Yoshifumi Hashimoto (SoS/RF) leaves Marv to form new studio

All other video games not related to the main farming series - Pokemon, Stardew Valley, My Time at Portia, and other indie-developed games.
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Kikki
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I was already super curious about how the style would change for a new console that has to work with a television screen, as well as the mechanics since it probably has to be made to be playable on one screen only. Also because of how the Switch works with each profile getting their own save (meaning it's possible that you'd be able to have eight save files this time around.)

So yeah, already really curious. The news that the whole team may have been changed or reshuffled doesn't make me wonder about things less, lol. I'm going to have to put it out of my mind until the first scans hit Famitsu...or wherever they surface first this time. :) Otherwise it'll drive me crazy and I'll be combing the internet for news every other minute.

At least this is the first time I've legitimately believed they might bring RF back, though. Until now everything has seemed like pipe dreams to me.
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Kikki wrote:Is it really? So creating a subsidiary is just a way of grouping your employees?
Essentially yeah. I can't see any way it would be different in the game industry than anywhere else - a subsidiary is just a strategic way to lay out your company's structure. They can be made for tax purposes (so reported revenue is less and thus the "company" is taxed less), for PR purposes, and in many cases they've been created as fall companies for legal trouble.

In this case I'm guessing it's more of a PR thing - Marvelous would have to be doing well enough to even bother establishing a subsidiary, whatever the reason.
RopeMaidenKirie wrote:I know XSEED has said that they would love to put RF/SoS on PC if they could, so I think that could be a really good sign for what's to come.
It makes sense as the Western er, presence, that XSEED would like to put RF/SoS on PC, just because the market is so strong and it would really help them make more money off their hard work, but does it seem possible? Has the farming sim market in Japan shifted enough that you think they'd be willing to shell out for a PC port?

I haven't paid any attention to it personally, but I'd be curious to know. :?
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Mikodesu wrote:
RopeMaidenKirie wrote:I know XSEED has said that they would love to put RF/SoS on PC if they could, so I think that could be a really good sign for what's to come.
It makes sense as the Western er, presence, that XSEED would like to put RF/SoS on PC, just because the market is so strong and it would really help them make more money off their hard work, but does it seem possible? Has the farming sim market in Japan shifted enough that you think they'd be willing to shell out for a PC port?

I haven't paid any attention to it personally, but I'd be curious to know. :?
I think SDV has really become a game changer in the genre. It's been in the top bought games released for Switch in Japan since it released, so at this point, I think it would be really hard for the people who create Bokumono to ignore its widespread influence.

Although they don't tend to cater to western influences and usually just focus on their Japanese audience for Bokumono, the fact that SDV (through a multitude of reasons) was able to sell millions of copies alone on PC here in the west probably raised some interest.

Japanese developers have been putting in a lot of money for PC ports recently, even if the Japanese population tends to be more on console, solely because they tend to sell so well in the west. Games like Nier: Automata have sold amazingly on it, and even hold outs like the Yakuza franchise are going to start releasing on Steam within the next week. So it's more important than ever I think.
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That's what I was thinking, too...that SV being constantly near the top of their charts since release probably got some attention. I think Japan only has it on the Switch? But still, just having it there creates broad attention to a series that has done spectacularly on PC. At this point, Bokumono can only look on enviously and wish it had the sales that SV has had in the West. I'm sure Marvelous would love to have a (literal) million of us buy their next game, and spreading to PC would, in my opinion, definitely increase the market. It's a long shot, but it might increase it so much that sales (of Bokumono) in the West would rival sales in Japan. That would be quite the thing...

I would never want to play it on PC myself, but as long as they keep one of my console options available as well, then I'm all for increasing the popularity of bokumono in the West, so if it does end up coming to PC, that'd be great :)
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Wow. :o I didn't realize SDV was STILL in the most purchased games on the Japanese eShop! By this point I'd really hope that would make Marvelous think. How could it not?? I'll just hope they don't go the blatantly stupid stubbornness route established brands seem to be a magnet for.

Since they're the only major farming sim that hasn't gone to PC yet, well, I'd hope the company execs realize their lost potential. I think I'd only buy it on PC if the PC release came out first, but I don't think I see that happening. (Though I can still see a lot of people whining about the price.)

Another thought - I don't really see this happening, but if there was an opportunity for mods (even just cosmetic mods) I'd be all in for a PC release. <3
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I won't play on PC no matter what because it physically hurts me. The only thing I can play on PC are otome games (like Amnesia) because it's just reading. And my computer really doesn't work well for games with no actual graphics card...it struggles with most games.

But about the pricing...yeah, for some reason (probably due to all the super cheapo stuff on Steam)many people seem to expect PC games to go for $10 to $20, regular price. ("But Stardew is $15!" As if Stardew's situation were at all the same.) I don't see why games should cost any less on PC than they do elsewhere, though...I've never really understood that mentality, except that Steam constantly has monster sales of 90% off and I guess people get used to it.
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Yeeah, that's a shame. :( But in the unlikely event that a Bokumono entry came to PC first it'd be worth attempting to get a PC set up on a TV so you could be comfortable. I think we're still a looong way off from even that possibility, though.

