The future of different western eroge publishers

[bakauchuujin]

With all the new eroge companies being created I want to know what people think about the future of different western eroge publishers, both what you think will happen as well as what you hope will happen.

I gues I should just start with what I think will happen with some companies.

Warning: There are many Fuwanovel people who probably knows a lot more than me about these companies, do not take this as solid predictions, it is mainly here to start a discussion

 

Mangagame: Continue like normal, bringing us more good titles.

Jast USA: Continue like normal, few and slow releases.

Sekai Project: Continue like normal, can't really expect them to get much better, they have had many opportunities.

Frontwing: It seems like they are improving with how they handle things in general, seeing as how they actually reacted to some critisism they got in regard to Corona blossom. They probably will continue releasing their VNs both in Japan and english at the same time, and occationally translate an old VN from their own library or some other company. 

Sol Press: Probably keep doing kickstarter for some more VNs or just end up doing it on all their VNs. Seems like they have a good translation staff atleast and manage to keep backers informed.

Nekonyan: Probably release decent, but not great translations. Considering the amount of lisences they have we might get a lot of titles from them in the future.

Mikandi: Not really sure whether they will continue or not, they haven't had any project since libra other than help promote Newton and the apple tree. Considering the amount of other new companies and their lack of new projects I feel like the retranslation patch might be the last thing from them regarding VN. I might be wrong, I am not an expert and haven't really followed them closely.

Fakku: I think they will probably mainly just continue being a store front one could potentially buy VNs from. They are working with Lyricbox, though Lyricbox only have 2 potential titles at the moment. Illusion's games are 3D so not sure how much overlap there is between that fanbase and the typical VN fanbase.

Fruitbat factory: Don't have enough knowledge about them.

Cherrykissgames: It seems like they are struggeling with their kickstarter, it seems they plan a long future working with Miel and Norn, but I am not sure if they got enough support.

PQube: Don't have enough knowledge about them, but I gues they will just continue publishing originally all ages VNs on consoles.

Hikari Fields: The backlash from Tayutama 2 makes them give up on english and they just keep being a chinese publisher.

Moenovel: Continue releasing Pulltop VNs without 18+ content and be a constant annoyance.

 

What I hope will happen

 

Mangagamer: All their future VNs that are 10+ hours get physical release.

Jast USA: More VNs, shorter wait time.

Sekai Project: Get worse sales due to their mess ups, after which they start losing licensing parterns and ultimatly leave the VN buisness.

Frontwing: That they manage to bring over all Frontwing VNs to the west, hopefully also as physicals.

Sol Press: That their translation is good and that they stop using kickstarter, but still provide physical releases.

Nekonyan: That they manage to have good translation or we atleast see them improving each title starting with a decent translation. Also that they manage to release all their VNs physically and take over all the licenses SP would have goten.

Mikandi: Considering the amount of other VN companies out there I don't feel like they are needed. Also while they are working on imroving their translation I feel like it is too much of a risk having them get good licenses, as such I kind of hope they leave the VN industry.

Fakku: Hope they manage to push SP VNs to get mosaics removed as well as sell some SP VNs physically.

Fruitbat Factory: Haven't really looked too much into them, so I am not sure what I would hope from them.

Cherrykissgames: I am personally not very interested in Norn and Miel VNs. I will probably buy some when there is a large discount, but considering the vndb scores I don't think I am going to end up playing many of them. I gues I still want them to continue though since I don't see anything negative in what they are doing and they seem to want to improve their localisation trough adding things like animation and zoom functions.

PQube: Haven't really looked too much into them, so I am not sure what I would hope from them.

Hikari Field: The backlash from Tayutama 2 makes them give up on english and they just keep being a chinese publisher.

Moenovel: Burn

 

Edited February 3, 2018 by bakauchuujin

[Plk_Lesiak]

19 minutes ago, bakauchuujin said:

Moenovel: Burn

[Dreamysyu]

The only thing I can say for sure is that all of these companies will die one day. In this world, anything can happen, and if you are a small business, you can go down pretty quickly. Other than that, I don't know. I hope that there will always be enough high-quality releases to satisfy the community's needs, and that their overall percentage will increase.

[VirginSmasher]

All I can hope is that companies start releasing a better ratio of story-based game to moege, but we all know that won't happen.

[Hiashi]

Personally, I'm just hoping that companies would pick up some lolige for localization but I probably shouldn't get my hopes up. 

[Zalor]

11 hours ago, Dreamysyu said:

The only thing I can say for sure is that all of these companies will die one day. In this world, anything can happen, and if you are a small business, you can go down pretty quickly. 

Haven't you seen Zaka's Signiture? BIG EROGE IS REAL!

[Veshurik]

Hm...

Sekai Project, or change, or die. I really can't imagine, how low communication with customers can be... And how bad PR can be (like "that VN suddenly released today, surprise!!!). Or how awful the politics can be (18+ patch for money or no patch, but only full 18+ with Steam all ages)... Please, give them a proper advice... Why they are still alive?!

