Topic: Dual Audio should not be a Necessity

The original poster of this topic has now deleted their account. Because the topic had 50 or more replies it has been adopted by the default site profile.

I'm not interested in this game but I agree if I really wanted a game I'd buy it no matter if it has dual audio or not. I usually don't even like speech in games, except a few exceptions (right now I can think of only two games where I actually enjoyed speech). I don't think such a thing matters so much that is worth it to skip a game you would otherwise want just because of that.

Gaming is a hobby. People are entitled to skip purchasing something for whatever reason they want.

I tend to prefer English dubs, though, so it obviously doesn't matter to me. I won't skip a game that is Japanese-only, either, even though it's not my preference.

I like to have flexible audio options - but it's not a 'make or break' thing for me...

eg. with Breath of the Wild - it kind of has an 'anime' style, so my preference is to play it as I would watch anime (Japanese audio, English subs) ..that option wasn't available in the game from day 1, which I thought was a bit of a shame - but it didn't stop me from buying and enjoying the game - just, when they patched the game to allow that audio/sub flexibility, it made the game even better in my view (..even if you don't use it, I'd always say that it's better to have the choice ideally)

I totally understand your point, and I've never skipped a game because of that.
However, I feel that when a company's public relations explain why there's no dual audio, the pill isn't that hard to swallow (except for really hardcore fans. But maybe for those the region free consoles are helpful).

I mean, I've heard stories about how contracts with voice actors could make any foreign sale impossible. This is understandable and completely breaks the usual argument "there's enough room on the disk/cart to put both audio tracks, or at least put it on DLC".
I don't know if that's the case for Xeno 2, though.

Dual Audio is not essential, but if adding it would be as easy as programming a small menu screen where you can choose the audio and the subtitles, I see no reason not to have it.

However, if the developers have good reasons not to have it (I don't know about XC2, but a good reason might be that some cutscenes get edited for foreign markets, which would make the japanese dubbing out of synch), I have no problem not having it.

As a general rule, don't trust what people write on the internet. If you read people saying they are not going to buy it just because of the lack of dual audio, or the cover art on the box, or the font used on the spine etc - it usually means they wouldn't have bought it anyway. Nobody can be that stupid as to say no to a game they would have liked for something that stupid.

@spizzamarozzi I've read an article on that recently, but I can't find it anymore. I found this however, but it doesn't go as in-depth: http://kotaku.com/why-most-tales-games-havent-had-the-japanes...

There are licensing issues. That doesn't mean it can't happen, but it's probably a hassle and a lot more expensive than if they just exclude it.

@Snaplocket It's perfectly okay to skip any game for any reason. It's a hobby, dude: nobody is obligated to purchase anything. What's irrational is you trying to impose your values on what purchasing decisions other people make.

Moreover, just because you don't think something is important doesn't mean other people feel the same way. Different people value different things. I'm largely done purchasing PS4 games, for example, because I enjoy playing games more on portable platforms. Some people might think that's stupid, but, frankly, what purchasing decisions I make isn't any of their business. Likewise, if someone tells me they can't play a game if it isn't running at a locked 60fps, I might think that's stupid, but it's not my place to judge their purchasing decisions. Obviously the framerate of a game is a lot more important to them than it is to me.

Different strokes and whatnot.

I find it pretty cringy when people use Japanese audio and English subs. Whatever floats your boat, though.

I will say that if anyone skips a game for that reason, they're either major, major weaboos, or they didn't really care about the game anyway.

@Snaplocket Ys VIII and Danganronpa V3 are both available on portable platforms. I'll be downloading DR V3 on my Vita. Not getting Ys VIII, though, because nothing about that series catches my interest.

If I love a franchise enough, though, I'll put up with playing it on a stationary platform: which is why I spent roughly 115 hours recently on Persona 5. It's just not my preference so, by and large, I'll avoid buying PS4 games that aren't exclusives.

Japanese voices are better that's why. Its a necessity!

@Snaplocket It used to have a ton of exclusives, but most of them moved off to other platforms in recent years.

The Vita gives me access to a lot of different series without being tethered to a TV or monitor, so I still get a lot of use out of mine. I'd give up my PS4 long before I ditched the Vita.

Also worth noting: even in its current state, the Vita still has more exclusives than the Xbox One.

This is an odd thread. People can veto games for whatever reason that they want to. It almost seems like you want to understand why some people prefer dual audio but then you chastise them for making the decision to skip a game due to lack of Japanese audio. People like what they like and then vote with their wallets. Their decision is subjective...nothing wrong with that. I didn't notice the lack of dual audio news though... I will be importing this one from Japan then.

@Snaplocket Why isn't it a good reason? If a person doesn't want to play a game for whatever reason it is their prerogative. We aren't required to all have the same gaming library. I don't think those that skip a game really care if they are in good company. They are doing what works for them. That allows them to enjoy this hobby best.

So you still aren't making an well articulated point. You are basically stating that you like a game and its features and that if someone else doesn't like that feature set they are wrong. Any purchase made is done for subjective reasons so it is very hard to impose a guideline for what is an acceptable reason to purchase something.

@Snaplocket

Off the top of my head (this is by no means a complete list, just the games that come to mind).

Current exclusives: Uncharted: Golden Abyss. Soul Sacrifice. Freedom Wars. Toukiden. The Caligula Effect. Bullet Girls 1 & 2. Demon Gaze. Oreshika: Tainted Bloodlines. Persona 4: Dancing All Night. Corpse Party: Blood Drive. LittleBigPlanet Vita. Drive Girls.

Exclusives that were ported to other platforms over time (in the West): Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc. Danganronpa 2: Goodbye Despair. Danganronpa Another Episode: Ultra Despair Girls. Criminal Girls. Wipeout 2048. Moe Chronicle. Monster Monpiece.

Exclusive updated releases of older games: Disgaea 3: Absence of Detention; Disgaea 4: A Promise Revisited; Persona 4 Golden. Muramasa: Rebirth. Ys: Memories of Celceta.

I don't refuse to buy a game because of lack of Japanese audio, if I want it with said audio I can always import the Japanese release.

If I want a game, I don't skip it. I buy the release I want.

@Snaplocket The Vita's library has always been very niche, and the system never caught on in the West, so very few of its games are advertised. They don't need to be: they only sell to a cult following of hardcore Vita fans who are internet savvy and don't rely on traditional advertising to hear about games they're interested in.

It is what it is. I feel the same way about Western AAA multiplats that most people feel about niche anime games on the Vita: they're not on my radar, and I don't care about them one way or another. So, for someone like me who is largely alienated from the gaming mainstream, the Vita is a good system to own.

@Snaplocket Sony is doing a good job of appealing to a variety of demographics with the PS4. The only reason I'm not gaga over it is that I'm not into home console gaming in general. That is, I like home console-style games, but not being tethered to a TV. Which is why I love my Switch so much.

@Snaplocket It has done better for itself than the Wii U, though. Even though Sony withdrew support, Japanese third parties and indies have kept it alive. I've mentioned this elsewhere, but games on it seem to have a decent attach rate thanks to its hardcore cult following buying pretty much every new release on it, which ensures a continual stream of new releases. The party is only going to end when and if the Japanese third parties currently developing for it start making games for Switch/PS4 instead.

@Snaplocket Vita already passed 15 million I think. Still ahead of the Wii U