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There was some controversy at the Game Developers Conference when Phil Fish, the creator of highly-anticipated indie platformer Fez and never one to mince words, responded to a question about his opinion of modern Japanese games with the sentiment that they “suck.” The question was asked by a Japanese developer, abroad in the United States on his own dime. His reaction was measured, and Fish has since apologized for the manner in which he spoke, but he hit upon something that some of Japan’s gaming visionaries have been struggling with for years, now. Japan, which was once the hot seat of gaming development and innovation, has entered into something of a rut, a problem about which former Mega Man producer Keiji Inafune has been extremely vocal. He worries that the development culture in Japan is a major part of the problem, that it breeds stagnation and mediocrity. 
By Shelby Reiches |