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3DS

Ace Attorney 5 Coming to North America and Europe This Fall As eShop Exclusive 

by Tom Malina - May 13, 2013, 10:38 am EDT
Total comments: 28 Source: (Description), Kotaku, http://kotaku.com/phoenix-wright-ace-attorney-dual...

The latest Phoenix Wright game, under the title Dual Destinies, can only be bought digitally in the West.

Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney - Dual Destinies, formerly known as Ace Attorney 5, will launch in North America and Europe this Fall, only on the 3DS eShop.

Capcom confirmed that the game, which was previously announced for a Japanese release on July 25, will not be available at retail for its Western localisation. A statement released by the publisher cited the lack of long-term retail success for previous Ace Attorney games as the reasoning for this decision.

Speaking to Kotaku, a Capcom representative said: "We understand that this decision may upset fans who wanted to have a physical version of the title to add to their collection but we believe this direction is the best to take to ensure that fans are able to enjoy the game at their own leisure."

Dual Destinies, the fifth title in the cult adventure series, returns star defence attorney Phoenix Wright to the courtroom, along with his new sidekick Athena Cykes. It introduces a new system called the Mood Matrix, which allows the player to gauge the emotions of witnesses and suspects during their testimonies and spot contradictions.

Talkback

CericMay 13, 2013

According to other sites Capcom is citing poor retail sales.  Considering, if memory serves, their are iPhone versions of the whole series they do have some data points to refer to.  Be nice if they put all the previous ones up digitally in the leadup so you could have a complete collection.  The old ones should be cheaper.  This is an interesting test case for Capcom.  Take a popular Niche title that has a bit of Digital history already, put the newest iteration digital only, and see how it goes.

azekeMay 13, 2013

I love how fans of the series loudly lament that they won't be able to pick this up used for 5$ anymore.

Ian SaneMay 13, 2013

What's funny is I imagine 20 years from now niche games will be the only titles available in physical media, if the concept even exists at all.  The mainstream will embrace digital downloads and physical media itself will be a niche product for enthusiasts, who will be the sort of people more into games like Phoenix Wright.

As videogames have become more mainstream there is less financial incentive for publishers to make games without widespread appeal.  I would prefer a physical copy but if the option is that everything is safe generic mainstream pap or niche games still exist but are download-only to cut down on costs, then I'll live with this.  Better than no Phoenix Wright at all.

Leo13May 13, 2013

I've never played an Ace Atterney game, I may have to give it a try.

pokepal148Spencer Johnson, Contributing WriterMay 13, 2013

i have to as well, where can i get it for 5$ :D

Evan_BMay 13, 2013

Really Broodwars? I just see a general embracing of digital retail, especially for publishers who can't back the physical release.

noname2200May 13, 2013

Will buy day one and all, but it's disappointing to hear that it's digital-only.

Quote from: pokepal148

i have to as well, where can i get it for 5$

The iPhone in two years.

pokepal148Spencer Johnson, Contributing WriterMay 13, 2013

i mean previous games

noname2200May 13, 2013

The iPhone today!

I think I'm missing the joke :(

pokepal148Spencer Johnson, Contributing WriterMay 13, 2013

Quote from: azeke

I love how fans of the series loudly lament that they won't be able to pick this up used for 5$ anymore.

here, do i have to explain everything

broodwarsMay 13, 2013

Quote from: Evan_B

Really Broodwars? I just see a general embracing of digital retail, especially for publishers who can't back the physical release.

WTF, dude? I hadn't posted in this thread yet.  :Q

Well, this decision is unfortunate. I don't like buying my retail games digitally if I can help it (at least not without a major discount), especially on Nintendo platforms where there's no true account system. I don't know if this will lead to me not picking the game up at all, but it does factor into whether I'd get the game at launch or not. There's just no real benefit to buying the game Day 1 with no discounts or the tangible benefits of a retail release (manual, the option to re-sell the game if I don't like it, etc.). 

Plus, on the 3DS right now when you buy the game, you're stuck with it. You can't delete the game off your SD Card without losing your save, and you probably want to hold onto your save with a plot as likely long-winded as this one's will be (judging by past Phoenix Wright games).

I'm not going to say "no" outright to buying it because I have bought retail games digitally on the 3DS as recently as SMT: Soul Hackers, but this is a strike against it with me.

pokepal148Spencer Johnson, Contributing WriterMay 13, 2013

Quote from: broodwars

Quote from: Evan_B

Really Broodwars? I just see a general embracing of digital retail, especially for publishers who can't back the physical release.

WTF, dude? I hadn't posted in this thread yet.  :Q

http://cdn04.cdnwp.thefrisky.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/03/single-8.gif

fixed

broodwarsMay 13, 2013

Quote from: Leo13

I've never played an Ace Atterney game, I may have to give it a try.

I would actually strongly recommend you pick up the WiiWare releases of the 3 DS Ace Attorney games, provided you have a Wii or Wii U of course. They're good ports, and they're probably cheaper these days than trying to find an actual Used physical copy.  Also, those games are deceptively long, so I found they're actually more comfortable to play sitting or lying down on a console.

If this game got AAI2'd (left in Japan), people would be crying for an eShop release. But now that Capcom's saying "OK, put your money where your mouth is"...

