Guwange 360

[krokodil_final]

Also, do you know how many of those JPN sales went to non-Japanese buyers?

Maybe 2000 units. Much more than that is very doubt able, as importing for the x360 was pain in the ass back then and even now people still make a lot of drama on buying a jpn. x360...

It's still expensive to buy a japanese one. It's 300€ for a jpn arcade 360 vs a PAL elite 360 for 250€. When you have bought a 360 for more than shmups, it's a pain in the ass to buy a second one just for these games. Yes, I like shmups but not at any cost. And yes, I will buy a jpn 360 but it hurts.

[bcass]

You absolutely don't need a 2nd 360 if you own a JPN model. Most of the best Western 360 games are region-free, and of those that aren't, there's always an Asian release which is in English and will run fine on a JPN console.

[krokodil_final]

Sure, but I want to buy my "normal" games in the UK, it's much cheaper than in Germany. And much less shipping time compared to buy an asian version. I will test it. Sry, I didn't want to piss someone off, just saying for some people it's difficult.

[Shuurin]

You absolutely don't need a 2nd 360 if you own a JPN model. Most of the best Western 360 games are region-free, and of those that aren't, there's always an Asian release which is in English and will run fine on a JPN console.

For people with a Jamma 360, yea you sort of do need two models. You go hoisting a big clunker of a system and the wires out of a cabinet every time you want to stop playing Espgaluda II and then suddenly want to play some Modern Warfare.

Besides its cheaper to buy games within your own region than having to import 100% of your game library. The local system will pay for itself if you buy lots of local used games on ebay and craigslist. Instead of paying through the nose for the asia version of every game you want to play that isn't a shmup.

Have you seen the US sales estimates? Also, do you know how many of those JPN sales went to non-Japanese buyers? When Taylor uses the word "majority" he is obviously referring to units, not profit.

Yes, I've seen the US estimates and it doesn't wow me at all. Try selling Deathsmiles at $60 (Standard AAA title price.) or $80 (closer to jp original retail) and see if you can get the same sales numbers. Pro tip: You won't. You can't compare unit numbers as a deciding factor of a majority market over one game if the games weren't set at the same price point. Deathsmiles NA also came prepacked with DLC and LE goodies that further skew how worthy higher sales numbers in the US really amount to anything. Also how do you know how many people have imported a jp 360 and bought Deathsmiles JP? The numbers are probably much smaller than you are estimating. I know a few people who happen to own a j360 and bought Deathsmiles second hand. You can't assume importers are the kind only buying new.

Guwange will be a sample of which market is worth more of a look at. Even then sales in the West need to be constant with further titles like Dangun Feveron selling just as well and outnumbering jp downloads for people to really start throwing around the term that the West is the new majority market.

[SuperPang]

Instead of paying through the nose for the asia version of every game you want to play that isn't a shmup.

I think Forza 3 was the last time I had to do this. Enslaved, F1 2010, Reach, SSFIV, all region free. Fable 3 too no doubt. You'd have to buy a LOT of games before the extra for Asian releases totalled more than an extra console. And don't get me started on the stupid profile transferring.

[krokodil_final]

Where do you get your info which PAL Games are codefree?

[StarCreator]

Play-Asia is pretty good about checking the region coding of games they sell. Not sure how much PAL stuff they deal in, but it's worth a look.

[SuperPang]

Where do you get your info which PAL Games are codefree?

First Play and Region threads on ntsc-uk combined with Play Asia (they don't sell Pal but if the others are region free its a good sign). There are general publisher patterns as with blu-ray. Fable 3 is likely region free as Fable 2 was and its a Microsoft release for example.

[bcass]

You absolutely don't need a 2nd 360 if you own a JPN model. Most of the best Western 360 games are region-free, and of those that aren't, there's always an Asian release which is in English and will run fine on a JPN console.

For people with a Jamma 360, yea you sort of do need two models. You go hoisting a big clunker of a system and the wires out of a cabinet every time you want to stop playing Espgaluda II and then suddenly want to play some Modern Warfare. Besides its cheaper to buy games within your own region than having to import 100% of your game library. The local system will pay for itself if you buy lots of local used games on ebay and craigslist. Instead of paying through the nose for the asia version of every game you want to play that isn't a shmup.

Very, very few people do the whole "Jamma 360 thing". Second, you don't have to import 100% of your game library - most of the best Western 360 releases are REGION FREE. Not sure why you completely ignored that important point when you went to the trouble of actually quoting the original post which said exectly the same thing.

You can't compare unit numbers as a deciding factor of a majority market over one game if the games weren't set at the same price point.

When looking at just units shipped, which is what we were doing, then yes, you can.

Also how do you know how many people have imported a jp 360 and bought Deathsmiles JP? The numbers are probably much smaller than you are estimating.

I never made any estimates regarding import figures. You must be thinking of THE.

Guwange will be a sample of which market is worth more of a look at. Even then sales in the West need to be constant with further titles like Dangun Feveron selling just as well and outnumbering jp downloads for people to really start throwing around the term that the West is the new majority market.

For all we know, every single shmup on XBLA might have sold more in non-JPN territories. Given that there are only approx. 1 million 360 owners in Japan, I'd say it was highly likely.

[krokodil_final]

Where do you get your info which PAL Games are codefree?

First Play and Region threads on ntsc-uk combined with Play Asia (they don't sell Pal but if the others are region free its a good sign). There are general publisher patterns as with blu-ray. Fable 3 is likely region free as Fable 2 was and its a Microsoft release for example.

Thanks. I knew about pa, but they don't sell PAL that's why I was asking.

[E. Randy Dupre]

And don't get me started on the stupid profile transferring.

There is no "stupid profile transferring" if you've got a hard drive. You simply unplug it from the one machine and whack it into the other. If you've got a 360 and no hard drive... well, good luck to you.

