Sunsoft announced that they will publish games in North America again

[7th lutz]

http://www.sunsoftgames.com/news/2009-12-03%20Blaster%20Master.php .

Sunsoft announced on December 4, 2009 their return to active console game publishing for the North American market, aided by startup GAIJINWORKS.

Sunsoft already announced that Blaster Master will be on the vc this month.

The website sounded like that additional titles coming to the US market will be announced in the coming weeks.

[Daria]

GAIJINWORKS is ...is real?

Screw Sunsoft... why isn't the focus of this thread on the return of Working Designs?

[Press_Start]

Wait....Sunsoft's still alive?! I thought they became one of those companies surrendering the US market and fade away in Japan. Great to hear two of the best things to video games making a big comeback.

He's hoping they bring a strong lineup of gaming goodness very soon.

[bombman]

I don't think Sunsoft's western branch has ever developed a decent game. Published from overseas yeah, but not actually made one.

[RCM]

I heard a rumor about some Sunsoft activity from a friend recently and didn't believe it. Shame on me I guess...

[Moon Jump]

Sunsoft really never went away. My friends and I did a podcast and the second episode we did was about Sunsoft. I checked their website and they were pretty much only doing cellphone mahjong games. They also released some of their games in collections on the PS1, with Blaster Master and Journey to Sillius (Rafworld) as some of them.

I hope they'll make some new games and not just release their old games on the Virtual Console. They had a lot of great games, up until they started making those horrible Loony Toons games on the SNES. If they can get back in the groove of great games like Batman, Waku Waku 7 and even Gremlins 2 it'd be awesome.

[Ed Oscuro]

GAIJINWORKS is ...is real?

Screw Sunsoft... why isn't the focus of this thread on the return of Working Designs?
Because all they were was a go-between. Nothing too amazing about another translation group.

[Wraith Storm]

This is incredible news!

I love Sunsoft. I hope that they have retained some of their original staff, especially Naoki Kodaka. What I would do to hear a new score from him. IMO he was among the greatest video game music composers of all time.

Honestly... Who doesn't like the music for Nes Batman, Blaster Master and Journey to Silius. And how could anyone not fall in love with the sweeping, powerful score to Albert Odyssey on the Saturn. Easily one of the greatest soundtracks ever recorded.

As long as Naoki Kodaka is employed with Sunsoft, I will be their manwhore. ROFL

[TonyTheTiger]

GAIJINWORKS is ...is real?

Screw Sunsoft... why isn't the focus of this thread on the return of Working Designs?


Because all they were was a go-between. Nothing too amazing about another translation group.

Unfortunately true. As much as I loved Working Designs and think Victor Ireland can be an asset to any publisher, the climate in which Working Designs thrived is a thing of the past. There's just not a whole lot of really great games that don't get localized by the original publisher anymore. Available titles dried up, localizations got better, damn near every game has limited edition packaging...so what's left to separate WD from the crowd? True, there was the WD flair that hasn't been replicated but that's not enough in today's market.

Oh, and Sunsoft's return? W00T!

[GameBoyGeek]

*Crosses fingers for batman nes game on wii*

[Cryomancer]

Hebereke/Ufouria please!

[Damaramu]

More Waku Waku 7, please!

[Fuyukaze]

Unfortunately true. As much as I loved Working Designs and think Victor Ireland can be an asset to any publisher, the climate in which Working Designs thrived is a thing of the past. There's just not a whole lot of really great games that don't get localized by the original publisher anymore. Available titles dried up, localizations got better, damn near every game has limited edition packaging...so what's left to separate WD from the crowd? True, there was the WD flair that hasn't been replicated but that's not enough in today's market.

Oh, and Sunsoft's return? W00T!

Bad presidential jokes. That's what. Oh, and tiny little cardboard pop ups of the charcters. Way too many companies took the place of WD and have done it better. Yeah, gotta say, Sunsoft has been slightly missed. Sad part is I never even noticed they were gone. Maybe they can take back the spy hunter license and release a good game for a change. Maybe do a blaster master game that's atleast half as good as the original or the Gen release. I'm expecting something more like the PS1 release though.

[Flashback2012]

Bad presidential jokes. That's what. Oh, and tiny little cardboard pop ups of the charcters. Way too many companies took the place of WD and have done it better. Yeah, gotta say, Sunsoft has been slightly missed. Sad part is I never even noticed they were gone. Maybe they can take back the spy hunter license and release a good game for a change. Maybe do a blaster master game that's atleast half as good as the original or the Gen release. I'm expecting something more like the PS1 release though.

