Castlevania Dungeon Forums
The Castlevania Dungeon Forums => General Castlevania Discussion => Topic started by: JoshuaKadmon on January 11, 2013, 06:49:58 AM
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A new petition to KONAMI requesting a pair of anthologies (one focused on 2D classics and the other on 3D titles) has been created on Change.org. As a member of the biggest and baddest Castlevania community on the internet, please help support the cause!
www.change.org/petitions/castlevania-anthologies (http://www.change.org/petitions/castlevania-anthologies)
The petition reads as follows:
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Castlevania is a 26-year-old multimedia franchise and one of the most respected names in video gaming history, but in the last few years, its aging fanbase has been fragmented by Konami's inconsistent development decisions. With its hardcore fans divided and new players unwilling (or even unable) to catch up on such a long-running game series, Castlevania is in need of a revival. Its current Lords of Shadow sub-series will also end after the third installment's release, supposedly later this year, leaving Konami with the critical decision of where to take the series next.
It's time for Konami to reunite its fans while offering a consolidated method for new players to enjoy the Castlevania legacy. To this end, we are proposing a pair of anthologies, the first focusing on the 2D classics in the series and the second including all 3D titles. Because these collections would largely recycle pre-existing content, they would serve as a cost-effective way for Konami to invigorate the franchise, ignite nostalgia for Castlevania, consolidate dozens of rare games into a playable format, and generate anticipation for future releases.
Ideally, retail hardcopies of these two anthologies would be developed for PS3 and XBox360, with digital distribution made available on Steam, PSN, and XBL platforms to bolster overall profitability. Alternatively, we would not be opposed to handheld versions for 3DS and Vita, if data management allowed for it, but available digital copies would still be recommended for the sake of mainstream consumption on consoles and PC. While the retail hardcopies could be limited to a shorter production run (and may be necessary to entice long-time Castlevania collectors), digital copies would be slightly less expensive to incentivize high-profit downloads.
Here is a list of the requested content of each collection:
CASTLEVANIA ANTHOLOGY I (2D CLASSICS)
GAMES
Castlevania III: Dracula’s Curse [1476] NES
Castlevania: The Adventure [1576] GB
Castlevania: The Adventure ReBirth [1576] WII
Castlevania II: Belmont’s Revenge [1591] GB
Castlevania: Order of Shadows [1600s] MOB
Castlevania [1691] NES
Vampire Killer [1691] MSX2
Haunted Castle [1691] ARC
Super Castlevania IV [1691] SNES
Castlevania Chronicles [1691] PSX
Castlevania II: Simon’s Quest [1698] NES
Castlevania: Harmony of Dissonance [1748] GBA
Castlevania: Rondo of Blood [1792] PCE
Castlevania: Symphony of the Night [1797] PSX
Castlevania: Order of Ecclesia [1800s] DS
Castlevania: Circle of the Moon [1830] GBA
Castlevania: Bloodlines [1917] GEN
Castlevania: Portrait of Ruin [1944] DS
Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow [2035] GBA
Castlevania: Dawn of Sorrow [2036] DS
UNLOCKABLES
Akumajo Special: Boku Dracula-kun [11797] FC
Kid Dracula [11797] GB
Akumajyo Dracula Peke [XXXX] PCE
Castlevania: Legends [1450 alt.] GB
Castlevania: The Bloodletting [CANCELLED] *production materials*
Castlevania Puzzle: Encore of the Night [XXXX] *mini-game*
Castlevania: Harmony of Despair [XXXX] *video montage*
EXTRAS
Art Gallery
Sound Test
Music Player
Complete Beastiary
Development History
Interactive Timeline
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CASTLEVANIA ANTHOLOGY II (3D CLASSICS)
GAMES
Castlevania: Lament of Innocence [1094] PS2
Castlevania: Curse of Darkness [1479] PS2
Castlevania: Dracula X ~Chronicles Version~ [1792] PSP
Castlevania: Legacy of Darkness [1844] N64
Castlevania [1852] N64
Castlevania: Judgment [11th Millennium] WII
UNLOCKABLES
Nocturne in the Moonlight [1798] *subtitled radio drama*
Dracula: Castlevania Edition [1897] *visual novel*
The Demon Castle Wars [1997~1999] *visual novel*
Ricordanza of the God Abyss [2037] *visual novel*
Pachislot Akumajo Dracula [1476] *mini-game*
Pachislot Akumajo Dracula II [1476] *mini-game*
Pachislot Akumajo Dracula III [1476] *mini-game*
Castlevania: The Medal [1792] *mini-game*
Castlevania: Resurrection [CANCELLED] *production materials*
Castlevania: The Arcade [1800s] *video montage*
Castlevania: Lords of Shadow [1047 alt.] *video montage*
Castlevania: Lords of Shadow ~Mirror of Fate~ [TBA] *trailers*
Castlevania: Lords of Shadow 2 [TBA] *trailers*
EXTRAS
Art Gallery
Sound Test
Music Player
Franchise Trivia
Developer Interviews
Character Models
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As long-time fans of Castlevania, we truly believe that these anthologies would be an intelligent and profitable venture for Konami, and they would pave the way for stronger franchise support. With a relatively low production cost and short development turn, this should be a no-brainer for the experts at Konami.
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Looks like we've already got support in South Carolina, Kentucky, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Delaware, and Canada. The internet is an amazing thing sometimes...
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The internet is in essence our new tower of Babal. It's allowing us to communicate with people all over the world in real time. Yes, the internet is an amazing thing. :)
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I would definitely buy them, especially with all of those extras!
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I'm sorry but I can't bring myself to sign this petition until it recognizes the Wii U as another valid platform for such a collection, it should have been mentioned right next to PS3 and Xbox 360, Nintendo doesn't just make handheld consoles for crying out loud.
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While I am not opposed to a Wii U version, we are trying to appeal to KONAMI's business sense in this petition, and thus far, Wii U does not have the install base of PS3 and XBox360. That is also why we recommend digital versions on PSN and XBL even if KONAMI produced the anthologies for handheld platforms. Wii U is technically an eighth generation console, after all. I'm sure that if KONAMI conceded to the petition, they would conduct their own evaluation of which platforms to release the games on, but for the sake of the petition being a focused, concise, and reasonable call to action, it just isn't necessary to include the Wii U.
