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I know this isn't entirely on-topic, but many anime fans also enjoy video games, plus there are many games based off anime and anime based on games.

Anime fans are infamous for the sometimes vicious dub/sub wars, but in most translated video games, there are no audio options.

Most game companies strongly discourage importing legitimate games from Japan, taking steps such as regional lockout on CDs and DVDs or making cartridge slots a different size/shape. There are always determined people that will find ways around these measures. Unfortunately, on many consoles, the same measures that allow legitimate Japanese games to play on a US console will also allow the console to play burnt games, which is clearly less desirable as neither branch of the game company will be seeing as much profit.

Many gamers enjoy imports, myself included. There is generally a much wider selection of titles that never make it outside of Japan, and then the second main reason (which relates to this thread): Many of us do not trust the translations given to US released Japanese games. Some games are as edited, if not more so, than televised anime-not typically for the purpose of censorship, but in the manner of dialogue changes. Many of us feel that we deserve a chance at enjoying the same product that the original audience knew and loved-in the case of RPGs, the same story.

Many newer games also face the issue of voice acting quality-let's face it, I don't think anyone could say, for example, that the overall cast of Final Fantasy X (US) did a good job. There were a few actors with nice tones to their voices, but who sounded very inexperienced nonetheless. Especially with the presence of such high-quality graphics, the low-budget VA stuck out like a sore thumb. While bad voice acting is possible from Japanese companies as well, it is less frequent due to the fact that Japan has more voice actors available overall than the US.

For these reasons (among occasional others), many of us turn to importing at least occasionally. However, let's say a US company who didn't want to lose customers to those buying the original version of a title decided to include both voice tracks, with or without optional subtitles that are accurate to the Japanese audio, even an option to play the game with Japanese text. People could choose whichever they wanted, whether they wanted familiarity or accuracy (or even Japanese language-that's another reason many people enjoy imported games, to help with their studies, or if Japanese was their first language), all with the convenience of being able to pick it up in a local store! I can't imagine any reason left for a US/Canada resident to buy the import over this improvement in translated games, unless maybe they're a completist collector of the series it's in-even then, that sort would probably buy both. sweatdrop

If game companies are against the practice of importing so much, then why don't they start doing this? Bilingual audio has been very successful in anime DVDs for years, and with most games being on DVD these days, it shouldn't be all that difficult to encode both tracks into a DVD game. Both sides of the issue would get what they wanted, and if it caught on enough, there would be less need for devices that could potentially allow people to run illegally downloaded and burnt copyrighted software. Consumers won't feel like they're being pushed to buy a version of a title that they simply do not want. It seems like a plus all the way around.

How would you feel about this? Do you import? Are you a non-importer who still wishes for improvements in game translation methods? Discuss and vote. 3nodding

Very sorry about the current lack of poll, Gaia is giving me errors every time I try to post, this is the only thing I can think of to fix the situation. I'll edit it in once it lets me.

Hmm, it might've. Let me try adding it now.

EDIT: Worked. Unfortunately, I didn't fix the subject line at the same time as the poll, so now I can't see the results. sweatdrop

Anyway, I really hope this isn't too off-topic, it's something I wouldn't find acceptable in A/M/C, but since this guild is about information that companies could use, and there are many cases where anime and manga overlap with game series, I thought maybe it would be useful... sweatdrop

There we go.

Hmm . . . I don't buy any games, simply because the last console my mom got me was a N64. xp

I never buy the import version of a game that I'm sure will come out in the U.S. I know a couple of people who get worked up when there's stuff added to the rerelease of games in Japan, especially RPG's, as if they're "cheating" Americans.

I wish BL games would be translated heart

Dating sims in general haven't been translated very much. sweatdrop I'm a fan of the genre myself..

Yeah. sweatdrop As far as I know the only commercially translated dating sims are BxG, and few at that (a few 18+ PC titles, the Harvest Moon series). sweatdrop It would be great to have more, as well as more variety. I've never had the chance to play any BL games yet (looking for some without any possible shouta-no offense to anyone into it, it's just really not my thing. sweatdrop ), though I am find of GxBs (If anyone here is interested in Angelique, a GxB series, KOEI's been considering a US release of some of the series. There's a petition around trying to help show that there's demand-even though online petitions in general have little to no effect, KOEI is already considering it, I believe it was in some magazine article, so any step in that direction is positive), and I do have one BxG (Tokimeki Memorial Forever With You). 3nodding

Nippon Ichi did the whole Disgaea (this title still has the dual audio even though it was brought over by Atlus), Phantom Brave, and La Pucelle Tactics. They also have Atelier Iris and Makai Kingdom coming out around now.

Working Designs has done some very clever (and silly) translations for the Lunar series, Arc the Lad, and Growlanser Generations among other things. I don't remember being a lot of potty humor in the games they localized that I played, but I wouldn't be surprised if it's there. They expressed interest in brining Sakura Taisen to the USA awhile back, but Sony stomped on their plans.