That's one of my concerns about Gaijinworks, or more specifically Victor Ireland, localizing anything for the US market. What I DON'T want to see is rampant toilet humor and obnoxious puns in their localizations that weren't present in the original. I completely understand that you can't have a 100% accurate translation but when Working Designs were at their pinnacle, their heads apparently swelled to massive proportions and the quality of their localizations were pretty horrible IMO. I still have a hard time firing up Albert Odyssey on Saturn because the dialogue in that game is almost unbearable to read.

As for Sunsoft, I'm rather surprised that they didn't get absorbed into a larger company like Taito and Hudson did. At least they didn't go the route of Data East and disappear off the gaming map (I know G-Mode owns their IPs but it's not quite the same thing). It's good that they didn't I suppose, because I'm looking forward to seeing their titles, both new and old, make their way stateside. :)

[swlovinist]

It would be really neat if Sunsoft could make a Blaster Master for the DS. I knew of person back in the day that was present when Sunsoft closed its US office. Like others have said, I hope that Sunsoft can do something with its franchises rather than just release old titles.

As for Working Designs, I grew up near Redding, CA and got to hear some amazing stories from friends about the environment at Working Designs. While I would love to see them come back, I agree that the market has changed and they would have to change with it.

[MrRoboto19XX]

This is great news, and oddly enough I was just looking up some info on Sunsoft a few days ago after playing their rerelease of Final Fantasy Legend II and wondering what the deal was.

And I agree, nobody's really stepped up and given games the treatment Working Designs once did. Atulus, NIS and XSeed are the closest we have currently, but WD had this flair about them. It was as if the company themselves were happier with putting out a game that stood out from the rest and was loved by few, rather than another cookie cutter that everyone purchased.

Welcome back, Sunsoft.

And on a comical side note, this only gives me more hope that Vic Tokai may someday as well rise from the ashes, giving a new generation of gamers a publisher whose name and logo is a symbol for the best in B-List games from the Land of the Rising Sun.

[Xexyz]

It'd be ace if Mr. Gimmick and Uforia got a NA VC release. Can't believe Sunsoft USA skipped on those two back in the NES days...

Oh yeah, and Irem USA annoyed me as well when they didn't localize Hammerin' Harry.

[Raedon]

As long as Sunsoft or Working Designs don't become name brands, like Westinghouse, that just become the dumping ground for poor quality widgets ... I'm good.

[j_factor]

Unfortunately true. As much as I loved Working Designs and think Victor Ireland can be an asset to any publisher, the climate in which Working Designs thrived is a thing of the past. There's just not a whole lot of really great games that don't get localized by the original publisher anymore.

People keep saying this, so why am I still constantly disappointed with Japanese releases not making it overseas? Still no word on a translation for 7th Dragon, an RPG produced by Rieko Kodama and with a soundtrack by Yuzo Koshiro. No sign of 428, which got a perfect score in Famitsu. No localization for Front Mission 5, which was considered by many in Japan to be the best in the series. They've hinted that Yakuza 3 might someday see the light of day, but I've given up hope on Ryu ga Gotoku Kenzan (which was very highly rated in Japanese media). Nintendo sure didn't bother with Mother 3, and whatever happened to Fatal Frame IV? I could go on.

It is true that Working Designs releases were very few and far between towards the end of their existence, but that wasn't due to a lack of appropriate games, it was just stupidity on their part. The above are recent examples, but I could come up with just as many for 2001-2004.

[Daria]

People keep saying this, so why am I still constantly disappointed with Japanese releases not making it overseas? Still no word on a translation for 7th Dragon, an RPG produced by Rieko Kodama and with a soundtrack by Yuzo Koshiro. No sign of 428, which got a perfect score in Famitsu. No localization for Front Mission 5, which was considered by many in Japan to be the best in the series. They've hinted that Yakuza 3 might someday see the light of day, but I've given up hope on Ryu ga Gotoku Kenzan (which was very highly rated in Japanese media). Nintendo sure didn't bother with Mother 3, and whatever happened to Fatal Frame IV? I could go on.

This. And Retro Game Challenge II.

There's always room for more localization teams. And besides, I liked their style. The pop culture crap was usually spouted off by otherwise faceless NPCs.

