We're rolling along to the next topic in our Bitmob Roundtable series, and it's focused on the Land of the Rising Sun.
This whole idea actually started back when former Bitmob editor Jason Wilson asked me and a couple Bitmobbers to participate in a discussion focusing on the state of the role-playing genre. We ended up doing an RPG roundtable for GamePro's web site with Kat Bailey, but Bitmob was still left without one of its own. That is, until now.
So for this latest discussion, we're focusing on RPGs. But since the last one of these I participated in examined Western titles, we're going to be looking at the other half of the equation: the Japanese RPG.
We've heard a lot about the way the JRPG genre has developed as we approach the tail end of 2011. Nintendo refused to release Xenoblade Chronicles in America, crushing the hopes of hungry fans. Mainstream publishers mostly shun JRPGs, while niche localization houses champion them (with mixed results). The whole landscape looks uncertain.
But what does this brave new world mean for us fans? Doomsayers would have you believe that the genre is about to die, while ardent supporters will tell you that it's on the upswing again. Which side are you on? Interested Bitmobbers will want to take a look at the following questions and check below for how to participate.
- Is the landscape really that bleak? Or can we still find creativity in the genre?
- What qualities should the genre strive for?
- What should JRPGs take from Western games, if anything?
- And vice-versa, what could Western games learn from the current crop of JRPGs?
- Can the genre ever be big again in the West, and where do we go from here?
Here's what you need to do to get in on this one:
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E-mail me at rocker_boy518 [at] hotmail [dot] com and say you want in. Tell me a little about your taste in JRPGs and what you think of their current state in the industry. The roundtable will take a maximum of five participants, so make it good. You have until Friday, July 29, at midnight Pacific Time to respond.
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On Saturday, I'll start contacting people to schedule discussion times and logistics.
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The discussion will form the article text when it's posted on Wednesday. Make sure you mind your good writing sensibilities in this discussion. This is going to be a Bitmob article, after all.
And that's it. Go grind some levels, and I'll see you all on Wednesday with an awesome roundtable!