Please sign the petition based on the merit of its vision, not for the specifics that KONAMI is likely to change anyway.
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I thought Change.org was usually reserved for more ah, pressing issues? I love Castlevania as much as the next guy (or at least the guy next to the next guy) and it seems like a good proposition but I dunno. In the past when I've signed petitions there it's been about laws and things >.>
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If you expect Konami to make their own decision anyway then there is no harm in including the Wii U, you should include all major consoles as candidates or not specify any at all. Your losing signatures by being too specific and I'm proof of that.
Castlevania has a long history on Nintendo consoles and it is a gross assumption that all Castlevania fans own or are solely interested in the Xbox and PS3.
you don't need to appeal to Konami's business sense you only need to demonstrate a demand therefore you should be making your petition appeal to ALL fans and not just PS3 and Xbox360 users.
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I thought Change.org was usually reserved for more ah, pressing issues? I love Castlevania as much as the next guy (or at least the guy next to the next guy) and it seems like a good proposition but I dunno. In the past when I've signed petitions there it's been about laws and things >.>
Change.org may refer to its mission as "social change", but there are plenty of entertainment-related petitions on the site. It's just that most of them never get more than a dozen or so signatures, whereas the "laws and pressing issues" get more attention and are often promoted on a different level than individually-generated goals like this Castlevania petition. I get what you're saying, and I wouldn't want to offend anyone or seem inappropriate, but I actually think such a project holds the higher objective of preserving 26 years of classic gaming in a more playable format, something both we and future gamers should be able to appreciate.
I suppose I could've chosen the Petition Bureau's website instead, but Change.org tends to perform better on SEO, back-end management, visual layout, and overall site functionality. Being a Digital Media Specialist and Webmaster by profession, I made the choice to use Change.org primarily for technical reasons.
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If you expect Konami to make their own decision anyway then there is no harm in including the Wii U, you should include all major consoles as candidates or not specify any at all. Your losing signatures by being too specific and I'm proof of that.
Castlevania has a long history on Nintendo consoles and it is a gross assumption that all Castlevania fans own or are solely interested in the Xbox and PS3.
you don't need to appeal to Konami's business sense you only need to demonstrate a demand therefore you should be making your petition appeal to ALL fans and not just PS3 and Xbox360 users.
I appreciate the input of everyone on these forums, and while I have my reasons for wording the petition in a particular way, it is not my intention to exclude any potential players from this effort. You can expect the change to be made in about an hour.
Additionally, I would ask that everyone who enjoys Castlevania, regardless of preferred platform or design philosophy, to support this petition. It can do no harm to forward this effort, as we would all like to see Castlevania return to greater relevance.
EDIT: The change to include Wii U on the petition has been made as of 10:15 ET.
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Do you know WHY Konami needs to consolidate the Castlevania series into the anthologies that we've mentioned? Well, there are many reasons, but here is an illustration of what I believe to be the most pressing issue...
Let's say that you're a long-time Castlevania fan and that you already own every game in the series, including imports, all available digital versions, and any corresponding consoles/handhelds. One day, you decide to play back through every single game, but you want to minimize the number of systems you have to switch between. Still, you're not comfortable or satisfied with emulation when it comes to such classic games. So here's the problem. Even if you don't count silly things like CV Puzzle on iOS, you're stuck needing to hook up no less than 7 consoles, including legacy platforms like Genesis, N64, and GBA. And that's only if you already have a backwards-compatible PS3, a PSP or Vita, a Wii, and a 3DS. That's right, even with conveniences like WiiWare and Virtual Console that can run on one system and PSN that allows access to a handful of consolidated platforms, it would still require more than half-a-dozen systems to run all the Castlevania games.
Now, let's say that you're a new fan wanting to catch up on the entire series. Not only would you be stuck with the same problem of multiple consoles to play the games, you may also need to acquire some oldies from eBay or Amazon. When a classic GameBoy release can easily go for $100-$200 at auction, you could end up spending thousands on collecting the Castlevania series. And that's simply too high of an entry point for most players to care. Of course, Konami would never see a dime of that money anyway.
There's a very large caveat to all of this, though. While Konami does offer many of the Castlevania classics digitally on current networks, many of the people who would have the greatest interest in downloading them would be stuck in one of the two scenarios I just mentioned. And in both cases, those players still wouldn't have access to Order of Shadows, Vampire Killer, Haunted Castle, the SNES Dracula X, or Boku Dracula-kun without resorting to emulators. And in all likelihood, digging the N64 or Genesis out of the attic won't be a viable option, either. With so many games being difficult to access, even the most enthusiastic fans would either give up the plan to play through classic CV titles, or they would give in to the convenience of emulation. That's a slippery slope, as with all forms of digital piracy, so the ones who resort to emulation will probably do the same for entries they CAN purchase on Virtual Console or other platforms. Then Konami doesn't get paid even for the ones they have released digitally.
Ultimately, 85% of the Castlevania backlog no longer makes Konami a significant amount of money. Digital pricing is also pretty steep, and the only real bargain with DXC makes no sense because it's priced about the same as the individual games on PSN and VC. But if Konami did what we ask in the anthologies petition, it would only take 25-30,000 copies of each to make the project profitable. Considering even the diminishing DS releases still sold around ten times that individually and LoS sold about 2 million, that's more than a safe bet.
At least that's how I see it...
Sign the petition, please --> www.change.org/petitions/castlevania-anthologies (http://www.change.org/petitions/castlevania-anthologies)
EDIT: That's to say nothing of the extras we've requested for the anthologies, including content from radio dramas, novels, arcade-only releases, and a variety of source material that is part of the official timeline. True Castlevania collectors and enthusiasts WANT a way to partake in this content. Art galleries, sound tests, music players, etc. are just a bonus!
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I'm sorry but I can't bring myself to sign this petition until it recognizes the Wii U as another valid platform for such a collection, it should have been mentioned right next to PS3 and Xbox 360, Nintendo doesn't just make handheld consoles for crying out loud.
