Amsterdam University Press Handbook of Japanese Games and Gameplay (Handbooks on Japanese Studies)

The Handbook of Japanese Games and Gameplay showcases the rich variety of games in Japan, placing them in the context of industry, development processes, and a broader media ecology. We trace Japanese games through history, including card games, board games, pachinko and digital games, as well as how games are connected to toys and animation, and how analog and mechanical games connect to the virtual world. Analyzing some of the largest and most successful games ever published, including Final Fantasy, Nobunaga’s Ambition, Virtua Fighter, Resident Evil and Animal Crossing, we see how different audiences have interpreted them around the globe. We follow players from the living room to the arcade, into online spaces, escape rooms and themed cafés to see where gameplay happens. Entering the offices of some of the world’s leading videogame development corporations, readers can follow the production process from initial design and development decisions through localization, adaptation to different hardware systems, marketing and distribution. Comparing the Japanese game industry to its overseas counterparts, we examine its labor practices and legal obstacles to innovation in areas like esports. Niche markets and indie games are also considered, as vital spaces for expression outside the mainstream. Overall, the Handbook of Japanese Games and Gameplay offers the reader an exciting glimpse into Japanese games from a wide variety of perspectives.