The lights are on
UPDATE: Fan efforts to bring notice to these Japanese releases are already starting to pay off. Over on Amazon, Monado: Beginning of the World (the original title of Xenoblade) has become the #1 bestseller in the video game category based on pre-orders. This is without the game having an official announcement or release date for the U.S. Well done, people! Keep it up.
ORIGINAL STORY: With Nintendo focusing on the 3DS and its Wii U announcement at E3 this year, there was a notable lack of Wii news in general. But amongst the most surprising and frustrating missing tidbits for fans of RPGs was Nintendo of America's continued lack of announcement regarding bring over three very promising Japanese RPGs: The Last Story (pictured), Xenoblade, and Pandora's Tower. Now some fans have started a campaign to push Nintendo toward localizing these titles.
Destructoid has full details on this letter-writing campaign -- yes, real paper letters -- which started on the IGN message boards in what has ballooned to a 23-page thread. The thread includes letter templates for each title urging Nintendo to localize and publish them in North America and a mailing address for Nintendo of America president and COO Reggie Fils-Aime.
The effort doesn't stop at letters, though. The fans behind this push have started a Twitter account titled @Operation Rainfall, there's a Facebook group for the cause, and even GI's community has got into the spirit in the user blogs. If you'd like to see these games out in North America before the Wii dies, be sure to support some of these efforts however you can.
I doubt anyone from Nintendo is reading this news post, but just in case, let me muster all the power I have to tell you: I'd rather like to play these three games, so please consider releasing them here.
[Thanks to Dominic and Jesse B. for the news tips!]
just reently heard of xenoblade and pandora's tower but been wanting last story for a good while now i'd just asumed that it'd come within a year or 2 of jp release for the 1 tho don't think theres a mistwalkers game yet aside from this that hasn't been released in us
I'll see what I can do. Would really love if Nintendo brought these games to NA.
Hells to the yes.
if there ever was a good cause, it would be a win-win, they should bring them over.
I have the sneaking suspicion that these could be launch titles for the Wii U...
Thank YOU Phil for calling everyone's attention to the cause in this post. I'm very grateful that this has been working out well for us so far.
It'd be cool if these got a multi-platform release, too
:|
I'd be amused if this works. I hope Nintendo realizes that every letter is a sale. Could be a sure way of profit.
I certainly want this to succeed.
i've been wanting these games for a while now also
I just wanted to point out that Solatorobo - the sequel to CyberConnect's Tail Concerto - is being published here by XSeed, even though Nintendo of Europe is publishing it themselves (and footing the bill for localization) in that territory.
Nintendo of Europe is frickin' awesome. They actually support their console. And their president isn't Reggie Fils-Aime; a corporate tool with a fat head whose more interested in playing games and selling PR speak to Jimmy Fallon than clearing games for release over here. Even though NOE actually WANTED TO BRING XENOBLADE TO E3 THIS YEAR!
Source: wii.nintendolife.com/.../xenoblades_north_american_release_chances_take_a_knock
I don't know if I can send these letters without including that I want Reggie and his dumb a** fired immediately. But I'll give it a shot. I really, really, REALLY miss Minoru Arakawa (NOA's president from 1980 to 2002). Reggie effin' blows. I can't believe this fu**ing fool has been president for so long. *shakes head*
I've actually already played all three of these in Japanese of course. Their all great games but their not all that either. Xenoblade I actually beat.
I'm all about more games in the market (especially RPGs), but maybe Nintendo knows that, while they will appeal to niche markets, the games won't have enough sales to justify porting them to America. I know that wouldn't cost that much, but maybe Nintendo thinks they won't do even that good in the western markets. If they do, I will play them though.
I want these games in North America!!!
I want to play these games too! I've been looking forward to a US announcement of The Last Story and Xenoblade for a while now. I hope it happens! JRPGs >>>> Western RPGs