Myth or reality: are Asian games really in decline?

The industry of asian games has undergone a noticeable transformation in recent times.

Previously, titles produced by giants such as Square Enix they were seen as synonymous with high quality, although games that were not to everyone’s taste, such as the ‘Persona’ franchise, were recognized for their excellence.

However, a change has been noticed in the quality standards of these games, affecting not only those based on anime, but more broadly.

The Truth About Asian Games

‘Persona 5’ game: fight screen – Image: Atlus/Reproduction

The discussion about the decline in quality of games is not new and, to understand it, two aspects must be considered. Firstly, faced with continuous consumption, players become more demanding, looking for innovative experiences.

Continuations of games that bring few changes are no longer enough to satisfy a more demanding audience.

Furthermore, the existence of poorly produced and unfinished games is a reality, with some titles exceeding in terms of low quality.

Asian games, specifically, face the challenge of saturation. Gameplay genres and styles can become repetitive over time, which leads to natural burnout.

An example of this is the soulslike genre, popularized by From Software, which, despite having produced innovative titles such as ‘Dark Souls’, ‘Bloodborne’ and ‘Elden Ring‘, also saw a flood of similar games, many of which failed to bring anything new to the subgenre.

Another point is the issue of the target audience. Games like ‘Naruto x Boruto: Ultimate Ninja Storm Connections’ and similar games, despite being simple and generic, are mainly aimed at a younger audience, who are looking for the experience of playing with their favorite characters from popular anime, regardless of quality or finishing the game.

Therefore, to claim that all Asian games are in decline would be an overgeneralization. However, it cannot be denied that some of these games have proven to be generic and focused solely on profit.

The lack of creativity, characters forgettable and empty plots are recurring problems.