Topic: How popular is Fire Emblem around the world?

[Viewtiful mario]

Well, I've heard that Fire Emblem is very popular in Japan but how popular exactly?  If it's popular than how come it only sold 50,000 it's first week while a PSP game sold more than half a million at the same time? What would you compare it to an American game in terms of popularity?

And how does it do in other countries like North America or Europe? What real reason does Nintendo have to go to the work of translate all that text to release the wii fire emblem game in those places?

If anyone can throw some statistics on fire emblem it would be appreciated, I love the fire emblem games and want to know if it's doing well enough for Nintendo to keep making those games and translating them in English, or better yet if it's selling well enough for them to do something big budget like adding voices to at least most of the text.  Almost all other RPG's have a lot of voices so why not fire Emblem?

[NWR_pap64]

It is popular enough that they keep making games for it and have been releasing the latest games around the world.

That's all I know...

[WuTangTurtle]

unfortunately the game isn't the most known game out there for nintendo.  I'd have to say that in Japan it doesn't sell incredibly well due to the fact the game has seen a release on every system and has not evolved much, and in the U.S. its a new franchise which has only seen 1 console release and 2 GBA releases.

As for why nintendo releases them here in the U.S. well think about it translating a game is way cheaper than making a whole new game.  If u have seen credits go by you'll probably notice there is only like 5-20 localization members depending on the game, compare that to say 40-100 people that it probably took to make Path of Radiance.

Voice actors probably never get a call from Nintendo, it's sad I wish there would be more voice acting in Nintendo games.  I think I wouldn't mind cutting FMV's for voice acting (good voice acting), maybe.

[Adrock]

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WuTangTurtle wrote:
unfortunately the game isn't the most known game out there for nintendo.

Fire Emblem has some stiff competition.

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Voice actors probably never get a call from Nintendo, it's sad I wish there would be more voice acting in Nintendo games.  I think I wouldn't mind cutting FMV's for voice acting (good voice acting), maybe.

I was just thinking that as I was playing some WarioWare eariler. I would've liked more voice acting to make the short cut-scenes even more absurd and hilarious than they already were. Wario is a pretty ridiculous character. In fact, the whole WarioWare crew is pretty out there. It'd be nice to hear them more.  

[Luigi Dude]

Here's the Japanese sales of all the Fire Emblem games going back to the third one, Mystery of the Emblem for the Super Famicom

FE3: Mystery of the Emblem - 697,750
FE4: Genealogy of a Holy War - 578,000
FE5: Thracia 776 - 257,500   
FE6: Sword of Seals - 393,000
FE7: Blazing Sword - 293,500
FE8: Sacred Stones - 298,000
FE9: Path of Radiance - 155,750

And even though I don't have the exact numbers, all the Fire Emblems that have come to America have OUTSOLD their Japanese counterparts.  That's right, the Fire Emblem series has been more popular here in America over the last several years then in Japan.  The American version of FE7 sold around 400,000, I think I saw FE8 around 300,000 and FE9 last time I checked sold over 160,000.  Now when you combine the sales of the American and Japanese version of all these games the worldwide numbers would be like this.

FE7: Blazing Sword - 700,000
FE8: Sacred Stones - 600,000
FE9: Path of Radiance - 300,000

So to answer the question of why Nintendo is bothering to translate the series, it's because they're making alot more money with both the English and Japanese version then they would with just leaving the series Japan only.

[Ceric]

I haven't played this series yet because I find it takes a special type of strategy game to hook me.

Though on the Voice acting part, in general, I'm glad Nintendo stays away from it.  I was playing through Kirby yesterday and there are those little spots where you fight the legions of MetaKnight and then eventually MetaKnight himself and I just thought then what type of dialog he would speak to Kirby if they had him talk, I don't know if they do in the remake or not.  I do like the voice they assigned to him in the Cartoon but, I realized that I probably would have just been annoyed me more then enhanced the experience.  

