What happened to Riot Games Japan?

Risuzaru·May 17, 2015·31 votes·5,475 views

What happened to Riot Games Japan? I know, there was official plan to launch server at 5th May 2015. Since that didn't happen, does it mean Japan isn't getting its own server in the end? Can we have any news from Riot? You could save me and other japanese players some time... I'm searching for any news possible - related to japanese server - everyday... there's nothing.

In one week there is Japanese League season 2 start. Sadly, many players in Japan feel disappointed - that there is no server still, and ignored - since you don't share any information about server work progress (if there is any).

27 Comments

I Main SamusMay 17, 201518 votes

This does seem pretty important. Japan could be another major front in the LCS/pro series but without their own server they cant' get the recognition they deserve.

satsujinshaMay 17, 20157 votes

Indeed Japanese were so impatient, waiting for the server, that they've made mistake - creating "pro" teams and Japanese League. Only to be recognized as worst region in the world. Ofc there is that illusion, that we have japanese teams, league and everything is fine... when in fact we are losing more and more potential, future pro players everyday, tired of waiting for japanese server.

Even, if there will be japanese server in the future I will have noone to start with. Since all my friends switched to other games, after waiting years for japanese server or any news about it. I think that Riot is making huge mistake by not informing us about, what is going on with Riot Games Tokyo. A bit of news last year was not enough to make most of japanese players stay and keep waiting still... They've left feeling disappointed... Like there was no progress at all. Please Riot, save what's left and open to us a little bit!

Lao Fu the TigerMay 17, 20151 votes

{quoted}

Indeed Japanese were so impatient, waiting for the server, that they've made mistake - creating "pro" teams and Japanese League. Only to be recognized as worst region in the world. Ofc there is that illusion, that we have japanese teams, league and everything is fine... when in fact we are losing more and more potential, future pro players everyday, tired of waiting for japanese server.

Even, if there will be japanese server in the future I will have noone to start with. Since all my friends switched to other games, after waiting years for japanese server or any news about it. I think that Riot is making huge mistake by not informing us about, what is going on with Riot Games Tokyo. A bit of news last year was not enough to make most of japanese players stay and keep waiting still... They've left feeling disappointed... Like there was no progress at all. Please Riot, save what's left and open to us a little bit!

今、アメリカのサーバーを使ってるの？

Acchan DanielsNov 4, 20151 votes

僕はいま沖縄にいてアメリカのサーバーを使っている

I Kill CommiesNov 4, 20151 votes

[{quoted}](name=Lao Fu the Tiger,realm=NA,application-id=cIfEodbz,discussion-id=gc2EowcL,comment-id=000000000000,timestamp=2015-05-17T20:07:49.121+0000)

今、アメリカのサーバーを使ってるの？

The ping from Japan to America is complete garbage. It's at least 170, absolutely unplayable. Riot needs to get their asses in gear and actually deliver.

MigrañaboyMay 18, 20151 votes

Only to be recognized as worst region in the world.

You are hurting latinos. t_t...

Yeah, we have a shit attitude for team games anyway.

Worst Mid EverMay 17, 20153 votes

the japanese have never been big on esports titles, they prefer those chinese cartoon games with virtual anime gfs and whatnot, also a server doesn't really guarantee a competitive scene, OCE and latin america both have had servers for at least a year or 2 and nothing has really happened here, to get to an international event you have to come first in your regions season and then compete against the top team from 8 other regions in the wildcard, then when you finally win and get to the event the casters and fans from the major regions essentially shit on you for being a wildcard team and then you get dumpstered because you can't practice full time

Angel ViolétMay 17, 20155 votes

[{quoted}](name=Worst Mid Ever,realm=OCE,application-id=cIfEodbz,discussion-id=gc2EowcL,comment-id=0001,timestamp=2015-05-17T13:44:17.970+0000)

the japanese have never been big on esports titles, they prefer those chinese cartoon games with virtual anime gfs and whatnot

Never knew Japanese people like to watch Chinese cartoons

The EllimiistMay 17, 20153 votes

Well he is saying it in a really douchey way, the fact is the japanese prefer cooperative games to competitive games. Hence the popularity of monster hunter, final fantasy mmo, zombie games like L4D/Killing Floors and the lack of PvP based games.

MaliginantMay 18, 20151 votes

I'm not. He's obviously misinformed. We all know Japan can make its own JRPGs and doesn't import them. Seriously though, I'm told that the japanese market prefers console games to pc which may be the point the person was trying to make.

