Hakuoki PSP Game Is Being Localized in America

[Shuffle]

All of those otome surveys from Aksys led to the localization of a girl's romance game. Aksys picked up Hakuoki: Demon of the Fleeting Blossom from Idea Factory. For Hakuoki fans, this is the game that started the series, which has grown into a manga and anime series.

Hakuoki: Demon of the Fleeting Blossom takes place at the end of Japan's Edo period. After 200 years of rule, the shogunate begins to dissolve and the Shinsengumi rose during the political turmoil. Defined by samurai traditions, the Shinsengumi protect the streets of Kyoto from ronin.

Chizuru Yukimura, a young woman looking for her father is the game's protagonist. She isn't the only one. The Shinsengumi are searching for her father inside the town of Hakuoki, which holds its own secrets - supernatural secrets. Now protected by the Shinsengumi, can you find your father and more importantly true love? That's the goal of Hakuoki: Demon of the Fleeting Blossom. Players will make choices that affect Chizuru's relationship status that lead up to one of the game's multiple endings. A handy chart within the game lets you keep track of romance and corruption levels so you can target (or avoid) the man of your dreams (or nightmares).

Hakuoki: Demon of the Fleeting Blossom will be released for PSP, in stores and on PSN, in the first quarter of 2012.

http://www.siliconera.com/2011/07/02...st-otome-game/

[Gazadriel]

I really wonder if there is a market for Otome games, let alone on a dead console.

[Figma]

Originally Posted by Gazadriel

I really wonder if there is a market for Otome games, let alone on a dead console.

True, i really cant see it being selled probably at all

[Shuffle]

Originally Posted by Gazadriel

I really wonder if there is a market for Otome games, let alone on a dead console.

Well PSP is far from dead in Japan since Japan keeps overloading the PSP with games. It's America that's the problem when it comes to selling.

But maybe the reason why there isn't much of an otome market in America is because hardly any company has even tried to localize an otome game. America probably has like maybe a couple of otome games at most(excluding PC versions).

But i'm kind of curious as to how Aksys convinced SCEA to bring over an otome game. Usually Sony would deny even just the non-otome visual novel games that have a better chance of selling to be localized. Plus even having a disc version too.

Plus Aksys is also bringing over Fate/Extra for PSP as well with a disc version available.

[Gazadriel]

Originally Posted by Shuffle

Well PSP is far from dead in Japan since Japan keeps overloading the PSP with games. It's America that's the problem when it comes to selling.

I'm well aware of the success of the PSP in Japan. However, it's gotten to the point in the States that Squeenix is questioning a mainstream Final Fantasy release. If the main supporter of the PSP and the most name recognition in the west is questioning a release because of the prospect of sales, imagine this.

Originally Posted by Shuffle

But i'm kind of curious as to how Aksys convinced SCEA to bring over an otome game. Usually Sony would deny even just the non-otome visual novel games that have a better chance of selling to be localized. Plus even having a disc version too.

I think the SCEA wants to see the end result. If they preform poorly, they'll solidify their anti-visual novel stance, and if it succeeds they might let some more through. Either way, Sony doesn't really lose anything. Or, maybe I'm just being cynical.

I personally feel they made a poor decision by going with this game, and on the PSP. The PS3 has a number of well known visual novel titles.

Oh well, we'll see how it does.

[Malice_Mizer]

To be honest, I'm totally shocked that Aksys actually got away with this. SCEA has had that Anti-VN policy for what I understand to be over a decade and somehow they pulled this out of nowhere, it must have been an incredibly tough sell to SCEA's game approval committee. I'm just kind of disappointed that out of all the Visual Novels available for PSP (and PS3) they went with this one. There's VNs out there which come from more popular properties or could appeal to a wider audience, like Umineko no Naku Koro Ni, 428, and Steins;Gate. I'd be all over a Steins;Gate localization, but instead they're chancing what appears to be a girl-oriented dating simulation? (Someone correct me if Hakuoki is something other than that, that's just what I got from cursory Googling)

I think SCEA's just gotten lax on its approval process with what's basically the death of the PSP in the West. Almost no one's really bothering with it anymore and is gearing up for Vita, so I suppose they're accepting anything now to maintain a skeleton crew of software released on it. I guess this is the Visual Novel's chance to prove it can be a viable genre in the West? The phrase "When a door is closed, a window is opened" comes to mind.

Personally, I'm far more excited to see what XSEED's as of yet unannounced localization of a "PSP horror adventure game" turns out to be. It's been rumored that its either Corpse Party 2 or Dangan-Ronpa, which would be some very good picks. I'd be there Day 1 for Dangan-Ronpa if it dropped Stateside.

[Shuffle]

Originally Posted by Malice_Mizer

To be honest, I'm totally shocked that Aksys actually got away with this. SCEA has had that Anti-VN policy for what I understand to be over a decade and somehow they pulled this out of nowhere, it must have been an incredibly tough sell to SCEA's game approval committee. I'm just kind of disappointed that out of all the Visual Novels available for PSP (and PS3) they went with this one. There's VNs out there which come from more popular properties or could appeal to a wider audience, like Umineko no Naku Koro Ni, 428, and Steins;Gate. I'd be all over a Steins;Gate localization, but instead they're chancing what appears to be a girl-oriented dating simulation? (Someone correct me if Hakuoki is something other than that, that's just what I got from cursory Googling)

I think SCEA's just gotten lax on its approval process with what's basically the death of the PSP in the West. Almost no one's really bothering with it anymore and is gearing up for Vita, so I suppose they're accepting anything now to maintain a skeleton crew of software released on it. I guess this is the Visual Novel's chance to prove it can be a viable genre in the West? The phrase "When a door is closed, a window is opened" comes to mind.

Personally, I'm far more excited to see what XSEED's as of yet unannounced localization of a "PSP horror adventure game" turns out to be. It's been rumored that its either Corpse Party 2 or Dangan-Ronpa, which would be some very good picks. I'd be there Day 1 for Dangan-Ronpa if it dropped Stateside.

Hakuoki is an otome game(maiden game). Basically it's pretty much the opposite of most dating sims since it's all guy characters to choose from, and you play as a girl instead of the usual having a guy main character with a bunch of girls. So yeah you could say it's like a dating sim that's more for girls to enjoy since most of the guys they use in otome games are ridiculously pretty boys.

Idea Factory is even working with Gust to create an Atelier otome game. (system it will be on is unknown)

If XSEED is doing Corpse Party, it's going to be the Blood Covered... Repeated Fear PSP game(which by the way is an awesome game).

I've only played 1 otome game, and that's Princess Debut on Nintendo DS that Natsume localized. Otome games to me are like I wouldn't import them, but if they get localized, I would buy it.