Summary
Metaphor: ReFantazioalready has a horde of adoring fans, and they’re worried the JRPG isn’t going to sell well because of publisherAtlus' approach to marketing the game.
Metaphor: ReFantazio is the first original game created by Studio Zero, an internal development studio within Atlus headed by Persona 5 director Katsura Hashino. Persona 5 is a very beloved title, and a substantial number of Atlus fans are invested in the future success of Hashino, who was a large part in bringing them that title.
Atlus likely has a marketing deal withXboxfor the promotion of Metaphor: ReFantazio, meaning the Xbox release is being promoted more visibly than the PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5 versions of the game. This approach has been worrying some fans - the Xbox platform is nowhere near as popular as the PlayStation in Japan. Also, JRPGs tend to perform worse on Xbox because fans of that genre are less likely to own one. This is partially because some Japanese developers don’t release on Xbox, because the console isn’t popular in Japan. It’s a sort of vicious cycle that Xbox has been facing for decades.
This is exactly why Xbox has been making such a push with Metaphor: ReFantazio. JRPG fans have been advising Xbox for years to go after the genre’s big developers and yet, Atlus fans are now worried about the success of its new title. This discussion has mostly been circulating on X, where, anecdotally, people are reporting that Metaphor: ReFantazio is not on the radar of some JRPG fans because they thought it was an Xbox exclusive.
Metaphor: ReFantazio’s Marketing Is Contentious
Apost from YouTuber Mightykeefsums up this train of thought - “Atlus is terrible at marketing. They should never have let Xbox have the rights to advertising. JRPGs do not sell well [on Xbox]. I still got people telling me they thought Metaphor was an Xbox exclusive. Get this game when it comes out man, it’s fire,” he wrote.
The replies to this post are mixed, with some expressing that Atlus has done a fine job of marketing the game, with multiple presentations, trailers and a 5-hour demo. Others are in agreement, saying a lot of people haven’t been keeping up with Metaphor: ReFantazio because of the perception that it’s an Xbox exclusive. In reality, those who are vocal online are often a minority and none of this reflects the prospects of Metaphor in its primary market of Japan.
Aquote post from J117points out some of this perceived hypocrisy, expressing that fans wanted Xbox to be more aggressive with their JRPG expansion, only to now turn around and blame them for marketing Metaphor: ReFantazio as an Xbox title.
The first review of Metaphor: ReFantazio has been released bythe legendary Japanese gaming magazine Famitsu, which awarded it a 37/40. Famitsu uses a four-review system where four different reviewers rate the game out of 10 - Metaphor: ReFantazio received three 9’s and a 10.
Metaphor: ReFantazio releases October 11 for PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S and PC.
Metaphor: ReFantazio
WHERE TO PLAY
From the creative minds behind Persona 3, 4, and 5 comes Metaphor: ReFantazio, a unique fantasy world, where your protagonist will journey alongside his fairy companion, Gallica, to lift the curse from the kingdom’s lost prince.Control your destiny, face your fears, and awaken magical Archetype powers that lie dormant in your heart. By awakening to an Archetype, you will unlock the power to channel and combine the abilities of unique job classes. Strengthen your bonds and build your party to take down powerful foes and discover the kingdom’s true nature.
