Muramasa: The Demon Blade

[Juanblue85]

Devastating news

US, April 20, 2009 - Fans eagerly awaiting the American release of Muramasa: The Demon Blade should keep their eyes peeled for some new publishing news in the near future. First, IGN has learned that XSEED Games, formerly set to debut the title stateside, will no longer be handling distribution. The company released a statement to IGN confirming this news this morning.

XSEED Games confirms that it is no longer involved with the North American release of Muramasa: The Demon Blade. XSEED Games and Marvelous had previously announced the game as part of the initial line up between the two publishing partners. We firmly believe in the product and will look forward to seeing it release in North America. We enjoy and respect our relationship with Marvelous, and are committed to working together to deliver an amazing line up of games in the US including the highly anticipated Little King's Story, the epic RPG Arc Rise Fantasia and Suda51's intriguing mystery adventure Flower, Sun, Rain.

IGN expects news about the game's new U.S. publisher soon. Stay tuned.

Super Omega Sad at this news. Can you save it Atlus?

[jeffx]

Do you never search for existing threads before you post?

[Juanblue85]

Umm yes I did make a search but nothing came up. I put Marumasa yet nothing came.

[Kakizaki]

As jeffx mentioned, this title has already been suggested here. I have no idea why it isn't coming up when it is searched for. I really hope threads aren't being purged from the suggestion area. Kinda of causes redundant requests.

Also, that article doesn't flat out state no one is bringing it out here - simply that Xseed is not. It may not need saving.

[Juanblue85]

Ohh ok thanks for the clarifying it Kaki. Please lock thread.

[Pibbman]

why lock it?

Since there is still no news about someone else picking it up, it's still worth bringing the attention to Atlus. I fully support Atlus doing this title. Please give me a reason to turn my wii on again Atlus!

*casts his vote*

[jeffx]

Look at what has been unleashed (http://kotaku.com/5220643/muramasa-loses-its-american-publisher). This is getting out of control. Really unsound business move from XSEED.

ON THE OTHER HAND maybe this was the plan all along. There sure hasn't been this much talk about Muramasa... ever? Whoever picks it up will benefit from a healthy amount of free publicity.

[Routou]

I also cast in my vote for atlus to pick up this game.
But I really don't blame XSEED for dropping it.
They already have quite a bit of work to do cause of
ARF. They probably wouldn't have time to get in a 2009 release for Murasama.

[SickleCellAnemia]

I also cast in my vote for atlus to pick up this game.
But I really don't blame XSEED for dropping it.
They already have quite a bit of work to do cause of
ARF. They probably wouldn't have time to get in a 2009 release for Murasama.

I agree with you there, since they've kept delaying the release of Little King's Story too.

[kat_ears_kahrain]

As jeffx mentioned, this title has already been suggested here. I have no idea why it isn't coming up when it is searched for. I really hope threads aren't being purged from the suggestion area. Kinda of causes redundant requests.

Also, that article doesn't flat out state no one is bringing it out here - simply that Xseed is not. It may not need saving.

Checked all 8 pages. While some older ones should be locked before some one gets it in there head to necro them (>.>) and others are duplicates (see Fatal Frame), there is no thread on Muramasa: The Demon Blade or Oboro Muramasa.

And until whatever publisher announces that they have it and will be releasing it, this has my support.

[jeffx]

hmm I do remember this being discussed here but that's not the point I was trying to make.

The new publisher will be announced shortly. There's really no need for this suggestion thread. So sit tight and watch a hockey game or something.

[Pibbman]

God, lets just hope it's not NiSA, with their quality these days.....

[Gen Eric Gui]

I'd almost rather see NISA pick this up than Ignition, who have handled a number of Marvelous' games recently IIRC.

[Xaevier]

Atlus would really be foolish to not pick this up. The game is guaranteed to sell very well based on its predecessors sucess.

[Futomimi]

GAHHHHHHHH. Guys, please read the thread before you post. IT'S ALREADY BEEN PICKED UP BY ANOTHER PUBLISHER. We just don't know who it is yet.

[Ike.]

Atlus if you aren't the ones to publish this I'm gonna #### bricks.

