To say that the original Retro Game Challenge has a loyal following might be the understatement of the year, but unfortunately that following isn't quite large enough to justify XSEED localizing its sequel Retro Game Challenge 2. Of course this hasn't stopped the flood of fan emails to the company begging and pleading for it to happen anyway.
The guys at XSEED recently took part in an interview with Siliconera, and here's a bit of what they had to say when asked about the possibility of the company localizing Retro Game Challenge 2...
Siliconera: So about Retro Game Challenge 2…
Ken Berry, Director of Publishing: It looks very unlikely that we will localize and bring it.
We’ve gotten tons of e-mails from fans that say ‘thank you so much!’, ‘we love Retro Game Challenge’, ‘it’s my favorite DS game of all time’, but when you look at the sales numbers that actually picked it up and really being vocal about it, it’s pretty small compared to the other DS owners out there. The sales aren’t quite there to justify bringing the sequel.
Jun Iwasaki, President: Fortunately, we got that title, but honestly it has not reached our expectations sales wise. It’s tough to bring the game over. If the sales of Game Center CX 1 dramatically increase we will of course consider it. It’s up to you guys.
Siliconera: OK! Tell my readers how many more copies need to be sold.
Jun Iwasaki, President: We have to reach 100,000.
Well there you have it. Everyone go out right now and buy 50 copies of Retro Game Challenge. It's for a good cause.
And you can also check out the full Siliconera interview with XSEED as well.
[source siliconera.com]
Comments (49)
If you like the retro arcade stuff, it's a great buy. A lot of fun if you can appreciate it for what it is.
It's around $30. I plan to get it sometime soon. I wanna help the cause (and I like the game's premise.)
How many sales is it at so far? It'd be nice if they told us their progress.
I may have to import this if the original doesn't get released here by Christmas... which it won't.
EDIT:
Oh wait, they want 100,000 MORE? Oh, now that's just... ugh.
Was Retro Game Challenge really that good? I was intrigued by it, but then a lot of people told me it was boring, and that many of the games are just minor variations of earlier games that you've already unlocked.
I'm not writing it off based on the opinions of others, but it does make me a little more apprehensive.
I believe they just need at least 100,000 in total sales units. But I have no idea what the current count is at.
It's confusing, because they were saying they wanted 20,000 more, and then they were saying something about 100,000, so I wasn't sure whether that was a target since sales began, or since now.
Sounds like total sales to me. "We need to reach 100,000" is an odd thing to say in the middle of an interview. Why would the count start right then? That would be a pretty arbitrary point in time to begin a tally.
I'm definitely thinking he means total.
OHFORCRYINGOUTLOUDTHISISTOTALLYNOTFAIR!
Why is it that Retro Game Challenge was only released in the States (well, the United States, anyway...I'd have liked it if it were released in the Australian States...and territories!) in the first place? Surely sales would be larger if Europe, Australia, New Zealand and the rest were able to obtain copies too?
Ha! There's a (slim but still ultimately possible) solution! Simply release RGC in the PAL territories!
Ah...but then they'd probably expect something like 500k to sell...in addition to what's already been sold...plus ten! Don't ask me how or why I came to that conclusion, but...Oh! Ohhhh! Why can't this otaku (yes, I admit it!) even TRY a copy for crying out loud? This is **** --
Network NP is experiencing technical difficulties -- please stand by
In all seriousness, it'd be great if people would buy the game(s omnibus--thanks, KSSU!), not only to support localisation of the sequel but also to see both released in PAL territories! Have a heart and buy as many copies as you can afford! There's always Birthdays and eBay to spread the joy!
Im buying another copy definately now. Thats is a very attainable number. Ill go in Best Buy and they will be sold out once and then go back again and they are full. So people are buying the game. Heres hoping well get the sequel. I mean at least its a chance.
Thanks Corbie for the update.
I bought another one the other day for a friend of mine's birthday. He loves those old 80's arcade games so I figured I could kill two birds with one stone. Who knows, maybe we'll see Retro Game Challenge 2 after all.
I just bought 100,000 copies of the game, do we get the seguel now?
@ 1. NintendoPurist
Just import the US version. Thats what I would do if I was in a PAL territory.
That settles things; I am buying this game (when I can) and advertising thereof!
HOPE! Must...buy...copies...no money? Dammit.
@Chicken Brutus: The racing game is needlessly repeated, but other than that, things are varied enough to be worth the money. Especailly Guadia Quest, the RPG in the game. If you're a fan of older Dragon Quest titles, you should DEFINITELY like this game.
Yes, yes, everybody import North American copies of the game! Get those sales UP! WE CAN DO IT!!!
I think XSEED needs to justify releasing drill sergeant mindstrong instead of a retro game challenge for wii ware.
For those who were wondering what the sales were at now, D-toid has a quote saying that it was at 80,000 sales for when this interview was done. Just throwing that out.
I think I'll pass...I mean, I might get one copy, but 50? Nu-uh.
I can't wait to play Retro Game Challenge... What's good about it?
RGC is one of my top ten favs on my DS, since I love Retro Games. Anyone and Everyone who loves retro games (particularly shooters, racers, arcade platformers, and RPGs) NEEDS to buy a copy!
Another idea to get sales up is to release each game from RGC (total of 8) separately on DSiWare for about 500 points each.
The R4 strikes again...
Surely sales would be larger if Europe, Australia, New Zealand and the rest were able to obtain copies too?
