PlatinumGames suggests that Japanese devs have no reason to lessen PlayStation 5 support

Sony's PlayStation 5 was an astounding success, but a rather disturbing piece of news nullified the excitement behind the new-gen console.

Reports soon surfaced, suggesting that PlayStation was excluding Sony's home turf. Reports also indicated that Japan was being sidelined from the new console's promotional strategies, and more interest was being placed on the West.

As a result, PlayStation 5 was also slated as the worst-selling console in the history of its country of origin. Jim Ryan, Sony Interactive Entertainment president and CEO, tried to end such rumors, but the news spread like wildfire.

However, PlatinumGames, in a recent interview, suggested that Japanese devs would not lessen their support for PS5 even after the response for the new console hasn't met expected standards in the country.

Studio head and head producer at the development division of PlatinumGames, Atsushi Inaba, said:

"To be honest, we don't feel it that much, or at least I haven't felt the impact of it myself yet. That being said, I do understand that the console industry in Japan is not what it used to be, and when that happens, the priorities of these big console makers will change, and that makes perfect sense to me."

---

What was the reason behind the PlayStation decline in Japan?

Several reasons contributed to this decline. The first reason was shifting the PlayStation's headquarters to California, a bone of contention for a while.

While fans in Japan were still recovering from this apparent setback, the DualSense controller's confirm button changed from Japan's traditional O to an X.

The confirm button changed from Japan's traditional O to an X (Image via GameSpot)

O stands for 'Maru' in the Japanese language, which indicates something right or positive.

While X has always been the confirm button in other regions, the change hurt the sentiments of ardent PlayStation followers in Japan.

However, PlatinumGames' other Co-Founder, Hideki Kamiya, had a different say on the change mentioned above:

"To me, this doesn't feel like a Japan versus US thing – my pride isn't hurt as a Japanese person – it's just more that there are two camps who had two ways of doing things, and I think they've short-sightedly leaned one way. I don't understand the reasoning behind that."

Soon after its launch, Sony announced that PlayStation 5 witnessed the biggest console launch in history following the unprecedented demand.

The demand outstripped the supply by a mile. It is possible that PlayStation 5 will be back on its expected track as soon as the console hits the virtual shelves.