Ubisoft Asia Exec Has No Doubt Assassin’s Creed Odyssey Will Be Successful in Japan
It’s no secret that popular western video games struggle to make a huge push in Japan time after time, year after year. Luckily, Ubisoft has been able to carve out some room in the difficult market with the Assassin’s Creed series. So much so in fact that Ubisoft Asia General Manager Steve Miller says that Assassin’s Creed Odyssey could end up seeing even greater success than any previous title in the series.
In a recent interview with DualShockers Steve Miller, the General Manager of Ubisoft Asia said that he feels that Assassin’s Creed Odyssey could be the most successful title in the series yet due to it’s RPG elements that are so popular in Japan. “Assassin’s Creed has a core following in Japan, and it is one of the most successful Western series in Japan. There are many fans who like the historical settings, the fashion, detail in the buildings, and also they appreciate the full localization that goes into the Japanese version. And this time we have a playable heroine as well as a playable hero, so I think Odyssey will appeal to the core fan base. At the same time, Odyssey is more RPG-like than any previous Assassin’s Creed, so we think the appeal of this game will reach beyond the core fans and will be very interesting for RPG fans, which we know there are many of in Japan. Together with the ever-increasing installed base of the various consoles, we think Odyssey has a good chance of being the most successful Assassin’s Creed title ever in Japan.”
Of course it’s not like the success of Ubisoft happened overnight, as Miller explains they’ve have to make a huge marketing push in Japan. He also mentioned that there is still work to be done in order to make a bigger splash in this difficult market with such western titles. “Ubisoft still has room to grow in Japan as well as in other countries in this region. It makes sense for Ubisoft to invest in all the markets of Asia to increase market share and to establish our brands. I don’t think we could be as successful as we are if we just relied on western marketing campaigns and strategies to push our products. Japan, and all of Asia, has different marketing channels, different marketing calendars, different ways of presenting the games to the consumers, and of course the explosion of social media means you have to be present locally to talk to your fans and your influencers. It is also extremely important to us to listen to our local consumers and to try to voice their concerns to the studios and developers who are making the games. All of this requires a local PR and Marketing team, and a commitment to the local markets.”
Odyssey is set to drop worldwide on October 5th for the PS4, Xbox One, and PC. What do you think about this success in Japan? Is there anything more Ubisoft or other companies could do to gain a bigger stake in the Japanese market? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below and don’t forget to keep it locked for updates!