[Aussie2B]

People keep saying this, so why am I still constantly disappointed with Japanese releases not making it overseas? Still no word on a translation for 7th Dragon, an RPG produced by Rieko Kodama and with a soundtrack by Yuzo Koshiro. No sign of 428, which got a perfect score in Famitsu. No localization for Front Mission 5, which was considered by many in Japan to be the best in the series. They've hinted that Yakuza 3 might someday see the light of day, but I've given up hope on Ryu ga Gotoku Kenzan (which was very highly rated in Japanese media). Nintendo sure didn't bother with Mother 3, and whatever happened to Fatal Frame IV? I could go on.

The problem with that is that these big developers - Nintendo, Sega, Square Enix, etc. - would never hand over their properties to small-time publishers anyway. If they decide to pass on localizing their own games, then we're not getting them period. Atlus and Nippon Ichi thrive by chasing after the smaller developers, so Gaijinworks would be going after the scraps of the scraps. Heck, there are already companies doing just that like Valcon, so Gaijinworks would have competition even with that strategy.

I'm happy to hear that both Sunsoft and Victor Ireland are trying to make some kind of a comeback, but I don't expect big things from either. I sure hope I'm proven wrong, though. I'd love to see a return to Sunsoft's 8-bit awesomeness. And even if Gaijinworks goes after the really obscure, budget-style stuff like Valcon, we could still end with some nice releases a la Shepherd's Crossing.

[TonyTheTiger]

I still have a hard time firing up Albert Odyssey on Saturn because the dialogue in that game is almost unbearable to read.

I saw it as the exact opposite. An otherwise mediocre game made at least a little more interesting thanks to a lively localization.


The problem with that is that these big developers - Nintendo, Sega, Square Enix, etc. - would never hand over their properties to small-time publishers anyway. If they decide to pass on localizing their own games, then we're not getting them period. Atlus and Nippon Ichi thrive by chasing after the smaller developers, so Gaijinworks would be going after the scraps of the scraps. Heck, there are already companies doing just that like Valcon, so Gaijinworks would have competition even with that strategy.

I'm happy to hear that both Sunsoft and Victor Ireland are trying to make some kind of a comeback, but I don't expect big things from either. I sure hope I'm proven wrong, though. I'd love to see a return to Sunsoft's 8-bit awesomeness. And even if Gaijinworks goes after the really obscure, budget-style stuff like Valcon, we could still end with some nice releases a la Shepherd's Crossing.

That's the problem. While there will always be some obscure quirky game that Gaijinworks can pick up, even some good ones, the types of game that provided the traditional WD "magic" like Lunar, Popful Mail, Rayearth, etc. are going to be few and far between.

But if Victor Ireland was great at one thing it was making a game appear bigger than it was. A lot of the advertisements (with the well composed artwork, bright colors, and catchy three line phrases) were better than the games they advertised. I don't think any WD games were genuinely bad but some of the games that were ultimately middle of the road fare were sold as if they would be a video game version of The Neverending Story.

The problem is that Working Designs had somewhat of a monopoly on a certain "type" of game back then. These days everybody is doing "that anime stuff" to the point where it's becoming shovelware in its own right.

That kind of anime fare, in the 90s when anime had exposure but was still relatively obscure to see in the mainstream, was rare to see on the wall in Electronics Boutique. Especially shiny anime. During that decade, just the word "anime" itself was used as an advertising slogan. Sci-Fi Channel did pretty well for itself back with its "Saturday Anime" block where it would show a random 2 hour anime feature regardless of what it was or whether it was any good. Sometimes you scored with Tenchi and other times you got boring trash like Robot Carnival. But people didn't care because it was ANIME! WOO! Working Designs fed off of this growing interest. These days you can't turn on the TV without seeing some crappy Japanese cartoon or walk in a GameStop without seeing some screwy import.

Lunar is getting an updated port on the PSP. Most people interested are ones who already are familiar with the game. Imagine it weren't a re-release and this was a brand new game. I would bet money that if Lunar were introduced to North America in today's climate it wouldn't have captured nearly as many hearts as it did in the 90s. It would be just as good. It's just that it wouldn't be seen as so unique.

[j_factor]

The problem with that is that these big developers - Nintendo, Sega, Square Enix, etc. - would never hand over their properties to small-time publishers anyway. If they decide to pass on localizing their own games, then we're not getting them period.

