Umamusume: Pretty Derby and Granblue Fantasy might’ve turned into global hits, but according to Cygames President and CEO Koichi Watanabe, getting there wasn’t just a matter of translating its games into English. The studio says one surprising discovery while studying how Metacritic works completely changed how it approached Western and worldwide audiences. Speaking in Famitsu Issue No. 1955 while looking back on Cygames’s 15-year journey and its expansion into the US, Europe, and Singapore, Watanabe said the company realized overseas gamers and reviewers often judged games very differently from players in Japan.
“We realized after analyzing [Metacritic‘s] Metascores and other overseas reviews that their evaluation system is based on deductions. For example, it usually comes in, ‘This feature is missing, so we’re deducting points,'” explained Watanabe. “Even if the development team thought, ‘This feature isn’t necessary for the game, and it could stand without it,’ but it’s seen as ‘missing a feature that should be standard in modern games,’ overseas players will judge it as ‘This game is unfinished.'”
That realization ultimately changed Cygames’ global strategy. Rather than staying in Japan and trying to understand overseas gamers’ thought processes from afar, Watanabe said the company decided to go big. It needed boots on the ground — local teams that could communicate directly with players and better understand regional expectations. “Each country has its own way of doing things, and there are users who are already accustomed to it. Depending on the country or region, ways of thinking and perceiving things are different… We have to understand that first,” he continued. “To do that, I feel it’s necessary to establish local bases and gather information from many people.”
Such a way of thinking eventually led Cygames to expand into major Western markets, such as opening Cygames America in 2023, as well as setting up shop in the ever-growing Southeast Asia. When asked whether it plans for more international offices, Watanabe didn’t reveal any specific destinations but hinted the expansion could continue. “We’ve already visited some places, so there’s a possibility that we’ll continue expanding in the future,” he said.
Whether you agree with Watanabe’s take or not, no doubt it’s a rare look at how one of Japan’s biggest developers perceives criticism from a global audience. Both Granblue Fantasy: Relink and Umamusume are currently sitting at Generally Favorable Metascores over at Metacritic, with 80 and 84 scores, respectively. For more gaming news and interviews, always keep an eye out on GameObserver.
