The Failure Of Soul Hackers (3DS) And SMT (iOS) Explained

[@christianboustani8284]

Its a shame it didn't do well because Soul Hackers is imo one of the best SMT games. Plus I actually cared about the characters which is rare for SMT.

[@christianboustani8284]

@wario2255 If only I knew that a year ago when I wrote this comment

[@reen6904]

@@christianboustani8284 it's my favorite smt

[@hoonterofhoonters6588]

It hurts being a late comer to this series. I wish that I had gotten into it years ago.

[@Venom3254]

At least waiting didn't have to be painful, especially for any SMT V news.

[@ltb1345]

I don’t know how I was able to get Strange Journey Redux new for $23 earlier this year. Every other SMT game on 3DS is ridiculously expensive to buy physically.

[@sladejosephwilson2300]

Same here. I knew about atlus and I knew about persona for years but had little interest in persona. Then I heard about smt a while back and became interested. After playing SMT 4 on the 3ds I became unhealthily addicted to the series and bought more smt games.

[@sladejosephwilson2300]

@@ltb1345 Lucky

[@allahu-s2h]

i feel you.

[@gummmie]

i hope the nocturne HD sales changes atlus's mind about ports and remasters

[@ultracapitalistutopia3550]

SMT3HD pretty much follow the formula of Soul Hacks 3DS port (voice acting and inconsequential graphics update), so I won't give its sales too much hope.

[@gummmie]

@@ultracapitalistutopia3550 special edition preorders sold out in 10 minutes and the regular preorder is in top 10 sellers on most websites i think nocturne hd is moving numbers and has the potential to show atlus that ports and remasters sell

[@elcomp2178]

@@gummmie Pretty sure The Nocturne HD and P4G will change their minds

[@nr2676]

Nocturne HD Remaster sold in first week in Japan over 102 K (only physical), similar numbers to original PS2 release.

[@kaidene573]

sadly we are 9 months later and it most likely didnt . V most likely wont either

[@NP-ip3nj]

Honestly, Soul Hackers is the game that convinced me to buy a 3DS. It was the first game I bought for it. Now had they done a 3DS or Switch port of SMT, I would have bought it in a heartbeat. I don't do phone games and didn't (and don't) have an Iphone. Stupid for Atlus to get mad about customers not buying this on such a niche platform.

[@haruhisuzumiya6650]

I bought soul hackers on the Atlus sale on 3ds, that and I bought SMTIV

[@tumaien4188]

Honestly that smt 1 port could have been much more succesful if it was also released for android. Like for real

[@MrDmoney156]

Funny enough, it was on Android as well too but in the Japanese Google Play Store only

[@SovereignSoul1717]

Atlus is not famous for making very smart decisions.

[@tmcttf8087]

And....everywhere else.

[@ironwolfosiris]

SMT 1 and 2 deserve full scale remakes from the ground up, not ports. I'm crossing my fingers one day.

[@scottiethompson9315]

Soul Hackers jumped up in price quite a lot. It all makes perfect sense now.

[@Noodlepunk]

It did I grabbed it when it came out.

[@ironwolfosiris]

I got the launch edition with the slip cover box and mini soundtrack at launch. Was really happy with it :)

[@D3athL1vin]

atlus didnt even properly market a lot of these classic smt games and then theyre surprised that they underperformed in terms of sales.....

[@nr2676]

Just like SEGA.

[@enzito_sdf6978]

they didn't even properly market games like smt nocturne when they came out, not surprised honestly.

[@nr2676]

@@enzito_sdf6978 SEGA sadly only care about Yakuza and Persona.

[@heywoodjablome2767]

@@nr2676 It's sad how Sega stopped caring about Sonic when that franchise is what made Sega as big as they are today.

[@nr2676]

@@heywoodjablome2767 Right, but today only high budget AAA platformers like Ratchet and Clank or Mario are selling. If the SEGA schouldn't be that skimpy like today, especially in marketing ... SEGA in 199x was big AAA developer, now is more like indie or niche jrpg developer like NISA or Falcom.

[@jon6168]

When i pre ordered the game, the store didn’t know it was coming out and my copy was the only one they got in stock. It got no marketing (at least in the UK) and very little info about the release, so people didn’t even know it existed.