That never occurred to me, but I suppose you're right for the most part. I say "for the most part" with a nod towards Sakura Wars: So Long, My Love. By the way, I'm pretty sure Working Designs could have translated something from that series if they'd wanted to.


Atlus and Nippon Ichi thrive by chasing after the smaller developers, so Gaijinworks would be going after the scraps of the scraps. Heck, there are already companies doing just that like Valcon, so Gaijinworks would have competition even with that strategy.

I think Gaijinworks had a solid strategy with Miami Law, just not the right game. Developers like Hudson and Taito are given back-burner treatment by the company that owns them. Most of their games do get released here, but with an extreme lack of enthusiasm on the part of their US publishers. It seems like Konami USA would be happy to let someone else handle every single Hudson game.

I know Vic has a boner for all things Japan, but there are also still worthwhile games from Europe not making the trip across the pond. They would be incredibly easy to release here, being in English already, so I don't get how there are still European games not getting picked up for a US release (or how there's never been a Working Designs/Nippon Ichi/Atlus/Fresh Games/Valcon/etc. for European stuff).

[Aussie2B]

What exactly is the ownership situation with Sakura Wars? I know it's not being developed by Sega so it's not exactly in the same scenario as the previously mentioned titles, but does Sega have some ownership in RED Entertainment? I can't imagine that would be the case when they're also developed Tengai Makyo games for Hudson. Or is it that Sega wholly owns Sakura Wars and RED would never be allowed to create a Sakura Wars that isn't funded by them? But then you got Gungrave, which was also developed by RED under Sega, yet RED published the sequel themselves in Japan (with Mastiff in the US).

Isn't Valcon localizing European games? I'm more interested in their Japanese offerings, but I could've sworn they have. I know Agetec is too because we got that abysmal Falling Stars from Estonia, haha.

[Kid Fenris]

What exactly is the ownership situation with Sakura Wars?

As the copyrights say, Sakura Wars is jointly owned by RED and Sega, and they're two separate companies that frequently collaborate. Sega obviously approved NIS America's publishing of Sakura Wars V in the U.S., and I wouldn't be surprised if Sega were to give 7th Dragon to some other American publisher.

Trivia: RED really doesn't develop a lot of titles in the nuts-and-bolts sense. They're more of a planning, idea-generating studio that handles storylines, art, and concepts for games. The actual coding and game design is often provided by other companies. For example, Sakura Wars was programmed by various Sega teams, Gungrave was programmed by Positron and Ikusabune, and I think the Tengai Makyo games were mostly programmed by Hudson. Even Thousand Arms was supposedly programmed by TOSE.

[Xexyz]

The problem with that is that these big developers - Nintendo, Sega, Square Enix, etc. - would never hand over their properties to small-time publishers anyway. If they decide to pass on localizing their own games, then we're not getting them period. Atlus and Nippon Ichi thrive by chasing after the smaller developers, so Gaijinworks would be going after the scraps of the scraps. Heck, there are already companies doing just that like Valcon, so Gaijinworks would have competition even with that strategy.


Don't be so black and white when it comes to big publishers. Namco-Bandai let Xseed localize Retro Game Challenge and the upcoming Sky Crawlers. Nintendo let Atlus publish Cubivore and Polarium Advance. Sega let Atlus publish the two Shining Soul games and the Shining Force remake on the GBA, and Puyo Pop Fever on the DS. Sony has let various publishers release IP's they have the rights to including the recent Demon's Souls for the PS3. Big publishers aren't against handing over their more niche titles to other publishers. If they don't want to localize something, it may very well still be up for grabs if another publisher bites.

[Aussie2B]

Yes, but I was speaking of those big companies as developers. Several of the games you listed were only published by those companies in Japan, so they'd be more inclined to allow someone else to publish them in the US (if their say is even needed). When we're talking big projects that they themselves developed, like Mother 3 and Yakuza 3, I can say with firm confidence that they're not handing them over. And you demonstrate a good point in that companies like Xseed and Atlus are already picking up the niche titles, so what's left for a company like Gaijinworks when the only serious gaps in what we're missing are big titles that they can't get anyway? They're left with what's TOO niche even for Atlus and Xseed.