Wii U has no games.
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Wii U has no games.
Jeez, this "meme" again?
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What the... I've been playing nothing but apparitions on my Wii-U for the last two months, then!
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Jeez, this "meme" again?
It'll never go away!
Anytime a platform sells bad or have only first party games as the "good games", it'll be used as excuse.
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Thank you for including the Wii U for the petition, I'll definitely be signing it now!
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Thank you for including the Wii U for the petition, I'll definitely be signing it now!
No problem, and thanks. As I said, I wouldn't want to exclude any true fan from this effort.
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I really love this idea! I got myself a PS3 a few months back mainly because I really wanted to give Lords Of Shadow a try. Huge waste of money in retrospect; since finishing LoS I have barely touched the damn thing - I spend all my time playing the old ClassicVania games via emu on my laptop, so this would at least justify the money spent on the PS3 because the console would at least get some use again :)
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Hmmm...should I? ???
I'm terribly sceptical about these things. :P
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Hmmm...should I? ???
I'm terribly sceptical about these things. :P
There's nothing to be skeptical about. No hidden agenda, no risk to you. You don't even have to use your actual name or display your signature if you wish to remain anonymous. The petition will either influence Konami to make more anthologies, or it won't. There is nothing to lose in supporting a petition like this, unless you flat-out oppose the idea.
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Can you please add Vampire's Kiss for the SNES?
I just love that game! :) Thanks!
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Can you please add Vampire's Kiss for the SNES?
I just love that game! :) Thanks!
Vampire's Kiss is the European title for Dracula X on SNES. It is already included.
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@JoshuaKadmon
You should contact Cecil Kain from Operation Akumajo and see if he will post a link to the petition on their Facebook page, It might help gain a few extra signatures. I'm not on Facebook so I can't contact him directly myself.
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Operation-Akumajo/243488722337560 (http://www.facebook.com/pages/Operation-Akumajo/243488722337560)
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@JoshuaKadmon
You should contact Cecil Kain from Operation Akumajo and see if he will post a link to the petition on their Facebook page, It might help gain a few extra signatures. I'm not on Facebook so I can't contact him directly myself.
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Operation-Akumajo/243488722337560 (http://www.facebook.com/pages/Operation-Akumajo/243488722337560)
Good idea. I wrote a post on their wall a few minutes ago.
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I will say this. Even if Konami doesn't release the complete anthologies that we are wanting, I think at the very least they should consider these 9 games for a collection on current consoles:
Castlevania [NES]
Simon's Quest [NES]
Dracula's Curse [NES]
Super Castlevania IV [SNES]
Bloodlines [GEN]
Harmony of Dissonance [GBA]
Aria of Sorrow [GBA]
Rondo of Blood [PCE]
Symphony of the Night [PSX]
Those are stupid easy to port to any platform, none of them needed dual screens, and they're all in classic 2D format. They're also undeniably some of the best games in the series. Wouldn't you agree?
Even so, it would still be nice to see some extras like Sound Test, Art Gallery, and maybe an unlockable game or two (Vampire Killer or Boku Dracula-kun, for instance).
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One day, you decide to play back through every single game, but you want to minimize the number of systems you have to switch between. Still, you're not comfortable or satisfied with emulation when it comes to such classic games.
I no undastands. Unless you completely retool the games to look and play like the originals, how can you get any of these games on a collection without emulation? Only difference is it's "officially licensed emulation"—which in some cases is actually worse than what joe schmoe offers for free.
The PS2 Mega Man X collection is particularly poor. Lotsa wonky glitches on MMX2.
I'm all for a collection if EVERY game is emulated nigh perfectly, but I don't really trust Konami or any other big company to really give that much a shit. A port like Sonic CD on PSN/XBLA is only as good as it is because some non-Sega peeps showed the game some massive loving.
So unless an anthology is going to be done right and the games play as perfectly as emulation allows, I don't want one made. And honestly, I wouldn't be fully satisfied unless things like uncensored versions of games were offered, or being given the option to play the Japanese and US versions of Dracula's Curse, etc.
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I no undastands. Unless you completely retool the games to look and play like the originals, how can you get any of these games on a collection without emulation? Only difference is it's "officially licensed emulation"—which in some cases is actually worse than what joe schmoe offers for free.
The PS2 Mega Man X collection is particularly poor. Lotsa wonky glitches on MMX2.
Square's Final Fantasy compilation discs on the PS1 are supposed to be pretty bad for this to. From what I've heard the music emulation was wonky and they added PS1 loadtimes to the games. Maybe the latter couldn't be helped but it would still be a huge downgrade from the instant loadtimes of the original SNES carts. (The biggest flaw in FFIX, one of my favorite games, is the loadtimes.) The exception to this rule is Final Fantasy Origins since the games were basically just rebuilt using the elements from the then-recent Wonderswan color remakes of FF1 and 2 instead of emulated, or so it seems.
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Vampire's Kiss is the European title for Dracula X on SNES. It is already included.
Thanks for replying!
I can't seem to find it, though. Just Dracula X for the PSP, and for SNES only SCVIV.
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Thanks for replying!
I can't seem to find it, though. Just Dracula X for the PSP, and for SNES only SCVIV.
Come to think of it, the Change.org site glitched when I tried adding it a few days ago, so sorry for the mistake. I will add it as soon as the site's HTML editor cooperates with me. I meant to include it from the beginning, since I am a fan of the SNES version (and it's still rare in comparison to all the re-releasing of RoB on PSN and VC).
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Thank you! I appreciate it! :)
I will sign it!
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With the next gen Playstation and Xboxs rumored to be announced this summer I doubt a compilation would be likely on current gen systems.
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Konami will never do this, they would would rather release each game individually on multiple platforms in order to maximize profits.
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Konami will never do this, they would would rather release each game individually on multiple platforms in order to maximize profits.
