What is the reason from idolmaster game has region blocking?

[Fallen]

I abstained from shopping for Christmas to save for this game

[Stallion]

Originally posted by houkoholic:

Originally posted by Stallion:

I get your point and I totally agree with it, but still, there are lots of games for mobile that let you do the exact same (a quick example may be the Love Live games) and the girls literally say things like "Touching there is not allowed!" and stuff, and I don't see any problem with that.

Except it's NOT the same.

In mobile phone games they just prevent you to touch the chest area and there's only one or two default dialogue (which is usually just asking you to stop it) on those screens and they don't affect gameplay. However in imas console games specifically, they actually track how the idol's affection towards the player as a game parameter and that sometimes it is NECESSARY to touch their chest area for the correct answer in the dialogue. So you can't remove that aspect of the game without breaking and rewriting a whole bunch of dialogue trees as well as alter the game mechanics.

For example, once you reach a certain level of affection - touching Miki in the chest doesn't invoke a bad response:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AEfxfwCvCks

Or when she actually ASKS you to touch her near the chest area:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SaFP1eyUhd8

But if you do this at the beginning of the game, it will almost definitely be a bad response. Part of the fun of this mechanic is figuring out when it is appropriate and when it isn't, and of course purposefully invoking a bad response for the dialogue has its own entertainment value for many people. This gameplay mechanic doesn't exists in ANY of the mobile phone rhythm games for other idol franchises such as LL or Bang Dream etc.


We can pretty much rule out licensing issue as Bamco OWNS all the new songs in 765AS, Million Live, Shiny Colors and SideM because the new music since the creation of Million Live are registered under the Lantis label, which is a music label Bamco OWNS, some of the very old 765AS and nearly all CG songs are registered under NBGI as composer/lyric writer which is also just Bamco, Columbia Music has little to no ownership to 765AS or CG songs except acting as a distributor partner (the reason Bamco bought Lantis is so they can skip involving a third party in their IP specifically to address licensing issues, but they kept the partnership with Columbia because that's just how business works - you don't burn all your bridges).

Here I've dug up the original interview with the main producer /director of the imas series Sakagami Youzou:
https://web.archive.org/web/20070202023440/http://moura.jp/frames/report/070129/

Here's the actual text referencing the difficulty of bringing the core franchise over

坂上「アメリカから熱心にファンレターを送ってくるファンの方もおりまして、海外でも発売を期待している声があるのは知っています。
ただ海外は海外でいろいろ考え方がありますから。こういう絵をジャパニメーションの延長線上とは見てくれないところがあって、『子供を働かせているゲーム』みたいな考え方をされることもあるんです」

かーず「そんな解釈をされてしまうんですか！」

坂上「それこそパイタッチなんて、『コラーッ！』ってなりますよ、セクハラですからね（一同笑い）。真のコミュニケーションパートで空手の練習で叩かれるイベントにも、『えー！女の子を殴るだなんて！』みたいな反応があるので、そういうところをクリアしていかないと海外版は難しいと思います」

I can't be bother to translate it properly you can throw it in google translate, it's accurate enough to convey their worries which I've already pointed out.

Ok but why are you mad?

If you touch a girl anywere and she tells you to stop is as bad as straight up touching her chest, THERE IS NO DIFFERENCE THERE, and if you keep doing stuff with the girls and they begin to like it, well, then idk what to tell you, maybe she actually begins to like you like in any dating sim game, but damn I didn't knew the IM@S girls where so horny L O L .

Just chill out, if you are that negative just use a vpn, create a Steam japanese account (so you don't risk the one you have) and buy it that way lol
I get now why everyone says the IM@S fandom is full of salty pedos, guess I'm better out of here, if someday the game comes out globally I'll play it, but is better to stay away from people like you, get some help.

