I disagree. Gurumin is a cute 3D platformer, and cute 3D platformers are HUGE in the U.S. Just look at all the cute 3D platformer franchises that American developers have had immense success with in recent years: Jak and Daxter, Sly Cooper, Ratchet & Clank, and that's just on the PS2! Gurumin would fit right in, while also appealing to the ever-growing anime fanbase, as well as those people who have become huge fans of "quirky Japanese games" (a.k.a. the Katamari Damacy contingent). I think it'd do really well here, if marketed properly.
Also, in regards to some other things that were mentioned in this thread:
Inochi: While it's true PSP games aren't exactly selling like hotcakes right now, have you seen the latest console sales numbers? The PSP is currently the highest-selling console in Japan, outselling even the PS2, and almost doubling sales of the DS. What this means is that PSP game sales can't be too far behind -- because after all, if you're going to buy a system, you're certainly going to want games for it! I think it's only a matter of time before PSP game sales really pick up in Japan...
my friend, it pains me to tell you, buy you are wrong in you're "facts"... >_< but before i get to that, let me first point out something. Do you REALY think gurumin would actually fit in with those "new-age" 3D platformers that were for the PS2? do you realy not see the similarities that they have to eachother and the distinctness they all have from gurumin's? even in their commercials, those PS2 platformers were convayed WAY differently from how gurumin is portrayed. compared to them, i would go as far as saying that gurumin is candy-coated. and id be extreamly surprised if no one else here would agree with my thoughts on that, especialy those who have played gurumin. you can say that maybe if they would promote it properly, then maybe it'd get picked up better (something i myself have said numerous times for Ys as well). its true, that for many games (like the PS2 platformers you mentioned, for example) its the advertising that does the biggest trick, but with even the bigget japanese companies, proper advertising is extreamly scarce for games that have very little confidence backing them. I dont beleive for a second that gurumin will be an exception and get the promoting it deserves. Gurumin could work out to gain 100K in the US, but it cant fit in with those huge sellers you mentioned. cutesy artworked games that are more like gurumin (deffinately not those popular PS2 platformers), even more or less so, have horribly failed many times before. a lot of the people that you would think would be easily hooked by this kind of game dont even play video games. such games always remain with a cult following, nothing more, as they will never be promoted to the right people properly. Id even say that Ys VI had a much better chance in the US than Gurumin does.
so, do i realy have to do a side-by-side screenshot comparison of gurumin compared to those games? maybe they could be similar in gameplay, but out of these games, Gurumin is truely the ONLY cute one.
now, as for you're comment on the sales of PSP outselling all other consoles, allow me to link you to a few things...
This shows that the DS outsold the PSP in Japan for over 30 consecutive weeks, it just plain pummeled it. if there was anytime that the DS didnt sell more than the PSP, it was because the DS was struggling with shortages, but even then the PSP didnt beat it by much:
www.jeux-france.com/blog73768_MariodsIGN's article on DS's shortage problems (for proof):
ds.ign.com/articles/693/693217p1.htmland from that, you can get a good idea of how the DS's sales are gonna explode once the next week's sales numbers come in from famitsu. they're speculating that the DS has now sold over 400K more units in Japan's 2006 only due to the DS lite.
This article portrays exactly what the DS is compared to the PSP and why the DS is selling considerably more (btw: in the article, this guy says that he is one of the many that was doubting/mocking the DS and embracing the PSP. Hes also the first person ive seen that truely explains the overrated Lumines and even puts down Tokobot - which i think one person on this board is fond of)
nintendonow.e-mpire.com/index.php?categoryid=5&m_articles_articleid=3516#taken from that article (about how PSP is doing outside of Japan):
to finish it off, go to
the-magicbox.com/ and check out the recent lists... no PSP is on the most wanted charts, the best selling PSP so far is Monster Hunter Portable (a port, no doubt) which sold 500K, and check out the platnium charts too which show that the DS has already made over five "million sellers", one of them being from bandai, in only a little over one year, which is truely an amazing feat not been done by anyone else since the early days of nintendo.
now, its not that i want to put you down or anything, i just like to keep the facts on top at all times.
You can like whatever system you want, its you're opinion an certain things just work out better with some people than others (one such reason behind that could be that a lot of series that you are a fan of are being ported to that platform) but, like i said, im just pointing out what the facts are...
eh... reading your post again, it seems that you said "PSP is
currently the best selling in japan". well, as ive explained, thats only due to the shortages.. any and all of the small "triumphs" for the PSP in japan so far have been flukes and wont last long... the DS's momentum is far too strong in comparison, especialy with the release of the Lite and the fact that Japan's streets have been filling with DS-chaos due to shortages. still, the PSP is still selling reasonably well (although, the only thing of sony's thats done worse is the PSX), so sony's happy... for now. Oh yeah, and you also said that PSP's sales cant be far behind. Well, as you can see now, the DS to PSP ratio in Japan is 2 to 1 (meaning, the DS has sold more than twice the amount the PSP has).
personaly, i think that this is the smartest nintendo has ever been in it's entire history. this year alone, MP Hunters, the newest Mario Bros since SMB3 on NES, and the first true evolution of Tetris will come out for the DS, and thats what will win over the US and Europe. next year, maybe the next Zelda? Nintendo WiFi also has a powerful momentum of it's own. Whither you like it or not, nothing will be beating the DS... and the PSP has already played it's GTA card too!
also, if you think im choosing sides here, read what ive said more throughly as i was careful to leave biases behind. I can understand if anyone loves their PSP, but the truth is, it's lost against the DS. the PSP is ultimately looked at as a multimedia handheld device, and is even promoted as such. its a jack of all trades, and a master of none (as the guy said in the previous article i posted). but with the DS Lite, DS TV-tuner, DS web browser, and DS storage device/media player coming out as options for those who want more out of their platform, maybe even that tide will change.
so, after all this, im sure everyone can see why i keep asking and wondering why in the world Capcom and Falcom are taking their chances with the PSP. They realy should be focusing on the PS2 instead, atleast.
also, the latest chart from japan was released today:
www.jeux-france.com/news14868_top-ventes-jap-sem-n09-2006-.htmli think its almost the 1st anniversary of Brain Training DS being on the charts. RPGs will come, sell big, then go in a blink, but DS games will keep selling bit by bit every day. Hey look, Seiken Densetsu... anyone can see that the DS has the most original (in otherwords, not ports) larger quantity of quality RPGs.
and heres a treat for METAL GEAR fans:
www.jeux-france.com/blog75107_Basto
) it would be awesome if this were true, because this is a game ive been eyeing for some time now (ive been kinda interested since i saw the trailer on gillian's site), but i dont think they'd release it on the PC... that'd be a rare thing to see. PSP i can understand... (kinda) but im surprised its not coming to the PS2 yet. ive read somewhere this game sold quite well in japan, but unfortuately there are no top selling game lists for japanese PC games, im curious as to how well falcom games realy sell in japan... famitsu doesnt even review PC games, nor do i think there is any magazine for PC games in japan.
You can like whatever system you want, its you're opinion an certain things just work out better with some people than others (one such reason behind that could be that a lot of series that you are a fan of are being ported to that platform) but, like i said, im just pointing out what the facts are...