LarasoMay 17, 201511 votes

[{quoted}](name=Worst Mid Ever,realm=OCE,application-id=cIfEodbz,discussion-id=gc2EowcL,comment-id=0001,timestamp=2015-05-17T13:44:17.970+0000)

the japanese have never been big on esports titles, they prefer those chinese cartoon games with virtual anime gfs and whatnot

I really fucking hate ignorant and bigoted attitudes like this.

Worst Mid EverMay 17, 20152 votes

you're ignorant, name a top japanese player in any major esport title ever, they play nintendo games not PC or other consoles http://vgsales.wikia.com/wiki/Famitsu_Best_selling_video_games

no major server side esports title has even had a japanese server, they are usually grouped in with OCE since China and Korea have top secret servers for their citizens only

VargisMay 18, 20154 votes

What about fighting games? Or do those not exist?

MaliginantMay 18, 20151 votes

Lol, tell me more about these top secret servers. Last I checked, they have told the rest of the world that they exist and therefore the servers cannot be top secret, unless the people in charge of keeping it a secret suck.

WezzMay 18, 20153 votes

{quoted}

I really fucking hate ignorant and bigoted attitudes like this.

He is right though that they aren't a big competitve gaming, sega, konami, and now Square Enix are now focusing on mobile gaming

This is the completely wrong place to play league

To all the fucktards downvoting me:

http://gadgets.ndtv.com/apps/news/square-enix-konami-to-focus-on-mobile-games-692762

satsujinshaMay 18, 20156 votes

Hey man! Noone care about "sega, konami, and now Square Enix" here. It's Riot's board and we talk about their game here. Maybe you didn't notice... Japanese are so motivated to play League that they even created Japanese League (soon it's 2nd season start)... while not having their own server still. If you really need to talk about other games and companies, please go to their boards and spamm there!

Rinky DinkyMay 18, 20151 votes

Are you mentally handicapped?

Linna ExcelMay 17, 20153 votes

I think Japan as a whole sees games as mostly for kids only and I don't think they are as fond of western titles and prefer games developed in Japan. Still, if there are fans there, I hope they can get a server.

Edgy LadMay 18, 20151 votes

[deleted]

Linna ExcelMay 18, 20151 votes

Dunno, but all I can say is this:

Based on my knowledge Japan is hard to break into for a foreign company. So there might have been some cultural or legal roadblock slowing riot down.
As the turn of Konami to mobile devices and the popularity of the DS over there have shown, Japan's preference in how you play games is important too. So trying to break a PC online game into a market that I think is starting to favor mobile devices is a hard business decision to make.

satsujinshaMay 19, 20154 votes

You know, that Japanese people love their cuisine, they prefer to eat everything that's traditional japanese food. Most of them are against fast - unhealthy - food. Many years ago noone could imagine how easy it will be for a foreign companies to come here, with their McDonalds and KFC everywhere around.

Another example: Still, few years ago everyone prefered mobile phones only made in Japan (for Japanese use only)... now - almost everyone have Apple's Iphone. Please don't tell us how "hard it is to break into Japan for a foreign company"...

Have you seen Riot's marketing plan for Japan at least? Because, you're talking, as if Riot was just about to make decision now - go to Japan or not... when, in fact, they're already in Japan for more than one year... all tests for a game and server in Japan are done and all we need is "press the launch button". They were planning to launch the server in Japan for 5/5/2015 - two weeks ago - it was Children Festival day for Japan (Golden Week). Perfect date for a start... but that didn't happen, and we want to know why?

Plase, can we get any official information from Riot about Riot Games Tokyo? Trust me, all players in Japan are tired - reading all this divagations from people that know nothing about Japan and Riot Games in Japan, but they pretend to be connoisseur of Japanese culture.

Here it is, Marketing Plan for Japan: http://www.slideshare.net/PhuvadolUewongtrakoo/marketing-plan-league-of-legends-enter-japanese-market

TomatosxMay 17, 20151 votes

japanese thymese chinese look at these dirty knees

Shield VillainMay 17, 20151 votes

At this point you shouldn't expect anything from Riot. You forget that they're a North American company, and have been pestered about NA East Servers for ages now, yet they're yet to really do anything. They say they're on it, even release information, but it's been years and nothing has happened

sao KimMay 18, 20155 votes

Riot Games in America and Riot Games Tokyo are different people, they work for different server and different society. Please don't make offtopic here.