Oh, and btw, in SIFAS the girls also develop sentimental feelings towards you the more time you spend with them, heavily changing their dialogue (and also saying different stuff that only comes out if you touch "certain" parts of their bodies), but not to the point to become horny machines like the I@MS girls tho, I guess the LL! franchise is not that desperate XD

>https://web.archive.org/web/20070202023440/http://moura.jp/frames/report/070129/ : WOAH DUDE, NICE THING YOU FOUND THAT POST, FROM FKNG 2 0 0 7 AFTER THE XBOX GAME RELEASED, IT'S REALLY HELPFULL!!! (especially when the link I posted in my comment is from an interview they did last year lmao)

[HEU3BECTEH]

It is not that uncommon to cut some interesting mechanics from the japanese game for players in different regions. I would not mind it and the lack of translation. That is not very nice, but it is better than region lock.
And viewing every single scene for being appropriate for other regions or not would be troublesome, but isn't it paranoid already?

[houkoholic]

Originally posted by Stallion:

Ok but why are you mad?

If you touch a girl anywere and she tells you to stop is as bad as straight up touching her chest, THERE IS NO DIFFERENCE THERE, and if you keep doing stuff with the girls and they begin to like it, well, then idk what to tell you, maybe she actually begins to like you like in any dating sim game, but damn I didn't knew the IM@S girls where so horny L O L .

I'm not mad, I'm correcting your misconception about how the "pi-touch" events work in the imas games and how they are so deeply integrated into the core gameplay mechanics because I'm tired of people saying "herpderp yOu CaN ToUCH thEm in LL too" - NO, the "touch" events on the LL mobile game home screen (or even imas mobile phone games) is no no way the same as how "pi-touch" works in imas and that is KEY to why it is a hurdle when it comes to bringing the games over to different regions with different cultural background.

Also Miki is not horny - she is aggressive and assertive and knows she is good looking, so she uses her looks to try to win affection from the producer because she has a crush on him. In any other situation this is a perfectly acceptable characterisation and even an anime trope, but once you introduce an interactive element to it in a video game, a whole can of worms gets open - which is EXACTLY the concern Sakagami had to begin with as he said - many people don't see video games as an extension to anime in the west. So even when such themes are common in anime (touching underage breasts) and are even somewhat tolerated in the west, in a game it becomes a different issue.

Just chill out, if you are that negative just use a vpn, create a Steam japanese account (so you don't risk the one you have) and buy it that way lol

Jokes on you, I live in Japan and I read Japanese so I can buy whatever version comes out without any issues. Don't need no VPN nor English translation.

I get now why everyone says the IM@S fandom is full of salty pedos, guess I'm better out of here, if someday the game comes out globally I'll play it, but is better to stay away from people like you, get some help.

I'm not salty and I will have access to the games, I'm just explaining to others why this game isn't coming out in other regions. Great for you to make assumptions though.

Oh, and btw, in SIFAS the girls also develop sentimental feelings towards you the more time you spend with them, heavily changing their dialogue (and also saying different stuff that only comes out if you touch "certain" parts of their bodies), but not to the point to become horny machines like the I@MS girls tho, I guess the LL! franchise is not that desperate XD

Stop goalpost shifting - the level of interaction in SIFAS doesn't come close to the dialogue branching in imas. It's obvious now that you don't know the game to begin with so just leave it while you are good.

>https://web.archive.org/web/20070202023440/http://moura.jp/frames/report/070129/ : WOAH DUDE, NICE THING YOU FOUND THAT POST, FROM FKNG 2 0 0 7 AFTER THE XBOX GAME RELEASED, IT'S REALLY HELPFULL!!! (especially when the link I posted in my comment is from an interview they did last year lmao)

Your interviews explains jack all about the reason for the lack of an English localisation, nor does it address the fundamental point Sakagami raised in the 2007 interview where he specifically referenced fans from America (you know, the major market for an English localisation), so we can still assume that the concerns are still valid because nothing he said in the 2007 interview has changed at this moment in time. Ergo, video games and its contents being a political target for both sides of the political spectrum is still VERY much a concern in today's environment, perhaps even amplified due to the widespread usage of social media. I don't see how the issues from 2007 becoming non-relevant at all.

