Why Overseas Games Fail in Japan | What to Check Before Launch

Why Overseas Games Fail in Japan | What to Check Before Launch

Hello, this is Toroneko.

This time, I will explain the real reasons why overseas game titles tend to fail in the Japanese market, and the minimum things business owners should check before launch.

In reality, many overseas titles that do not succeed in Japan are not losing because the game itself is not fun.

A major reason is that they are launched without doing the minimum checks and adjustments that should be done before entering the Japanese market.

That is really a waste.

Many overseas game companies tend to think:

“If we translate it and launch it, then after that it will depend on the game content itself.”

However, in reality, just translating it is not enough to compete in the Japanese market.

Of course, another reason things do not go well is that the game content itself is not adjusted for the Japanese market.

But the biggest problem is this:

They take methods that worked overseas and use them in Japan as they are,
and that creates a sense of discomfort for Japanese users.

Japanese users are sensitive to this kind of discomfort. Before they even reach the fun part of the game, they start judging things like:

“Something feels strange.”
“Is this title really okay?”
“Can I trust this company?”
“Ah, this pattern again.”

To avoid this kind of wasted situation, I will explain the “minimum things that must be done” when overseas game companies release games in Japan.

That said, the “minimum things that must be done” in this article are not special tactics.

They are the basic conditions needed to create an entry point where the game’s fun and potential can be properly evaluated in the Japanese market.

If this is not done before launch, not only will the game’s real appeal fail to come across, but it will also have to compete while Japanese users already feel discomfort and distrust.

So here I will explain what should be done to avoid that situation.

Points Where Japanese Users Feel Discomfort Toward Overseas Titles

Typical things that make Japanese users feel discomfort toward overseas titles include the following:

When Japanese users see this kind of situation, they feel discomfort before they even experience the game’s fun.

So what should be done? I have organized the minimum things that should be done by priority.

Priority A | Things That Must Be Addressed Before Launch

Check 1: Improve unnatural Japanese

【Reason】

・Unnatural Japanese creates discomfort for Japanese users
・Expressions that do not match the game’s world hurt immersion

【What to Check】

・Is the in-game text natural Japanese?
・Do the Japanese expressions match the characters and the world setting?
・Are there any unnatural elements in fonts, UI, or text display?

【What to Do】

・Do not stop at translation checking only; confirm it on the actual device
・Do not stop at first-stage translation; also do second-stage and third-stage translation
・Check the flow through actual gameplay

Check 2: Are there any problems in the app store or ads that create discomfort or misunderstanding?

【Reason】

・In Japan, the way the app store page and ads are made can lead to distrust toward the game
・Many users leave at the stage of thinking “This looks suspicious” or “This looks cheap” before reaching the fun part
・Mismatch between pre-launch information and the actual game becomes a cause of user drop-off

【What to Check】

・Are the store descriptions and images appropriate, and do they feel natural?
・Are there exaggerated ads or a gap between the ads and the actual game content?

【What to Do】

・Cut out and check only the user’s first impression
・Review it not from “What do we want to say?” but from “Does this create distrust?”

Check 3: Are quality, UI, and user flow appropriate?

【Reason】

・In Japan, rough quality leads directly to distrust toward the company
※Here, “quality” does not mean “how fun the game is.” It refers to the basic “ease of play” quality that should normally already be handled.

・If the first experience is bad, users leave before they even reach the fun part of the game

【What to Check】

・Is there no stress from launch to starting gameplay?
・Are the UI and user flow easy to understand?
・Are there any obvious bugs or rough behavior left in the game?

【What to Do】

・Check the initial gameplay experience
・Do quality checks based on whether there is any sense of discomfort

Check 4: Does the business owner understand both the in-game and outside creative materials?

【Reason】

・If things are fully outsourced to external companies, there is a risk of exaggerated ads or infringement of other companies’ IP
※As a result, this affects user drop-off and trust with users
・A situation where nobody checks and nobody stops it only creates risk

【What to Check】

・Does the business owner understand the ad creatives being used?
・Who approves PVs, banners, videos, LPs, and store assets?
・Has everything been left entirely to external companies?

【What to Do】

・Check everything that goes out into the public
・Do not separate game content from external creative materials
・Make it clear who does the final check

Check 5: Is it clear what should be changed for Japan, and who decides it?

【Reason】

・Many failures happen not because of lack of work, but because of lack of judgment
・If it is unclear who decides, the game may be launched without making important fixes

【What to Check】

・Is it clear what should be changed for Japan?
・Is it also clear what should not be changed for Japan?
・Is it decided whether headquarters or the local side has the final decision?

【What to Do】

・Create a list of change targets
・Decide the approval line for whether something should be changed before launch

Check 6: Does the business owner understand the reasons the title may stumble in the Japanese market?