[JOW]

For people with a Jamma 360, yea you sort of do need two models. You go hoisting a big clunker of a system and the wires out of a cabinet every time you want to stop playing Espgaluda II and then suddenly want to play some Modern Warfare.

With respect Shuurin, all of the above is total fiction. I've owned a JP 360 for around 2 years and I've never done the above when switching from any Japanese game to MW (or Bayonetta or F1 2010 or SFIV or any other PAL game I own). That's because it's the only 360 I own.

I only game I have had to import due to the PAL version being locked is Mirror's Edge and that was dirt cheap anyway.

[Taylor]

Isn't it slightly arrogant to assume that publishers and development companies, with entire divisions staffed for shipping games, simply don't know what they're doing based on speculative Deathsmiles figures? Besides Deathsmiles is also one of the games most easy to market to the west, and that's why Aksys (not Cave) picked it up for localisation, after all. Cave's contribution to global shmup fun was going region free for an experiment lasting two games and then stopping.

[Tylerxuppercut]

All I know is im stoked!!!!

[StarCreator]

For people with a Jamma 360, yea you sort of do need two models. You go hoisting a big clunker of a system and the wires out of a cabinet every time you want to stop playing Espgaluda II and then suddenly want to play some Modern Warfare.

With respect Shuurin, all of the above is total fiction. I've owned a JP 360 for around 2 years and I've never done the above when switching from any Japanese game to MW (or Bayonetta or F1 2010 or SFIV or any other PAL game I own). That's because it's the only 360 I own.

I only game I have had to import due to the PAL version being locked is Mirror's Edge and that was dirt cheap anyway.

I think you missed the part where he has it installed in his arcade cabinet, where he'd rather have it on a regular TV for non-shmupping.

[emphatic]

What is the point of all this guess-work? Kinda pointless, yo.

[xris]

^agreed
The question that should be asked is can you get your friends and people on your friends list to buy the game.

[ShmupSamurai]

Any idea when this will come stateside?

[StarCreator]

It's releasing worldwide on the same day, just like almost every other XBLA release.

[Thjodbjorn]

And don't get me started on the stupid profile transferring.

There is no "stupid profile transferring" if you've got a hard drive. You simply unplug it from the one machine and whack it into the other. If you've got a 360 and no hard drive... well, good luck to you.

Using a memory unit is even less of a hassle. I have one because I sometimes game at a friend's, and I can do so with my profile that way. I plan on doing the same when my jp 360 arrives next week.

[JOW]

I think you missed the part where he has it installed in his arcade cabinet, where he'd rather have it on a regular TV for non-shmupping.

100% correct - apologies to Shuurin
...serves me right for posting from a phone - I should have quoted this bit too:

Besides its cheaper to buy games within your own region than having to import 100% of your game library. The local system will pay for itself if you buy lots of local used games on ebay and craigslist. Instead of paying through the nose for the asia version of every game you want to play that isn't a shmup.

As I've said, after owning a JP 360 for 2 years I've only had to import one game due to the PAL version being locked, so the above statement doesn't match reality in my experience.

[subcons]

What is the point of all this guess-work? Kinda pointless, yo.

I agree, but it's a forum focusing solely on STGs. We're grasping at straws here looking for more to talk about, so it's pretty understandable.

[Shuurin]

As I've said, after owning a JP 360 for 2 years I've only had to import one game due to the PAL version being locked, so the above statement doesn't match reality in my experience.

Yea, I owned a US box long before getting a JP box. I had read some of the major US releases were in fact region locked so I based it off non-first hand experience. I haven't had to deal with that issue in particular so my bad . Still, I'm happy I have two since one is stuck into an arcade cabinet.

[JOW]

Still, I'm happy I have two since one is stuck into an arcade cabinet.

...I'd do the same if I could get a cab past the wife and into the house

My poor woody is rotting in the garage.

[clp]

Still, I'm happy I have two since one is stuck into an arcade cabinet.

...I'd do the same if I could get a cab past the wife and into the house

My poor woody is rotting in the garage.

Punch that bitch in the face , cab neglect is not acceptable .

[JOW]

Punch that bitch in the face , cab neglect is not acceptable .

...not really an option.

I prefer my bollocks to be:

• Still attached to my body
• Empty

[KindGrind]

A week to go!

[captpain]

I just cleared this game yesterday (and I don't feel bad posting about it a second time) after a few days of intense practice. I've casually played a credit here and there for a long time, though.

It is seriously one of the best shmups ever, I've come to realize. I'm going to give scoring a real shot, because my best is only like 10 million but I can't really imagine the gameplay getting old. It's a legitimately unusual shmup.

My 360-owning friends are going to receive lots of suggestions (nonstop pestering).

[Danza]

My 360-owning friends are going to receive lots of suggestions (nonstop pestering).

I've been doing this for the last week, heh. Hell, my friend and I fixed a faulty 360 I had in the garage and I gave it to him so he could buy Mushi and GaludaII.

I'm really pumped for the release. Guwange is probably the ROM I boot up in MAME most frequently. Can't wait to try out the Arrange modes.

[clp]

I just cleared this game yesterday (and I don't feel bad posting about it a second time) after a few days of intense practice. I've casually played a credit here and there for a long time, though.

It is seriously one of the best shmups ever, I've come to realize. I'm going to give scoring a real shot, because my best is only like 10 million but I can't really imagine the gameplay getting old. It's a legitimately unusual shmup.

My 360-owning friends are going to receive lots of suggestions (nonstop pestering).

I totally agree Guwange is amazing after you get over a certain hurdle and learn to accept the crushing blow of fucking up a big chain it becomes awesome and so intense . Il be playing this exclusively until my replacement ps2 turns up then its Ibara until the ps2 breaks