[houkoholic]

Originally posted by HEU3BECTEH(RUS):

It is not that uncommon to cut some interesting mechanics from the japanese game for players in different regions. I would not mind it and the lack of translation. That is not very nice, but it is better than region lock.
And viewing every single scene for being appropriate for other regions or not would be troublesome, but isn't it paranoid already?

Lots of western countries have game rating boards where you need to submit the game for content review, so it's not that paranoid. While in America ratings is not government controlled it's not true for other regions. I'd wager in EU countries or in Australia with the whole "pi-touch" thing you are either going to get a the maximum age rating or even a "no rating" which will severely limit the sales of the title, and once you slap that R18 rating on a game it becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy of attracting attention > idiots taking it out of context and posting it on the internet > government crack down spiral.

[Jeffer'son Airship]

Originally posted by askasys:

So, all of our assumptions regarding the region lock of this game are true, they are definitely afraid of the SJWs, and they believe they represent a majority or a very large part of the Western population, when in reality they are not.

Except no. That's an extremely liberal reading of what has been said. You could easily read it as being worried about the ratings boards that are as houkoholic explained government agencies. The removal of the touch minigame in Fire Emblem Fates for example was due to Europe.

The interviews from 2007. SJWs weren't even a thing. That was the heydays of the religious right censoring games and general government suspicion about videogames so they were afraid of flak from both sides. Namco was afraid of controversy locking them out of big markets but it had nothing to do with your SJW boogeymen.

The fact you seem to think Japan's some monoculture without any differing opinions or its own activist groups and media criticism is also rather disturbing. The whole thing with the idol industry and minors is a hotly debated topic for instance.

[Jeffer'son Airship]

Yes it's debated in Japan. The abuses of the idol industry are becoming a bigger deal with activist groups protesting them and cases actually reaching news media when it has been suppressed in the past. It's certainly not something that is going to change overnight but awareness of the industry's issues is growing and causing it to be debated. Just because, for now, the business continues as usual doesn't mean it lacks controversy.

As far as the SJW word you and I have the same definition. Unfortunately the popular definition is that they are only a left wing thing with the right wing painting it that way while still acting the same. In the mainstream, SJWs are left wingers used as scapegoat their just as abusive right counterparts use as cover to do pretty much the exact same things like censorship and targetted harassment. I try to avoid using the word because folks then tend to twist it into only meaning the left. It's just a poor term to use because of the propaganda around it. I tend to use "culture warriors" instead since it removes the political spectrum connotations.

"Monoculture" is a term meaning seeing an entire nation as of consisting of one single thought with no differing opinions that matter, like a hive mind. It's not on the same spectrum as multicultural.

Just because something is popular doesn't mean it's universally accepted. Remember that anime otaku culture in Japan is loathed by the mainstream and only tolerated because business makes money from it. A lot of the idol industry is seen as the same. It's a niche catered heavily to by big business to make money because there are individuals within that group that spend ridiculous amounts on merchandise. It's the same mindset as how gacha games target the whales.

[Jeffer'son Airship]

It's only a matter of time. That group is only growing in influence in Japan.

Steps have already been taken to get minors out of the idol industry and cut down on the general abuse through new laws. It's slow but it's happening. You can deny it all you want bit the laws have changed in many significant ways due to the work of Japanese activists.

Edit also asjasys, in regards to ratings boards check out a documentary about America's movie ratings called This Film is Not Yet Rated. Most game ratings boards (even the government ones) literally work the same way as it portrays with a dozen or so folks deciding on all ratings in ways that let their own personal views and big business corrupt what should be a neutral process.

