I looked at sales data for SF4 and it was just dysmal in Japan. I think less than 10% of the sales were japanese.
So what’s the most popular series over there? Virtua Fighter? KOF?
Japan plays at the arcades, not at home. Sales of console fighting games in japan mean “X training modes sold”.
Also this.
Virtua Fighter used to be huge around VF4 Evo days, but Tekken has become far and away the top dog for the past year+.
Yeah Tekken.
they got mad when nin said they sucked, and they been into tekken every since. lol. well, japan has always played tekken. its the customizations. thats the only reason they play. ha ha
Read this thread for answers as to what’s popular in Japan
What about like. . . every Tekken before 5?
Not Street Fighter Snore I can tell you that much.
VF and Tekken.
Those wacky niponese, they make the best fighting game of all time then they go play Tekken.
VF is good for people who who like lengthy movesets.
DoA is good for people who like bouncy breasts.
Soul Calibur is good for people who like weapons.
Street Fighter is good for people who like awesomeness.
But Tekken? Tekken lost me at TTT. I’m shocked…shocked I tell you!
VF is traditionally the most popular Fighting game in Japan. However the release of a new Tekken has pushed Tekken to the top.
BB for 2D
T6BR for 3D
It will be that way for at least another several more months.
The best part of Tekken is Tekken Bowl, amirite?
Fuck yeah. They need to bring back Tekken Bowling. That was hot.
Saying that Tekken is the most popular game among the Japanese is only half the story.
People are forgetting 2 key factors:
- Look at type of games in the top 10.
I see 1 shmup, 1 mecha game, 2 3d fighters and 6 2d fighters.
It means that if you like 3d fighters, it’s either VF or Tekken. Not many options to choose from.
But Blazblue for example has to earn the 2d audience’s attention over 5 other games, including its own “prequel”, Guilty Gear. So while the Japanese do like 2d more than 3d overall, the 2d players are split between many different games. - SBO is around the corner, and it features the 3d games on 3v3 but old 2d games on 3vs3 while the new 2d games are 1v1 or 2v2. If for example there was no GGAC in SBO, I think most of its points would go to BB, meaning more GG players will make the switch.
Also Melty Blood could be a lot stronger if it was featured on SBO. I am sure of it because MB had some very strong placings on the top 10 in the past.
So Tekken is number 1 not just because people love it, but also because of the circumstances- The 2d’s variety and 3d’s lack of variety, and SBO’s current roster of games.
Thank you for that analysis. I suppose you may have a point there. If you’re right, SF4 2d Impact and 3rd croissant will then be trying to carve themselves a slice of the Namco/Sega pie, instead of competing with GG,BB or KoF.
There is truth to your post, but you have to consider the fact that not everyone are strictly 2D/3D. A lot of fighting game fans switch over to whichever game they feel like playing. However, it is true that if you’re a 2D gamer, and you feel like playing a bit of 3D, there are only 2 real choices.
What’s changed is that Tekken is now owning VF like crazy. It used to be the other way around.
No because they will still be for people who love “old school 2d fighting”.
I really don’t know if it’s like that in japan. Maybe the average arcade goer plays a different game every day, but I don’t recall many big names playing both 2d and 3d.
The only exception is Tokido who plays almost every fighting game on the planet.
Too few big names to affect the numbers all. To be “big” at one game, you need to dedicate a ton of time to it. To just play, you only need some tokens. The arcade scene in Asia isn’t like in the west wherein you sort of plan your visit. Arcades in Asia are simply “walk in’s”.
e.g: You’re walking/commuting home from work, see an arcade, notice you have about a half hour to spare… why not play a bit? You see everyone gathered around certain games (let’s say Tekken, VF, Blazblue, etc.), and you give them a go to see what the fuss is about. If one catches your fancy, you come back again to play more of it. If the machine is too full, you try something else.
But it does go back to the: “two 3d fighters, several 2d fighters” issue. Which is true.