They will never sell enough individual digital copies of 8-bit and 16-bit classics to make the kind of profit that even one compilation would make, and the reasons are common sense:
1) Compilations appeal to the completionist mentality of long-time fans and collectors, adding significant value to seek out an anthology instead of individual entries. Having many games fragmented over a variety of platforms only leads to spontaneous, unpredictable sales. This is the exact reason why digital bundles perform so well on Steam even at heavily discounted prices.
2) There are many games in the Castlevania series that players would be less likely to purchase on an individual basis, such as the lackluster N64 titles or the controversial Judgment. But packing them in with fan-favorites means that Konami can get extra mileage out of even the weakest parts of the CV franchise.
3) Anthologies often include exclusive extras that cannot be purchased in other ways, thus incentivizing the purchase and allowing Konami to charge full retail price despite the games' age.
There are other reasons to consider, but I believe those provide the strongest reasoning for releasing the proposed anthologies, even if Konami continues to offer individual digital versions, as well. The two distribution methods often appeal to entirely different sets of consumers, so the sales of an anthology would not greatly impact the more spontaneous purchasing of singular downloads.
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The question I would like to raise is the same one IGA mentioned in a past interview (I forgot where). What would Konami gain by issuing such an anthology?
1. Only a few people like us (considering the whole gaming population) would buy this.
2. The production money needed to make this possible. Old ports do not look good at current systems so they have to be refurbished.
3. Even if they sold it digitally, we still return to the production costs.
4. Lastly, why make a compilation when you can make a new game instead? Hopefully that introduces younger people to the series.
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The question I would like to raise is the same one IGA mentioned in a past interview (I forgot where). What would Konami gain by issuing such an anthology?
1. Only a few people like us (considering the whole gaming population) would buy this.
2. The production money needed to make this possible. Old ports do not look good at current systems so they have to be refurbished.
3. Even if they sold it digitally, we still return to the production costs.
4. Lastly, why make a compilation when you can make a new game instead? Hopefully that introduces younger people to the series.
First off, they would potentially regain fans who have been scattered to the four winds over the course of three decades, many of which would not have had the ability or determination to keep up with every installment. (I'm not saying this for myself, as I own every game on every system, but I know that isn't the norm.) Secondly, they would be appealling to the recent trend of retro gaming and possibly pick up a large number of new fans who would have no other way to play so many classic CV titles.
1) Why would anyone believe that? It may be true that only long-time CV fans would purchase the individual games released digitally on Virtual Console or something, but when a massive anthology is released, it appeals to a much broader audience that has an interest in the easy-access nostalgia of a complete collection like that. Gamers have been embracing retro efforts like this for years. Why would they ignore one of the most renowned legacies in gaming if it were consolidated for their convenience? They wouldn't.
2) This doesn't even come close to the budget needed to make a brand new game. Old assets can be recycled, and no one would expect complete remakes. Many players would be fine with framed-in, jaggy visuals anyway, but the bilinear filtering and other graphics buffers used in PC emulators have been satisfying enough that Konami should have no trouble replicating the effect. The production cost for BOTH anthologies would be a tiny fraction of the funding necessary for a modern title, probably somewhere in the vicinity of $1.5 million. That means that it would only take TENS of thousands of sold copies to make it profitable, not the HUNDREDS of thousands or even MILLIONS it takes to turn a respectable profit on a next-gen release. Production time is also considerably lower, as it would only take Konami 4~6 months to produce both, and they could space them out to get a more constant return on their investment.
3) I'm not sure if I understand what you're saying. As I stated in the petition, Konami should produce a limited number of hardcopies to make the mainstream public more aware of the anthologies' existence and to entice collectors who still prefer bookshelf hardcopies. Digital releases of the anthologies on PSN, XBL, Steam, etc. would help bolster profits due to the 70% developer / 30% distributor split on returns, unlike the opposite retail model.
4) Konami and their partners ARE continuing to make new games in the CV franchise. This is a separate objective with a low cost that will not throw off current development in any way. There is no need to replace one for the other, since the resources needed for each don't even fall into the same ballpark.
In the end, this is a rare opportunity, one that equally benefits both the players and the developer. That kind of scenario doesn't happen often in our current gaming climate, as the desire of players usually comes into direct conflict with the money-mongering of big business (I'm looking at you, EA and Capcom). When a project like this could be awesome for fans while standing to make a HUGE profit for Konami, shouldn't it be common sense to act on it?!
I like Igarashi as a creative director, but judging by some of his past decisions, common sense isn't necessarily his forté.
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Thank you! I appreciate it! :)
I will sign it!
I made the change we discussed concerning Dracula X (aka Vampire's Kiss).
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I signed this the minute, I saw it on Facebook. Kyle Alexander Wright. Remember me? ;D
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I signed this the minute, I saw it on Facebook. Kyle Alexander Wright. Remember me? ;D
Yes, I remember you, and I appreciate the support. It's nice to know that my shameless promotion of the petition elsewhere on the web is reaching some hardcore fans.
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I made the change we discussed concerning Dracula X (aka Vampire's Kiss).
Great! Thank you!
I already signed it on saturday :)
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First off, they would potentially regain fans who have been scattered to the four winds over the course of three decades, many of which would not have had the ability or determination to keep up with every installment. (I'm not saying this for myself, as I own every game on every system, but I know that isn't the norm.) Secondly, they would be appealling to the recent trend of retro gaming and possibly pick up a large number of new fans who would have no other way to play so many classic CV titles.
1) Why would anyone believe that? It may be true that only long-time CV fans would purchase the individual games released digitally on Virtual Console or something, but when a massive anthology is released, it appeals to a much broader audience that has an interest in the easy-access nostalgia of a complete collection like that. Gamers have been embracing retro efforts like this for years. Why would they ignore one of the most renowned legacies in gaming if it were consolidated for their convenience? They wouldn't.
2) This doesn't even come close to the budget needed to make a brand new game. Old assets can be recycled, and no one would expect complete remakes. Many players would be fine with framed-in, jaggy visuals anyway, but the bilinear filtering and other graphics buffers used in PC emulators have been satisfying enough that Konami should have no trouble replicating the effect. The production cost for BOTH anthologies would be a tiny fraction of the funding necessary for a modern title, probably somewhere in the vicinity of $1.5 million. That means that it would only take TENS of thousands of sold copies to make it profitable, not the HUNDREDS of thousands or even MILLIONS it takes to turn a respectable profit on a next-gen release. Production time is also considerably lower, as it would only take Konami 4~6 months to produce both, and they could space them out to get a more constant return on their investment.
