So, about the popularity of the series

[reymon698]

For a long time in my life, Ys was totally unknow to me, and it wasnt untill i was a bit hungry for some action RPG that i discovered what Ys was, and even then, i realized the series lacked a big amount of popularity

I heard that Ys was popular back in the day (Back in the day, as in: the first 2 games) but after Wanderes it became the ghost that its today.

Now though, with XSEED current job of localizing Ys, do you think the series popularity is turning on the good side?

[Este]

That's the thing with Ys, I found it in a similar way. It feels like for someone to pick it up, they have to be tired of the big, well-known franchises first before they find out anything about it. I realize there's probably a decent number of video-game-enthusiasts that know about it (your silicon-era frequenters especially) but outside of them maybe not so much. I don't know if that's a good or a bad thing.

Maybe it's good. Falcom develops the way they want to, concentrating on their Japanese fans, and their games have attracted all of us just as they are. If they build up a strong western fan base, maybe they wiill start to develop with us in mind instead. That's not necessarily bad, and they'd make more profits that way, I just don't want them change the games too much.

On the other hand, it wouldn't be the first time they changed Ys' gameplay.

[Trebia]

About me, I noticed about Ys when I was looking for new anime to see. At first, I felt attract to the series, because Adol was red-haired, as well as my OC, and because of the story.
Seeing this way, I think it is very good.
Some series like Naruto, or One Piece, at the end, will end become hatred, even for those who beloved it, just because they are so commercial, and people get tired about the bunch of episodes/games(in my case, with Dragon Ball).
And, in other way, I prefer that, than deal with a bunch of stupid kids who says Zelda is better, when they even didn´t know about the game.
I am a beloved fan of Zelda, but I know to recognize a jewel when I see it, and I don´t judge a book by it´s cover.
Anyway, I feel proud to know a game that is a total eminence in Japan, when other people, who seems to know so much about games, didn´t noticed about it, and judge it just because the main character is a young boy (and, supposedly for that, the game doesn´t depth-what I don´t think so-)when I show it to them.

PD: sorry about to called you remon, blame my keyboard. XDDDDDD

[Red Hairdo]

It certainly deserves more popularity, but as it is I think it's pretty good.

AFAIK it's been a pretty popular series until 4: First two games were big hits, 3 was the black sheep cr*p overall, then 4 tried to rescue what people liked about it originally, then after that it just died down until COMPLETE/Ys VI.

But all that's in Japan. Elsewhere, Ys I & II was well-known among TurboGrafx 16 gamers, and those were VERY limited to begin with. It was either THE or one of the best-selling games for the system on the west, to the point it'd come bundled with newer releases of the console in the west, IIRC. In Brazil it was somewhat know mainly due to Tec Toy bringing the Sega Master System to there, and with it, Ys I SMS. After all this, it got to be known by some because of SNES Ys III as well, but wasn't all that popular (nor should it be judging from Ys III alone). Nowadays, after Konami and especially XSEED (and Wyrdwad hyping it quite incredibly), it's becoming more and more noticed.

As long as the communities don't become a pool like FF did (imagine tons of "Adol"s in MMOs: Adol56, Adolredhair, xXAdolXx and so on), then I don't mind. xD

[Ghaleon]

Ys is an under the radar series, which is a real shame; considering how much fun it is. My first Ys game was wanderers from Ys on the snes, and back then I hadn't heard of the series. After I finished that, I never saw another Ys title until Oath in Felghana on psp, and my mind was blown with that one when I did find it. I remembered every character, and instantly all those hours of side scrolling combat came back at me again.

After I did some digging and noticed just how many Ys games i'd missed, I came to realize how unknown the series is.

But that's not a bad thing, especially since Falcom can take the series where it wants, and tell the story without having to live up to unrealistic expectations and hype.

Its both a blessing and a curse I think.

[cercia]

I dont know.

In the UK Ys never really picked up, hardly anyone is familiar with Falcom here. Looks like it will do ok in Japan though, if you mean the progress of its popularity in that country.

I'm being followed by Falcom on Twitter. It's my impression they aren't going to stop and are interested in continuing to develop games for new consoles both in Japan and overseas, whether Ys or some other franchise.

Their graphics talents & packaging are extraordinary.

[Shadowserg]

In Russia there are a very few fans of the Ys series and Falcom... and it's very sad.