[Dissent]

It wasn't Xseed's decision. No reason to blame them. Marvelous probably decided they could make more money either by publishing it themselves or with a more established American publisher, like Atlus.

I just hope that whoever does publish, does a good job of localizing it and also includes the Japanese voice over work as I've really liked what I've seen/heard on youtube.

[jeffx]

I just hope that whoever does publish, does a good job of localizing it and also includes the Japanese voice over work as I've really liked what I've seen/heard on youtube.

As read on Siliconera, the Japanese release takes about half of the disc, maybe 2GB. So whoever picks up the game can not use lack of space as an excuse not to include dual audio! Of course if it's a major player like Ubisoft (they're not exempt from the rumor mill) then they couldn't give less of a #### about dual audio...

[cj iwakura]

Atlus have this, I'm willing to bet on it.

[poiuiu]

The new publisher will be announced shortly. There's really no need for this suggestion thread. So sit tight and watch a hockey game or something.

I'd almost rather see NISA pick this up than Ignition, who have handled a number of Marvelous' games recently IIRC.

Ignition has been confirmed to be the publisher (http://wii.ign.com/articles/974/974820p1.html).

In the least, you all will likely have your useless but pretty boxart rather than a decent translation. :p

[jeffx]

Words. Cannot. Express. This. Tragedy.

Lux-Pain 2 confirmed?

[Decept]

wait bad tra... ooooo shiny.

Well, it could be worse. Right?

[Xaevier]

wait bad tra... ooooo shiny.

Well, it could be worse. Right?

EA could have decided to start doing translations so yeah could have been much worse.

[kat_ears_kahrain]

wait bad tra... ooooo shiny.

Well, it could be worse. Right?

EA could have decided to start doing translations so yeah could have been much worse.

I'd trust EA to localize a game over Ignition. The only game for the Wii that I would have been willing to update for... now... not so much.

I'll stick with my homebrew hacked wii and go buy the import.

[landlock]

Are Ignition US that bad. Ignition UK have been pretty solid over the years.

[poiuiu]

wait bad tra... ooooo shiny.

Well, it could be worse. Right?

Well, honestly, it's not really the translation that's the problem with their last game (Lux-Pain) but rather its localisation (this should have been the term I should have used in my last post), which faults is in its technical side. Supposedly the VA doesn't match with the onscreen text and it's prevalent throughout the game.

This game will surely make or break Ignition with their potential fanbase now, except for their SNK side fanbase where Ignition have won by default.

[SickleCellAnemia]

The only game for the Wii that I would have been willing to update for... now... not so much.

I'll stick with my homebrew hacked wii and go buy the import.

Wait, so the US version's gonna need the 4.0 System Update?

[Pixel]

I'll hold off on this until I read 1up's review.

[Yet Another Tim]

Damn, damn, DAMN! MMV should've made an arrangement with Atlus U.S.A. instead, seeing how the former's European arm, Rising Star Games, published/localised Snow Board Kids for Europe.

Guys, to anyone having the balls to call up Ignition Entertainment U.S.A., here's their number:

818 502 9613

I called them up before about Lux-Pain.

[kat_ears_kahrain]

The only game for the Wii that I would have been willing to update for... now... not so much.

I'll stick with my homebrew hacked wii and go buy the import.

Wait, so the US version's gonna need the 4.0 System Update?

I'm quite sure that by the time it's released, it'll be something like a 4.1 or 4.2, but yeah it'll want to update.

[Pibbman]

I'd almost rather see NISA pick this up than Ignition, who have handled a number of Marvelous' games recently IIRC.

I imagine somewhere right now Gen Eric Gui is screaming "NoooOOoooOOoooOooOOo~"

I wonder what ignition has done? Should I be concerned?

[Juanblue85]

Well they bought Blue Dragon Plus over to the states an it has gotten a few good reviews other than that I don't know what else they released.

[Pibbman]

Well from what I'm reading on kotaku, they did Lux-pain which from the comments there, seem to have a horrible localization job. Which I quoted below


Lux-pain's localisation was so insultingly bad I returned the game in disgust. The text verged on incomprehensible half the time and was riddled with typos/misspelling.

