Nintendo open to localizing Japanese VC games

I’m a huge Fire Emblem fan, and there are very few Virtual Console games I’d rather see than the old, currently Japanese-only Fire Emblem games from prior to 2003. Actually, there are no games I’d rather see. Unfortunately, Virtual Console games available so far have been “as-was,” with no added features and no games translated for release outside of their original regions.

This may not always be the case. Chris Kohler recently spoke to Nintendo’s Senior VP, George Harrison, concerning the Virtual Console. Apparently, Nintendo knows that many games that have been Japanese-only in the past are very popular among fans elsewhere in the world, including in America.

“We are aware that there are some very successful Japanese franchises that have a small following in the US, and that they could never be reached by putting these products out at retail. We’re open to games released in Japan if we can get them translated properly.”
- George Harrison, Senior VP, Nintendo of America

Nintendo knows fans want Fire Emblem. Nintendo knows fans want Earthbound. Now we know that Nintendo of America is open to translating these games for release on the American Virtual Console. If I recall correctly, the man in charge of localization for the recent GameCube and Game Boy Advance Fire Emblem games said he would love to localize the older Fire Emblem games if Nintendo wanted him to, and it could be a future possibility.

However, Harrison also mentioned that Nintendo is plenty busy with bringing already-popular US titles to the Virtual Console. Hopefully they’ll be able to get around to putting resources into localizing Genealogy of the Holy War.

Wired