They don't like random human killing?! They suck.

cheeses

Oh damn, I just read the thing a little closer and realize it says shipping to North America the 29th. Man, the 29th is a holiday here. I want to play all day. Nuts. Looks like I'll have to have it shipped with violence set to full a couple days later.

Amerijapoxicano

YES!! Fuck, yeah. Oddly, I could have kinda broken this news last week. I asked two video game stores when it was coming out. One said they had no idea, the second one said the 29th. I told his ass to double check. I've got a "pre-order" now. A piece of paper saying I want one, no money down.

By the way, when I tell my junior high students I'm getting part 4, they get really excited. I've caught a bunch of them playing the PSP versions. It's definitely popular here, just not on the same scale as the rest of the world or Monster Hunter. It'll sell well here and probably push some PS3 sales.

Amerijapoxicano

@108:
Hell yeah! Unlockables include the KABAR(Achievement Unlocked:THIS IS A NOIF!(Knife)"

halonut1

Kinda weird how in the US killing innocents in a videogame is very OK but touching what looks like 14 year old girls in a game with a stylus is frowned upon and in Japan this is exactly ass backwards!
I dont even know who should be more wrong, lol.

Alex_Mexico

Good times in Japan. I was surprised how popular it is over here.

Hrist

@108: Actually, reading the comments on that Youtube video I linked above has given me an amazing idea:

Someone in the comments said we should "stop the kangaroo massacre in Australia". That person doesn't realize that kangaroos in Australia are as densely populous as rats in New York City -- and something like fifty times bigger and heavier.

So here's the game idea, Rockstar -- get on it:

First Degree Kangaroo.

Cruise the Outback on your bitchin' Land Rover(tm), shooting those hoppy bastards!

108

They're going to LOVE the dating aspect of GTAIV.

archibaldleech

@Garo: No... they LOVE GTA.

Arrested Development quotes aside, I've always found it curious how Japan and the U.S. are *almost* opposite to one another in regards to sex and violence, at least within the sphere of gaming.

Dr.Tran

Well, good for the Japanese, I say.

Though, I'm sure it will have the same effect Halo 3 had over there...

El Cernex

cernex

they do take kindly to little-girl-touching and zombie-dog-murdering, though.

they also hate dolphins.

[uk]

+ Watch video

:(

SAVE A DOLPHIN: SHOOT A CRACK DEALER AND/OR HOOKER TODAY

(warning: the video i linked up there is pretty graphic and sick -- sanctimony porn for vegans, basically)

108

Do the Japanese like GTA?

Garo

Lately, Japan doesn't love violence as much as they used to. The Japanese version of the latest Samurai Shodown has no blood and fatalities, while the English version has both. The US version of No More Heroes is the only one to have blood etc. There are plenty of other games that are toned down for JP release, but I'm surprised GTA is popular there. I thought GTA was all about violence and being a meanie to other people, something Japan does not appreciate.

Maybe they like GTA because they can imagine the hookers they pick up as 14 year old girls? =|

kammfboy

@Rickster:
But not innoccent bystanders, buddy.

Alex_Mexico

@Dr.Tran: I'm a MONSTER!! *tears up pillow with hook*

Anyways. Japan is probably one of the most respectable countries on earth. Now we know why. Cencoring games ^__^

fadecy

what i can get a Japanese porno of a girl shiting in another girls mouth, but i cant buy gta in Japan? i guess its about priorities

Raikkenon

dont they have a million games where you kill humans?

Rickster

@Alex_Mexico: I'm not your buddy, friend! (I had to say that)

Rickster

@Alex_Mexico: im not your buddy, friend! (I had to say that)

Rickster

@TC:

No, make them Whales. :P

Zero_

"Japan doesn't take kindly to random human killing!"

Easy fix, make everyone in Libery City zombies.

TC

@Rickster: Dead Rising. A Capcom game.

Americo

@PreachingLlama: *these

damnit

PreachingLlama

@Dr.Tran: You think I wanna get alcohol all over the $3600 pants? C'MON!

PreachingLlama

"Japan doesn't take kindly to random human killing!"

Best quote of the day.

jesp3r

This gets me wondering if the Asia will see an NTSC-J region GTA in English. If not; it might be time to exchange my xbox for something useful like a transistor radio.

Playasia has my preorder, but I am unsure if the 29th release date for the ntsc-j version actually means anything or if this article is just talking about the localization and not the initial release.

pfive81

@pfive81: I have Rockstars Asia NTSC-J region of Table Tennis and its all in English and plays no problem on my Japanese 360. I am sure your copy of GTA4 will be in English but I found it took playasia a bit of time to get my my copy of Assassins Creed after the release date.
As for GTA4, I just got the ps3 version from Amazon.com and was surprised that they will ship it to me here in Japan.

TT

We glorify violence and vilify sex.

Japan vilifies violence and glorifies sex.

Am I the only one who feels like banging his head against a wall?

Handsome Fat Man

New DS game! Touching underage girls! CERO APROVES!

NoBullet

I don't understand.

Anime/Manga have some of the bloodiest, goriest stuff out there.

BaseVilliN

and we thought austrailia was bad for slightly censoring the game...

personally i think its silly to censor things for adults.

i mean, why does anyone think they have the right to tell me what i should or should not be allowed to see.

what fucking bullshit.

glad im not from japan. although it happens here too. fuck.

joelface

They took all the dismemberment (and therefore fun) out of Dead Rising for the J release too, so expect to see it toned down when it eventually does come out. I'm guessing that will be q3 at least; if Capcom have only just announced the fact they will be publishing it then the localisation presumably hasn't started either. That's a hell of a lot to localise...

As a side note, Capcom were nice enough to make the US version of Dead rising region free as "a present" to all the 360 gamers in Japan (who are mostly expats anyway). I know there's about zero chance of it happening with GTA IV but we can dream. Why bother with multiple SKUs in this day and age anyway?

Taince

Aren't PS3 games essentially region-free in the first place?　What's the issue here?

feitclub

@jesp3r: "...random human killing" ..... as opposed to to what? Premeditated?

SumDum_Guy

@feitclub: Just as I'm pretty sure I'm not the only person who prefers dubs over subs, I'm certain that quite a few Japanese gamers would like to hear the game in their native tongue. If the only way for that to happen is to play a butchered game... That's the issue, IMO.

Handsome Fat Man

I'm pleased (and surprised) to say that the PAL version of GTAIV works on my Japanese Xbox. Nice one Rockstar!

Taince