3) I'm not sure if I understand what you're saying. As I stated in the petition, Konami should produce a limited number of hardcopies to make the mainstream public more aware of the anthologies' existence and to entice collectors who still prefer bookshelf hardcopies. Digital releases of the anthologies on PSN, XBL, Steam, etc. would help bolster profits due to the 70% developer / 30% distributor split on returns, unlike the opposite retail model.
4) Konami and their partners ARE continuing to make new games in the CV franchise. This is a separate objective with a low cost that will not throw off current development in any way. There is no need to replace one for the other, since the resources needed for each don't even fall into the same ballpark.
In the end, this is a rare opportunity, one that equally benefits both the players and the developer. That kind of scenario doesn't happen often in our current gaming climate, as the desire of players usually comes into direct conflict with the money-mongering of big business (I'm looking at you, EA and Capcom). When a project like this could be awesome for fans while standing to make a HUGE profit for Konami, shouldn't it be common sense to act on it?!
I like Igarashi as a creative director, but judging by some of his past decisions, common sense isn't necessarily his forté.
Just to let you know I am not against this petition, I like it to happen too, but for the sake of debate...
You have raised good counterpoints.
1. It is not that I am very pessimistic, but even when the anthology is available, we can say some gamers who appreciate retro would buy it. But how many people would buy? Companies would want to know the market share they would get. Castlevania is not as big of a title as some others out there.
2, 3 and 4. No more comments from me.
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Just to let you know I am not against this petition, I like it to happen too, but for the sake of debate...
You have raised good counterpoints.
1. It is not that I am very pessimistic, but even when the anthology is available, we can say some gamers who appreciate retro would buy it. But how many people would buy? Companies would want to know the market share they would get. Castlevania is not as big of a title as some others out there.
2, 3 and 4. No more comments from me.
The point I'm trying to make is this: Even a relatively small number of sales could make this kind of project profitable. Market share only applies to a company's overall performance across its entire product library, and in terms of raw returns, the anthologies would almost certainly help in this regard. For instance, if one anthology takes $750,000 to produce, and it sells at least 35,000 hardcopies and at least 7000 digital downloads, it's already profitable. Market analysis on Castlevania titles in the last five years would suggest that an anthology would be guaranteed at least 300,000 copies (with a majority sold in America). Even without factoring in high-profit digital copies, that's an immediate return of $3.75 million to KONAMI, and with a projected 20,000 downloads at bare minimum expectations, that would be another $630,000. This is a very conservative estimate, and the actual number of copies sold would be modest compared to any mainstream blockbuster. But the profit margin is tremendous, and less conservative estimates could easily double or even triple that revenue.
When you look at it this way, it's hard to understand why KONAMI wouldn't want to do it, right?
For comparison, LoS needed to sell approximately 1.3 million units just to break even, which it exceeded by a fair margin at around 2 million. Still, that means that the game only grossed about $10~$12 million, and not all of that would have gone to KONAMI since MercurySteam handled development. It is very possible that the two anthologies could make a higher overall profit with less than 1/4 of the total shipped units of LoS, and the overhead cost would be around 1/20 of LoS's upfront funding. Of course, this is using the best estimates to which we [as consumers] have access.
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When you look at it this way, it's hard to understand why KONAMI wouldn't want to do it, right?
Maybe they are looking at the Japanese market which is well... not that responsive to Castlevania.
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Maybe they are looking at the Japanese market which is well... not that responsive to Castlevania.
If they were only looking at the Japanese market, Lords of Shadow would never have been in the hands of a Western studio, and the franchise probably would have been abandoned long ago. No, the series' success has long rested on our shoulders, and it would be impossible for KONAMI to ignore that. Take the Dracula X Chronicles, for instance, which sold about a quarter-million units in America to Japan's <40,000 units, despite the fact that PSP has always been exponentially more successful in its home country. And KONAMI actually considers DXC to be a success.
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And on the subject of The Dracula X Chronicles (which is one of my all-time favorite CV releases), I would love to see KONAMI continue making Chronicles collections. Of course, I would prefer to see them make the Anthologies as detailed in the petition, but I would ALMOST be satisfied with the following series of Chronicles releases:
-2001-
Castlevania Chronicles [PSX]
Castlevania Chronicles ~Arrange Mode~
Castlevania ~X68000 Original Mode~
-2007-
The Dracula X Chronicles [PSP]
Rondo of Blood ~2.5D Version~
Rondo of Blood
Symphony of the Night
-2013-
Chronicles HD Collection [PS3]
Lament of Innocence HD
Curse of Darkness HD
-2014-
The Belmont Chronicles [PSV]
Dracula's Curse ~2.5D Version~
Dracula's Curse
Simon's Quest
-2014-
Chronicles of Sorrow [3DS]
Aria of Sorrow ~3D Parallax in HD~
Dawn of Sorrow
Order of Ecclesia
-2015-
Vampire Killer Chronicles [3DS]
Harmony of Dissonance ~3D Parallax in HD~
Bloodlines
Portrait of Ruin
-2016-
The Judgment Chronicles [WIIU]
Judgment HD
Castlevania 64
Legacy of Darkness
Just a thought...
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And on the subject of The Dracula X Chronicles (which is one of my all-time favorite CV releases), I would love to see KONAMI continue making Chronicles collections. Of course, I would prefer to see them make the Anthologies as detailed in the petition, but I would ALMOST be satisfied with the following series of Chronicles releases:
-1993-
Castlevania Chronicles [PSX]
Castlevania / Vampire Killer / Super Castlevania IV / Haunted Castle
-2007-
The Dracula X Chronicles [PSP]
Rondo of Blood ~2.5D Version~
Rondo of Blood
Symphony of the Night
-2013-
Chronicles HD Collection [PS3]
Lament of Innocence HD
Curse of Darkness HD
-2014-
The Belmont Chronicles [PSV]
Dracula's Curse ~2.5D Version~
Dracula's Curse
Simon's Quest
-2014-
Chronicles of Sorrow [3DS]
Aria of Sorrow ~3D Parallax in HD~
Dawn of Sorrow
Order of Ecclesia
-2015-
Vampire Killer Chronicles [3DS]
Harmony of Dissonance ~3D Parallax in HD~
Bloodlines
Portrait of Ruin
-2016-
The Judgment Chronicles [WIIU]
Judgment HD
Castlevania 64
Legacy of Darkness
Just a thought...
