My Thoughts About Touhou in the West

[aUsernameIsFineToo]

I was introduced to Touhou sometime in 2011. When I discovered that it was a long-running series of scrolling shoot-em-up games I decided to import Perfect Cherry Blossom and Imperishable Night to give them a try. That moment, in my mind, was what brought me into the fandom. As I became aware that the unique terms set by ZUN meant that fanmade content can be freely created (within certain restraints) I began looking at various derivative works, importing games I found interesting. Before I knew it, I had entered the world of doujin "culture" and began appreciating the ones that make it what it is.

At one point, it was my dream to see Touhou games officially released in the West. The thought of being able to walk into a store and buy games belonging to the franchise, whether they're the ones made by ZUN himself, or fangames (some of which are of top-notch quality) was something I could only fantasize about. Several things prevented that from becoming reality, mainly the mentality shared within the doujin community that these self-produced, self-published works were to be sold at conventions and certain "hobby" shops specializing in such content.

Faat-forward to 2014. ZUN announces a partnership with Sony, allowing Touhou fangames to be released on the PlayStation platform. I remember being ecstatic about this, knowing that Touhou would now be able to reach a wider audience. The same games that were available on the Windows platform had expanded to cover a new platform, and good things would come of it from the perspectives of both the circles that work hard to make these games possible and the customers who now have the option to buy these games on the platform of their choice. Things were looking good at this point, but these games were still only sold in Japan, in Japanese, for a Japanese audience.

2017. The year Touhou fangames got official releases in the West. The year my dream manifest itself as the nightmare that is reality. I can go to Amazon.com or walk to the Video Games section of Target, Fry's Electronics, or Best Buy and see these Western releases of games I love behind glass shelves. My debit card's in my pocket. If I wanted to I can ask the section manager to hand me a copy, which I'd buy and bring home with me to add to my collection. There's just one problem, though: I can't play it.

In case I wasn't clear enough, I have no problem with these games being on the PlayStation platform. The more people that can play a game, the better things would be. Believe it or not, there are people so selfish that they claim a game has been "stolen" from them when it is no longer exclusive to their platform of choice. I'd like to think that those people are just internet trolls, saying nonsense like that just to incite arguments and create drama.

I can go on for another paragraph or two about computers versus consoles, but that's not what I want to write about. Besides, I'm sure everyone knows the advantages and disadvantages of the two platforms. For whatever reason, somewhere along the line between the doujin circles and the publisher, the thought that Touhou fangames, which are multi-platform in the Japanese market, should be exclusive to the PlayStation platform in the West. To an audience of players who enjoy a video game franchise that originated on computers, this shunning of them is absolutely unnecessary. A large majority of paying customers eager to play the games they love are shut out from doing so.

So what can I do? The only choice I have is to purchase the Japanese version, using the Google Translator app on my phone to see a often-inaccurate English translation. Because of the game's software-protection scheme all assets are encrypted, making even an unofficial translation impossible. I tell myself that this is the price I pay for wanting convenience, to be able to play a game that doesn't require hardware anywhere near high-end on a modest laptop computer that can be conveniently transported and carried. I paid full price for that game, as well as a small foreign transaction fee. If at any time in the future that game gets a release on the PC platform, I would buy it again on day one.

I'm still dreaming. Dreaming of the day when I can walk into a store and buy Touhou games in English to play on the platform everyone who has ever played such games is familiar with. I'm sure many of you, whether members of this forum, or just a visitor passing by, shared my dream and thoughts. In the end all this writing probably won't do much. After all it's just a post on an English-language forum dedicated to Touhou Project.

Touhou is still very new to the West in terms of localizations and official, physical releases. Things can still change, and nothing is ever certain. Just like how nobody would have thought that games like Touhou Genso Wanderer being released in the U.S. and Europe back in 2011 or even 2014, there's still hope for localized Touhou games to be released for the PC platform in the future. We're all here because we appreciate these games, so let's look forward to the day when us English-speakers can enjoy the games we love, in the language we understand, on the platform of our preference.

Thank you for reading this, and thank you for your understanding.

Never stop dreaming.

[N-Forza]

mainly the mentality shared within the doujin community that these self-produced, self-published works were to be sold at conventions and certain "hobby" shops specializing in such content.

This wasn't the community so much as ZUN himself deciding where to sell his games as well as HIS guidelines for selling fan-works. He didn't want places to stock fangames if they didn't stock his games so as to prevent confusion as to what was official. Of course, this was before the Sony deal and it's implied that all games available are fanmade, save for ULiL.

I sympathize with you, and in a perfect world, all games would be available without barriers, but you have to understand the amount of work that goes into even a simple translation, not to mention the licensing involved and the other red tape. ZUN's own wishes should be respected as well, since its his property at the end of the day. He could've seen the western fandom translating and sharing his games (illegally) and refused to have anything else to do with it, and he would've been justified.

However, I'm not saying it's a complete lost cause, since I never expected he would agree to this sort of arrangement in the first place, but it's logical when you consider how ever since the JP fandom formed he's been supportive of its growth so long as it doesn't encroach on certain areas. He's simply taking his clout and using it to support other devs, which has led to them being localized for other markets. However, this is mostly because he doesn't have to do anything to make it happen beyond giving the license. There's a reason why none of the actual shmups have made it to other platforms: he hates revisiting old work, but he doesn't want anyone else to port it because they're his. Call it pride or whatever, say he's hurting or depriving his fanbase, but that's his prerogative. So, despite the changes recently, I don't see ZUN allowing his work to even have an English release unless he becomes real close friends with a random foreigner here (and it won't be me because I don't really drink).

