Suikoden 3 - Why did it never make UK Release?

-Sam · Post by **-Sam** » Thu Sep 23, 2004 12:17 pm

This sounds perfetic, ive read quite a few excuses Konami have come up with, and it sounds stupid to me, such a big company like them, not wanting to release a game as PAL just becuase they wont get enough money. I think they should release it as PAL, it may lose them alot of money, but there are masses of fans disapointed to their diccision.

Im really disapointed too, i dont know whether to go buy it from the US, and get all the extra stuff i need, what do you think i should do?

baron kalan · Post by **baron kalan** » Thu Sep 23, 2004 6:07 pm

It's funny because I bought my copy of the US version of Suikoden 3 in the UK, while on a short stay, in Nottingham. It was in Market Street, the name of the place was "alternate world" or something similar. And the price was just a notch more expensive than the other regular games.

Benjiman · Post by **Benjiman** » Fri Sep 24, 2004 9:48 am

Well, in the interest of fairness Sam, if they thought that there were that many fans, they would have released it so they at least got their money back. Afraid its just business at the end of the day ey?

Baron, could have been Forbidden Planet? Thats quite a popular chain for games and anime. At least in the one near me, the prive of the imports they have are quite high. Even if I was to buy an import from within Britain, I would still have to get an American PS2 (which is what I believe ill be doing in the near future, after being persuaded against modding a PS2 due to shoddiness.) etc etc, so it wouldnt really make it any cheaper. But thanks for bringing up that option. I hadnt thought of that.

-Sam · Post by **-Sam** » Fri Sep 24, 2004 11:32 am

mmm, i guess its all down to the money, but wouldnt it be great if they just released it, for all the europian fans out here, haha

You never know, they might be keeping us all annoyed, then suddenly, they release it, and lots of people will buy it, just thinking, "yea, i heard its not been released in europe" blah blah, maybe ... hope so

baron kalan · Post by **baron kalan** » Fri Sep 24, 2004 2:46 pm

It wasn't Forbidden Planet Benjiman. The place I bought it is not part of a chain as far as I'm aware. If I'm not mistaken, there's just the one in Nottingham, just next to the comic bookshop "page 46". I think it's called "alternate world", but my memory doesn't seem to confirm this right now. It's a place where you have all kinds of products from "alternative" culture : Metal T-Shirts, Goth-wear, Fantasy and SF books, comics, DVDs, and the best selection of video games I've ever seen in the UK (or in France for that matter). Very good selection of PS1 games actually : I managed to find the Discworld games which are not an easy find, for example; and I also bought Suikoden 2 there last year. If you ever happen to drop by Ngham, just go to Market Street, it's not a huge street and it's near the city center...

Fliktor · Post by **Fliktor** » Sat Sep 25, 2004 4:19 am

I'll be in Notingham over the weekend...I think it's wort a look ^_^

Benjiman · Post by **Benjiman** » Sun Sep 26, 2004 2:14 pm

mmm... that would be cool -sam, but i doubt it will happen. We can cling to hope tho XD.

Shame im not going by nottingham anytime soon. Only been there once

Magnus · Post by **Magnus** » Mon Oct 11, 2004 12:16 pm

It isn't the English translation that is the problem, they usually only convert the American version from NTSC to PAL. It's more the other countries fault

. Western European countries and what languages they get their games in: (only Western Europe is important since that's were the majority of the market for the game is

):

UK: English (duhh)

Norway: English

Sweden: English

Denmark: English

Finland: English (I'm not 100% sure though)

The Netherlands: English (I think)

Luxemburg: English (I think)

Now here are the main problems:

France: French

Germany: German

Minor problems:

Belgium: French (perhaps English, but I'm not sure)

Switzerland: German and French (Not sure though, maybe only German)

Austria: Austrian

Spain: Spanish

Portugal: Portuguese

Italy: Italian

Greece: Greek (I'm not 100% sure)

WatcherZero · Post by **WatcherZero** » Mon Dec 13, 2004 3:10 pm

My suspicion is that a multi-language version (as most european games are) would have been too big for one disk and would have forced them to make it two disk which would have required recoding the game substantially (which the localisation team cant do).

Most of the time games dont come out in europe if the localisation would require major recoding since quite often by the time of a localisation the original developer team has been broken up.