They continue to pick up ton of projects...

 

Mangagamer, be alive, please. More good releases, and waiting the good finish of problems with Chuable.

 

Jast USA, you can be a little bit faster...

 

Hikari Field, I think, you have no faith in English community after my super critical opinion, but you shouldn't be such guys. At least you tried, let's see, will be Tayuyama 2 the first and the last project in English from you... don't mess up again, please.

 

Nekonyan, good luck. You know that customers will remember anything and anywhere. You can't hide something from us. We will find out about EVERYTHING. Mwahahahaha!

Moenovel, burn (x2). Just die. After your response "thanks for your suggestion" about 18+ releases, I don't know what to think about you. DIE, IDIOTS. Why you still alive, again?!

 

Seriously, why so bad companies are still alive and feeling okay? That's strange...

 

 

 

[bakauchuujin]

47 minutes ago, Veshurik said:

Seriously, why so bad companies are still alive and feeling okay? That's strange...

Because of Steam

Edited February 4, 2018 by bakauchuujin

[Mr Poltroon]

13 minutes ago, bakauchuujin said:

Because of Steam

More specifically, because there's an audience for the titles said companies release.

[Dergonu]

It would be interesting to see how Moenovel would operate if Steam was not a thing.

[Mr Poltroon]

Just now, Dergonu said:

It would be interesting to see how Moenovel would operate if Steam was not a thing.

Perhaps there is already enough evidence.

The one title they did originally release was a right mess. And so, they did nothing after that one.
However, after it got onto Steam and got loads of sales for its outrageously low price (for a VN of that size), they started releasing more titles, and have since released three in a comparatively short time span.

This is conjecture, but the answer to your question seems to be 'nothing further would happen'.

[Dergonu]

Just now, Mr Poltroon said:

Perhaps there is already enough evidence.

The one title they did originally release was a right mess. And so, they did nothing after that one.
However, after it got onto Steam and got loads of sales for its outrageously low price (for a VN of that size), they started releasing more titles, and have since released three in a comparatively short time span.

This is conjecture, but the answer to your question seems to be 'nothing further would happen'.

Was their original release already censored before they released the game on steam? I did not know that.

If that's the case, their strange agenda to censor their games in the west confuses me. I was under the assumption that they did this specifically to sell their games on steam. If that was not the reason, why did they choose to censor their eroge releases in their localizations? (And why do they still stick to this formula to this day, despite there clearly being a big demand.)

Quite confusing, especially seeing as MoeNovel technically is Pulltop, an eroge game developer that keeps making 18+ titles in Japan. Where does this idea that the west doesn't want 18+ content come from, if it's not from a wish to release games on Steam?

[Mr Poltroon]

Just now, Dergonu said:

Was their original release already censored before they released the game on steam? I did not know that.

If that's the case, their strange agenda to censor their games in the west confuses me. I was under the assumption that they did this specifically to sell their games on steam. If that was not the reason, why did they choose to censor their eroge releases in their localizations? (And why do they still stick to this formula to this day, despite there clearly being a big demand.)

Quite confusing, especially seeing as MoeNovel technically is Pulltop, an eroge game developer that keeps making 18+ titles in Japan.

You've joked about this, but perhaps you're unaware of the circumstances.

"We're selling to 12-year-old french girls" reflects Moenovel's original stance to releasing VNs in the West. That's what they started with IMHHW. Since, they have changed their policies to reflect around getting their titles to do well on Steam, and even went so far as to try out releasing short, 'ecchi' games. In short, Pulltop seems to have no interest in bringing 18+ material to the West, and whoever they had in charge before IMHHW got on Steam was aiming for younger and international audiences.

[Yuuko]

16 minutes ago, Dergonu said:

Quite confusing, especially seeing as MoeNovel technically is Pulltop, an eroge game developer that keeps making 18+ titles in Japan.

You might say that but Pulltop's newest title will be all-ages even in Japan  

[Dergonu]

9 minutes ago, Mr Poltroon said:

You've joked about this, but perhaps you're unaware of the circumstances.

"We're selling to 12-year-old french girls" reflects Moenovel's original stance to releasing VNs in the West. That's what they started with IMHHW. Since, they have changed their policies to reflect around getting their titles to do well on Steam, and even went so far as to try out releasing short, 'ecchi' games. In short, Pulltop seems to have no interest in bringing 18+ material to the West, and whoever they had in charge before IMHHW got on Steam was aiming for younger and international audiences.

That is true. Guess we wont ever know exactly why they chose to approach the west with censored titles intended for a younger audience, and why they still cling to it. (Despite having made changes to their policies, they still show that they will continue to censor their games with Miagete Goran and the Love Kami games having been censored.)

1 minute ago, Kiriririri said:

You might say that but Pulltop's newest title will be all-ages even in Japan  

I know that, but this doesnt change the fact that they have released tons of 18+ games in the past, and as recently as a few months ago specifically advertised their Love Kami release as the "exclusive 18+, Japan only" version. 

