There is a reason why many Japanese gamers own an Xbox 360, and it’s not because they love Halo. It’s because Namco Bandai’s Tales series is massive over there and, at one time, Tales of Vesperia was an Xbox 360 exclusive. Vesperia helped sell 360 systems in Japan, and ever since the game went multiplatform, users have become infuriated, petitioning the publishers and claiming that it’s not fair for a vastly upgraded version of the game to appear on the PS3.
The petition makes a list of demands that address Namco’s “underhanded” behavior and “abnormal” decision. It also claims that the 360 users were little more than beta testers for the real version of the game. Here’s what the angered masses want from Namco Bandai:
- The games should not be dispersed across multiple platforms, they should be consolidated onto one platform [i.e. Xbox 360].
- The games should be complete and properly made.
- From now on, the porting of titles like Tales of Symphonia and Tales of Vesperia should be abolished.
- An official apology should be made to Xbox 360 users for the abnormal number of additions made to Vesperia only a year after its Xbox 360 release.
- The traces of the later additions found in the Xbox 360 edition should be explained.
- Further bizarre product linkages should not be undertaken.
- Elements of the Tales series [i.e. Patty Fleur] which cannot be enjoyed by all users should not be added.
- Characters and the Tales universe should not be toyed with any more than necessary.
- Certain platforms should not be favoured over others.
- We wish to see user complaints acted upon.
- We wish to see more consideration given to the effects of official actions on the fanbase.
Usually it’s the PS3 fans who get upset over multiplatform titles (I still remember the Devil May Cry 4 petition) but at least in this case, I can understand the anger to a point. A lot of Japanese users bought their systems solely for this game, and to find out that it’s coming to the PS3 with a boatload of extra goodies must seriously piss them off. Still, some of these demands are pathetic. Besides which, anyone with a brain should have seen this coming.
At the end of the day, when you deal with Namco Bandai, you must expect to be screwed. I’ve got limited sympathy for anyone that trusted the company over this one.
[Thanks, Unangbangkay]
