VERACITY IN GAMING
VERACITY IN GAMING
Amber V
Novice Editor-in-Chief since October 2023.
She grew up playing Duke Nukem and Wolfenstein with her dad, and is now enamored with obscure Japanese video games and internet culture. Currently devoted to growing Automaton West to the size of its Japanese sister-site, while making sure to keep news concise and developer stories deep and stimulating.
Sonic Superstars producers discuss challenges in development, release date overlapping with Mario
The producers of Sega's Sonic Superstars, Takashi Iizuka of Sega of America and Naoto Oshima of Arzest discuss challenges they were faced with throughout development.
Even in Japan, using a period when texting translates to “I’m pissed”
In the English-speaking world, using periods at the end of your sentences while texting is more than likely to create the impression that you’re either elderly, angry or a grammar snob, which is why omitting it has become more or less the norm. It turns out, a similar phenomenon exists in Japanese texting culture as well.
Severe shortage of animators and “post-Covid changes” in the anime industry as told by the director of Studio Trigger
Studio Trigger managing director, Kazuya Masumoto, speaks about recent changes in workflow and recruitment, influenced largely by the COVID-19 pandemic, focusing on the field of Production Management.
Could AI replace manga artist assistants? AI startup founder shows “16-page manga completed without drawing,” sparking discussion about loss of human jobs
Japanese AI startup founder Takahiro Anno introduced his almost fully automated comic generation process, causing discussion about manga artist’s assistants/apprentices potentially being replaced by AI and other effects the use of generative AI technology may have on Japan’s comic industry.
Orwellian Japanese social media platform “Dystopia” uses AI surveillance and censoring to prevent cyberbullying
Japanese web service developer Soudanbako released the beta version of their new social media platform called Dystopia on September 24 for iOS and Android. The app uses AI to censor offensive phrases and prevent cyberbullying.
Japanese publisher hosts public panel about the massive commercial failure of their game
Japanese game publisher D3PUBLISHER hosted a panel dedicated to discussing the commercial failure of their 2023 title ED-0: Zombie Uprising on Tokyo Game Show 2023.
Pokémon: The Teal Mask DLC players too busy analyzing the authentic countryside environment to go on with the plot
The Teal Mask DLC for Pokémon Scarlet and Violet released just recently, and is gaining a lot of attention for its environment, modeled of real-life rural Japan.
Why does Japan’s Air Self-Defense Force’s official furry mascot look like…that
An official X/Twitter account affiliated with Japan’s Air Self-Defense Force (JASDF) recently announced that their official mascot called Omaneko will be making a PR appearance at Kemoket, Japan’s largest “kemono” (furry/anthro) related comic fair. But what’s the deal with the…
Female Japanese streamer hosts “Incel mixer party” with VIP viewing seats
Controversial female ex-pro game Tanukana has announced that she will be hosting a real-life matchmaking event for incels, which others will be able to view for a fee.
The One Piece live action series’ success may be in how it broke free from Hollywood supervision
On the topic of how successful the Netflix live adaptation of One Piece turned out to be, a Japanese lawyer who had been involved in the project made a public comment stating that the conditions of the contract had a lot to do with the series’ success.
Evangelion: giant Lance of Longinus replica to pierce the ground of a park in Japan
Ube City in Japan, the hometown of Hideaki Anno, director of the Neon Genesis Evangelion series, reported that it’s project to create a replica of the Lance of Longinus that appears in the anime is in its final stages.
2000-dollar firework-viewing seats look like everyone’s first night in Minecraft, resulting in zero tickets sold
Organizers of a fireworks festival in Japan dejectedly reported not being able to sell any of their premium seats, but users discovered that the seats look more like something out an initial stage of Minecraft.
Japan’s Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries revives dank meme for seafood campaign
Japan’s Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries launched a campaign aimed at encouraging the nation to consume Japanese fish and seafood on September 7, and the campaign’s unconventional visual managed to grab hold of the public’s attention instantly.
KyoAni arson trials: Can defendant’s claim of being unaware of how many people would die mitigate the crime?
The Kyoto Animation arson case suspect's claim that he was unaware of how many people could die due to his actions is raising some eyebrows in particular, with some voicing concerns that he may be suggesting homicide by willful negligence.
KyoAni makes steady progress towards recovery after deadly arson attack, culprit shows no remorse
Four years after the horrific arson incident that took place in a major studio of Kyoto Animation, the culprit is questioned about the case in court, but makes no attempt to apologize or show remorse.
Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom developers admit to foreseeing Koroks being bullied
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom director Hidemaro Fujibayashi reveals that Koroks being tortured in the game was an anticipated, in fact intended turn of events.
Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom – No DLC planned for the game, according to producer
In an interview with Famitsu published on September 6, the developers of The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom confirmed that no additional content is planned for the title.
Waterfalls in video games and the strange behavior they cause in players
A short comic by a Japanese mangaka triggered discussion among players about "the curse of waterfalls" that befalls players, causing them to behave strangely when they encounter waterfalls in video games.
Armored Core 6: Japanese users react to horny outcries of AC fandom
The excitement leading to FromSoftware's release of Armored Core 6: Fires of Rubicon was so great it led to some freakiness within the fandom, earning various reactions from Japanese users.
Japanese man spends 800k dollars’ worth of embezzled funds on mobile games to become a hero online
A Japanese man was arrested on August 22 on suspicion of employee embezzlement. The man had allegedly embezzled over $1,375,000 from his workplace and claims to have spent a large portion of the money on mobile game in-app purchases.
Japanese player does blindfolded speedrun of challenging dating sim, becoming a legend
A Japanese player has gone viral for doing a blindfolded speedrun of the dating simulator Tokimeki Memorial, while doing live commentary of his gameplay based only on sounds and his memory.
“Pokémon SEX” is trending in Japan and users are afraid to find out why
Japanese users were shocked to see the hashtag “Pokémon SEX” rise to the top of the trending list on X (formerly Twitter) on August 17. It seems the trend had something to do with Japan's declining birthrate and a meme-sequel to Pokémon GO and Pokémon Sleep.