Atlus Apologizes: Catherine Remains A Japan-Only Game

SmokeyPSD
Friday, February 25, 2011 @ 9:14:35 PM
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NOOOOOO!!!!!! I really wanted this!!!!

My morning has been ruined :(

8 up, 0 down

Lawless SXE
Friday, February 25, 2011 @ 9:17:05 PM

My thoughts exactly. Well... not so much the morning being ruined, but still sucks.

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CH1N00K
Friday, February 25, 2011 @ 9:53:38 PM
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and I'm on my way to Japan...or not...anyone know how to say "SCREW YOU!" in Japanese?

But I can see where they are coming from...Thise type of game might not do well over here. The fans of this type of game would be few and far between all the other NA gamers.

I was a bit interested in this game but I always felt it would have been one of those weird games I would have been able to play when anyone else was around...lol.

Last edited by CH1N00K on 2/25/2011 9:55:32 PM

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Dancemachine55
Friday, February 25, 2011 @ 10:04:33 PM
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Perhaps they could patch the Japanese release with English subtitles for everything on screen, or English advertising as opposed to Japanese advertising, thus allowing other gamers who ARE interested to import it?

Can you hear me ATLUS? A patch! For English! In the Japanese version! For fans to import and still play!!

Can't be all that hard, can it?

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SmokeyPSD
Friday, February 25, 2011 @ 10:24:35 PM

YES! Do that Atlus!

1 up, 0 down

BTNwarrior
Friday, February 25, 2011 @ 11:30:16 PM

yes they could leave in the original voices and use minimal effort and just convert the text

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BTNwarrior
Friday, February 25, 2011 @ 11:11:46 PM
Reply

I really, really need to learn japanese

2 up, 0 down

main_event05
Friday, February 25, 2011 @ 11:34:04 PM

Rosetta Stone FTW. if you have a iDevice there are countless apps that work wonders and the best ones are free.

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Geobaldi
Saturday, February 26, 2011 @ 2:46:23 AM

Rosetta Stone rules. But the price of the programs doesn't make them feasible for a lot of people.

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cLoudou
Friday, February 25, 2011 @ 11:30:24 PM
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I don't get it. If it only releases in Japan, why even make a 360 version.

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main_event05
Friday, February 25, 2011 @ 11:33:16 PM

lol, sick burn.

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Highlander
Friday, February 25, 2011 @ 11:42:55 PM

Is there any actual confirmation of a 360 version in existence?

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Oxvial
Saturday, February 26, 2011 @ 1:11:21 AM

Yes and it also beat MvsC3 360 version.

7.Catherine (Atlus, X360, 2/17): 21,936 (NEW)
8.Marvel vs Capcom 3 (Capcom, X360, 2/17): 13,779 (NEW)

Last edited by Oxvial on 2/26/2011 1:11:52 AM

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cLoudou
Saturday, February 26, 2011 @ 1:31:41 AM

Hmm, pretty impressive for the 360 but I see the PS3 version taking the top spot.

1. Catherine PS3 - 140,000
7. Catherine 360 - 20,000

I guess it justifies a 360 version but I say they should have spent that time working on another project that would or should sell more than 20,000.

Last edited by cLoudou on 2/26/2011 1:34:33 AM

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Lawless SXE
Saturday, February 26, 2011 @ 2:04:17 AM

Outsold 7:1... They took the time and resources to port/develop the game to/on the 360, knowing that games on the platform don't sell especially well in Japan, but they won't take on the (comparatively simple?) task of adding in English voice overs (and other language subtitles for the European version)? That's just... criminal.
Peace.

3 up, 0 down

Oxvial
Saturday, February 26, 2011 @ 11:51:13 AM

yes it wasn't worth, perhaps they didn't want to release the game only on Japan but something happened.

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Highlander
Saturday, February 26, 2011 @ 8:00:27 PM

Maybe the ESRB giving Ar Tonelico Quoga an M rating was a concern for them considering the relative difference in content between Catherine and a game like ATQ. They might have worried about getting the game rated at all.

