Enthusiats just do not get it
John Gilbert
jgilbert@centralnet.netFirst of all I would like to thank Dave for his page and this forum to allow Saturn owners to vent their feelings about the system they so passionately love.
Enthusiast, def. One who is filled with enthusiasm for some principle, pursuit, etc.; a person of ardent zeal. Dictionary definition.
For our practical purposes the enthusiat is one who buys virtually every new piece of hardware that comes out, along with most new, especially the most prolific, game titles. Now this is where this puts you at a disadvantage as a gamer. What do I mean? Game companys know you are sold long before the title is released, meaning that their advertising dollars are not spent on you. All this is probably not new news and you can probably also see that it makes sense for these companys to spend their money for the hard to reach. They want the attention of the casual gamer, the shallow gamer, the uninformed gamer, and yes the most fickle and easily swayed. You may say, "Yeah, so." Here is where you don't get it.
The enthusiast is always ignored. The enthusiast takes care of themselves. They are the ones who seek out information, not the ones being spoon feed. They know that there is an exciting Japanese market with great games just waiting to be imported, and do import. Think about it. A game is released in Japan. Lets say it is a role play game, since peaple on the net seem to always cry about lack of RPGs. It is a huge success in Japan. It creates a ferver on the net. However it is not slated for America release. Reason, I don't know, how about the theme is very Japanese in nature with very subtle Japanese humor and it is huge making a conversion very costly. All companys pass on it. This decision has the enthusiasts very angry, maybe even myself, and every is wondering "Why, are they stupid, I would buy and I know several others who would." Buat any rate it never reaches America. So those who just have to have it import it, their answer a lot of the time when a game is not relesed here, and move on. So does Sega, Sony, and Nintendo. Companies want a return on their investment. Folks I need to break it to you, RPGs do not have a huge audience. They have a very passionate audience and they speak up a lot on the net, but bottom line there is not a large number of you out their. Just vocal. Really think about it, if a RPG made as much money and were as popular as say a Madden title or Tekken, don't you really think we would see more. Really. That is why we get the big ones and a few others, Perhaps the ones that are brought over are poor, Shinning Wisdom and Beyoond the Beyond, better decision need to be made. Also they need to not assume that we wouldn't appreciate a heavily Japanese flavored game.
Major point,please do not be so ethnocentric and think everyone holds your opinion. In the safe world of the internet where you are with like minded individuals, SPORTS GAMES ARE NOT THE ENEMY, people love sports games, I love sports games. If you want to be taken serious you need to give equal merit to all genres. If not you will be dismissed as an enthusiast and companies ears will be shut off. If anything sports games could become your savior. If they sell systems. Imagine Sega puting out an incredible line of must have sports titles and they sells a ton of systems because of them, therefore creating a larger user base, thus making the Saturn less of a risky proposition. Konomi anyone. They are a third party with games comming out to the Saturn, perhaps only because of the Stunner. Are their RPGs coming to Saturn, not as of yet. Those petitions did a lot. Petitions from enthusiasts I might add. I signed them all, but will it matter.
A word on the upgrade, Thumbs up!! From a fellow enthusiast.
Keep debating on this page perhaps SOA will read and give an ear to us enthusiasts after all.
A few thank yous. Thanks to SOJ the greatest game company, Yu Suzuki and Yuji Naka in paticular, real geniuses with only a care for their art. Many thanks too Sega for spending resources when making Christmas Nights, a beautiful gesture. Somthing wonderful and majestic that was not created purely for profit, but for our, Saturn owners enjoyment. Lastly all the people who write in with well thought out ideas or complaints that are to encourage a great game company, Sega(with the most loyal fans)to be better.