Nintendo America, for example, allows comments on its YouTube videos. The company’s Japanese headquarters does not, and some people online in Japan don’t sound too happy.
This has been going on for a while now, but a recent 2ch thread shined a light on the discrepancy. It’s kind of strange that Nintendo doesn’t allow comments on Japanese YouTube, no?
But Nintendo is not alone. Sony also doesn’t allow comments on its PlayStation Japan YouTube channel. (PlayStation North America and PlayStation Europe most certainly do!)
Neither does Capcom Japan.
Square Enix Japan doen’t even track Likes, which is nuts.
However, Square Enix North America tracks Likes and allows comments on its YouTube channel.
There are exceptions, however! Atlus allows comments on its Japanese YouTube channel. Ditto for Sega. Good for them.
But, as pointed out on 2ch, it’s still odd to see the European trailer for Nioh with comments, the North American one with comments, and the Japanese YouTube one like this:
Here are some of the reactions to the comment-disabling practice on 2ch (be aware that the thread was centered around Nintendo’s decision to not allow comments.)
“I wonder why it’s like this.”
“Is it because they are ashamed?”
“Almost all official clips are like this.”
“Japanese people online have no common courtesy.”
“Are there people who look at the comments?”
“Other companies are doing this, too.”
“This is the right way to do it.”
“It’s obvious that this is because cockroaches* would lay waste [to the comments].”
*”Cockroach” (gokiburi) is Japanese internet slang for Sony fans.
“Japanese People: ‘It’s the same as outside Japan! In foreign countries, there are those fighting the console war! It’s not so different in foreign countries!
Nintendo & Sony: ‘Japanese people’s comments are banned.’
Japanese People: ‘Arrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrgh.’”
“It’s because the only thing you find on Japan’s internet is trash.”
“Japanese people’s comments are overflowing with dirty language.”
“They’re cowards.”
“Because foreigners with anime icons would swoop.”
“Of course, it’s because Nintendo is bullshit.”
“Nintendo is already increasingly casting the domestic market to the wayside and competing internationally.”
“This is a smart move.”
“It’s an issue of cultural norms.”
“Is this a cultural norm for Japanese people? How sad...”
“Well, Amazon Japan’s reviews are a video game battleground.”
“You can really understand the malicious spirit of Japanese people.”
“It’s a cockroach counterplan.”
“When I look at Japanese people’s comments, I see lots of complaining.”
“This thread answers why comments are banned.”
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