For years, the japanese video games They have achieved constant success, marking entire generations of consoles and players. For Shuhei Yoshidaformer head of PlayStation Studios and influential figure in the industry, this phenomenon is not a coincidence, but the result of a clear decision: bet on what makes Japanese culture unique.
In a recent interview with PlayStation InsideYoshida explained that the resurgence of the Japanese industry is due to the fact that these titles can only be developed in Japan, by Japanese people and with a deep understanding of their cultural context. According to him, this approach has proven to be not only artistic, but also commercially sound.
An identity crisis during the PlayStation 3 era
Yoshida recalled how, during the era of PlayStation 3Japanese developers attempted to follow Western trends, losing their creative identity in the process. This stage, marked by confusion and the search for “universality”, led to a weakening of originality.
However, the executive noted that this crisis was necessary for the studios to reflect and eventually return to their roots. The clearest example of this recovery is NieR: Automatathe successful RPG directed by Yoko Tarowhich decisively embraced Japanese narrative and aesthetics.
NieR: Automata marked the path to redemption
Launched as a proposal that broke with foreign formulas, NieR: Automata It became a turning point. Its history full of deeply Japanese philosophical and emotional themes It showed that titles with strong cultural roots were not only viable in the global market, but also desired.
Since then, studies such as FromSoftware, Atlus, Capcom and nintendo They have consolidated their success by staying true to their essence. For Yoshida, cultural authenticity is a competitive advantage in an industry saturated with generic proposals.
“Authenticity is what conquers the player”
The former executive closed his reflection by pointing out that no company succeeds by copying other people's formulas. In his words: “The right way is to enrich the industry with unique cultures”, appealing to the fact that the global public knows how to appreciate what is genuine.
In a world where many titles seem like replicas of each other, video games that reflect their own identity manage to stand out and connect emotionally with audiences. Japan, with its vast cultural heritage, has been able to capitalize on this and once again lead the global digital entertainment market.
Expedition 33 and Danganronpa: a mutual admiration between creators
Respect between developers has also been in the news recently, after the exchange of praise between Guillaume Brochedirector of Clair Obscur: Expedition 33and Kazutaka Kodakacreator of Danganronpa. Both publicly recognized the quality and artistic vision of the other, generating enthusiasm among the followers of the turn-based RPG.
This type of cross recognition reflects an industry that is more connected and open to new voices, but without losing sight of the fact that fidelity to a creator's original vision It continues to be the most valued by players around the world.