I won't lie...I'd buy all of them. :-X
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I have an official update from KONAMI regarding an email I sent to them. A couple days ago, I wrote the following message detailing the reasons for the Castlevania Anthologies petition, and I thought all of you would want to know what kind of response I got. While it's far from a declaration of victory, it isn't a total rejection of the proposal either.
If you do not wish to read my entire message to them, please scroll past the break to read KONAMI's response.
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By now, I'm sure that your department has probably received a number of emails concerning the current petition on Change.org for Castlevania Anthologies. As the petition organizer, I assure you that the petition is not meant to be antagonistic, as it is merely a way of demonstrating the widespread desire for such a collection of Castlevania classics. If you have not yet seen the petition in full, please visit the page here:
http://www.change.org/petitions/castlevania-anthologies (http://www.change.org/petitions/castlevania-anthologies)
We firmly believe that the proposed Castlevania Anthologies would be a profitable venture for KONAMI, and it would unite fans both old and new as the franchise moves forward. With MercurySteam's development of the Lords of Shadow sub-series coming to an end, this seems like the perfect time to rejuvenate the fanbase and bolster series profitability as KONAMI decides on the next step for the brand.
We also realize that many of the development decisions on such products are made by KONAMI's Japanese division, but in this regard, we are counting on KONAMI Digital Entertainment of America to be our sounding board, our voice of reason to decision-makers like Koji Igarashi. Castlevania sells better in America than anywhere else in the world, after all, and our fandom has likely carried the series' success over the last 26 years. This is not a statement of entitlement. We just don't understand why KONAMI would ignore a rare opportunity that seems like a sure-fire benefit to both the developer and its fanbase.
Here are a few reasons we believe the anthologies would be a compelling venture:
1) It would allow long-time fans to revisit the series in its entirety, something that is virtually impossible with releases scattered across a multitude of consoles. In its current state, a die-hard fan would need to have at least seven different gaming platforms active to enjoy the entire series, even with the availability of Castlevania titles on Wii's Virtual Console, PSN, and XBox Live Marketplace.
2) It would provide a reasonable entry point to the series for new fans. Otherwise, it is nearly impossible for a new Castlevania player to catch up on the entire timeline, thus lessening their commitment to the franchise or eliminating it as an option altogether. Trying to collect the original games would also cost thousands of dollars, as many still aren't available digitally, and classic games purchased on eBay or Amazon does nothing to benefit KONAMI. Why not claim those collector funds for yourself by releasing a consolidated anthology? The rarest Castlevania titles no longer make KONAMI a dime, but this is a way to capitalize on those old products again.
3) It would deter players from using emulators to replay Castlevania classics, which in itself is a damaging form of digital piracy. Most collectors would much prefer playing a legitimate retail release of a game over a glitchy emulated download, and the best fans actually want to support the developer. However, because so many Castlevania titles are on old hardware and are not offered on newer digital platforms, emulation becomes a last resort. But emulation is a slippery slope because once a gamer resigns to using them, he or she will often play all games available through emulation [even the one's offered for official purchase] for the sake of convenience and consolidation. The anthologies would, once again, reclaim the money lost to this form of piracy.
4) It would perform better on the mainstream market than individual digital releases ever could. Compilations appeal to the completionist mentality of long-time fans and collectors, adding significant value to seek out an anthology instead of individual entries. Having many games fragmented over a variety of platforms only leads to spontaneous, unpredictable sales. This is the exact reason why digital bundles perform so well on Steam even at heavily discounted prices.
5) It would allow KONAMI to pull extra mileage out of every Castlevania title, even the worst ones that would be unlikely to sell as individual downloads. There are many entries in the series, such as the N64 titles and controversial Judgment, that simply don't warrant individual re-release, but by packing them with fan favorites, KONAMI could once again claim profits from those less popular chapters in the series.
6) It would be a platform for delivering content that fans have been requesting for years, such as translated radio dramas and novels that never reached the Western market. These extras would greatly incentivize the anthologies and allow KONAMI to charge full retail price for the collections despite individual games' age.
7) It would require less time and money than a new next-generation project. While current game development requires many millions of dollars for a single game, it is our best estimate that both anthologies could be produced for around $1 million over the course of six months or less. Not only could KONAMI then spread out their releases between anthologies and across multiple platforms to ensure a steady flow of revenue, but each anthology would only need to sell approximately 33,000 copies retail or 17,000 copies digitally in order to make them profitable. Considering the DS Castlevanias easily sold hundreds of thousands in the United States and Lords of Shadow exceeded 2 million worldwide, the anthologies seem to be more than a safe bet for high profit. By limiting the release of retail hardcopies and incentivizing the digital versions of the anthologies [at perhaps $5 less than retail], KONAMI could stand to make fast and relatively easy
profits on the project with a very quick turn rate.
8) It would bolster support for KONAMI and future development decisions. The anthologies would demonstrate that KONAMI is listening to its fans and giving them something truly special. KONAMI has lost many of its dedicated fans due to inconsistent decisions on Castlevania, Silent Hill, Metal Gear, and Suikoden franchises, and with both Metal Gear and Castlevania getting new entries over the coming year, regaining fan confidence is absolutely critical to future profitability. Gamers may be a fickle bunch, but as companies like Atlus can attest, having a loyal following of vocal fans is more powerful than any marketing campaign.
