Certainly true in the micro as well as the macro! Your observations on Jump’s success put me in mind of the stockholder-driven game conglomerates (largely in the west) that are too beholden to a quarterly cycle to hold out over the long production times of AA and AAA games, let alone nurture talent and teams over several releases. Maybe the longer development time and size of investment makes it just harder to do that in games overall?(although Nintendo stands as a counter-example.)
Definitely a counter-example. They spent five+ years honing the very first Pokemon title. Admittedly they put most of the onus on the outside developer, but still. They get that quality means time, and are willing to spend the money.
The digital editions generate a lot of realtime reader data, but traditionally it still is harvested through reader-response postcards in each issue. The more engaged readers tend to send those in really quickly so it's pretty close to realtime.
Thanks for this - those are good principles. Matt, would you say that they apply more widely in Japanese business beyond the manga and gaming sector? Btw, cheers from Montgomery County (Aspen Hill).
In the West at least, when we look back on a lot of pop culture of days gone by, it's kind of become quite clear that what was mainstream "popular" was all just marketing, and decision makers at the very top of very big companies making the decision. Sure, there were occasional flops, but overwhelmingly , when corporate decided something would be a hit - it was.
“Time + People = enduring hits” is a lesson I wish more game developers learned.
How many localizations I wish we'd had more time on!
Certainly true in the micro as well as the macro! Your observations on Jump’s success put me in mind of the stockholder-driven game conglomerates (largely in the west) that are too beholden to a quarterly cycle to hold out over the long production times of AA and AAA games, let alone nurture talent and teams over several releases. Maybe the longer development time and size of investment makes it just harder to do that in games overall?(although Nintendo stands as a counter-example.)
Definitely a counter-example. They spent five+ years honing the very first Pokemon title. Admittedly they put most of the onus on the outside developer, but still. They get that quality means time, and are willing to spend the money.
The surprisingly one-developer good game: Stardew Valley. Very much time, though.
And: Baba is You.
‘Enshittification’ is amazing! 😂
Does Jump get real time feedback because a certain % of people consume manga digitally?
The digital editions generate a lot of realtime reader data, but traditionally it still is harvested through reader-response postcards in each issue. The more engaged readers tend to send those in really quickly so it's pretty close to realtime.
This was fun! I really enjoyed it.
Thanks for this - those are good principles. Matt, would you say that they apply more widely in Japanese business beyond the manga and gaming sector? Btw, cheers from Montgomery County (Aspen Hill).
I hear the real money is in Japanimation
In the West at least, when we look back on a lot of pop culture of days gone by, it's kind of become quite clear that what was mainstream "popular" was all just marketing, and decision makers at the very top of very big companies making the decision. Sure, there were occasional flops, but overwhelmingly , when corporate decided something would be a hit - it was.
That was a lot easier when there were more gatekeepers and fewer channels!