Japanese Gamers Vs ???

What do you suppose these frowning folk are unhappy about?

I'm going to have to tease you. I'm sorry. But you'll like it. Hint: it's not that they're all wearing exactly the same clothes.

As it turns out, they're unhappy about the kind of RPGs that Japan traditionally developers. So unhappy that they'd rather have the kind of RPGs that the West increasingly develops instead.

Courtesy of the tireless Andriasang, here's what those placards read:

"A game where you just follow the scenario is like living life on rails."

"What's the point of playing again if there's no change to the story."

"When did games become something that you watch?"

"I think it would be nice if the main character had a mission aside from just wiping out evil."

And finally, from Tiny McBeard at the front, "The world has been prepared. After that, you're free to do as you please!"

Whatever could they be talking about? Why, with all those attractive, well-dressed young people, it couldn't possibly be for something as skanky as a post-apocalyptic RPG...

Oh! Guess it is.

It's perhaps not the most salient or final word on J-RPGs vs W-RPGs, but the Roger Rabbit rule saves it from being empty antagonism.

Fascinating that this is how Bethesda elect to market Fallout: New Vegas too - go for the nerve rather than try to sell the universe. I don't know if this kind of playful swiping is common in Japan, but I suspect it'll prove quite the talking point if not. What with it being a big fat American company attacking some of Japan's videogame culture mainstays and all that.

It would be nice if the main character had a mission aside from just wiping out evil, though.

I'm hoping to snag a good look at New Vegas at GamesCom later this month, by the way. I SHALL BRING YOU WORDS.