I find that in a good amount of games actually.  Voices just disconnects me to far.  I put it on par to how you read a book and have your own set of voices and look for everyone.  Then a movie comes out and there interpretation is way different and sort of ruins the book for you because its hard to go back to your own at that point. (Manga as well,)  Once I hear the corrects start to speak out loud I start to feel that they don't really need me anymore.  Like a puppet show where the puppets talk and dance by themselves.

Though thats just my take.

[bosshogx]

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Originally posted by: Ceric
I haven't played this series yet because I find it takes a special type of strategy game to hook me.

Not to sound rude, but what strategy games have hooked you?  I only ask because I love FE, AW, SC, FFT, and am currently playing Yggdra's Union.  I can't recommend any of the previously mentioned titles enough, do you have any recommendations of your own?

[Viewtiful mario]

 Thanks for your post luigi dude, thoe it mey not reach half a million that often, I'm glad to see nintendo still has reason to bring it over.  I wouldn't mind it being low budjet as long as they keep up the great diologue and keep thoes FMV cell shaded cinimatics.  Any idea on how long it'll take to translate the wii one?

[Ceric]

Welp, you already mentioned Advance Wars that really got me hooked on it.  Military madness had me for a little while.  I really couldn't get into FFT or La Pucell(sp? its been a while) even though they did intrigue me for a little bit and I heard they were good.  Actually know that I think about it more I know there are more pre-AW titles I liked but I can't think of them.

Now in general Strategy my personal favorites are Warcraft 2 and C&C: Tiberium Sun. (Civ 1 and 2 as well but I don't think they place here.)

I plan to give Fire Emblem a rent at some point but I don't know if it should be one of the GBA ones or Path of Radiance.

Ah, Homeworld is another.  Though I never got to finish it because the disc stopped reading.
Also before my PS2 broke I was trying to get my hand on Disgaea.  

I also enjoyed the Dune game that Westwood did.

There is another that I really liked I played a long time ago but its not coming to me.
(I also like to see Mule on the VC because I've only played Multiplayer.  Thought I throw that in.)

[NWR_pap64]

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Originally posted by: Viewtiful mario
Thanks for your post luigi dude, thoe it mey not reach half a million that often, I'm glad to see nintendo still has reason to bring it over.  I wouldn't mind it being low budjet as long as they keep up the great diologue and keep thoes FMV cell shaded cinimatics.  Any idea on how long it'll take to translate the wii one?

I'm guessing it might take a year to translate the whole game, since the series is dialogue heavy. Unless they were already working on the english version as they were developing the Japanese version.

[Ceric]

They could have.  I mean as they finalized dialog there isn't any reason they couldn't have sent it over to start the translation process.

[bosshogx]

Well, if you liked AW's you'll like FE.  The major difference of course is that your units have names and don't come back when they die.  Kind of like Starcraft or Warcraft 3 with the "hero" units.

As far as which one to get, in my opinion it's a no brainer.  The first Fire Emblem on the GBA, followed up by the GC version, and lastly the 2nd FE on the GBA.  The first FE had the best story, diverse and intresting characters, and enough difficulty and replayability to make me keep going back for more.  The GC version streamlined the series and made a lot of things better.  The GC version dosen't quite stack up to the GBA version, but if they continue down that path, it will surely stand toe-to-toe before to long.

It's funny you should mention DUNE.  My roommate played the hell out of that game on the Genesis back in 94.  He just recently got an emulator and has been playing the game again with a twist.  He is using the Harkonen (the bad red colored guys) and trying to beat all the missions using ONLY infantry units.  He was inspired by watching me get to Ganon in the original Legend of Zelda with only 3 hearts and no sword.  It's so painful how bad that game is compared to today's standards, I couldn't imagine directing troops without dragging a box.  Ah well, to each their own.

[Kairon]

Dune II ROCKED!!!

~Carmine "Cai" M. Red
Kairon@aol.com

[Terranigma Freak]

If anything, Nintendo is spending more money developing Fire Emblem now. The franchise awareness is better than ever. FE10 now has even more FMVs and voice acting compared to 9. At very least they're using the Wii's larger storage and putting them to good use.