[j_factor]

What exactly is the ownership situation with Sakura Wars? I know it's not being developed by Sega so it's not exactly in the same scenario as the previously mentioned titles, but does Sega have some ownership in RED Entertainment? I can't imagine that would be the case when they're also developed Tengai Makyo games for Hudson. Or is it that Sega wholly owns Sakura Wars and RED would never be allowed to create a Sakura Wars that isn't funded by them? But then you got Gungrave, which was also developed by RED under Sega, yet RED published the sequel themselves in Japan (with Mastiff in the US).

RED only co-owns the Sakura Wars franchise. The first few were developed by Overworks. I don't know who developed the recent one.

[darkwingduck13]

People keep saying this, so why am I still constantly disappointed with Japanese releases not making it overseas? Still no word on a translation for 7th Dragon, an RPG produced by Rieko Kodama and with a soundtrack by Yuzo Koshiro. No sign of 428, which got a perfect score in Famitsu. No localization for Front Mission 5, which was considered by many in Japan to be the best in the series. They've hinted that Yakuza 3 might someday see the light of day, but I've given up hope on Ryu ga Gotoku Kenzan (which was very highly rated in Japanese media). Nintendo sure didn't bother with Mother 3, and whatever happened to Fatal Frame IV? I could go on.

It is true that Working Designs releases were very few and far between towards the end of their existence, but that wasn't due to a lack of appropriate games, it was just stupidity on their part. The above are recent examples, but I could come up with just as many for 2001-2004.

QFT. There are always weird/obscure/whatever games that get left in Japan. The people who try to act like Working Designs was no big loss always just blow my mind. They did some really great work, and, coincidentally, I felt like their translation really added to the entertainment value of Albert Odyssey. Atlus is the only other company that comes close, in my opinion. NIS goes beyond niche with the titles they bring over...so many SRPGs/TRPGs that it's just nuts. At least with Atlus you get a lot of variety in the types of games they release.

I'm excited about the PSP release of Lunar, but I know it won't be the same... :(

[ApolloBoy]

I don't know if this has been posted already, but Sunsoft just announced they acquired Telenet Japan's entire back catalog: http://www.sunsoftgames.com/news/2009-12-10%20Nihon%20Telenet%20Library.php

Looks like we might see games like Valis III and Gaiares for the VC pretty soon.

[Cryomancer]

Finally, I've been wondering who the hell owns those.

Cosmic Fantasy Stories collection please. Valis as well.

[7th lutz]

I think a good amount of the Telenet Japan games will be released on the vc. I'll be more interested in the Turbo cd games than the Sega Genesis games they did.

I own a Sega Genesis for 17 years and I own most of Telenet Japan Sega Genesis games that were released in North America with Renovation Products being the publisher.

[7th lutz]

I accidentally hit the reply button instead of the edit button.

[Flashback2012]

I don't know if this has been posted already, but Sunsoft just announced they acquired Telenet Japan's entire back catalog: http://www.sunsoftgames.com/news/2009-12-10%20Nihon%20Telenet%20Library.php

Looks like we might see games like Valis III and Gaiares for the VC pretty soon.

WIN!! :dance:
\\^_^/
8-)
:cheers:
:love:
:hail:

[ShinGundam]

PR :

Initial plans are to quickly begin publication of the original software releases on Virtual Console systems available on the Wii and other platforms. Then new development of key titles in the library will be initiated, targeting the best and most-wanted to be remade for current consoles and services. Given that many of the Telenet series had only one of the installments released in the US, some of these Virtual Console and remade releases will be seen for the first time in Western markets.

Valis X please! J/K

[InsaneDavid]

Sci-Fi Channel did pretty well for itself back with its "Saturday Anime" block where it would show a random 2 hour anime feature regardless of what it was or whether it was any good. Sometimes you scored with Tenchi and other times you got boring trash like Robot Carnival.

That is by far the stupidest thing I have ever read on these forums, hands down.


Cosmic Fantasy Stories collection please.

Yes, please.

[TonyTheTiger]

That is by far the stupidest thing I have ever read on these forums, hands down.

It's terrible with a capital T. It's only redeeming quality is if you need to get to sleep early.

[Aussie2B]

Hey, cool, more exposure for Wolf Team. And a chance for Valis to redeem itself to some degree.

[VG_Maniac]

I hope they make a new 16-bit style Blaster Master game for download (like Konami did with Gradius Rebirth and Contra Rebirth)...only actually make the game GOOD, and a worthy sequel to the NES original.