I think the Bokumono games are good enough that they'd get by fine, even with whiny Steam users. :lol: They will surface though - without a doubt.
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Cherubae wrote:Also note that the historic character designer for the series, Igusa Matsuyama, did the designs for Little Dragons Cafe. Granted, he can probably work on multiple projects at the same time, but the last time he did work on another series (River King), we got a different Bokujou Monogatari designer (Tree of Tranquility).
And i'm sad again. I want a new River King SO FREAKING BADLY.

Back on topic; Depending on what his future projects are; reviving old Marvelous IPs that he has the rights to or new stuff, it could be successful either way. Another Rune Factory would be great (and a sequel to Avalon Code would make me die happy).

As far as I can find, he hasn't really done too much since Lord of Magna, so I have a theory that besides Dragon Marked for Death, he's got more he's hiding.

Tokyo Game Show seems the most likely place to start showcasing some new games this year, Marvelous and Yoshifumi Hashimoto, so i'll keep my eyes and ears peeled come late September.
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Now that I have an app for using my PS4 controller on my PC, playing games on it aren't half as horrible for me (I'm a lifelong console gamer with the exception of playing FFXI and WoW for a few years each). In the last sale, I also picked up the Steam Link for like $5, so in the event SoS does go to PC, hopefully my tools would be compatible with it should I choose to play it that way over consoles.

As Rope noted along with others, SDV is really a huge influencer with the current gen farming games it seems, so it only would be natural for Marvelous to at least start looking into PC versions. I agree that it would probably increase their audience in the West especially by quite a bit.
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Hopefully if they are taking any notes from SDV's success, it's that there is minimal locking of content behind annoying or outrageously tedious tasks (I'm looking at you, thyme), freedom in relationships and TONS of events for practically every character (although Trio had that most I've seen yet in a SoS game). The total freedom in your relationships in SDV is what really appeals to me though (including the option to divorce and pursue someone new or even sane person), because I ALWAYS curse the fact we are only given 2 save slots, which is a huge factor in why I never play as a boy. Rust said freedom in SDV leaves me perfectly content to have just one save slot. SoS foundation, art and cute factor combined with certain SDV mechanics would probably be a dream come true for me.
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Me @ the general announcement
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Me @ the possibility of RF revival
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Don't disappoint me, Hashimoto. PRIME GOLDEN OPPORTUNITY. TAKE IT.
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Mikodesu wrote:But in the unlikely event that a Bokumono entry came to PC first it'd be worth attempting to get a PC set up on a TV so you could be comfortable.
ryume wrote:Now that I have an app for using my PS4 controller on my PC, playing games on it aren't half as horrible for me (I'm a lifelong console gamer with the exception of playing FFXI and WoW for a few years each). In the last sale, I also picked up the Steam Link for like $5, so in the event SoS does go to PC, hopefully my tools would be compatible with it should I choose to play it that way over consoles.
I've had an Xbox controller for PC for a year or two now and it's comfortable enough, but this is a brand new laptop without a dedicated graphics card. It's a great laptop...but it can barely run games at all. An external graphics card would be a solution, but they cost $400 (CAD) for the least expensive options I've come across, lol. If I had that much to spend on gaming in one go, I'd rather buy a second Switch in anticipation of Animal Crossing, since my sister and I will both play it quite a bit and we'd also want the option of being able to use multiplayer with each other, most likely, so a second Switch might eventually become necessary. (Though in that case, she really should buy her own. She has three or four times more financial potential than I do, after all, lol.)

Plus I simply like the bokumono games in handheld. When it comes to Switch, I'm not sure I'll ever play it on my TV screen, even though I usually prefer that method. But there are just some games I like to hold the screen right in my hands, and otomes and bokumono games are among them. So I'd be glad to see it boost popularity, but PC will never be an option for me. Things would have to be dire before I'd consider it. (As in, the series became PC only, lol, which I really doubt is going to happen!)

Unless the style changes so much that it becomes a game that is actually better on a television screen, I suppose. I can't really imagine that...AP was home console, but I'd have liked it more if it had been on a handheld system.

The announcement has certainly raised a lot of questions for me, anyway. It's also made me think that Natsume would probably make a killing if only they could port the HM games of the past onto PC and Switch. I'd love to be able to take screenshots of ANB again...and the Switch makes taking screenshots very nearly a delight, it's so fast and easy.
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Any updates on what he's been up to since leaving to form Hakama? I really want RF5 so bad, but obviously no word yet.
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This post is old and will get closed, but the only game they've announced so far is Dragon Marked for Death, coming out in December. It's being advertised as playable at PAX so may hear more in the next weeks. But it's got a different company publishing it too.
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Okay this is a super silly bump, but I was thinking about the Hakama website and decided to check it on a whim. Were Lest and Frey always at the bottom of the website page before or am I super late at noticing this???
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It could mean absolutely nothing but I'm still a bit surprised I didn't notice it before
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RopeMaidenKirie wrote:Okay this is a super silly bump, but I was thinking about the Hakama website and decided to check it on a whim. Were Lest and Frey always at the bottom of the website page before or am I super late at noticing this???



It could mean absolutely nothing but I'm still a bit surprised I didn't notice it before
Wow! I certainly never noticed that before.....But are they REALLY lest and frey? The characters do resemble them but the clothes they're wearing are not completely identical, theyre simplified somewhat...
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