[MadokaMagica]

TBH I don't mind the official games not being sold here, no matter how much hardcore Touhou fans will argue they will look amateurish to the average consumer and will likely not sell well outside a very specific niche that understands ZUN's products (heck they might even drive some would-be fans away from the series).

I think though that dumping Touhou games on Steam wouldn't be too far-fetched: this series is already a PC series so there's no technical issue involved, and Steam has the lowest barrier of entry in terms of getting a game on the market.

But yeah I'm very very peeved that the fangames are only for PS4 (especially Genso Wanderer: honestly I don't even wanna hear that name mentioned anymore as I'm so upset it didn't come to PC: I loved roguelikes like Pokemon Mystery Dungeon).

[Clarste]

Hasn't ZUN specifically condoned fan translations in an interview? I recall him saying something about trusting his fans more than unrelated professional translators, since they'd be deeply familiar with the series, or something like that.

[N-Forza]

The PS4 games proved him right in that case.

I recall through conversations with him and PlayDoujin people the reason why he hasn't put them on Steam yet was because Steam wouldn't take Japanese-only games, even if they could be modded. There were exceptions, but for the most part I went with it. However, I noticed that Koei Tecmo uploaded a bunch of Japanese-only games (including one originally released on the PC-98: http://store.steampowered.com/app/545010) so something's probably changed. I'll bring it up next chance I get and see what their reaction is. Still, theirs is an extremely small operation and the logistics involved may be too much for them to handle.

[Clarste]

The PS4 games proved him right in that case.

Eh, some of their choices have been ripped straight from touhouwiki, like Rei'sen, also known as a flagrant abuse of the common apostrophe.

[aUsernameIsFineToo]

I think though that dumping Touhou games on Steam

the reason why he hasn't put them on Steam

Why does everyone automatically think "Steam" when it comes to PC games? Is it that hard to release a PC game physically in 2017? Call me old-fashioned, but if given the choice I'd take physical copies over digital copies any day of the week. There's things that make publishing on Steam prohibitive for Touhou fangames, so forget about it and release them physically. Full control from the developer to the distributor.

If the games do get released on Steam that's fine with me as well. It's just that there are many more options than Steam despite it being the most popular PC gaming storefront nowadays.

I'm so upset it didn't come to PC in English

You can always buy the Japanese PC version with encrypted assets and use Google Translate, but in the end it's still a massive letdown.

[Clarste]

Why does everyone automatically think "Steam" when it comes to PC games? Is it that hard to release a PC game physically in 2017? Call me old-fashioned, but if given the choice I'd take physical copies over digital copies any day of the week. There's things that make publishing on Steam prohibitive for Touhou fangames, so forget about it and release them physically. Full control from the developer to the distributor.

If the games do get released on Steam that's fine with me as well. It's just that there are many more options than Steam despite it being the most popular PC gaming storefront nowadays.
You can always buy the Japanese PC version with encrypted assets and use Google Translate, but in the end it's still a massive letdown.

Releasing physical copies is even more impossible because of all the logistics involved. For a niche game that won't sell many copies, that's basically throwing a sizeable chunk of money straight into a hole. And you don't have "full control" in any sense of the term: how would you even convince a brick and mortar shop to put this on display? It works in Japan because of Comiket, ie: 95% of the people who might be interested will try to gather in the same place at the same time, in addition to specialty shops in Tokyo, but it would never work through traditional distribution methods.

Steam is basically the only way for small developers to get published. And not just the only way "these days." Before Steam there was literally no way for games like this to be sold to mass markets. Digital distribution has created a market that has never existed before.

[Drake]

Eh, some of their choices have been ripped straight from touhouwiki, like Rei'sen, also known as a flagrant abuse of the common apostrophe.

hey better than reisen II

Why does everyone automatically think "Steam" when it comes to PC games? Is it that hard to release a PC game physically in 2017?

In the west? Probably, tbh. I definitely agree that releasing physical would be great and avoid some of the unwanted garbage that would come with a (e.g.) Steam release but there are likely several significant barriers. Consoles and physical releases are still heavily intertwined even if the grasp is slowly loosening, but on PC if there are literally any better distribution methods you basically always see an intense drop in physical PC sales. Like they've obviously disappeared for a reason, and that's even assuming the game is some well-funded AAA shit.

There's also not particularly anything suggesting Playism is getting more anytime soon, despite being one of the more mess-free options out there.

[aUsernameIsFineToo]

Releasing physical copies is even more impossible because of all the logistics involved. For a niche game that won't sell many copies, that's basically throwing a sizeable chunk of money straight into a hole. And you don't have "full control" in any sense of the term: how would you even convince a brick and mortar shop to put this on display?

The same way Target and Fry's sells Kobutou and Genso Wanderer. You can walk in and find physical copies right on the shelves.

There's also not particularly anything suggesting Playism is getting more anytime soon, despite being one of the more mess-free options out there.

When DDC got released on Playism I was very excited. Ij fact, that's where I bought my copy from. Either not enough people bought it there or something, but currently it looks it has been completely forgotten about.

This whole "physical copies" thing is just an added bonus. A disc in a jewel case looks a lot nicer than an entry in Steam or a "purchased" list, but beggars can't be choosers since at this point there hasn't even been a whisper of getting localized Touhou fangames on PC.

[Clarste]

hey better than reisen II

My personal preference is Raysen, but sadly it doesn't seem to be catching on.

[Shizzo]

My personal preference is Raysen, but sadly it doesn't seem to be catching on.

Surprised none of you guys brought up that horrifying documentary where they said Reimu was a Danmaku, called Seija a he, etc.