9) It would require minimal redesign to satisfy even the most hardcore fans. Emulation may be a bad thing for developers, but if there is one thing that it has proven in regards to Castlevania, it's that most players like these games to be in their purist, most untouched state. Many players even prefer to emulate the 8-bit Castlevanias with video filters turned off, in all their jaggy glory. Still, KONAMI could provide optional filters and scan line overlays to let players enjoy them in their own way. No "refreshed graphics" or remakes would be necessary, and even some "black box" frame-in is acceptable, perhaps with wallpaper and screen size options similar to The Dracula X Chronicles. At worst, the DS entries will need to be slightly retooled due to their lack of a second display and without touchscreen capability, but if that's the biggest obstacle, most of the other games should be relatively easy ports.
It's too rare that an opportunity like this presents itself, one that could equally benefit both the developer and its players, as fan desire often comes in direct conflict with the profitability that big companies aim to achieve. But when it does happen, I firmly believe that it is our responsibility to act on it. Such a project has the potential for gaining unparalleled community support, especially when you consider that Castlevania is one of the industry's oldest and most respected legacies.
Please take our efforts on the Castlevania Anthologies petition seriously, as we are acting as true fans of KONAMI's work and not out of disrespect or entitlement. This is an important cause, one that could lead to 26 years of Castlevania history being preserved and consolidated in a more accessible format. The petition has only been live for 9 days, yet it has gained signatures from all over the globe, including the United States, Great Britain, France, Spain, Argentina, Canada, New Zealand, and more. Clearly, the demand for such a collection is widespread, and I have no doubt that it would be a highly celebrated milestone in gaming history if it were released in the Castlevania Anthologies.
For your reference, here is the list of requested content for each anthology:
CASTLEVANIA ANTHOLOGY I (2D CLASSICS)
GAMES
Castlevania III: Dracula’s Curse [1476] NES
Castlevania: The Adventure [1576] GB
Castlevania: The Adventure ReBirth [1576] WII
Castlevania II: Belmont’s Revenge [1591] GB
Castlevania: Order of Shadows [1600s] MOB
Castlevania [1691] NES
Vampire Killer [1691] MSX2
Haunted Castle [1691] ARC
Super Castlevania IV [1691] SNES
Castlevania Chronicles [1691] PSX
Castlevania II: Simon’s Quest [1698] NES
Castlevania: Harmony of Dissonance [1748] GBA
Castlevania: Rondo of Blood [1792] PCE
Castlevania: Dracula X [1792] SNES
Castlevania: Symphony of the Night [1797] PSX
Castlevania: Order of Ecclesia [1800s] DS
Castlevania: Circle of the Moon [1830] GBA
Castlevania: Bloodlines [1917] GEN
Castlevania: Portrait of Ruin [1944] DS
Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow [2035] GBA
Castlevania: Dawn of Sorrow [2036] DS
UNLOCKABLES
Akumajo Special: Boku Dracula-kun [11797] FC
Kid Dracula [11797] GB
Akumajyo Dracula Peke [XXXX] PCE
Castlevania: Legends [1450 alt.] GB
Castlevania: The Bloodletting [CANCELLED] *production materials*
Castlevania Puzzle: Encore of the Night [XXXX] *mini-game*
Castlevania: Harmony of Despair [XXXX] *video montage*
EXTRAS
Art Gallery
Sound Test
Music Player
Complete Beastiary
Development History
Interactive Timeline
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CASTLEVANIA ANTHOLOGY II (3D CLASSICS)
GAMES
Castlevania: Lament of Innocence [1094] PS2
Castlevania: Curse of Darkness [1479] PS2
Castlevania: Dracula X ~Chronicles Version~ [1792] PSP
Castlevania: Legacy of Darkness [1844] N64
Castlevania [1852] N64
Castlevania: Judgment [11th Millennium] WII
UNLOCKABLES
Nocturne in the Moonlight [1798] *subtitled radio drama*
Dracula: Castlevania Edition [1897] *visual novel*
The Demon Castle Wars [1997~1999] *visual novel*
Ricordanza of the God Abyss [2037] *visual novel*
Pachislot Akumajo Dracula [1476] *mini-game*
Pachislot Akumajo Dracula II [1476] *mini-game*
Pachislot Akumajo Dracula III [1476] *mini-game*
Castlevania: The Medal [1792] *mini-game*
Castlevania: Resurrection [CANCELLED] *production materials*
Castlevania: The Arcade [1800s] *video montage*
Castlevania: Lords of Shadow [1047 alt.] *video montage*
Castlevania: Lords of Shadow ~Mirror of Fate~ [TBA] *trailers*
Castlevania: Lords of Shadow 2 [TBA] *trailers*
EXTRAS
Art Gallery
Sound Test
Music Player
Franchise Trivia
Developer Interviews
Character Models
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Thank you for your time and consideration in this matter. Also, please note that we, as members of the Castlevania online community, would even be willing to provide assistance in translating Japanese materials for localization, writing a Castlevania version of Bram Stoker's Dracula edited for consistency with the established timeline, or anything else that would help make this project a reality.
Sincerely,
Joshua Michael French
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Here is KONAMI's official reply, sent to my email only a few minutes ago:
Dear Joshua,
Thank you for contacting Konami Customer Support.
We're really happy that you all are such devoted fans of this game and want to be able to play it on current systems. We will forward your request and feedback to the appropriate department that makes the decisions regarding this.
Thank you for sharing your opinions.
Best Regards,
Janet
Konami Customer Support
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I don't want to sound mean, but the respond sounds like a typical respond from a company. It's like when you are going to get a new job, you are giving your CV and they are telling you, interesting CV, we will study it and then call you back, but that 90% never happens.
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I don't want to sound mean, but the respond sounds like a typical respond from a company. It's like when you are going to get a new job, you are giving your CV and they are telling you, interesting CV, we will study it and then call you back, but that 90% never happens.
I understand what you mean, but you need to understand the circumstances under which this response was received. I have personally approached KONAMI about similar ideas in the past, and the only reply I ever got was the basic, "We appreciate your interest, but unfortunately, KONAMI Digital Entertainment cannot accept unsolicited submissions from fans." I have received similar responses from other companies, as well. Furthermore, the previous replies often took weeks to get back to me, whereas KONAMI was fairly quick to respond to this one, and I suspect it's because the petition is set up to email them directly each time someone signs it. In other words, it's been on their radar for more than a week, and even with 49 signatures from a dozen different countries, it probably wouldn't be smart to ignore open dialogue with the petition supporters at this point.