[Jeffer'son Airship]

No. There has been a general pushback against how much control companies have over idols that are minors. Not just the Yakuza stuff. It's funny you mention AKB because they're a big source of the controversy with damning interviews from former members.

I believe the current discussion revolves around the possible formation of an idol union but we'll see if that actually manages traction as Japan is very anti union.

Originally posted by askasys:

Oh yes, left wingers SJWs are the worst beats. They impose a "culture" to everyone globally. Quite the opposite of the right wingers who cancel the other countries culture only on their country.

A very straight example about how they act on the media entertainment:

Right Wingers SJWs: Let's delete all Japanese names from this anime, and put American names.

Left Wingers SJWs: Let's insert an homosexual African character in this videogame set in 1600 in Japan, and delete all the geisha because they are too sexualized.

American right wing SJWs would also delete the geisha for the same reason due to "Jesus." Same with many religious ones of other countries. They'd also cut out violent content "for the children."

You're massively downplaying the censorship the right wing wants though certainly correct on the crazy left.

A lot of the game censorship is from both halves of an America-centric culture warrior mindset even if it comes from Europe. So to very simplify it, the general trend is "sexualization bad, violence fine" in things that are not mature rated.

Ironically Japan is the opposite. They go crazy censoring violence, while sexual fanservice is fine (as long as actual sex is not depicted as that bumps things to adult only ratings.)

Japan also bans realistic characters having sex or in sexual situations while anime ones are okay while America is the opposite. Probably due to the mainstream America still having a "cartoons are only for children" mentality. You'd think stuff like South Park would change that but it hasn't.

Edit: I'd also like to thank you for being civil. It is way too common for discussions on these issues to turn into horrid troll fests. We may not 100% agree but this has been a very fruitful discussion I feel.

[Tekomioku]

Even if you can't buy, there is always a path for you to play the game.
If you know what I mean.
Too bad for them, I even reserved some money just to buy this game...

[ThankYouGovernment]

Originally posted by VENTH85:

Because of Woke in the west, that complain about everything that don't fit their agenda.
Even Monster Hunter Rise twitter reply is full of em, complaining about pants or shown thigh/legs

Ok…? That doesn’t stop people wanting to buy the game from buying it.

[digimaster7]

I hope this series will never be localized to the west. Idolm@ster should stay 100% japanese.

Because you westerner just can't behave and always get offended to everything.

[Cosmos Redshift 7]

Originally posted by digimaster7:

I hope this series will never be localized to the west. Idolm@ster should stay 100% japanese.

Because you westerner just can't behave and always get offended to everything.

I would gift you a superstar badge, some things are better in raw - and that's coming from a west person :-/

[Evangela]

Originally posted by digimaster7:

I hope this series will never be localized to the west. Idolm@ster should stay 100% japanese.

Because you westerner just can't behave and always get offended to everything.

Yup. Everything that became popular in the west kept getting pressured to altered and censored.

Imagine future Idolmaster games only feature 20+ years old idols, because the west say it's inappropriate. There's nothing good coming out of that.

[Aya]

The fact that iM@S is on Steam baffles me tbh, since it's region locked to only be sold in places where players would rather buy the game on console.

I'm not exactly too sure what game the dev team's playing at, since Tekken 8 is on Steam, and the upcoming Pac-Man metroidvania that the Secret Level episode is based on is being developed by Bandai Namco Studios Inc.

[Evangela]

Originally posted by Baileys Iced Capp:

The fact that iM@S is on Steam baffles me tbh, since it's region locked to only be sold in places where players would rather buy the game on console.

I'm not exactly too sure what game the dev team's playing at, since Tekken 8 is on Steam, and the upcoming Pac-Man metroidvania that the Secret Level episode is based on is being developed by Bandai Namco Studios Inc.

Not really. Japan, Korea, China, Taiwan, Thailand... these countries love PC gaming.

The possible reason might be that there's no idol cultures in the west. In Asia we have a lot of AKB's sister groups in many countries.