Japanese games Archives

AppWizard

October 30, 2025

Monster Hunter Wilds is barely hanging onto Capcom’s top 10 current best sellers and officially lost to Monster Hunter Rise, which notably didn’t wait months for PC fixes

Performance issues are affecting many players of Monster Hunter Wilds on PC, which is the game's largest sales platform. Capcom reported that Monster Hunter Rise has surpassed Wilds in sales rankings, with Wilds dropping from 10 million to under 500,000 copies sold in three months, now at 477,000 copies, while Rise has sold 389,000. Wilds has received negative reviews on Steam, currently holding a "Mostly Negative" label with 48% positive ratings. Capcom is working on CPU and GPU optimizations to address these performance issues. Despite Wilds having a larger active player base on Steam, the sales figures show a decline, and if optimizations do not improve the situation, Wilds may face further challenges. The lead producer of Monster Hunter acknowledges the growing engagement of PC gamers with Japanese games.

AppWizard

September 12, 2025

GOG wants to revive more classic Japanese games on PC: ‘Working with Japanese partners often requires demonstrating both technical capability and cultural understanding’

GOG, formerly known as Good Old Games, is committed to game preservation and has been actively securing iconic titles for over a decade. Senior PR representative Piotr Gnyp highlighted the challenges of negotiations, citing that some can take years, such as the case with Diablo. GOG has successfully reintroduced Japanese classics like Silent Hill 4: The Room, early Metal Gear entries, and the original Castlevania and Contra games. They also negotiated with Capcom to re-release Dino Crisis and the first three Resident Evil games. In late 2024, GOG launched a preservation initiative that included the re-release of Breath of Fire 4. However, GOG faces challenges such as delisting games due to rights issues and external pressures advocating for the removal of specific titles. In response, GOG offered 13 adult-themed games for free to reinforce their commitment to game preservation. Gnyp emphasized the importance of preserving games as many disappear from distribution each year, which poses a risk to preservation efforts.

AppWizard

August 15, 2025

New report suggests that there are 3 million fewer PC gamers in Japan than 10 years ago, despite the market having at least tripled in size

Japan's gaming market is experiencing unprecedented growth, with the overall market projected to reach 2,396.1 billion yen in 2024, up from 2,317.6 billion yen in 2023. The PC gaming market is estimated at 265.3 billion yen for 2024. The number of overall gamers in Japan is 54.753 million in 2024, an increase from 48.55 million in 2014. However, the number of PC gamers is 14.52 million in 2024, down from 17.49 million in 2014, despite the PC gaming sector tripling in size from 2020 to 2024 based on software sales. Prices for pre-built PCs in Japan have increased by 40% since 2019, with graphics card prices rising over 300%. There is a noted decline in the popularity of inexpensive and free browser games as mobile gaming gains traction.

Winsage

July 4, 2025

Microsoft’s enshittification of Xbox, Surface, and even Windows itself, are by design — with greed and corner-cutting replacing innovation

Microsoft announced 9,000 layoffs, bringing the total for the year to over 15,300, including cuts within Xbox. The layoffs are attributed to unrealistic fiscal expectations set by CFO Amy Hood, creating an environment of fear and uncertainty. There is a perception that these layoffs are part of a broader shift towards artificial intelligence, with Microsoft executives and shareholders reportedly resenting the investment in Activision-Blizzard. The company plans to invest billions in new AI training centers globally, raising concerns about the impact on its core gaming and consumer products. Microsoft’s AI products have faced criticism, and the company has been accused of losing sight of the human element in its consumer businesses. The recent layoffs have left employees feeling uncertain about their futures, and there is a growing sentiment that Microsoft lacks a coherent mission or ethos, prioritizing short-term gains over long-term innovation.

AppWizard

May 15, 2025

SNK boss Matsubara is stepping down

Kenji Matsubara is transitioning from CEO to an advisory role at SNK, where he has served since 2021. His leadership focused on expanding the development division, strengthening sales and marketing, and enhancing SNK's global presence. SNK's management expressed appreciation for his contributions during this transformative period.

AppWizard

April 24, 2025

Metaphor: ReFantazio smashed Atlus’ expectations on PC – another reminder that PC gamers really want more JRPGs and Japanese games

ReFantazio has achieved unexpected success on PC, indicating a growing interest among PC gamers for Japanese titles. Katsura Hashino, the creative director known for the Persona series, noted that the percentage of PC players engaging with Atlus games is increasing annually, with long-term data supporting this trend. Major industry players like Square Enix are also moving away from console exclusivity, as seen with the successful PC port of Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth. Hashino emphasized the importance of allowing players to enjoy games in their preferred environments. Additionally, the lead UI designer of Metaphor: ReFantazio referenced a lesser-known PS2 title from 25 years ago, highlighting the ongoing influence of older games on modern design.

AppWizard

March 31, 2025

PlayStation vet Yoshida reckons Nier Automata “revived” Japanese games industry

Former PlayStation executive Shuhei Yoshida discussed the significant impact of the game Nier Automata on the Japanese gaming industry. Released in 2017, the game has sold nine million copies and shifted the perspective of Japanese developers, who previously emulated successful trends from other regions. Yoshida noted that Nier Automata demonstrated that uniquely Japanese stories could resonate globally, leading to a renewed focus on authenticity and cultural heritage among developers. This shift marked a revival in the Japanese game industry, encouraging creators to embrace their identities and enriching the global gaming landscape.

AppWizard

February 15, 2025

Monster Hunter lead producer agrees PC gaming is key for Japanese games: “There are more players than ever playing on PC, including in Japan”

Japanese developers, particularly Capcom, are increasingly recognizing the potential of the PC platform, as evidenced by their commitment to simultaneous PC releases for the Monster Hunter series, specifically with the upcoming launch of Monster Hunter Wilds. Producer Ryozo Tsujimoto noted the growing significance of PC gaming, highlighting the opportunity to attract new players. The beta for Monster Hunter Wilds achieved a peak of 463,798 players, surpassing the numbers of Helldivers 2 and exceeding the launch peak of Monster Hunter World at 334,684 players. Capcom has made adjustments for PC gamers, including lowering system requirements and introducing a benchmarking tool. The director of Monster Hunter Wilds participated in beta testing anonymously, engaging with players without revealing his identity.

BetaBeacon

November 14, 2024

Top 25 best Japanese games for Android phones and tablets

The text discusses the influence of Japanese culture on the world of video games, highlighting some of the most popular Japanese gaming companies and properties.