[@nr2676]

Like 99% today games from SEGA - Sakura Wars, Fist of The North Star Paradise, Valkyria Chronicles 4 and more got total 0 marketing in West. SEGA only advertise Yakuza games, and ATLUS Persona games in West,, that pisses me off. Today without marketing u are dead or like indie studio, ATLUS must learn its 2021 not 1991, when u can just release game and sell it. SEGA is only one big company with 0 marketing in West, some Europeans didnt even know any SEGA game than Sonic, or ATLUS game than Persona 5. Sry my english is not perfect.

[@IHeart16Bit]

SEGA hadn't even bought Atlus when this came out, what an insane comment.

[@Dark2Reaper]

I'm hoping after the success of Persona 4 Golden on Steam, that Atlus will start to bring more of their catalog to PC. Atlus has a weird issue of releasing definitive editions of games on non-mainstream systems.

[@sladejosephwilson2300]

I hope it's not just not ONLY persona games.

[@cristianmastrocicco4552]

@@sladejosephwilson2300 Hey, the 3DS was pretty mainstream (It sold something like 70 million units). Many JRPGs were released for it, too. But there wasn't really a market for that stuff

[@reen6904]

What do you think now? The whole persona series is on pc

[@somecallmesean_]

@@sladejosephwilson2300 I mean Nocturne came out on everything except Xbox

[@LezbeOswald]

after all the crazy history of SMT that i'm learning about, i'm surprised SMT5 and the Nocturne remaster are actually getting released. i mean i think the mega-popularity of Persona 5 played a role in it, but still. a lot of the history of SMT reminds me of the history of Fire Emblem. maybe SMT5 is gonna be SMT's Awakening.

[@obi-wankenobi4337]

IV was already that

[@guillermocas2877]

Persoana 5 was awakening

[@obi-wankenobi4337]

@@guillermocas2877 For Persona not SMT

[@arzfan29]

I'd say 4 was the awakening, 4 apocalypse was the echoes, less talked about but better than the previous, and 5 might be the 3 houses

[@puzzle_boy]

SMT4 was the beginning for a lot of people including myself.

[@Nextliar]

Soul hackers its the sequel of a untranslated game, how they want this was a sussess!

[@MohammadAhmad-sf6by]

You dont need to play the first game to understand sould hackers wth

[@RaxonXVI]

I love soul hackers it’s one of my favorite games in the series next to SMTIV And sadly I wasn’t able to get the iOS version of 1 because I was an android user at the time and now that I have an iPhone I totally would get it if I could

[@sladejosephwilson2300]

why is soul hackers your favorite

[@RaxonXVI]

@@sladejosephwilson2300 I love the characters story and music and how it’s gameplay is a great mix of old smt and the new ones idk I just genuinely enjoy everything about it

[@kierenbuckley370]

Atlus is very conservative especially when it comes to Megami Tensei

[@MrDmoney156]

Then again this is Japanese companies in a nutshell, they're all like that except for SEGA thankfully!

[@powerfulberry237]

@@MrDmoney156 talk about ignorant and lacking of common sense

[@puzzle_boy]

Conservative in which sense?

[@Feliciathedoll]

@@MrDmoney156 Sega is also like this as well. You sounded Ignorant and out of tune about it.

[@ArchitecturalAesthetics2046]

You release a first party hit on a platform, and that will pave the way for better sales for ports or remakes. I didnt know what smt was until I played iv on 3ds, loved it so much I purchased soul hacker, strange journey redux, and the 2 devil survivors. Same goes for switch, if v is a hit, atlus can pretty much port whatever they want.

[@electronicmusicofjapan-emj9882]

What's the first ost in the background?

[@Septavius]

Transvestite Hyper Rearrange as your background track. Best song ever!

[@mattagenleonhart5485]

First Nyarly then Spencer....???

[@nichoudha]

And Larrue.

[@lnsflare1]

SMT *is* known for having multiple routes. Nyarly is probably the Chaos route.

[@MarxasThomas]

@@lnsflare1 the name says it all lol

[@kaidene573]

huh?

[@joezuru3753]

Someone translated the Gba version of smt 1 using the script from the ios port if you are interested

[@tyrone2423]

How do u get it and install it.

[@eulogous]

I'm currently playing it and it's pretty cool

[@orbitalkao3984]

As someone who just recently started SMT (Played P4G first then went to SMT Strange Journey and SMT 4) It would be cool to play SMT 1 on Android. Can't deny I'm excited about SMT 3 Nocturne since I've deliberately avoided it once I heard about the switch version, I would love to play the earlier SMT's and if they get a remake in the future then even better.