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Mystearica
Friday, February 25, 2011 @ 11:33:38 PM
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I expected this....

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main_event05
Friday, February 25, 2011 @ 11:35:06 PM
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Good thing the PS3 games are region free. or is that just Blu-ray? but the games are Blu-ray.

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Highlander
Friday, February 25, 2011 @ 11:42:03 PM

Games are region free, online play is often regionally locked because of the online servers being geographically close and what not.

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Highlander
Friday, February 25, 2011 @ 11:41:33 PM
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*sigh*

So many good Japanese games just don't get time over here even when they do arrive. It's a shame that this has to be a casualty without a chance to prove itself.

As for changing their minds, NISA would be our best bet for seeing this game stateside. I'd suggest lobbying them hard (this innuendo brought to you by the game BulletStorm ) on the topic.

2 up, 0 down

main_event05
Saturday, February 26, 2011 @ 12:11:30 AM

Yea, sadly that's true. but those that do make it over are just great.

anyone remember Mr. Mosquito?

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Cesar_ser_4
Monday, February 28, 2011 @ 6:09:25 AM

wow highlander you play bulletstorm? i figured you as the too intellectual to play those games type...

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Cesar_ser_4
Monday, February 28, 2011 @ 6:09:26 AM

wow highlander you play bulletstorm? i figured you as the too intellectual to play those games type...

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Ultimate_Balla
Saturday, February 26, 2011 @ 12:14:25 AM
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Bxxch move, Atlus, bxxch move!

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___________
Saturday, February 26, 2011 @ 1:06:40 AM
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dont apologize, fix it!
why is it that all the different unique games we have to wait eons for, or plain miss out, but the crap dull as dishwater games we get same time as everyone else?

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IronFace2
Saturday, February 26, 2011 @ 1:25:42 AM
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This is why I love Japan lol

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cLoudou
Saturday, February 26, 2011 @ 1:39:35 AM

Why do you love Japan? Because they keep their unique games over there but try to cater to westerners what they think we like?

C'mon give us something different. Give us something we've love, give us turn-based JRPGs. Down with real time!(

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cLoudou
Saturday, February 26, 2011 @ 2:12:20 AM

Oh I see you're joking.

I = fail

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IronFace2
Saturday, February 26, 2011 @ 6:52:10 AM

Yeah I'm joking, but Japan have really hot girls and have a bizarre sense of humor, but I digress.

0 up, 0 down

cLoudou
Saturday, February 26, 2011 @ 8:59:49 AM

I love Japan too but what I don't love stated in my reply to you above.

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IronFace2
Saturday, February 26, 2011 @ 12:38:52 PM

No worries m8

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Scarecrow
Saturday, February 26, 2011 @ 1:33:23 AM
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This is really bad. I have a feeling Japan's going to start making games only/mostly for Japan while hiring amateur Western devs to make "Western games" like the DmC reboot.

Microsoft pushed cancer into v-games.

Sadly it affected the Japanese industry first.

2 up, 1 down

Lawless SXE
Saturday, February 26, 2011 @ 2:01:18 AM

Don't say that. It makes me feel cold inside.

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DIsmael85
Saturday, February 26, 2011 @ 1:40:25 AM
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Thus the reason I imported it. It'll just take me a little longer to get things translated out. D'oh!

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kraygen
Saturday, February 26, 2011 @ 2:22:12 AM
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I had never played one of these games and was looking forward to trying this one out, especially since it was from atlus and this gen I've really been happy with them.

This however has given me an angry face and made me wonder why we have to miss out on so many good games. Are they trying to punish us for the xbots buying all those crap games?

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DIsmael85
Saturday, February 26, 2011 @ 2:55:40 AM

It's not about what Xbox users are buying it's all about what American gamers will buy. They probably can't afford to spend the money for localization and not make any of it back because people wont be interested in a strictly puzzle only game. I guess no one ever decided to look at it this way.

