Postquake, Japan's game companies put titles on hold

[rpannier]

Japan is still reeling. The devastating earthquake and tsunami of March 11 left thousands dead and many more homeless or unaccounted for. Prime Minister Naoto Kan called the quake the worst crisis Japan has faced since the end of World War II. The earthquake's very real impact has been felt everywhere in Japan — even in the virtual world of video games.

The recent rolling blackouts in Tokyo have slowed development on some titles, grinding others to a temporary halt. The days and weeks after March 11 resulted in many studios either closing temporarily or having employees work from home due to aftershock fears. There is now concern that the huge Tokyo Game Show, held in September, could be in jeopardy due to the amount of electricity required to air-condition Chiba's Makuhari Messe convention center and power the endless rows of TVs and game consoles. Word has it that TGS organizers are currently not thinking of canceling or downsizing the show, but note that this could change due to future developments.

The impact, however, has already been felt. In the days following the earthquake, game after game was delayed or canceled. The subject matter of some delayed games no longer seemed appropriate for release at that time. For example, delayed racing game "MotorStorm: Apocalypse" and zombie title "Yakuza: Of The End" are both set among crumbling urban settings, which naturally evoke the destruction in northeast Japan...

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One gamemaker, Tokyo-based Irem, even went as far as outright canceling one of its titles, "Disaster Report 4." The game was going to be released on March 10, a day before the earthquake, but had been pushed back to later in the spring — just as well. The game takes place in a city that is ravaged by an earthquake, and the player aims to make it out alive. It was Irem's first game for the Sony PS3 and was supposed to have had the most detailed in-game world in the popular franchise's history.

link:
http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/nc20110406ba.html