Japanese Game Releases Delayed, Cancelled in Tsunami Aftermath
Sudden, mass distress often has entertainment industry effects, due to virtually everyone’s emotions being rocked in some way. Many movies and video games were altered, delayed, or cancelled in the United States shortly after the terrorist attacks which knocked down the World Trade Center on Sept. 11, 2001. Here in Japan, even in areas not directly affected by the Tohoku earthquake and subsequent tsunami, all hearts are heavy. That, in addition to power being short in supply and shipping routes in many regions being disrupted, has caused some game companies to react.
Disaster Report 4, a game in which players must escape an earthquake-ravaged Tokyo, has been cancelled. This was to be the series’ first console outing of the current generation, after there had been two entries on PlayStation 2 and one for PSP.
Sega’s Yakuza: Of the End has been delayed to an unspecified time. This game also has an apocolyptic tone, though obviously less realistic than the above. The company has not given a specific timeframe for the game’s release.
Sony has put offroad racing game Motorstorm Apocolypse on hold, pointing at “various circustances” (obviously the shipping logistics and cultural sensitivity). This game once again has natural disasters as a key part of the gameplay, as players race through terrain being torn apart by earthquakes and the like. It’s not yet known whether the North American or European release will be affected.
Capcom has said that it will hold off on releasing DLC for Marvel vs. Capcom 3. That’s probably a combination of a business move and just wanting to stay respectful.
Eventually of course, things will be back to normal and people will move on, but right now, it seems like everyone in the country knows someone either dead or missing after this disaster. I’d speculate that outsiders might raise questions, which are understandable. Honestly though, it might be hard to fully comprehend without being here. It’d be like releasing a game called Flood Survivor right after Hurricane Katrina or Plane Hijack Hero right after 9/11, for two hypothetical examples. People in the industry don’t feel right releasing these things at this time, and hopefully the worldwide audiences will understand that.
14 Responses to “Japanese Game Releases Delayed, Cancelled in Tsunami Aftermath”
“Plane Hijack Hero”
Dude… classy
Pretty much the point, yeah.
didnt GTA vice city get pulled after 9/11 because you were supposed to fly a plane into a building?
You couldn’t fly planes in Vice city. I believe you’re thinking of GTA IV not having planes because the city is supposed to be New York City and they didn’t think it would be appropriate to allow planes to be flown into buildings.
It is really sad what’s been happening. I feel for the Japanese people, god bless you
My thoughts and heart go to the Japanese people. I have friends there, and fortunately they’re alright. May they stay away from harm.
it kind of stinks that Disaster Report 4 got completely canceled…I understand games being delayed and I feel horrible about what is going on in Japan right now but I feel cancelations are unnecessary. My point is that if seeing a destroyed Tokyo now isn’t ok, why was it ok before?? I know now it is more real, but the fact that we never know when these natural disasters are going to hit makes me wonder: Why do game developers ever try to release disaster oriented games? Why is it ok to play games focused around war when it is happening all over the world right now? Does it hurt the Japanese people, or American families who lost loved ones, any less because we waited 60 years to play games about WWII?? The last thing I want to do is sound insensitive…if I could afford it I would be over in Japan helping them with clean up…but I think a little logic is missing when a cancelation like this occurs…it WOULD have been a cool game.
Disaster Report 4 was a game about an Earthquake hitting Japan and people having to survive it. It makes perfect sense to cancel a Japan only game like that immediately after the stuff the game portrayed happened in real life (I’m pretty sure it was a Japan only title since NA only got 1 or 2 of the previous games).
Having played the first disaster report I think it would have been cool if they had some kind of deal where they sold the rights to it, with some of the money going to charites of course, and just have them change the setting and release it later on. Definitely understandable what they did though.
That does make more sense…I didn’t realize it was supposed to be exclusive to Japan.
you have to respect these moves as i think it shows a high level of respect these companies have for the situation.
I don’t mean any disrespect towards anybody (The things I say have a habit of upsetting people) but I don’t think it matters as long as what happens isn’t too close to the situation. Like for instance I remember hearing a german company made a video game where you escape natural disasters,
They had the idea to put real disasters into the game and the idea was you could figure out what you would do. Unfortunely one of these guys had the stupid idea of putting 9/11 into the game and this was not even a year after it had happened.
My point is there’s a reason why movies/TV Shows say that their not linked to any real life events or people. I’m not saying it was only bad when 9/11 became involved but that it was a dumb idea in the first place to put real tragic events in the game and a retarded one to place one that had happened so soon. Though it makes sense to delay these games seeing as a large amount of people in Japan are still trying to mourn the dead and recover from this terriable tragedy.
I really hope the US come through for Japan and send them the help they need.
This is completely understandable so I don’t blame any game company for delaying or canceling their games.
May god be with them.