Put simply Namco won't allow it. Something about Europeans didn't have retro games or culturally it was too different (I know what they mean we were all into spectrum and C64 and writing down 1000 line codes from magazines and using tape copiers to "distribute" these).
The more likely reason is localisation costs. You'ld be surprised how much dialogue there is in it. The same goes for its sequel which while sounding like a much better game has a text based RPG section which won't be at all enjoyable in Japanese.
When I take everything into account, the US version is sadly priced out of my market.
Meh, there are plenty of games that have only English text, since that translation already exists it'd only be a matter of shipping copies and figuring out how many copies you need to ship where.
Imported!
To that I say: http://www.vgchartz.com/games/game.php?id=12807®ion=All
It may not be 100% accurate but it can't be too far off the mark.
VC Chartz shows N/A as being the North American figures. For the sequel to be translated it needs 100,000 sales...which is what the Japanese verison achieved in its lifetime (including the ¥1500 release I assume) according to numbers quoted by VG Chartz.
Still there are more accurate Japanese numbers out there...I just can't remember where
Based on VGC RGC has sold 0 in America.
So are they saying they need it to sell 100,000 in America before they release the sequel there
Or are they saying they need it to sell 100,000 more units in Japan before it's worth releasing the sequel in America?
Or are they saying it needs to sell 100,000 total in Japan for it to be worth releasing the sequel in America (because it already has aparantly)?
I'm not sure what the hell they are saying!
@Kirk:
From the interview:
"If the sales of Game Center CX 1 dramatically increase we will of course consider it."
That's RGC1, unless I'm mistaken. That's what needs to sell 100,000 copies.
perhaps even if the sequel doesn't make it, they will release some of the parts individually on dsiware
@Chicken Brutus
Dramatically increase where though?
I mean it has apparently already sold more than the required 100,000 in Japan, and it doesn't seem to be released in America for any sales to be considered (well based on the fact that VGC has NA and 0 sales for it) so it would be strange for him to say it needs to dramatically increase it's sales in America when none exist yet.
If he means RGC1 has to sell more than 100,000 once it's released in America before they would consider releasing the sequel too then I don't think that would be too much of a stretch and they need to release the first one to see that at least.
@Kirk:
I'm pretty sure that the game is already out in America, and it needs to reach 100,000 sales for them to release the sequel.
Ok people, first the game has been released in the US and apparently VGC hasn't recieved any sales numbers on the game. Second, 100,000 units must be sold in the US to justify the translation of the US sequel since Game Center CX 2 (AKA Retro Game Challenge 2) has been released in Japan since February 26 '09.
Why wait for it when you can import it?
@traylord
Ok,
That makes better sense.
I'll buy one for the cause........
I'm playing it on my flash card, That counts , right?
I'll purchase my copy in July when I go on vacation to San Diego. So that's only another 19,999 copies that need to be sold.
Yeah, Kirk, the game is already out here. He'd be pretty silly to expect 100,000 sales in a region that didn't even have an official release of the game!
Well, I land in the States on the 29th, I'm hoping that they still sell copies of it at the local GameStop! I'lll contribute to my love for GameCenter CX!
I really think the sequel will sell alot better. I think the 8bit graphics threw some people off but the original is a fantastic game. I know some birthdays coming up and I know what they are getting.
Clinker said to NintendoPurist:
"Just import the US version. That's what I would do if I was in a PAL territory."
Well, that is an option; the two things that concern me though are shipping costs from the US to Australia and delivery times! I have trouble waiting two days for my new D&D items to arrive from Games Paradise, let alone two weeks for a copy of RGC!
However, I will definitely consider it. Thanks for the idea!
EDIT: I just realised that if I ordered RGC from Amazon, it'll take nearly two months for it to arrive! And I'll be moving interstate within the next couple of months (I believe)! Augh...WHYMUSTGAMINGCONSTANTLYBESOCRUELTOME? I mean, first my DS lite stops working, then my Nitro, then my second Wii Remote! Now I can't even obtain a copy of RGC!
@NintendoPurist: Two MONTHS? Why the heck would it take THAT long? I've imported games (one each) from the UK and Japan, and each took two weeks TOPS. If Amazon is predicting it'll take that long, either something is very wrong, or they're on backorder. I hope it's the latter, so as to suggest it's selling really well.
RadioShadow: YOU are the reason why the sequel is not being translated. You should be ashamed!!!
Well, I did my part and bought the game yesterday.
One of my favorite, if not my favorite, games now. (The Dark Spire is a close competitor.) It's awesome!
I'm really looking forward to playing this game!
To those pointing to the Japanese sales, they don't count. Only the US Sales since that is the territory that XSeed sells the game. The original developer sells it in Japan.
@bngrybt: If Nintendo translates F-ZERO Climax into English, then I'll buy a copy! Or releases it in Europe. Which ever is easier.
Well I finally got my copy of the game and I love it!
I got it from a BestBuy and it was the last copy they have, then again it may have been standing there for quite a while so I don't know. Hey at least I did my best to the contribution, because I want to see GameCenterCX2 released in the US too!
I probably won't get Retro Game Challenge 1 , but I'll probably import Game Center CX 2.
If a Game Center CX 3 were to come out, I would love to see the games on there have 2D 32-bit graphics.
Please Please! Release it here i have the original one and i think its one of the best ds games ever I need the sequel
Tap here to load 49 comments
Leave A Comment
Hold on there, you need to login to post a comment...