The response may not be much, and it confirms nothing in terms of the petition. However, I wanted to share what little dialogue has occurred with those involved. In my email to them, I requested that they forward the message to the appropriate decision makers, and that is precisely what they have done instead of stonewalling us right out the gate. It's a small step, but a step nonetheless.
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I want disagree with what you are saying above and i really want to happen, but seeing how Konami has treated the series for their 25 anniversary and similar moves to yours, i have little hopes. Anyway, i wish you the best luck.
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Dear Joshua,
Thank you for contacting Konami Customer Support.
We're really happy that you all are such devoted fans of this game and want to be able to play it on current systems. We will forward your request and feedback to the appropriate department that makes the decisions regarding this.
Thank you for sharing your opinions.
Best Regards,
Janet
Konami Customer Support
Typical automated response from big company if you ask me. You'll probably get a more in-depth response if you just ask Dave Cox via Twitter or e-mail.
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Typical automated response from big company if you ask me. You'll probably get a more in-depth response if you just ask Dave Cox via Twitter or e-mail.
No one trusts David Cox to be the final authority on Castlevania any more, not after some of his recent statements.
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Dave Cox has been an employee at Konami since at least 1997, and has worked on several Castlevania projects (his name is in the SotN credits), so I'd say he has more credibility than this "Janet" person from Customer Support. But anything is possible, wouldn't hurt to just ask *shrug*
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Dave Cox has been an employee at Konami since at least 1997, and has worked on several Castlevania projects (his name is in the SotN credits), so I'd say he has more credibility than this "Janet" person from Customer Support. But anything is possible, wouldn't hurt to just ask *shrug*
Dave Cox also said that he believes that his Castlevania games are the pinnacle of the franchise and that he doesn't want to be in charge of Castlevania since it will inevitably decline after Lords of Shadow 2. I might like LoS as a "what if..." sub-series, but if someone makes a statement like that, he is obviously not the guy I want to talk to about the Castlevania Anthologies proposal.
I believe Koji Igarashi has more of fans' interest at heart, even if Cox managed to produce the best-selling CV title of all time. Many fans (and many members of this forum) would say that LoS relies too heavily on typical mainstream action game conventions in order to make it popular, which means that some people just don't think it's a proper Castlevania in the first place. I think it's good, but it's certainly not the all-time best.
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I believe Koji Igarashi has more of fans' interest at heart, even if Cox managed to produce the best-selling CV title of all time.
The problem is, Koji's out.
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The problem is, Koji's out.
He was out from 1998 to 2001, too.
Then he came back.
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He was out from 1998 to 2001, too.
Then he came back.
Oh right! I forgot /face palm
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All my money for this set.
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Automated response.
Almost 0 chances of this actually happening.
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I for one think that is Is way more then an automated response. They responded to the community. Not just him. Now they may not put out all of those games. But just A small collection would be great. Metal Gear has had multiple collections released. Hell, the HD collection was released on Xbox. I never thought Id see the day. People said that would be impossible. Stop being so depressing and just saying no.
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I for one think that is Is way more then an automated response. They responded to the community. Not just him. Now they may not put out all of those games. But just A small collection would be great. Metal Gear has had multiple collections released. Hell, the HD collection was released on Xbox. I never thought Id see the day. People said that would be impossible. Stop being so depressing and just saying no.
Yup! A little something would be great too.
Maybe they can time this for the 30th anniversary?
That will be a really special 30th birthday present for me.
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I for one think that is Is way more then an automated response. They responded to the community. Not just him. Now they may not put out all of those games. But just A small collection would be great. Metal Gear has had multiple collections released. Hell, the HD collection was released on Xbox. I never thought Id see the day. People said that would be impossible. Stop being so depressing and just saying no.
Was this answer posted on the official Castlevania Facebook page or something? Cuz if so then I'd consider it a response to the community, where everyone could see it.
It's not that he's being depressed or anything, I just think he's being realistic. Requesting an "ultimate anthology" of nearly every Castlevania game on 2 discs is quite a daunting task considering the history of the franchise, and an extremely costly one from both a business and financial perspective. Like I said, a mere 10,000 signatures simply won't be enough for them to greenlight such a project, and even if it did, it's very likely Konami won't see a considerable profit from all the effort of porting all these games just to make several thousand of us fans happy. Look at the "Revive Legends 3" campaign; even when they exceeded their goal of 100,000, Capcom still won't even budge to release the damn prototype, what makes people think Konami will answer to just 10,000? And I'm willing to bet this response was from Konami of America, you'd think Konami of Japan (the real guys that run the show) would even acknowledge this petition, even if it met the goal of 10,000? We'd prolly just get a "congratulations and we thank you for your enthusiasm, etc." response as usual.
A more "realistic" request I think would be for the N64/PS2 games re-released in HD, it's modest and A LOT less risky on Konami's behalf than this Ultimate Anthology, and we'd all buy that anyway. You have to look at it from both sides. Of course anyone here would buy an Ultimate Anthology also, that's a no-brainer. But will Konami profit from porting old games on disc format as opposed to cheaper digital releases or would it be more financially viable to pour that effort into a new 3D/2D game? This UA will no doubt exceed the $100 price tag, maybe even as high as $200. That's a lot of coin that many people on this very forum will have a hard time affording. Not everyone has a job here, or just make minimum wage (in fact I'm willing to bet only a select few of us actually have salaries) They'd HAVE to price it high in order to see a profit, "standard" special edition games nowadays costs about $80 give or take and even that's expensive.
Once again just trying to be realistic. Anything's possible, this could be the start of a long uphill battle that could take years, it's all about support and acknowledgment. I just think 10,000 is way too small a # but then again that's way more achievable than 100,000 so what do I know. Just giving my 2 cents on the matter. Prunyuu.
anyone remember "Operation:Akumajo?"