While on the topic of Japanese games, Game Trailers tries to answer the following question in round table fashion: Does Japan unfairly shun American games?

In the video clip, analyst Michael Pachter asserts that no Western game has sold more than a million copies in Japan, whereas several Japanese games have done precisely that here in the US. Assuming his facts are right, he’s got a point. Why don’t the Japanese buy games from American publishers when they are more than willing to watch American movies and listen to American music?

Game importer Nathan Paine believes it’s because the Japanese value fun, fantasy, and freedom of ideas (what he calls the four F’s) more than American publishers. He believes American developers rely too heavily on what calls the four R’s: rockets (senseless violence), realism, and rights (or licensed movie games, etc) adding that publishers like EA and Activision are less likely to take risks on new games in favor of steady (albeit plateauing) profits.

Personally, I haven’t got a clue as to why. Penny for your thoughts?