Hey everyone: it's been a while since I addressed this game. I have been largely retired from covering the series; and as I write this, it has been over two years since the informal announcement of "Yo-Kai Watch 4: We're Looking up at the Same Sky" was made at the 2019 Anime Expo, along with the movies that tie into its plot. Since then, not a whole lot has been said on the matter; and Level-5 has had a lot to deal with as well.
In the absence of any official news, there has been an editorial written on Screen Rant entitled: "Yo-Kai Watch 4 May Never Come West, But it Should." The piece argues in favor of an official localization of the game and material connected to it while also lamenting the difficulty of such a task and the increasing unlikelihood of it still happening. While I may not use their site the most frequently (I do like the Pitch Meeting sketches on their YouTube channel though); it does make some good points. Today, I will be expanding on them while writing my own take that I honestly never would have expected doing in the past: why Yo-Kai Watch 4 should be localized, but might not be.
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| Courtesy: Level-5 |
Let's set the scene: Yo-Kai Watch 4 was initially released on June 10, 2019 in Japan on the Nintendo Switch; marking the first main series game on a home console. Delayed from its initial planned release in December 2018; the game, while not perfect; was decently received by those who have played it. Though not the same level of sales as previous titles; the game still launched at #1 in Japan; even if it marked a decline from the previous game. On June 18, just eight days later; Super Mario Maker 2 launched; a title which sold more in its first three days than YW4 did in its first five months.
Still, at this time, Level-5 was confident enough to announce an English localization of the game at Anime Expo on July 5, 2019. They also expressed interested in releasing the fourth and fifth movies alongside the game, as they are key to the game's plot.
As of this writing, 32 months have passed since then; and not a whole lot has been said. It doesn't help that Snack World, a game that was meant to be another attempt at appealing to the West launched with little fanfare (the game launched against numerous competitors, the "Jara" toys didn't get localized and the anime got dumped on Crunchyroll after CN, Nick and Disney all balked at its content) and the Level-5 Abby closed down in 2020 due to difficulties caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Yet, at the same time, part of me does want the game to officially come to the West. Even though I've made no secret of my feelings toward the series in the past, I still think the game should be localized; even though it might not be. Here are my reasons why I think the game should at least get a release on eShop and/or PSN.
First, let's take a look at its context in not just the franchise; but the current landscape as a whole. I've argued this before, but it bears arguing again: continuing to claim that all westerners don't care about yokai and that Pokémon fans just dismissed it as a copy doesn't give things enough due diligence; and after nearly seven years has long since been replaced by its status as an international failure. Meanwhile, Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba managed to take Japan and the world by storm; by and large embracing its roots in both dark fantasy, ancient folklore and Taisho-era period drama. Though it's just as likely that the fourth game could still follow what's been done before with the series, I think it's a great opportunity to soft reboot the brand outside Japan. The fact that it draws less from the automated battles of the first three games and resembles a more active, real-time combat system in the vein of Level-5's own Ni No Kuni games alone is enough that it could stand out. Active combat mechanics and embracing your heritage aren't your enemy, the fact that PLA and Monster Hunter Rise were such big hits proves that.
On that note, let’s examine how the game's plot is connected to the fourth and fifth anime films. While cross-media content in games is by no means uncommon these days (Fortnite avatars attending a virtual concert while dressed as Superman, Rick and Morty and Lebron James in his Tune Squad uniform is easily the most 2021 image I conjure of that), it's another one entirely to make another piece of fiction canon to your game. Akihiro Hino has acknowledged this issue, and wants to localize the game with those movies so as not to confuse audiences who haven't seen them. Though the anime didn't too well on legacy formats, I think selling the rights to a streaming service could work for a direct-to-consumer approach. Even though Netflix delisted the first movie and the first season of the anime; Crunchyroll has reportedly expressed interest in picking up where the previous run left off. So, whether it's them or any other company (be it Funimation, Shout Factory, Sentai Filmworks or even Discotek Media); that is one way to get the key content out.
There's also the fact that both the Switch and the PS4 are consoles that are very friendly to RPGs. The potential to tap into that audience alone is definitely one reason I am actually onboard with a possible, however unlikely localization.
Beyond all this however, is the potential it has to close the book on the main series outside Japan. I am aware of the potential localization of the Jam Project under the imprint "Y School Heroes: Bustling School Life," but that isn't really a sure thing (I'm old enough to remember Chrono Break after all). The article I'm linking to suggests that releasing the fourth game and the movies key to its plot could revitalize the series in the west. However, I am not going to say that, but I do have a counterpoint: even if it's only a vanilla release on eShop and PSN, I believe the fourth game should be localized to provide closure to people that want it.
As I type this, there has been no further word about the game's localization or any further official content for the series. To wrap this up, I will say that if Yo-Kai Watch 4 is officially localized; I will address it. However, I acknowledge that it might not be; especially as I have retired from addressing the anime. That will be all for now, and I will be back another time.
P.S.: Go watch Turning Red, it really is that good.
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