The Game Developers Conference is a place where those who work in the games industry can collaborate and work towards a brighter future in the games industry. This usually infers that the event is pretty positive, but things got downright nasty Monday night.
Develop is reporting that Phil Fish, an indie developer working on the constantly delayed platformer Fez, took part in a panel after the screening of Indie Game: The Movie last night at GDC. Fez was featured heavily in the film and he was there to talk about the movie and indie games in general. The report from Develop says that it started out as “an open and positive discussion about indie games.”
It’s reported that a Japanese developer took the mic to say a few comments. He expressed happiness that Japanese games had inspired so many independent developers as evidenced by the film. He then asked the panelists what they thought about modern Japanese games. Fish immediately replied with, “Your games just suck.”
What followed was a tirade of criticism regarding the design flaws of Japanese games. While I would have fled the room crying to only drown myself in a bottle of sake, the developer took the criticism like a boss. He then thanked the panel and sat down.
Develop reports that many people in the audience were criticizing Fish for his harsh comments. Though some probably agreed with him as Japanese games are usually the first to be brought to task for stagnation in the industry.
Developers have taken Fish to task on Twitter over his comments. Andrew Dice, one of the founders of Carpe Fulgur, a localization company that has proven there’s enormous value in indie Japanese games with Recettear, Chantelise and Fortune Summoners made his opinion on the matter known:
I do have to wonder if Fish realizes something like a fifth to a quarter of all the devs here are Japanese. #GDC #GDC2012
— Andrew Dice (@SpaceDrakeCF) March 6, 2012
For those who don’t quite what I was talking about with my Fish comments: develop-online.net/news/40061/GDC… The man was tasteless and rather stupid. #GDC
— Andrew Dice (@SpaceDrakeCF) March 6, 2012
Robert Boyd, one of the founders of Zeboyd Games, the indie studio behind throwback JRPGs Breath of Death VII and Cthulhu Saves the World, also criticized Fish.
So apparently, Phil Fish insulted a Japanese guy to his face at GDC saying that Japan produces nothing but garbage games. Not cool.
— Robert Boyd (@werezompire) March 6, 2012
Not everybody thought Fish was in the wrong, however, as many said the man was just expressing his opinion.
Really, internet? We’re gonna blow up over @Phil_fish‘s comments at GDC? Despite your feelings, he’s entitled to an opinion.
— Brice Puls (@BricePuls) March 6, 2012
Apparently @PHIL_FISH isn’t allowed to have an opinion. Also, this non-event wouldn’t be news if GDC hadn’t turned into a faux e3. #yawn
— David Crane (@daveycraney) March 6, 2012
BREAKING NEWS: Man who can’t finish a game makes unreasonable statements about games industry
— Christine Love (@christinelove) March 6, 2012
Fish has spent the day on Twitter clarifying what he meant by his comment.
at tonight’s IGTM Q&A, some japanese guy asked us what we thought of modern japanese games, and i said i thought they sucked.
— PHIL FISH (@PHIL_FISH) March 6, 2012
so i guess im somekind of big racist now.
— PHIL FISH (@PHIL_FISH) March 6, 2012
im sorry japanese guy! i was a bit rough, but your country’s games are fucking terrible nowadays.
— PHIL FISH (@PHIL_FISH) March 6, 2012
holy shit, this thing is really blowing up, eh?
— PHIL FISH (@PHIL_FISH) March 6, 2012
japanese games are just two western games duct-taped together.
— PHIL FISH (@PHIL_FISH) March 6, 2012
@bfod people just keep putting me up on stages with microphones! they’re enabling me!
— PHIL FISH (@PHIL_FISH) March 6, 2012
@limbclock @bfod dude, i stand by what i said. most modern japanese games are terrible. you can quote me on that.
— PHIL FISH (@PHIL_FISH) March 6, 2012
This is probably going to be THE big scandal at GDC and people are probably not going to let it die. Fish is entitled to his opinion though as harsh as it might be. It will be interesting to see the fallout of this and any response from Japanese developers on the matter.
What do you think? Is Fish right in that modern Japanese games just suck? Or are there shining examples of Japanese game development that you feel should be praised? Let us know in the comments.