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Excelsior1
Saturday, February 26, 2011 @ 3:13:46 AM

oh, i think the rise of xbox as the hardcore game machine of choice in the us is a huge factor. it has a lot japanese companies confused. they look at sales, and just assume that certain types of games won't appeal here. all the cod sales are smothering the industry.

maybe catherine was too offbeat to make it here, i'm just soirry it never got the chance.

2 up, 0 down

DIsmael85
Saturday, February 26, 2011 @ 3:25:47 AM

I still stand by that it's American gamers. You are going to sit there and tell me that most all PS3 users would buy this game? I'm playing it and I'm going to go out of my way to say that this game would not sell to the expectations of making profit for Atlus. Now they may eventually bring it here, as they have most all their previous games, but I can understand completely if they chose not to.

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kraygen
Saturday, February 26, 2011 @ 3:57:55 AM

Well to be fair, most xbots reside in the U.S. I live here too, but apparently not everyone can be as intelligent and informed as I.

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DIsmael85
Saturday, February 26, 2011 @ 4:31:32 AM

While I will not condone your ability to feel that way about yourself, I will say that I as well am America, and having imported this game and having played it first hand, I can honestly say that no, this game not coming Stateside has nothing to do with the amount of Xbox currently sold here in the US. If we can put down the fanboy goggles for just a moment, you will notice that it's a puzzle game and probably wont sell half of what the Japanese version did strictly because of that. I would have been in line first day to pick this up if it got localized, however I am not millions of people, so my dollar would be meaningless.

I'm hardpressed to say that it would almost fall on the border of common sense, but then again as you have stated, you should have been well aware of this.

Last edited by DIsmael85 on 2/26/2011 4:32:46 AM

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kraygen
Sunday, February 27, 2011 @ 12:29:46 AM

Perhaps you aren't understanding me, I'm not being fanboyish at all. It is a known fact that this type of game sells poorly on xbox and it is another known fact that xbox sells better in america than most anywhere else in the world.

I was also saying that I on the other hand, was hoping to purchase this game. I don't really know what you're upset about as we both want to purchase the game. You have imported it from Japan, you say, well I would but translating games and reading scripts during a game is just not something I do, pulls me out of the experience.

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DIsmael85
Sunday, February 27, 2011 @ 7:05:51 AM

Not upset one bit, just a bit shocked, or maybe I shouldn't be that when game like this may not come stateside the first thing people will blame is the xbox. I fail to see how one console, which by the way the game was released on, would prevent PS3 owners from owning it. Looking at the whole picture it's safe to say the game may not interest most American gamers. I know people with PS3's that do not like Japanese games. So go figure.

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Geobaldi
Saturday, February 26, 2011 @ 2:44:49 AM
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Doesn't surprise me in the least. If people here in the U.S. are freaking out over the Bulletstorm trophy names, I could just imagine how they would react to this one. People get offended by anything nowadays. It's ridiculous. Guess I'll be importing it now.

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Cesar_ser_4
Monday, February 28, 2011 @ 6:15:20 AM

theyd call it videogame porn

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aaronisbla
Saturday, February 26, 2011 @ 3:06:18 AM
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honestly i never expected this to come to the states for some reason. just give me a new SMT/Persona for the ps3 please

0 up, 1 down

Excelsior1
Saturday, February 26, 2011 @ 5:12:00 AM
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nope i would not say most ps3 users would buy it, but they would be more open to it.

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DIsmael85
Saturday, February 26, 2011 @ 5:29:12 AM

Being open to it doesnt sell copies. So it'd be a huge risk for Atlus to localize it based on that preconception. Hey Im with everyone that I would totally buy this game "again" if it were to release stateside. I'm having an enjoyable time playing through my import copy. I'd even spend 100 dollars "again" to have it translated and US friendly. That's not saying everyone feels the same way I do.

I say if there is one major issue hindering the sales of games like Catherine it is the reviewing of games. Some folks base their entire decision on whether or not a game will score high marks. Lately this gaming Gen, it seems that is what holds high on whether you will consider buying a game, especially one like Catherine that caters more to a Japanese audience. Just some things to take into consideration.

