Capcom producer says that globally-involved companies that “only know Japan” aren’t well-positioned to accomplish anything
Capcom is a company that has been trying for a while to dig itself out of financial trouble, and today prestigious producer from the company Yoshinori Ono has said that he believes companies that are only focused on understanding Japan simply can’t succeed worldwide anymore:
“The challenge for us now is determining the best way to adapt our approach for delivering services in each regional market. In Japan, for example, home video game consoles enjoy the same amount of popularity among gamers as smartphones and computers. On the other hand, there is little need to focus on game consoles in other Asian countries because they are only used by hardcore gamers. We do intend to continue marketing titles aimed at hardcore gamers, but in general our primary focus in the Asia is building up the market for online games.”
“Home video games are the most popular in the North America and Europe, so in that sense it’s like a larger version of the Japanese market. But recently the income gap has widened in certain areas, and there are differences in the attitudes people have towards games, so we need to adapt our services to fit the needs of each group. People involved in global business development who only know Japan have no real hope of accomplishing anything. To offer services adapted to each region, you need to take an active interest in regions outside Japan, and make an effort to understand their local customs and culture.”
– Capcom’s Yoshinori Ono
Capcom Developer Interviews via VideoGamer