The voice work was also inconsistent with one scene early on even having you talking to two chars; one with a voice track and the other completely silent for no apparent reason.

The text and voice also differed quite often in what was said, and I don't mean a small word or two here or there; we're talking about the voice chatting about america ("I've never been to LA and New York") while the text was talking about Japan ("I've never been to Kyoto and Osaka").

Worst experience I've had with localisation in a game to date and this comes from someone who's used to the horrifically broken english of korean MMOs :p

But take it for what it's worth...

They also apparently did Metal Slug 7, Mercury Meltdown Revolution and Vampire Rain.

One commenter even went as far as to call it the "new Atlus" which made me laugh, but what do I know?

Atlus rules goddamnit!

[Juanblue85]

So Ignition has it? They said that they will make sure the game wil be well translated and pray that we could get the wall scroll.

[Pibbman]

Haha. I imagine Ignition is one of those companies that decide how much to "invest" in the localization process depending on how expected the title will sell, which I believe to be a rather common practice.

Atlus, in my opinion seems to be the only one that truly ensures a consistent localization quality across the board.

[Juanblue85]

Good news it looks like XSEED is interested in bringing Fragile to the US. That will make up for being unable to bring Muramasa but at least they gave it to someone else. Now lets hope Fragile comes over. ^_^

[poiuiu]

One commenter even went as far as to call it the "new Atlus" which made me laugh, but what do I know?

Atlus rules goddamnit!

Everyone has to start from somewhere. You have to remember Atlus wasn't born as awesome as they are today:
http://xs138.xs.to/xs138/09173/d538.jpg

[Juanblue85]

At least the Persona remake will do it good justice.

[Pibbman]

One commenter even went as far as to call it the "new Atlus" which made me laugh, but what do I know?

Atlus rules goddamnit!

Everyone has to start from somewhere. You have to remember Atlus wasn't born as awesome as they are today:
http://xs138.xs.to/xs138/09173/d538.jpg

Yeah, that is true but it was also very common back then. These days there are standards set, a lot of it set by Atlus themselves.

[Ike.]

Yeah, that's the sort of thing you could get away with back then.

Muramasa is a pretty big release, though. Lux-Pain got neglected because there wasn't a whole lot of interest to begin with.

[Decept]

Yeah, that's the sort of thing you could get away with back then.

Muramasa is a pretty big release, though. Lux-Pain got neglected because there wasn't a whole lot of interest to begin with.

But wouldn't you want to deliver a quality product, no matter the amount of interest as a business? I mean, don't people look at a company's product and expect that type of quality across the boards no matter the hype/interest?

(Dramatized with fictional companies, Sgollek and Relbeek) So I like frosted mini wheats, but not a lot of people do. So Sgollek decides to frost only one side of the mini wheats when I like both sides frosted, because Relbeek does it that way. However, they both do amazing frosted flakes because it is popular.

[Gen Eric Gui]

I'd almost rather see NISA pick this up than Ignition, who have handled a number of Marvelous' games recently IIRC.

I imagine somewhere right now Gen Eric Gui is screaming "NoooOOoooOOoooOooOOo~"

I wonder what ignition has done? Should I be concerned?

I'm mostly upset about getting burned on Lux-Pain, but for what it's worth the Metal Slug 7 manual is attrocious.



Good news it looks like XSEED is interested in bringing Fragile to the US. That will make up for being unable to bring Muramasa but at least they gave it to someone else. Now lets hope Fragile comes over. ^_^


They've been interested for a while. I'm still praying daily that they do indeed pick it up. I want Fragile SO BAD.

[Ike.]

But wouldn't you want to deliver a quality product, no matter the amount of interest as a business? I mean, don't people look at a company's product and expect that type of quality across the boards no matter the hype/interest?

hahahahahah

serious answer: Absolutely not. A product's quality is directly proportional to the amount of resources invested into it. A company has a finite amount of resources to spend, and in the case of game companies, they are producing several games at any given time and must divide up the resources appropriately. For simplicity, let's say your company has been contracted to translate Lux-Pain and Fatal Frame 4. Compare these two titles: Lux-Pain, an already budget DS release that isn't really a game so much as an interactive novel, one that most people hadn't even heard of til it was even released, and even then only appeals to a very small niche demographic of people (namely Atlus USA forums posters.) This game MIGHT sell a few thousand copies.

