So Cave cancelled their Vita shooter.

[BarfHappy]

CAVE online shop closing, "consumer" games canceled, and step down of the COO...
I shall wait the 3 years plan crossing fingers that the arcade division remains.

[AntiFritz]

Wasn't the only reason instant brain was made was because "asada likes adventure games", so he made one.

One which buy the looks of it, wasn't cheap.

[DJ Incompetent]

It seems like one of the major causes of Cave's decline is that the higher-ups gave some of the divisions way too much creative freedom. Games like Akai Katana (arcade version) and Instant Brain never should have been developed, or at the very least, not released in their final state. In any case, that time and money would have been better spent developing Mushihime-sama 3 and Espgaluda 3.

Woah-woah-woaaah, slow down there EA.

[Krimzon Kitzune]

I would love nothing more than to see the Toaplan off-shoots come together and revive that great, great company. Wishful thinking I know, but bear with me. I just woke up and I haven't had my coffee yet.

But man, I want my Zero Wing and Dogyuun sequels! Truxton 3/Tatsujin 3 would be very nice, too...

[Skykid]

To add to what I said in a previous thread...

http://shmups.system11.org/viewtopic.ph ... 79#p756179

It seems like one of the major causes of Cave's decline is that the higher-ups gave some of the divisions way too much creative freedom. Games like Akai Katana (arcade version) and Instant Brain never should have been developed, or at the very least, not released in their final state. In any case, that time and money would have been better spent developing Mushihime-sama 3 and Espgaluda 3.

And then there was Deathsmiles 2, which while successful, also led to a waste of resources as a result of that cheap PC-based arcade system they put together for it. They should have just swallowed their pride and gone with something already established like the Type-X2, which would have been far cheaper (and would have also resulted in better-looking games).

I guess the warning signs have been there for a while, back when Cave allowed Yagawa to release 3 bombs in a row.

I believe much of this is correct. Unfortunately companies that take risks these days need to be prepared to bite the bullet if they don't pay off, hence everyone is playing safe and subcontracting.

No-one remembers the mistakes made by SNK it seems.

I hope Ikeda and Yagawa can do a triple phoenix and rise from the ashes again to continue to make STG's without too many overheads.

Toaplan forever.

[Cuilan]

Woah-woah-woaaah, slow down there EA.

Spare me the hyperbole. Too little creative freedom can be just as bad as too much, at least with regards to running a business that is both profitable and doesn't treat its customers like garbage.

[Formless God]

From a games point of view, have they also ran out of ideas?

As much as I appreciate the rest of your essay, you couldn't be any more wrong on this part.

[Krimzon Kitzune]

Toaplan forever.

Amen, brother.

[DJ Incompetent]

Woah-woah-woaaah, slow down there EA.

Spare me the hyperbole. Too little creative freedom can be just as bad as too much, at least with regards to running a business that is both profitable and doesn't treat its customers like garbage.

Yeaaah. You're right. Sorta. I'll be good.

[Cuilan]

One more thing I'd like to mention.

I find it interesting that the timing of all this coincides with this :

http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=473025

I think it's quite possible that one (or both) of Cave's Vita games was going to use something similar to what is described above. Cave's increased focus on social and smartphone games in the last few years leads me to believe that they were placing all of their bets on the trends that a lot of Japanese game companies have been following. I'm sure a game company that isn't doing too well, such as Cave, would have taken notice of the amount of profit that can be generated by those type of micro-transaction systems. The strong possibility of a government crackdown on that system might have thrown a massive wrench in their future plans.

[TrevHead (TVR)]

It's not just CAVE that is doing badly so many publishers seem to be not doing too well atm. There's just too many games for folk to play, gamers have massive backlogs which are only getting bigger with all the cheap and bargin bucket games and indies. Normally we would have all upgraded to the next console hardware gen by now and most gamers would have forgotten about their old games and started a new.

I think there is going to be alot more companies going under by the time we are fully into the next console generation. I just hope Ninty or MS money hat CAVE for their new hardware.

[Matskat]

That's it, who wants a buy a non-used vita?