I have no relationship with this series, so I'm going to hope for a demo case before diving in for $30 or whatever.

Oh, and the DS games just got a reprint.

I pretty much only buy games digitally these days, so this has no real effect on me. I've never played this series before, though, so maybe I'll give this one a shot just to support it going digital.

ymeegodMay 13, 2013

Glad to be getting it but I usually rent or purchase cheap these types of games do to the fact there's little replay valve.  The last Ace game took about 12-13 hours so for me that's like a worthy $20 worth.   

Mop it upMay 14, 2013

I think more people than typically buy these games would like them if they gave them a chance. They should really put out a demo of it, I'll bet that'd increase sales like it seemingly did for Fire Emblem Awakening.

CericMay 14, 2013

Quote from: Mop

I think more people than typically buy these games would like them if they gave them a chance. They should really put out a demo of it, I'll bet that'd increase sales like it seemingly did for Fire Emblem Awakening.

I worry that the Demo would be like the Monster Hunter Demo and just throw you in.  If not it have to be an episode.

rafael_miolowMay 15, 2013

Can't lend it or sell? Not buying. I'll stay with de previous titles on the DS.


Capcom is pushing this crap just to see how far we would go. If it works, we'll see more and more digital releases for no reason besides saving Capcom's time and money.

azekeMay 15, 2013

Quote from: rafael_miolow

Can't lend it or sell? Not buying. I'll stay with de previous titles on the DS.

But how do you still have previous titles if you lent or sold them?

SundoulosMay 15, 2013

I believe that the first Phoenix Wright game is the only one available via the Apple store.  (That's how I first experienced the Ace Attorney series as well as Ghost Trick.)  That did prompt me to purchase the next two games on WiiWare.  I wish they had been available on the e-shop or for my phone.  I feel like the series is far better suited to a handheld experience.

That being said, I normally like to purchase physical copies because I like at least having the option to re-sell the game; the digital-only wouldn't keep me from getting it eventually, though.  I like the Ace Attorney games enough to give this one a shot.

KhushrenadaMay 15, 2013

Quote from: Shaymin

If this game got AAI2'd (left in Japan), people would be crying for an eShop release. But now that Capcom's saying "OK, put your money where your mouth is"...

Oh, that's true. I guess it is one of those things where people have sort of expected the Ace Attorney series to come back to the N.A. and then we finally get the announcement but there's a twist in that it is only a digital download after every other version had been sold in a physical copy.

Whereas if this had been a title like say Disaster: Day of Crisis that has been out for a long time but never brought to N.A. and was suddenly brought over as a digital copy, I think people would be more receptive as at least they are finally given a chance to play it. Sort of like Sin and Punishment 64 being brought over on Virtual Console or Earthbound of late. No one complained about it not coming in a physical copy because they were glad just to get a chance to play the game finally in any form and for the fact it was finally released. In fact, I bet even if AAI2 was announced as just a digital copy, people would have been on board. I think the disconnect comes from it being a new game that is just getting released and so no one has been missing out on it yet.

Quote from: Ceric

Quote from: Mop

I think more people than typically buy these games would like them if they gave them a chance. They should really put out a demo of it, I'll bet that'd increase sales like it seemingly did for Fire Emblem Awakening.

I worry that the Demo would be like the Monster Hunter Demo and just throw you in.  If not it have to be an episode.

It could be tough. The beginning of the game is instructions of how it works but later chapters usually build off some of the events of the chapters before them. Still, I think even if they were to release say 25% of the first case, it should be enough to pull people in to the game and see what the mechanics are like and hopefully leave them with some lingering questions about the mystery of the case that would casue them to buy the game and finish it and get the answers to the mystery.

That said, I have no idea what would count as 25% or if that is too generous or not enough or even since I have no idea what the game is like. I do now that once you get the set-up for a mystery and then start questioning a witness and their testimony suddenly opens up a new direction or mystery, that's when the game really hooks you as you start working towards the truth. And if the demo could end at such a point, I think it would pull in a lot of people.

SheckyJuly 18, 2013

This title rated "M" for Mature?  That's what the rating came in as and it doesn't seem like Capcom is objecting to it.  I wonder if they use harsher text in the dialog?

azekeJuly 18, 2013

Quote from: Shecky

I wonder if they use harsher text in the dialog?

Pearls will drop F-bombs after every word.

TJ SpykeJuly 18, 2013

Quote from: Shecky

This title rated "M" for Mature?  That's what the rating came in as and it doesn't seem like Capcom is objecting to it.  I wonder if they use harsher text in the dialog?

I see sites saying ESRB rated it M, but I see no rating for the game on the ESRB's website. But Capcom themselves said it. Capcom explained why to GameSpot:

"Due to the nature of the various crimes and storylines in this latest title in the series, ESRB deemed the title an M," a Capcom representative told us. The ESRB, which declined commenting on its reasoning behind the game's rating, has labeled it with the same "Blood, Violence, Suggestive Themes, Language" descriptor given to the original Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney

OblivionJuly 18, 2013

I bet it's because of one particularly gruesome dead body or something.

"In the criminal justice system, sexually based offenses are especially heinous. One defense attorney is willing to stand up for the falsely accused. This is his story."

CHUNG
CHUNG

KhushrenadaJuly 18, 2013

Phoenix Wright is totally hardcore now!

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