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RebelJD
Saturday, February 26, 2011 @ 6:14:59 AM
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In the demo of Catherine...the opening scene has three guys (friends) sitting at a table in a bar drinking beer and eating pizza. How the "f" is that not American?! In fact, I'd love to see more games provide scenery that we Americans can relate to. Japan and the rest of the world is and has always been obsessed with American lifestyle. The sad thing is that America tires of it's own lifestyle.

Difficult? So what. Difficult doesn't stand for "can't be beat". If something is difficult it only asks for your direct attention. Japan-only for a game that caters to a Japanese culture who love American culture which the game "Catherine" and virtually all other forms of entertainment are based on. Funny.

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DIsmael85
Saturday, February 26, 2011 @ 10:30:18 AM

All I can say is you've only played the demo. Demo.

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Lotusflow3r
Saturday, February 26, 2011 @ 7:25:21 AM
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Completely gutted.

Never say never, though. Yakuza 3 and onward were not planned as western releases, enough demand will eventually win out.

This game has so much promise.

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The Doom
Saturday, February 26, 2011 @ 8:01:30 AM
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Not surprising, since Japan would rather ram more westernized crap like Knight's Contract down our throats

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DarthSayver21
Saturday, February 26, 2011 @ 10:08:48 AM
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If Atlus worried about not making a profit, i recommend the 123 steps =)
1) Release on other regions.
2) Make it Ps3 exclusive.
3) Have one of those 'Kevin Butler' commercials.

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A2K78
Saturday, February 26, 2011 @ 10:34:39 AM
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"Not surprising, since Japan would rather ram more westernized crap like Knight's Contract down our throats"

No, the fact is games like this have a history of not having a western release.

As japan trying to ram more westernized crap down our throats, there are tons of western-focused titles that never got a western release..examples being games such as Taito's Energy Airforce games and Aero Dancing:I

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Excelsior1
Saturday, February 26, 2011 @ 11:05:19 AM

i agree that there is a long history of games such as this not coming to the us, oh well, i'm sure another military shooter will take its place.

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DIsmael85
Saturday, February 26, 2011 @ 11:50:30 AM

While I understand how you feel Excelsior1, unless you and I can change whats popular in the US, I dont think it's going to change for a long while. :(

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A2K78
Saturday, February 26, 2011 @ 10:34:48 AM
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"Not surprising, since Japan would rather ram more westernized crap like Knight's Contract down our throats"

No, the fact is games like this have a history of not having a western release.

As japan trying to ram more westernized crap down our throats, there are tons of western-focused titles that never got a western release..examples being games such as Taito's Energy Airforce games and Aero Dancing:I

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DIsmael85
Saturday, February 26, 2011 @ 9:25:53 PM

Last edited by DIsmael85 on 2/26/2011 9:27:03 PM

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DIsmael85
Saturday, February 26, 2011 @ 9:32:28 PM

The above blank was actually the comment I left for Kagamin, just totally screwed up and put it in the wrong place. :P

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Kevadu
Saturday, February 26, 2011 @ 12:36:11 PM
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Atlus is trolling us.

This was sent out *after* the statement Ben is referencing:

http://www.gamingunion.net/news/atlus-may-be-teasing-a-catherine-localization--4156.html

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Kagamin
Saturday, February 26, 2011 @ 1:25:00 PM
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http://www.siliconera.com/2011/02/25/an-e-mail-from-atlus-usa/

Apparently atlus just doesn't want to give the scoop of their localization news to a random website like beefjack.com. They have always announced their localizations through their own press releases, this is just standard PR talk (note the "at this time" in the comment). They are not namco, they will announce it when they are ready, so guys, chill out!

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Highlander
Saturday, February 26, 2011 @ 8:01:56 PM

Atlus will (if they localize this) almost certainly localize with NISA. If people want this, one way might be to email NISA and ask them if they are considering working with Atlus to bring this title to western audiences since the two companies have worked on other projects together for western audiences.

