Fact-Checking "Level-5 Abby: A Real Look at the Situation."

I honestly wasn't expecting to do this before July 5, but now; I'm elaborating on something I mentioned on the previous post I did on this matter. I just needed to find where the information was, and much as I did on a previous post; I will be including quotes when necessary. I will be linking to the post on Amino, but to protect the identity of the author (and since their name includes a term I find increasingly unsavory given recent events), I shall be referring to them as "Mineta Minoru" from here on out. So, let's get this started.

Level-5 Abby I 

Claim: "Many people before this situation had absolutely no clue what Level-5 Abby was. They then learned that it was in charge of all western localization. So, putting two and two together, that must mean that they shut down virtually all localization operations, correct? Well, dear reader, the answer isn’t as plain as you’d expect. While yes: this WAS the original intent of Level-5 Abby, it has since grown into just kinda being there."

Fact: The Abby was specifically set up for the purpose of handling operations outside Japan in North America; as one arm of Level-5 International. Different branches existed in Europe, and this was the intent upon its formation in October 2015. However, it's a bit facetious to dismiss the current state of the Abby so flippantly in the context of the anonymous former employees working there. Likewise, suggesting that people had no clue what the Abby was significantly undermines the situation at hand; as most people looking at the situation would draw the conclusion that they helped localize video games and other media. It's not like a mobster using "sanitation" or "meatpacking" as a front to hide the remains of their enemies.

Claim: "So then, if this is false, how did it spread like a wildfire? As aforementioned, many people had absolutely no clue what Level-5 Abby was before this situation, so, craving information regarding the fate of their beloved franchise, they clung onto the first things they heard that sounded semi-logical. This is basically all a result of the 𝘐𝘭𝘭𝘶𝘴𝘰𝘳𝘺 𝘛𝘳𝘶𝘵𝘩 𝘌𝘧𝘧𝘦𝘤𝘵, where when a bit of information is repeated and relayed countless times (be it false or not), it is regarded to be the truth. This is especially true considering that much of this info has reached the most impressionable portion of our audience: children."

Fact: There are far too many external factors to dismiss the information as false; and for someone like Minoru trying to invoke the "Illusory Truth Effect," they certainly are quick to claim that this has been heard by children and to dismiss the story as false. I am well familiar with that fallacy; but it manifests in other ways as well, when someone is unable/unwilling to admit their mistakes; let alone correct them and learn from them; even going so far as to pass them off as "alternative facts" despite being blatantly wrong. The reality is this: the source cited has long been a reliable and respected source in and out of the industry, and Minoru's claim otherwise also contradicts the former employees who have been corroborating the story after being let go from the company. Given how most of the company's offerings outside Japan have garnered nowhere near the success in their homeland, the information that's the cause of concern is no more "semi-logical" any more than someone can be "a little bit pregnant." Before I address the next heading, while I do not claim to speak for the children (even as I've been known to deconstruct material meant for them); I'm fairly certain they have other problems that are of more pressing concern than a video game company pulling out of the states. That said, I also believe they're far more resilient than many give them credit for; so even if a kid was aware of the situation, they'd probably understand.

Level-5 Abby II

The second heading then tries to justify there still being a place for the company on the grounds that they had an annual profit of around $58 million USD for a smaller company. This may have been true at one time; but the problem is that the information he's basing this on is at least three years out of date. Yet, he somehow equates that money to being the equivalent of over 1 million units on 3DS; and even attempted to preemptively double down on people verifying his statements in the comments as follows: 

"To who it may concern (and before someone tries debunking this post with a single tidbit of info), if you research the exact revenue itself then there will be different numbers that pop up at times. That’s just how that sort of stuff works; many different places come up with different estimates, so I’ve simply gone with the one I felt was most accurate. Even outside of the revenue though, it wouldn’t change the other points in the slightest, as all of the revenue is still fair enough from every estimate to where it could not be the key source of a full shut-down. And additionally: we know that the number is indeed the $58 million because we can do the math with the released sales numbers since the start of Abby, which match up just fine."

Does the name "Filip Miucin" mean anything to you, Minoru? Pretty sure this approach didn't work for him and it's not going to work here either. At any rate, while the company may have had that profit margin at one time; more recent data posts their earnings at the time of closure at $3-5 million. Also, the size of a company and profitability do not automatically a good company make. Though Minoru does acknowledge the toxic behavior of the COO (who I have previously referred to as Crusty Demon); downplaying that on the belief that the localization was done in Japan isn't exactly a good look.

Level-5 Abby III

Before I go further, I shall note someone on Twitter found my recap of the first movie; then shared an excerpt in a screenshot. I'm not taking it personally, since it's not that much longer or coherent than something written on a bathroom stall.

Now that I have that out of the way, Minoru then tries to keep up the facade by suggesting there are no concrete plans; then suggesting alternate adjectives such as "solid," "absolute," "unchangeable," or "stable;" then dismissing the very real doubts about the situation as "mass hysteria." As an English major myself who's been seeking out as much info as I can (including watching every single piece of material released since Shadowside even though I don't plan on formally reviewing it); that won't be enough to dissuade people's concerns. Even if I don't know what things are going to look like post-coronavirus for games (other than the fact I'll probably be spending a fair amount of time after I get my shots playing New Pokémon Snap and Resident Evil VIII), I'm not pretending like I do compared to some people I know. Minoru's argument is worth about as much as trying to use old Chuck E. Cheese's tokens at the Bellagio. 

Though his request is not a bad one at the end, his claims are full of inaccurate information. I know I've been channeling my inner Jim Sterling for this post; but I will offer a counterpoint ahead of this coming July, which will mark two full years since the announcement initially came: if you don't have concrete plans to localize something, then don't announce them until you do. Otherwise, we'll just have more of the same problems we've been having before.

Overall, this so-called "real look at the situation" is anything but. Rather; it's just a further example of how far things have fallen for the company. I've mentioned this before, and it bears mentioning again: success in Japan does not, if ever; guarantee success overseas. Nor does the ability to localize something in Japan guarantee it will happen anywhere else. Right now, the only ways I see further localizations happening are being digital-only and/or selling the international rights to other publishers. I'm going back to work on my other posts, that will be all for now; since I really don't expect to hear anything else before summer. Later.