The first Red Dead Redemption did well in Japan. So now, Rockstar is plastering posters all over the country.
When Red Dead Redemption 1 came out in Japan in October 2010, the PlayStation 3 version debuted at the fourth spot on the Japanese charts, selling 71,000 copies. Kingdom Hearts Re: Coded also debuted that week, coming in at number three with 96,000 copies sold. However, Red Dead Redemption’s Xbox 360 version sold another 26,000 copies, so the combined versions outsold Kingdom Hearts Re: Coded at release!
The numbers weren’t as huge as those in North America or in Europe, but for a Western game in Japan, they were certainly good.
With Japanese gamers playing more and more international games, no wonder Rockstar is making a bigger push for the sequel
https://twitter.com/embed/status/1050222596715757568
https://twitter.com/embed/status/1049665854244151296
https://twitter.com/embed/status/1051053516796510208
Red Dead 2 isn’t only plastered in locations like Osaka’s Umeda…
https://twitter.com/embed/status/1052178473672830976
Or Tokyo’s Shibuya
https://twitter.com/embed/status/1052180316822130690
Or Harajuku
日枝神社の近くでレッドデッドリデンプション2の広告みっけた pic.twitter.com/BRzpSJxzTK
— わきやの (@wkyshtr) October 9, 2018
But all over the place, such as near Shinto shrines
広尾駅の近くでレッドデッドリデンプション2の広告を発見！この築年数が古い建物にウエスタンな赤い看板がめっちゃ映えるなぁ👍一階から伸びる煙突＋二階の壁のサビ漏れにシミ＋ベランダ＋電柱＋ゲーム看板とテンション上がった😆 #RDR2 #RockstarGames pic.twitter.com/MAz3JmaX73
— ゲバカ (@GameBaka65535) October 13, 2018
And close to various Tokyo train stations.
看板あった！(*ﾟ∀ﾟ)
東京理科大学葛飾キャンパス付近⤵ pic.twitter.com/2MBntLjmKY— 喬喬 (@saru558) October 13, 2018
Near the Tokyo University of Science’s campus.
https://twitter.com/embed/status/1047709498301771777
And this unnamed college.
何の写真？と思われるだろうけど、この看板、レッドデッドリデンプション2なんすよ。
ロックスタースタジオ、俺を狙ってきたな〜って感じ。 pic.twitter.com/L9TMI71C2l— yupika (@yupika) October 2, 2018
Above a real estate agency in Sakai City, just south of Osaka City.
学校の近くにRDR2の看板があって驚き pic.twitter.com/1Tb3b4jchx
— AxiA™@DC2 (@kokutetu4851) October 1, 2018
On the way to this Twitter user’s school.
帰宅途中にRDR2の看板 pic.twitter.com/TZEtCOiYqS
— Maricosamin (@maricosamin) October 7, 2018
On the way to this Twitter user’s house.
プロモーション効果があるのか疑問なRDR2の看板 pic.twitter.com/xzgvUkIjXf
— あきこま (@moyasideikiru) October 11, 2018
In front of an old house. (This Twitter user questions how effective this billboard is.)
近所にRDR2のデカイ看板立ってたw
PR金かけてるなぁ～ pic.twitter.com/i1QSKHpLYI— Z@ゲーム垢 (@moai_ship9) October 8, 2018
In front of a rice field. (I question how effective this billboard is.)
街中で発見、こんな所に看板あっても俺ぐらいしか分かんないよ！、誰がこんな所に設置したのか意図が知りたい。#レッドデッドリデンプション2 pic.twitter.com/M3PT2C9C7d
— びしゃがけマヨネーズ (@kondoha_B) October 13, 2018
Somewhere in Aichi Prefecture
表参道の246沿いにRDR2 ( Red Dead Redemption 2 ) の看板あったよ
縛り上げたならず者を銀座線の線路に投げろって事か！ pic.twitter.com/WSOQKYBXGd— Y-WORKs🍺 (@yworks2000) October 15, 2018
https://twitter.com/embed/status/1046969103079104512
It’s almost like everywhere you look, there’s Red Dead Redemption 2
レッドデッドリデンプション2がいよいよ発売しますね！！！
大人気グランドセフトオートを遊んだ方は是非体験して頂きたいです！！！ pic.twitter.com/aIa37VwV17— 【公式】COMG!豊栄店 (@comg_toyosaka) October 11, 2018
#レッドデッドリデンプション2
コーナー展開中！
もちろん予約も受付中です。#グラセフ 好きにもおススメ！
みんなでギャングになりきろー#RockstarGames pic.twitter.com/MPbJUjLT4x— おたいち 三重本店 【GAME】 (@otaichimiegame) October 12, 2018
In-store displays are impressive
https://twitter.com/embed/status/1050402114109726721
The game is even being used to show off televisions.
Since living here in 2001, I don’t think I’ve seen a foreign game promoted like this. Gone are the days that the term yougee (洋ゲー) or “Western game” was a vaguely derogatory term. Long gone.