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DIsmael85
Saturday, February 26, 2011 @ 8:09:54 PM

Why would Atlus localize this with NISA when they have their own localizing team called Atlus USA?

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Kagamin
Saturday, February 26, 2011 @ 8:49:04 PM

I don't think they have to give to NISA, they will localize Catherine themselves. The game JUST came out in Japan, Atlus never announces their games so soon. Heck, even Persona 3 Portable took a while for them to announce, more than months and it came anyway even with psp software not selling so well in the US. And you can bet that they will not announce Persona 2:IS psp right after the japanese release and people will freak out again. People just need to be a little more patient, as I said, they will announce it when they are ready.

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DIsmael85
Saturday, February 26, 2011 @ 9:30:58 PM

I I love you Kagamin, there is a reason you are so awesome in Lucky Star. :P Anyway, I totally agree and understand everything you just said. I do believe patience is in order. I've yet to play an Atlus "made" game that has disappointed me. The Persona and Shin Megami Tensei series have been awesome. They are great with their fanbase and put a lot of effort into their projects. Catherine has been no acception, it's just what I'd expect from them. Greatness. So when the day comes we can have this game stateside consider me sold again.

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Highlander
Saturday, February 26, 2011 @ 11:48:50 PM

The reason I mentioned NISA is that they have a specific aim to bring games that have a particularly Japanese theme or quality that would otherwise mean they might not make it here.

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Kagamin
Sunday, February 27, 2011 @ 6:47:33 AM

@TheHighlander

Yeah, I understand what you're saying cause NISA has been pretty good bringing niche games. I just think Atlus also has a good track record of bringing themselves these kind of games too, specially the ones they develop. What I'm saying is that I don't remember the last time Atlus didn't bring a game they developed even if it was more japanese themed. If they think they need help from NISA to bring it they will probably ask but I don't really think it will be necessary.

It just bugs me that some people are freaking out so bad on the internet because of this saying they hate Atlus and will boycott their games from now on, which I think is pretty ridiculous when they have been pretty nice to the fanbase till now.

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aaronisbla
Sunday, February 27, 2011 @ 6:05:20 PM

id finally get a psp to play Persona 2 innocent sin when its announced. I was so pissed when i found out that eternal punishment was just half the story and realized the first half of persona 2 wasnt released in america

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Kai200X
Saturday, February 26, 2011 @ 3:32:01 PM
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Well, I like the game so much, even though I already imported from Japan, I thought if they release in NA I would probably buy it too. But if Catherine is Japan only then I am fine with it :P

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main_event05
Saturday, February 26, 2011 @ 5:28:00 PM
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hmm, seems like backwards business to me. If there is enough hype to where a formal announcement has to made, that should say something. right??

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Douchebaguette
Saturday, February 26, 2011 @ 6:23:54 PM
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Folks, you know what to do: dedicate your free time to learning Japanese, and reading Kanji.

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madmike
Sunday, February 27, 2011 @ 11:32:15 AM
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well if you dont mind japanese voices you can still play it. ps3 games are region free

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DIsmael85
Tuesday, March 01, 2011 @ 2:56:31 AM
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This game was just announced for a Summer 2011 US release by Atlus. It appears it will be out July 26th. I just received the e-mail from them officially. You can reserve the game over on amazon.com and soon on Gamestop.com.

http://www.catherinethegame.com/

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tridon
Tuesday, March 01, 2011 @ 5:55:46 AM
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Well, they must've changed their minds quickly because Amazon's US and Canadian sites both have it up for pre-order now! : )

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DIsmael85
Tuesday, March 01, 2011 @ 6:58:01 AM

Yeah my comment above yours proves it. I just got the email. It was officially announced for Summer 2011 in the US. For both systems. Thank You Atlus. I went ahead and reserved it from amazon. Now to play some more of the import version til the US one is released.

Last edited by DIsmael85 on 3/1/2011 6:59:35 AM

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Atlus Apologizes: Catherine Remains A Japan-Only Game

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