Popularity of bishoujo games

[Enerccio]

Not mine site i mean it general...


I dont know about world statistic... but i think this list is quite
http://www.hongfire.com/forum/showthread.php?t=62535
they are releasing this kind of games in really big amout..
what do you think?

[Misuzu]

More visual novels and eroge are released a year (title count wise) then all other PC video games combinded in a year (as of 2004... forgot the source unfortunately).

The reason? Simple, their cheap to make.

[papillon]

Pfft. Compared to some kinds of games, yes. Compared to the market I'm competing with? No they're not!

[Misuzu]

Hehe... compared to interactive games, especially modern ones where you have to be flashy graphicsy to sell =P

[lordcloudx]

I remember an insertcredit article saying how japan is afraid to try new stuff and thus stick to eroge to make a sure profit. Unlike Korea whose games have kinda similar characteristics to Japan's but are currently making more innovative games because they're still young when it comes to game development compared to Japan.

[GLACIER]

they are releasing this kind of games in really big amout..
what do you think?

The market is puny next to mainstream video games, but yeah, there's tons of competition because of the low barriers to entry.

I remember an insertcredit article saying how japan is afraid to try new stuff and thus stick to eroge to make a sure profit. Unlike Korea whose games have kinda similar characteristics to Japan's but are currently making more innovative games because they're still young when it comes to game development compared to Japan.

We're talking about two different markets here.
Mainstream game market =/= Otaku (eroge) game market

In Korea, there's tons of money to be made. Locals tend to enjoy community-based games, so the pay-to-play MMOG market is booming. I wouldn't say that there's much innovation in Korea, but it's obviously an attractive territory for publishers.

In Japan, mainstream video games (game consoles) have been huge in the past. However, the market is in rapid decline, so there's very little innovation (and not much commitment to next-gen consoles like XBox360 or PS3). Rising development costs + shrinking market = risk averse publishers. Nonetheless, the Nintendo DS seems to be opening up a giant casual games market that publishers are starting to exploit.

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Eroge falls under a distinct sector almost unrelated to regular video games. It's a tiny market catering to otaku, so the potential for big-time profit isn't there. However, fanbases are rabid and sizable enough, so there's still lots of money to be made through aggressive merchandising (otaku can be rabid to the point that they strive to buy all the limited edition PVC models, DVDs, game rereleases, pillowcases.....you name it). Overall, mainstream VG companies don't have much to do with bishoujo games.

Lots of people enter the eroge market for simple reasons - low stakes and good chances of subsistence (most fans aren't hardcore gamers. Therefore, visual novels have provided makers with a window of opportunity thanks to low development costs and relatively high popularity), despite heavy competition. Their companies won't ever become a Konami or Square Enix, but the market is easy enough to break into, so there's continued interest in this way of making a living. For the average company, I'd guess the end result is that they turn a profit, albeit an unspectacular one.

[Misuzu]

(otaku can be rabid to the point that they strive to buy all the limited edition PVC models, DVDs, game rereleases, pillowcases.....you name it).

That sounds like me T_T.

[kara24601]

and not much commitment to next-gen consoles like XBox360

Drat. I have an X Box 360 and although I don't have very many games yet , it does seem like there's not really alot to choose from when it comes to games that have been ported from Japan.....I thought / was hoping that that was just because it's still a relatively "young" console...