David Cage, the self-styled "auteur of videogames", has stated that the United States has a "problem" with his work because American marketing departments don't understand him. He believes that his unique direction causes confusion among publishers.
"The U.S. always have problems with my games, to be honest. Nomad Soul was the first to have issues over there," he claimed. "We were asked to change the name over there, so it was called Omikron: The Nomad Soul, but there was still no confidence that it would sell well in the States, so it wasn't supported.
"The games I make don't include a gun. Very often, American marketing departments have a problem with this. They have this image of their market being gun-loving rednecks. It's completely wrong."
This is the same interview in which Cage said he wouldn't make Heavy Rain 2 so he could build a brand around his name. When he does that, hopefully publishers will understand his games better. I like to think that when I see his name, I know exactly what I'm getting. Then I ask a redneck to pass me the gun.
David Cage: From the brink [Develop, via The Escapist]
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Contest:
4:30 PM on 09.28.2011 | 
Rated PG 13.
"The U.S. always have problems with my games, to be honest. Nomad Soul was the first to have issues over there,"
So is your problem with marketing agencies or the consumers you claim you are trying to sell games to? For the record i liked Heavy Rain and Indigo Prophecy but this dude is just pissing me off now.
Oh yes, you are so setback by the evil marketing system and those blockheaded consumers. Give me a break.
This is the country of "no gun, no fun."
And it makes me a little sick, too.
"Okay, let's add 'Omikron' in front of it. That'll sell better."
Dude hasn't got a clue.
Keep up the good work david.
Oh and can't forget america does love to PEW PEW in their video games.
He's talking about US publishers and marketing people not being willing to support these types of games, and HE SAID they are WRONG! So DUH he is on your side.
Does it matter that he said it in that same interview, just because he said something completely egotistical, doesn't stop what he said in this particular section a truth that I can definitely see in the gaming world. Jim you really need to learn how to separate things, love you, but sometimes, sometimes I want a redneck to pass me a gun.
And just read the full interview, he comes off much better. Its also worth noting that the interviewer brought up the "David Cage Brand" and Cage went on that even saying "as you call it"
Remember this? http://www.destructoid.com/focus-group-could-have-killed-ds-game-nameless-game-197510.phtml
Spoken like a true artistic genius, David. Congrats.
I think Cage was trying to only address the fact that our publishers are screwed up (which is true!)
Any offense to American gamers was probably unintentional.
Compare the number of shooting vs non-shooting games getting funded and published in the US in the last few years and you'll see that the man has a bit of a point.
jaaaayyyyysoooonnnnn..
Jjjjjjjjaaaaayyyyyyssssooooooonnnnnnn.
Derp.
1. American publishers say that their consumers are nothing more than gun - loving rednecks.
2. David Cage says that this is wrong and DEFENDS American gamers.
3. American gamers can't tell the difference between an insult and a compliment and so attack David Cage.
I'm beginning to think that the guys from South Park got it right when they said at least a quarter of the country is retarded."
As a non-American, I agree.
In other news: "JAY-SUN!"
For one thing, I interpreted that he was criticizing the american industry more than anything else:
'The problem is that we are in a very conservative industry. Each time you come to marketing departments with very simple concepts, like “the hero has ten weapons and goes through twenty levels, and there’s a snow level and a jungle level [...] The marketing departments go, “oh that’s really interesting”.
When you come to them about a game based on a story. Or, a game based on child abduction, they think ‘my god’. It’s very difficult for them to commit to anything that’s remotely different.'
He might be exaggerating, but I think he's got a point.
If he were making the point that "only well-known publishers and developers get the big marketing hype", then maybe he'd have a valid point worthy of discussion, because that's true of ALL games made by the bigger and more popular companies, regardless of what type of game it is.
He didn't do that, though. He made a bitchy comment because he's butthurt over his golden child not selling 10 million units.