[@aiodensghost8645]

For one, Atlus DIDNT release SMT 1 and 2 on Android, nor did they port it to the Nintendo DS/3DS with a proper localization for 2. Second, Soul Hackers on 3DS is fucking expensive for a physical game. And I’d rather buy a physical, but I ain’t spending $150+ for a cartridge when that’s how much I can buy another PSP Go for

[@Frank-im1le]

Goal:buy smt soul hackers for 3ds Obstacle:been from latinamerica

[@haruhisuzumiya6650]

Soul hackers on 3ds cart is like 150-180 Australian dollars

[@valletas]

Honestly insane to think that smt 5 vengence is now in portuguese Like smt got translated before pokemon did

[@malageist]

i didnt realize there were other MegaTen fans in Kansas :0

[@kres6009]

I'm honestly so sad I didn't get Soul Hackers and Apocalypse back when physical copies were still cheap. I remember hearing the former was mediocre so I held it off, and I never had the time to finish IV so rip 💀

[@PolybiusArcadia]

I didn't really even play SMT games, but one day in 2014, I saw the Soul Hackers OST on youtube recommended to me. It looked really intriguing, so I clicked and listened, and instantly I was a fan. I ended up playing the 3DS port and was floored how good that game is. Even the English dub, something that is almost never great, is somehow great in the Soul Hackers port.

[@BAIGAMING]

Great video, you gave a really great explanation on why Atlus doesn't want to port/remaster/translate old SMT games. It really is a pain to try to go back and play the old games legally.

[@powerfulberry237]

Then don't do it legally. These games are decades old and the parent company refuses to release them for their own profit. It's not you're stealing *and refusing to pay* at this point. Many people who emulate are still more than happy to purchase the game again when the official releases happen 500 years later anyway

[@nintenx1235]

I want a DDS collection with English translations of 1 2 and kyuuyaku MegaTen and the novels but I know that we’d sooner get Atlus dropping SMT2 dancing demonic night followed by SMT3 arena ultimax than we would that

[@nathanaelcaballero217]

Actually a SMT fighting game sounds good, there's a lot of characters that can be used

[@nintenx1235]

@@nathanaelcaballero217 yeah I’d love one. the joke was that that’s stuff persona gets, and would never happen.

[@nr2676]

@@nathanaelcaballero217 Imagine Demifiend vs Raidou.

[@2tehnik]

9:49 That's a pretty stupid comment ngl. the gba port looks significantly better than the original snes version. So considering it's only maybe outdone by the ps1 version I doubly see what they could've done to make it better that wouldn't be just making a straight up remake. Also, could you source that claim about the ios port having been translated with the help of a fan translation?

[@ultracapitalistutopia3550]

Atlus keeps releasing ports whose graphics are below today's medium industrial standard, so these ports make less profits, so Atlus has less incentive to invest more resources into these ports, thus forming a negative feedback cycle.

[@somelucifrostguy9208]

Ah, I see you like the Sega CD OST too?

[@asifyusoff5377]

That's why I still prefer physical release rather than download games. Once they pull the plug, it's hard for us consumer to get the game. I really hope Sega Atlus will release a physical bundle shin megami tensei 1,2 & if.

[@oscarzxn4067]

You are giving Sega too much credit for their re releases, they usually just do the same Genesis and Arcade games, but there are dozens, maybe hundreds, of games by them for other arcade boards, Master System, Game Gear, Saturn, 32X or Dreamcast that never had had re releases or had one only on the PS2 and never again

[@Chelaxim]

Knuckles Chaotix has never been ported.

[@valletas]

They made remakes to some of their classic games and in some cases are just straight up better then the original but for some reason they never port them not even outside japan Like they literally have a faithfull remake of the first phantasy star that fixes the problems of the original while improving the graphics and keeping the same spirit of the original And they dont do jack with it

[@haruhisuzumiya6650]

Technically SMT started with Nocturne (in the west) Why are you booing me, I am technically correct

[@drowningin]

I want them to port the GBA/DS/3DS games to modern consoles. Etrian Odyssey 1-3 Origins is a good sign. Atlus games get ridiculously too expensive. Since the DS era I've started buying 2-3 copies of each game. Play one and sell the rest when they double in price. It let's people coming late get a New Sealed option, and lets me play Atlus Games for free. Seriously, try it especially for Atlus smaller titles. They always increase in value

[@raikou16]

The sad thing is that Sega just discontinued its Ages line

[@sladejosephwilson2300]

when

[@trigunite8902]

Still loved Soul Hackers but kinda seemed a little bit unfinished. Still fun though.

