People Like Japanese Games Because They're... JAPANESE?!

Noooo, that can't be right! You're telling me games don't need a mandatory Western makeover to sell? You mean we don't have to change character names into something blandly American? We don't need awkward censorship of everything slightly spicy? We don't have to inject random American politics where they don't belong? And fan service? Heavens, no! That's got to go, right along with any nuance in the localization, replaced by a terrible, miscast dub! Surely this is the path to global success!

This glorious dose of common sense comes courtesy of recent comments from legends like Shuhei Yoshida (ex-PlayStation boss), Masahiro Sakurai and even the delightfully eccentric man himself, Yoko Taro. Yoshida basically said Japanese devs don't need to chase Western trends anymore, recalling the dark ages (looking at you, PS3 era) where they tried and often failed. He pointed straight at Nier: Automata as the game that "revived" the Japanese industry, proving you could make something authentically Japanese and hit it big worldwide.

Sakurai chimed in with similar thoughts, saying developers should "pursue what Japanese people like," because overseas fans are often looking for that "uniqueness and fun" that comes from Japan, not a copycat. And Yoko Taro? Being Yoko, while thankful for the praise, he clarified it was his producer (Yosuke Saito, also DQ11) who told him, essentially, 'Yoko, you suck at making games for the West, so just make it for Japan.' It's funny, because the original Nier wasn't actually a bad game at all, even though it didn't sell well back then and had its own dose of silly, forced Westernization (remember Papa Nier? Yeah...). It still had that unique Taro magic. (Seriously, play Nier Replicant ver.1.22... if you haven't, it's fantastic!). Even if accidentally, or perhaps because they learned from the first Nier's reception, they proved Yoshida's point with Automata! They leaned into their vision, didn't dilute it, and it resonated precisely because it was different. When's the Drakengard remakes SE?

And hearing them say this just cracked open the salt mine I've been sitting on for ages. It sounds so LOGICAL, right? So 'duh'? People like Game X because it does Game X things, not because it's trying desperately to be Game Y.

Yet, for what felt like over a decade, so many Japanese publishers just couldn't grasp this. Some still struggle! Ironically, look at Square Enix, the company that published Nier: Automata. What have they given us lately? FF7 trilogy aside (it has it own problems), Forspoken, a game that felt like it was designed by a committee trying to tick every imagined 'Western appeal' box, ending up a bland, soulless mess that costed them over $100m in the red. And Final Fantasy XVI? Let's not mince words, it was largely a shit game, desperately trying to ride the coattails of Game of Thrones – a show that, by the time FF16 actually launched, was already fading from relevance thanks to its own universally hated ending leaving a sour taste in everyone's mouth. So, SE decided the path forward for Final Fantasy, a series built on decades of unique JRPG identity, was to mimic a Western fantasy trend that was already past its prime and ended poorly? Genius! And what was the result? Predictably, a similar fate: disappointing sales compared to expectations, divisive fan engagement, and a relevance that evaporated almost as quickly as GoT's did after its finale. I love Yoshi-P but man, he did not 'cook' with FF16. Meanwhile, that golden goose Nier IP gets largely funnelled into crappy gacha mobile games that Yoko Taro reportedly didn't even want to make? The logic is baffling!

Imagine if they tried to 'Westernize' Yakuza 0 today like they butchered the original Yakuza back on PS2. Kiryu wouldn't just be 'Kevin' or 'Jack Blade' – no, knowing the unironic brilliance of localization committees, he'd probably end up as 'John Yakuza'. Yeah, let that sink in. And his complex, tragic brother figure, Nishiki? Forget that nuanced descent into villainy driven by insecurity and circumstance; he'd likely be flattened into a generic, power-hungry gangster trope, maybe named 'Nick' or something equally thrilling. Majima's glorious, chaotic energy? Neutered into some predictable, brooding rival you fight three times. Kamurocho would lose all its unique flavour, replaced with generic 'Neo-Tokyo' storefronts. The hilarious, heartfelt, utterly bizarre substories that make the game special? The insanely addictive Cabaret mini-game? Gone. Cut for pacing, deemed 'too weird' or 'problematic' for delicate Western sensibilities. It would be garbage. An empty, soulless husk devoid of everything that makes Yakuza... well, Yakuza.

And it's especially baffling because other publishers are proving Yoshida, Sakurai, and Taro right! Look at SEGA and Atlus. The global explosion of Yakuza/Like a Dragon and Persona isn't because they sanded off their edges; it's because they doubled down on their unique Japanese identity – the settings, the style, the quirky mechanics, the blend of serious drama and utter absurdity. They embraced it, and the world loved them for it! They are living proof that authenticity sells.

So the message to all publishers, but maybe screamed a little louder towards the offices at Square Enix after the Forspoken and FFXVI debacles, is simple: HANDS OFF THE GOOD STUFF. We don't want Westernized versions of beloved formulas!

I don't want my Final Fantasy to be a low-rent Game of Thrones knockoff, chasing trends that died years ago. Give us back the unique JRPG magic!

I don't want my Dragon Quest forced into censorship or some gritty, "realistic" Western fantasy aesthetic. Keep Toriyama's timeless charm!

I want my Japanese games to be unapologetically Japanese! Give me the over-the-top silliness! Give me the five-hour-long philosophical cutscenes! Give me the weird-as-hell plot twists that make me question reality! Give me the overly complex and detailed game mechanics that require a PhD to master! Give me the character designs that range from badass cool to fanservice heaven, to utterly ridiculous! Give me the stories that aren't afraid to be deeply emotional or just plain strange! Yes, even give me the occasional pure fanservice if it fits the tone! It's all part of the unique package!

It's just a crying shame it took so many publishers this long to even start remembering this. They're not all quite there yet though, let's be honest, sometimes change comes slowly in Japan (case and point). But maybe, just maybe, we're finally getting back on track. Seeing industry legends like Yoshida, Sakurai, and Taro speak out gives me hope.