Here are some videos from the game. Trust me, don't watch if you don't want spoilers. They aren't THAT big of a spoiler, but it does reveal a bit of the plot... if you can understand Japanese of course.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hQyfWK-8B9s&mode=related&search=
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dzwxoSTyyk8&mode=related&search=

[Smash_Brother]

Someone must have bullsh*tted up a storm because I remember hearing that FE games were more popular than FF games in Japan and frequently outsold them.

I guess that was a steaming crock...

[NinGurl69 *huggles]

"FE10 now has even more FMVs and voice acting compared to 9"

Funny how Nintendo saw the light.  This is what Role Playing Garbage needs to be successful in Japan.

[vudu]

Considering FE9 only had like 15 minutes of FMV throughout the whole thing, it would be pretty hard for FE10 to not have more.

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This is what Role Playing Garbage needs to be successful in Japan.

Shut up.

[Adrock]

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Smash_Brother wrote:Someone must have bullsh*tted up a storm because I remember hearing that FE games were more popular than FF games in Japan and frequently outsold them.

I read about that too somewhere. I'm thinking EGM because I used to subscribe before I realized that I could get everything on the internet for free and with boobs.

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vudu wrote:
Shut up.

hahahahahaha....

[Terranigma Freak]

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Originally posted by: vudu
Considering FE9 only had like 15 minutes of FMV throughout the whole thing, it would be pretty hard for FE10 to not have more.

FE9 didn't even have 10 minutes of FMV, more like 6 minutes. One of the FMVs in FMV was like 3 seconds long.

And Smash Brother, that was bullshit from IGN.

[Smash_Brother]

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Originally posted by: Terranigma Freak And Smash Brother, that was bullshit from IGN.

That sounds about right. It was around the time SSB fans were in an uproar about the inclusion of two characters from games they'd never heard of in SSBM. The "FE is more popular than FF!" must have been the BS they used to justify it. Frankly, I'm still pissed about it.

As for the "garbage" comment, I don't see what's to argue: the Japanese are notorious for loving games which have assloads of FMVs and cutscenes in lieu of actual gameplay, and the gameplay itself usually involves picking commands from menus while the game rolls a dice to see how well those commands play out.

It's the lowest amount of interactivity you can put into a game while it's still classified as a game instead of a "movie".

Meanwhile, games like Zelda aren't selling as well because they require some degree of gamer skill. It's sad, really...

[Ian Sane]

I wonder if Fire Emblem's Japanese sales were hurt by the game not appearing on the N64.  It kind of disappeared for a little while there which might have hurt its momentum.  Thracia 776 was released on the SNES during the time when the N64 was Nintendo's main console and Fire Emblem didn't return until the GBA and didn't show up again on a current Nintendo console until the Cube game, and at that point the Cube wasn't so popular so less people noticed it.  Fire Emblem kind of had a demotion.  The top tier game franchises don't get reduced to portables and out-of-date consoles.  That type of release schedule makes for a more obscure franchise.

[Kairon]

I'd rather have Battle Clash than Fire Emblem.

~Carmine "Cai" M. Red
Kairon@aol.com

[NinGurl69 *huggles]

"It's the lowest amount of interactivity you can put into a game while it's still classified as a game instead of a "movie".

Meanwhile, games like Zelda aren't selling as well because they require some degree of gamer skill. It's sad, really..."

It's called cheap gratification, which explains why non-games rule jay-pan.   and by Zelda standards, TP is cheap gratification

sarcasm is good during Wii game droughts.  Isn't it time the new REAL, REDEFINING console zelda came out?

[Smash_Brother]

I didn't want to come right out and say that, Pro, but TP is probably one of the easier Zeldas, it's just time consuming.

And the Japanese didn't even go for THAT. Maybe non-games really will be the death of traditional gaming.

I need to print up some "Ian was right" t-shirts...

[Kairon]

TP had a bunch of problems. Don't try to oversimplify its lukewarm reception to one or two trends.

~Carmine "Cai" M. Red
Kairon@aol.com