[Plk_Lesiak]

18 minutes ago, Mr Poltroon said:

You've joked about this, but perhaps you're unaware of the circumstances.

"We're selling to 12-year-old french girls" reflects Moenovel's original stance to releasing VNs in the West. That's what they started with IMHHW. Since, they have changed their policies to reflect around getting their titles to do well on Steam, and even went so far as to try out releasing short, 'ecchi' games. In short, Pulltop seems to have no interest in bringing 18+ material to the West, and whoever they had in charge before IMHHW got on Steam was aiming for younger and international audiences.

Well, at least they've changed their stance from trying to sterilize their games completely to cutting out just the straight-up h-scenes and leaving milder sexual content intact. It's a bit of a shame that they don't offer 18+ patches, because how they released A Sky Full of Stars is exactly what I'm personally looking for, while not making the h-content available for those interest and the way they didn't even talk to people requesting that made it into another PR disaster. :/

Edited February 4, 2018 by Plk_Lesiak

[Mr Poltroon]

2 minutes ago, Plk_Lesiak said:

Well, at least they've changed their stance from trying to sterilize their games completely to cutting out just the straight-up h-scenes and leaving milder sexual content intact. It's a bit of a shame that they don't offer 18+ patches, because how they released A Sky Full of Stars is exactly what I'm personally looking for, while not making the h-content available for those interest and the way they didn't even talk to people requesting that made it into another PR disaster. :/

Oh, nononono. There's at least one reported instance of them replying with 'Thank you for your suggestion.'; They are clearly doing their utmost.

'PR disaster' does sound like a somewhat funny term, when you consider that it is only so for the audiences they aren't catering to in the first place. It's certainly bad PR. Some users, even on Steam, like to inform themselves of these things and I'm sure some of that previous 'some' do not like supporting companies that condone censorship. Even then, I've gotten the impression that there are indeed a lot of people who like A Sky Full of Starts and are playing it. I think only the future will tell if they do indeed have a disaster on their hands.

[Plk_Lesiak]

4 minutes ago, Mr Poltroon said:

I think only the future will tell if they do indeed have a disaster on their hands.

Sale numbers would suggest so. 

[Mr Poltroon]

1 minute ago, Plk_Lesiak said:

Sale numbers would suggest so. 

Hm. Ah. Hm.

That doesn't look good, even taking into account how unreliable these numbers may be.

I can imagine. People are trying to send the 'Please bring over 18+ content' message, and yet they receive the 'Please bring in more short ecchi VNs' one. This is bound to be hilarious.

[Dergonu]

1 minute ago, Mr Poltroon said:

Hm. Ah. Hm.

That doesn't look good, even taking into account how unreliable these numbers may be.

I can imagine. People are trying to send the 'Please bring over 18+ content' message, and yet they receive the 'Please bring in more short ecchi VNs' one. This is bound to be hilarious.

If they have one guy with some brains onboard, all the people saying "I wont buy the game until you make an 18+ version" should be a clear giveaway for why people aren't buying the game. Hopefully a lack of sales is what it takes to finally sway them. 

[Mr Poltroon]

Just now, Dergonu said:

If they have one guy with some brains onboard, all the people saying "I wont buy the game until you make an 18+ version" should be a clear giveaway for why people aren't buying the game. Hopefully a lack of sales is what it takes to finally sway them. 

Or to kill them off, forcefully stopping any further official Pulltop releases.
Morbid.

[Dergonu]

Just now, Mr Poltroon said:

Or to kill them off, forcefully stopping any further official Pulltop releases.
Morbid.

That could also happen, but that would be on them. They know what they have to do, (it is simply impossible for them to not be aware at this point,) so if they refuse to make 18+ vers and die in the process, so be it. 

Let them dig their own grave. 

[Guest]

I have faith in Manga Gamer and JAST (and Frontwing), NekoYan I have yet to see wut they can come up with.

Moenovel can get wrecked xo(

[Dreamysyu]

1 hour ago, Dergonu said:

If that's the case, their strange agenda to censor their games in the west confuses me. I was under the assumption that they did this specifically to sell their games on steam. If that was not the reason, why did they choose to censor their eroge releases in their localizations? (And why do they still stick to this formula to this day, despite there clearly being a big demand.)

It's just an hypothesis, but perhaps they don't want to deal with other countries' ambiguous child porn laws? I know, there are a lot of eroge releasing companies, but I see why some people may be cautious.

[bakauchuujin]

5 minutes ago, Dreamysyu said:

It's just an hypothesis, but perhaps they don't want to deal with other countries' ambiguous child porn laws? I know, there are a lot of eroge releasing companies, but I see why some people may be cautious.

Like this.

Quote

 

As of 2005, the Norwegian penal act criminalizes any depictions that "sexualize" children, even if it does not actually show sexual acts with children.[25] This could include any artificially produced material, including written text, drawn images, animation, manipulated images, an adult model with childish clothes, toys, or surroundings.[26] This law can be used against lolicon but it has not been tried in that aspect yet.