If I can't play Cave Horserace simulatrz then I DON WAN !

[Drum]

That's it, who wants a buy a non-used vita?

If I can't play Cave Horserace simulatrz then I DON WAN !

How much?

[dunpeal2064]

What were the 3 YGW bombs?

Probably my favorite ones

[nZero]

What were the 3 YGW bombs?

Ibara (+Kuro) → Pinksweets → Pork probably

[dunpeal2064]

So, Contrary to those, what has been their money maker?

Pretty sad that such excellent games sold poorly.

[AntiFritz]

Deathsmiles probably made them quite a bit.

[Obscura]

Also, I would assume Galuda 2 and the Mushis.

[TrevHead (TVR)]

And their early iphone ports, dunno how well the later ones are doing atm. Did that android DDP Maximum do well?

[Op Intensify]

We are definitely in the Japanese shmup end times.

It would be cool if they had an SNK-esque resurrection; if Taito (or some faceless no-name company like Playmore) bought all the rights to their stuff, the staff migrated, and they went on making games as usual with the Cave branding and minimal creative interference. It won't happen though.

Also, shame about the Vita port, that was going to be a huge justification for me buying the system. I'm glad I waited! Just like with MML3 and the 3DS.

Anyone have any idea if Cave's Games on Demand and XBLA titles will get de-listed if they go under?

[Avatar Ignis]

CAVE online shop closing, "consumer" games canceled, and step down of the COO...
I shall wait the 3 years plan crossing fingers that the arcade division remains.

Their online store is closed? Damn i was actually thinking of getting a bullet hell shirt :'(

[DragonInstall]

I really hope they can still make shooters. I really wanted one more espgaluda game.

[Op Intensify]

Their online store is closed? Damn i was actually thinking of getting a bullet hell shirt :'(

They're still doing business through Amazon Japan, but I don't know if all the same items are there.

I really hope they can still make shooters. I really wanted one more espgaluda game.

Well, you'll at least get a SDOJ iPhone port. That's all but guaranteed.

[IseeThings]

I think you'll still see shmups, just from smaller studios with lower expectations.

The problem is there (due to the way the industry is today) none of those will make it onto any of the major platforms so you'll be talking PC, phones, and open platforms like the Pi only (and somehow I don't see that appealing to Japanese developers)

A lot of the indie shooters you see do seem to be more concept games, completely stripped back of content, but if you look at things in a realistic light even the best of Cave's shooters don't have much in the way of pure content compared to a good number of the indie games being released today. What they do have is carefully balanced and tuned games, not just the content they have slapped together randomly, but still I think others could fill said role.

[Zeether]

So does this mean we're never getting the Android ports here?

[Op Intensify]

Ten bucks says the Vita Senko no Ronde gets canceled too.

[MathU]

(or some faceless no-name company like Playmore)

Playmore IS SNK the same way that MOSS is Seibu Kaihatsu: fallback company for employees to buy back their IPs after declaring bankruptcy. Also I don't think Taito is in the position to buy anyone now that they're themselves owned by Square Enix.

[Zeether]

Ten bucks says the Vita Senko no Ronde gets canceled too.

G.Rev != Cave.

[Op Intensify]

Thanks for clarifying about Playmore, MathU.

G.Rev != Cave.

It has more to do with the Vita's viability as a platform than G-Rev's financial standing. The system hasn't even cracked 2 million units sold yet, and it doesn't have anything unique to offer over the PS3. While the games on smartphones lack physical controls and are largely shallow experiences, casuals only see the graphics, and the Vita's aren't noticeably better than the iPhone's to their eyes. The closest thing it has to a major franchise system-seller is Uncharted. It's a still birth. I don't blame Cave for pulling out of Vita development.

[StarCreator]

CAVE online shop closing, "consumer" games canceled, and step down of the COO...
I shall wait the 3 years plan crossing fingers that the arcade division remains.

Their online store is closed? Damn i was actually thinking of getting a bullet hell shirt :'(

The international store has been closed since around New Years, but the Japanese store is still open until around the end of the month. They're having a goodbye sale starting Friday lasting through Sunday.