Then we get the anomalies like resident evil online- offline, since they couldnt be bothered to change it to support european network technology.

Zed · Post by **Zed** » Mon Dec 20, 2004 2:00 pm

Magnus wrote:It isn't the English translation that is the problem, they usually only convert the American version from NTSC to PAL. It's more the other countries fault . Western European countries and what languages they get their games in: (only Western Europe is important since that's were the majority of the market for the game is ):

UK: English (duhh)
Norway: English
Sweden: English
Denmark: English
Finland: English (I'm not 100% sure though)
The Netherlands: English (I think)
Luxemburg: English (I think)

Now here are the main problems:

France: French
Germany: German

Minor problems:

Belgium: French (perhaps English, but I'm not sure)
Switzerland: German and French (Not sure though, maybe only German)
Austria: Austrian
Spain: Spanish
Portugal: Portuguese
Italy: Italian
Greece: Greek (I'm not 100% sure)

Don't forget that Australia and New Zealand get games in PAL format too, and they speak english.

And I say that a lot of the people in those minor problem countries play english games, I haven't seen one game yet which have Greek or Austrian language options. And in Luxembourg they speak french don't they?

I'd like to know why they think no-one would buy Suikoden III. It's not like they've ever taken a chance with the PAL format, Suikoden 1 and 2 were released in such pitiful numbers that I was extremely lucky to even find Suikoden 2. And how do they expect the series to get popular at all when they don't take any chances at all (not to mention their pathetic marketing). In fact it seems like Konami Europe rely completely on word of mouth to market their games (and the occasional ad).

Just look at Koei, they took risks on releasing Romance of the Three Kingdoms VIII in PAL format and managed to lure new fans to the series. If Konami Europe had any brains at all they would be doing the same thing. In fact even though Koei Europe are tiny they still release games like Disgaea over here (and if its success, are now releasing La Pucelle and Phantom Brave in PAL format).

Riou · Post by **Riou** » Thu May 12, 2005 6:39 am

Is there no way we could change Konamis' mind or prehaps they are going to release 3 in Europe I mean what was the point of releasing 4 in Europe instead of releasing 3 aswell, thats just daft.

True Wind Bearer · Post by **True Wind Bearer** » Fri May 13, 2005 12:54 am

Riou wrote:Is there no way we could change Konamis' mind or prehaps they are going to release 3 in Europe I mean what was the point of releasing 4 in Europe instead of releasing 3 aswell, thats just daft.

Somehow I don't think that'll ever happen.

Wraith · Post by **Wraith** » Fri May 13, 2005 10:42 am

Belgium: French (perhaps English, but I'm not sure)

I'm belgian and Belgium is like Split into 2 language groups and almost ALL games are in English exept for the French side of our countryand that sucks!I hate that French people dube all their shows.They even translate the Friggin title of games and movies...I really REALLy hate France(sorry for all of you French people

)

But to state it in one sentence: Most games are in English here in Belgium

BTW I heard a guy who loves Suikoden say somthing at my local video store.He said they where going to release the game in Europe if S4 sales where good.Guess that won't be happening ey...

Good thing I got S3

Toon Maha Vailo · Post by **Toon Maha Vailo** » Sun May 15, 2005 11:22 am

baron kalan wrote:It wasn't Forbidden Planet Benjiman. The place I bought it is not part of a chain as far as I'm aware. If I'm not mistaken, there's just the one in Nottingham, just next to the comic bookshop "page 46". I think it's called "alternate world", but my memory doesn't seem to confirm this right now. It's a place where you have all kinds of products from "alternative" culture : Metal T-Shirts, Goth-wear, Fantasy and SF books, comics, DVDs, and the best selection of video games I've ever seen in the UK (or in France for that matter). Very good selection of PS1 games actually : I managed to find the Discworld games which are not an easy find, for example; and I also bought Suikoden 2 there last year. If you ever happen to drop by Ngham, just go to Market Street, it's not a huge street and it's near the city center...

Could it be 'Another World'? I think they have chains like that and there's one in my local town. It's where I got my copy of Suikoden 2, mint condition but used, for Â£20. (about $35).

Wraith · Post by **Wraith** » Sun May 15, 2005 1:26 pm

I just went on the Konami website and they said the reason was Lokalisation Problems.It was in a Belgium PS2 magazine too.