On the other hand, Fatal Frame 4 is part of an established franchise, a highly anticipated sequel even in the U.S., with a considerably wider demographic. Even a lot of 'average' gamers have heard of the Fatal Frame series. This game is practically guaranteed to sell well, and at considerably higher profit than your other title.

For a more relevant example, compare the weekly emails we receive telling us how badass this (http://www.atlus.com/res/devilsummoner2_finalpackage_600.jpg) is going to be in comparison to the slightly-less-hyped pro fishing game (http://www.atlus.com/pfc/) Atlus released a few years ago.

[Pibbman]

But wouldn't you want to deliver a quality product, no matter the amount of interest as a business? I mean, don't people look at a company's product and expect that type of quality across the boards no matter the hype/interest?

hahahahahah

serious answer: Absolutely not. A product's quality is directly proportional to the amount of resources invested into it. A company has a finite amount of resources to spend, and in the case of game companies, they are producing several games at any given time and must divide up the resources appropriately. For simplicity, let's say your company has been contracted to translate Lux-Pain and Fatal Frame 4. Compare these two titles: Lux-Pain, an already budget DS release that isn't really a game so much as an interactive novel, one that most people hadn't even heard of til it was even released, and even then only appeals to a very small niche demographic of people (namely Atlus USA forums posters.) This game MIGHT sell a few thousand copies.

On the other hand, Fatal Frame 4 is part of an established franchise, a highly anticipated sequel even in the U.S., with a considerably wider demographic. Even a lot of 'average' gamers have heard of the Fatal Frame series. This game is practically guaranteed to sell well, and at considerably higher profit than your other title.

For a more relevant example, compare the weekly emails we receive telling us how badass this (http://www.atlus.com/res/devilsummoner2_finalpackage_600.jpg) is going to be in comparison to the slightly-less-hyped pro fishing game (http://www.atlus.com/pfc/) Atlus released a few years ago.

Yeah, that is pretty expected if you ask me. However, some could counter that and say if they have so many games they have to allocate budgets like that, in which is could be something that potentially hurts the localization of a game, they are probably too in over their heads. Meaning they need to cut back on how many titles they are doing at a time.

[Pixel]

^They have to put food on the table, too, you know.

[sfried]

Ex-1up Editor speaks (on GAF):
The Lux-Pain localization situation (that occurred before my time) will have absolutely no impact on Muramasa.
I believe that you'll be pleased with how this one is handled.
Cheers...
Would you trust him?

[jeffx]

dude he works for Ignition now. what else woud he say?

[sfried]

dude he works for Ignition now. what else woud he say?
You realy think they're not going to do anything about the dual-audio requests?

[jeffx]

How can you go from what I said to that?

Anywho, if they wanted to reassure the game's target audience, it would have been one of the top items on the "key features" list. No, I'm pretty sure it's going to be in, but it's because of outspoken/stubborn/whiny customers like me that we get these little extras.

[Pixel]

Ex-1up Editor speaks (on GAF):
The Lux-Pain localization situation (that occurred before my time) will have absolutely no impact on Muramasa.
I believe that you'll be pleased with how this one is handled.
Cheers...
Would you trust him?
I wouldn't, except that if his new employer messes this up, his cronies from 1up (or all of neogaf for that matter) would never let him live it down. ...which is why I said:
I'll hold off on this until I read 1up's review. ;)

[Oni-Kagura]

Damn, Flower Sun and Rain just keeps getting pushed further back. Muramasa will be an incredible game, I'm sure, but ALL I CARE ABOUT IS SUDA51. :frown:

I really don't mind Lux-Pain that much, even though I'm only halfway in. the localization does get very, very awful at times - I literally cringed at the Chinese girl written with the stereotypical accent ("YOU WANT PLAY PSYCHOLOGICAL TEST GAME?"), but I'm not letting it get in the way of one of the few, very dark games published for the DS (though my favorite may still be Dementium: The Ward).