[@calebb7012]

Is that why soul hackers on 3ds is so expensive now? it goes for well over $100 used.

[@FabioGnecco]

I absolutely loved soul hackers 1 ! Played it 3 times already lol I still want to play SH2, i only need a PS4 hahaha

[@joshuagalvez4458]

The treatment they give to SMT 1 is criminal

[@nr2676]

And SMT 2 too.

[@toffeeFairy]

I saw it standing around in my local shop. But i just never picked it up, like i even played etrian odyssey. Like i never heard anybody say anything about it. I would have loved to death.

[@Chidon0]

over half the series isnt translated

[@yawhzor7974]

Did Soul Hackers actually fail to meet sales expectations? I can't find any evidence of this being the case.

[@nr2676]

Its sells much worse than SJ Redux from 2018 on dead platform, so yes SH sells really bad.

[@yawhzor7974]

@@nr2676 Can you give me sales numbers between the two?

[@nr2676]

@@yawhzor7974 Sales in first week after release / first month (only Japan) : [NDS] Shin Megami Tensei: Strange Journey (Atlus) {2009-10-08} - 90,830 / 136,149 [3DS] Shin Megami Tensei: Strange Journey Redux (Atlus) {2017-10-26} - 57,725 / 80,549 Non Persona SMT spin-offs sells allways worse than mainline. Thats why ATLUS never show us numbers Soul Hackers, Digital Devil Saga, Raidou Kuzunoha and Devil Survivor in West. Sales of those games in West is very marginal, arround 10 000 -30 000 copies in release date. There is one exception like ... original Devil Summoner from Saturn, this game sold arround 500 000 copies (lifetime in 2005) only in Japan (including PSP version) and this is still best selling non Persona SMT spin-off.

[@Chelaxim]

​@@nr2676Can you give us sales numbers for Soul Hackers?

[@haruhisuzumiya6650]

Soul Hackers got namedropped on Sega IR report so Soul Hackers might be coming to the switch

[@nr2676]

We will see at PC Gaming Show. Im nearly 100% sure if Soul Hackers would be released on PC it will be Epic Games Store exlusive like Sonic Colors Remastered. SEGA love deals, and SEGA also is sponor of PC Gaming Show 2021 :)

[@Unlimitedsmoof]

“Expecially”

[@vandagylon2885]

Well, devil summoner is devil smmoner, not smt.

[@superiordeftrex4196]

This video didn't age well.

[@SpencerPressly]

Lol well they both sold well under expectations but I’m glad soul hackers 2 is real at least :)

[@l1Kenny]

@@SpencerPressly Well, Atlus is really risking a lot. But it's good that we are having a sequel.

[@timytimeerased]

Why do you always put the guilt on Atlus or the circumstances. What if the SMT games are inherently not made for a large occidental audience ? Thats fine, thats not some « problem ». Even SMT5 with its success is dwarfed by 99% of other Switch exclusives. Thats just not a popular type of game/mood in the « west ».

[@Chelaxim]

Shin Megami Tensei V is the 71st best selling switch game. It overshadowed 99 percent of Switch games lol.

[@andree1991]

These 2 games are full of labyrinth mazes and rooms that go nowhere and they're surprised nobody likes them? I'm a big fan of the 2 but they can't have outdated games like this and be appealing to modern audiences. They deserve it if they don't fix these games.

[@InkfinityOkamix3]

First-person dungeon crawlers are underrated, but many people still enjoy them. It’s a classic genre, like 2D platformers. Do you think these classic genres have to be remade? I mean, Sonic Mania did outsell any current-gen 3D Sonic game, so the demand for retro-styled games is still there.

[@andree1991]

@@InkfinityOkamix3 I didn't say anything about first person crawlers. That's not an issue.

[@InkfinityOkamix3]

@@andree1991 on a video about SMT1 and Soul Hackers you said “they can’t have outdated games like this… they deserve it if they don’t fix these games.” Classic SMT games are first person dungeon crawlers so yes, it seems like you were referring to them.

[@Chelaxim]

​@@andree1991So what were you talking about?

[@qr5393]

Soul hackers failed? Lol laughs in jail broken 3ds

[@mykeb1557]

SMT iOS2GBA