【Reason】

・Entering Japan is not a field operation issue; it is a business decision
・If the business owner does not understand it, everything stays in the hands of the field team until the end

【What to Check】

・Can they explain the elements that lead to distrust in the Japanese market?
・Do they understand the anxiety points and weaknesses of their own title?
・Has everything been left to external partners?

【What to Do】

・Understand “what is wrong” rather than just “what to do”
・Assume failure patterns in advance, and either solve them beforehand or prepare countermeasures

Priority B | Things Where the Way of Thinking Should Be Decided Before Launch

Check 7: Are you ending Japan entry as only a “translation task”?

【Reason】

・Game launch for Japan is not enough with translation alone
・Even if first-stage translation is done, discomfort and distrust can still remain in Japan

【What to Check】

・Are you treating game launch for Japan as only a localization task?
・Are you also checking the store page, PV, ads, and game operation?

【What to Do】

・Check not from “what to translate” but from “what should be changed for Japan”
・Judge not only translation but also the game’s “presentation” and “operation”

Check 8: Are monetization and operation becoming company-first?

【Reason】

・Japanese users are sensitive not to monetization itself, but to when business-first thinking is visible
・If users strongly feel monetization pressure, they become cautious immediately

【What to Check】

・Is the monetization flow too obvious?
・Are you ignoring the user perspective because of business thinking?

【What to Do】

・Review the monetization flow and presentation for Japan
・Review the game operation policy from the user’s point of view

Check 9: Is the operation of official X and YouTube designed for Japan?

【Reason】

・In Japan, the operation of official accounts is also seen as part of trust
・Follower count matters less than engagement, operation policy, and content

【What to Check】

・Are the roles and strategies of official X and YouTube clear?
・Is it decided what kind of place they are for communicating to Japanese users?
・Is engagement extremely low compared with the number of followers?
・Is the operation close to users?

【What to Do】

・Before increasing follower count, first decide what the accounts are for
・Clarify the posting policy, update frequency, and content for Japan
・Use official accounts not as ad support, but as touchpoints for building trust

Priority C | Things That Must Be Done to Succeed in the Japanese Market

Check 10: Is the “strength” or “appeal” that makes this title chosen clear?

【Reason】

・The minimum responses up to this point are not enough to create a reason to be chosen
・To compete in Japan, a clear “strength” or “appeal” is necessary

【What to Check】

・Can you explain in one sentence why this title will be valued in Japan?
・Is its strength clear compared with competitors and benchmark titles?

【What to Do】

・Prepare at least one strong appeal that only this game has and cannot lose on
※This reaches into the game content itself, so if this part is unclear, launching in Japan will not go well.

Check 11: How will you communicate that “strength” and “appeal” properly in the Japanese market?

【Reason】

・Even if you prepare a “strength” and “appeal” that can work in Japan, the way you communicate it is important
・You cannot communicate many things through ads and the store page, so you need to decide what should be pushed forward

【What to Check】

・Is the “appeal of this game” for the Japanese market decided?
・Is that appeal organized and reflected with the same axis in the store page, PV, and ads?

【What to Do】

・Clarify the message for Japan (= marketing strategy)
・Align the messages across all promotional materials

Check 12: Have you decided how far to culturalize?

【Reason】

・There is no need to change the entire overseas game for Japan
・But if you do not decide how far to change it, it becomes halfway

【What to Check】

・Is the scope of changes for Japan decided?
・Is there a reasonable reason for what will not be changed?

【What to Do】

・Do not leave things untouched through a “change nothing” decision or paralysis
・Confirm the parts to change and the parts to keep as a business decision

Summary | If You Do Not Do the Minimum, Understand the Risk Before Deciding

What I explained here is not something special.
If you want to launch an overseas title in the Japanese market, these are the minimum things that should be done.

Only after these are done should you start working on marketing strategy and tactics for the Japanese market.

But in reality, many companies still cannot do these “basic” and “minimum” things, and even games with potential often fail to show their strengths.

Of course, it is possible to launch in the Japanese market without doing any of this.
But in that case, you are launching while users already feel discomfort and distrust before even reaching the fun part of the game.

The business owner needs to understand that risk and still make the decision: “We launch anyway.”

What Toroneko Can Do

Before bringing an overseas title into the Japanese market, Toroneko can help check:

I help create a state where the business owner can make decisions.

As a result,

・Create a minimum state where the title can compete
・Prevent titles with potential from being wasted

These kinds of outcomes can be created.
On top of that, I also help with the deeper marketing strategy and business decisions that should really be done.

If you do not want to repeat the same failure with your next title, please feel free to contact me.