what we have currently)

Any game that has a gun, I've always been interested in. I'm no violent person by any means, but shooting stuff whilst figuring out the best way to use a weapon, how it shoots and when to take cover is just damn fun. That's not to say, I don't play other games by any means. I love unique and totally crazy new games. But it's not like they're even on systems I can get hold off. Sure, the Wii may be the topseller, but where's the games?

As for sequals, that's certainly a trend that has been going on for years. There have been many examples where I could barely see a game being a sequal, yet it's a sequal to sell. If Grand Theft Auto IV was called something else, I garuntee it would have less than half of it's sales.