Nintendo of America has supplied Japanese games to North America for years but recently there has been a increase in the decline of those games ever making it to North America.  Due to this the “Japanese game” portion of Nintendo’s sales, particularly Japanese Role Playing Games (JRPG’s) often times leads to a fluctuation in profit due to the market being a more niche area of business that is regularly under represented in the U.S market.  In other words there is not enough support or consideration taken into account by the Japanese CEO’s of Nintendo Japan, regarding the distribution of popular Japanese video game titles into the U.S game market or the localization of these Japanese games intended for a North American audience.  Being a huge fan of JRPG’s and a consistent consumer for years who frequents game stores such as Game Stop, Best Buy and now Amazon’s online store, I am sure you can imagine how extremely frustrating it is to try to purchase a Nintendo game on its “so called” national release day only to find out that the game is not available in my country, nor does Nintendo plan on localizing said game to North America, but will release it in Europe…….WHAT!?

Only being distributed to Europe.

Now, from a Fundamental Marketing stand point I am a avid consumer and fan of the JRPG game genre and I want to buy those particular games, so I have a desire/need.  The only way that I can satisfy my need is by getting what I specifically want, but if I am denied my need from Nintendo then logically I will spend my money else where, for instance on the Sony PS3/PS4 consoles that offer the games that I want.  When considering this in terms of a functioning Market Mix its obvious to see that Nintendo really does not understand the Western Video Game Market.  Nintendo prides itself on their unique gaming platform the Wii U as well as their revolutionary touch pad interface, along with a huge library of Japanese and western inspired games created by third party developers that Nintendo cola berates with, So why?  The numbers are there, its not as if their is no market for JRPGs in North America, its simply that its not being recognized or flat out ignored at this point. 

If there is a product that is desired by consumers who are willing to shell out $$ who will pay attention to promotions or even willing to directly communicate with the seller and there is a place to distribute the product then in a proper Marketing Mix this is a gold mine, so why can’t Nintendo of America bring this to the attention of their superior Japanese counterparts! Arent they the ones who represent us the American Nintendo fans?  Its truly puzzling when you take into consideration that many followers of Nintendo choose their company for its unique Japanese games and even the Japanese cultural experience itself.   Sadly still Nintendo feels that many of their Japanese games will just not flourish in a Western Market, even though several of their games did better in America than in Japan.  Nintendo Japan is deliberately sabotaging the North American video game market assuming JRPGs are not even worth being seen as a target market by investors.

Now for all of you gamers out there who NEED their game fix.  Tell me, how would you feel if the  video game market you love and respect had no voice or due to sales “paranoia” denied you access to play a game that literally already exists in the global market?  For JRPG fans the phrase ” Were not getting it” has become second nature and this reoccurring theme is old hat.  So what I want to ask Nintendo of America is “When did North America become the ugly step child along side Europe in the fight for Japanese video game distribution”.

Not even scheduled for a North American Relsease