Atlus Fans Don't Think Xbox's Marketing Is Doing Metaphor: ReFantazio Justice

"Tf is metaphor?"

by · Push Square

We've been poking fun at Atlus ever since it started steadfastly refusing to admit (in marketing material, anyway) that its imminent RPG, Metaphor: ReFantazio, is actually coming to PS5 and PS4 on 11th October, forcing us to do it for them. Xbox quite obviously paid for this privilege, which is fair and fine; however, some Atlus fans don't think Microsoft is doing enough to market the game, taking it upon themselves to make the sentiment known.

As pointed out by The Gamer, Atlus fans are a pretty hardcore bunch, with the Japanese developer putting out bangers for decades now. With Metaphor directed by Persona 5 visionary Katsura Hashino, plenty of invested players want to see the stylistic game succeed, essentially sight unseen. With Xbox not being nearly so well known (historically) for its JRPGs, some fear the game will underperform in Japan, where the console has never really made much headway, potentially impacting the studio's future releases.

Of course, this state of affairs is precisely why Microsoft would want a marketing deal with Atlus in the first place, hoping to break the cycle with a game with a lot of hype behind it. Sony is, of course, no stranger to exclusive marketing deals, and all of the above sentiments collided online, with Youtuber Mightykeef succinctly describing the situation in response to a post enquiring: "Tf is metaphor?"

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Did you know that Metaphor: ReFantazio is actually coming to PS5 and PS4 in just a few short days? Could the impact of this decision really be that profound? Let us know in the comments section below.

[source x.com, via thegamer.com]

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About Khayl Adam

Khayl Adam is Push Square's roving Australian correspondent, a reporter tasked with scouring the internet for the richest, most succulent PlayStation stories. With five years of experience as a freelance journalist and mercenary wordsmith, RPGs are his first great love, but strategy and tactics games are a close second, genres in which he is only too happy to specialize.

Comments 65

Lmao caught offgaurd by the subhead.

Atlus should do this game marketing with sony or nintendo since most of the sales will be from ps5 and switch. Most xbox users don't care about jrpg, even when xbox 360 out sold ps3 by wide margin in usa back then, jrpg games like ff13 sold nearly the same between ps3 and xbox 360 in usa.

@wiiware One of the reasons I kept my 360 is because of Lost Odyssey.

@TheTraditional same

@wiiware marketing is so bad, you didn't even know that it's not on the switch

I do since I read this site.

Xbox fans typically have issues with metaphors and other rhetorical devices. They've been lost since the console stopped looking like a literal x-shaped box.

@Judal27 Oh really, since persona 5 is on switch I though this game is also on it 😅

@TheTraditional Tales of vesperia also rule, I like it better than ff13 😃

I've seen Metaphor a few times for advertising but it wasn't that much. You'd think they'd push this harder since it's a new IP.

I'm sure Atlus will learn their lesson if this game flops sales wise, will soon come running back to Sony for their next big game.

@wiiware Vesperia is awesome

@Nepp67 they’re probably pretty lax about marketing due to depending on fanbase loyalty. Just a guess though.

"some Atlus fans don't think Microsoft is doing enough to market the game"

For those Atlus fans i just wanna ask:

WTF do you expect from a company who doesn't even bother to market their own 1st party games???

Hellblade 2 released with just a ho-hum launch trailer and tweet. MS didn't bother for offline launch event inviting the fans, no big billboard and big sign at retail showing Senua or whatever from the game, no collabs with Schizofrenia Int. Research or community since one of the game theme is about mental health. Heck the game doesn't have physical release.

Sony did a better marketing for Metaphor by including the game in a very cool ads, which i bet people who watch it will have better impression for Metaphor.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=XtrrrGVzSEU

I don't blame Atlus or Sega for taking MS money though. It's just business as usual. But i hope they learn the lesson here...

It's definitely going to affect the game negatively and it sucks.

Finally Atlus is trying out something new and exciting, and they get the unending failure of the generation that is Xbox to market it?

@PuppetMaster forget games, Microsoft can’t be arsed to market its own features like Xbox play anywhere which I bet you didn’t know existed and didn’t know it lets you crossbuy games (buy on Xbox = can play on pc)

@Yousef- I didn't know that but it sounds similar with what Sony did for PS3 & PSP and PS4 & Vita where you can buy PS1 Classics or some games. You only need bought one but got the console & handheld version.

I'm proud of Atlus.

They're normally nickeling-and-diming us Persona fans, but to get Microsoft/XBox to cough up and pay for exclusive marketing rights (which is kind of sad really,regardless if it's Sony or Microsoft, when you think about it) for multi-platform titles that will end up selling far higher numbers on PlayStation (and Switch) is a stroke of genius.

It's a catch 22 for Xbox. They'll never get jrpg fans if they don't get jrpgs. But them getting jrpg marketing means it doesn't reach as many people.

Fwiw Microsoft sent an email blast highlighting the game to customers, which means Xbox PC app, console, and gp subscribers got the direct marketing on it which is a lot of what Nintendo does too. It's not flashy marketing like Sony but it's effective.

Still, Xbox marketing just flat sucks in general which is a huge part of their problem.

The demo absolutely slapped. They should be getting everyone they can to play it.

@NEStalgia as an example of how Xbox is such an imperfect system for rpgs, FF pixel remasters only come out a few days ago.

They could project adverts for this game onto the moon so that everyone sees it at night, it still wouldn't help move units.
And that's not a dig at the game, just the reality we live in.
So yeah, I get it.

I think it’s going to impact the game sales. I had to personally put this game on many of my friends’ radars.
The only real effect this deal had was giving the impression that Microsoft had a solid showing of games at the event it was presented, while it was mainly multi platform stuff and secretly they were even preparing to port their games to PS.
I blame Atlus though…you don’t go making a marketing deal for a new IP with the platform that has the lowest amount of players interested in the genre.

I find it odd more JRPGs are starting to come to Xbox when previous games never came to the console. Neptunia, Persona. I get it. It’s about selling more copies on more systems. But like everyone is saying, there’s not much of a market for JRPGs on Xbox. I know there are players who would play on Xbox, the only game I’ve even played so far on my 360 is The Last Remnant, and I recently got Star Ocean: The Last Hope. But again, like everyone else is saying, there’s just not a lot of people who will play those kinds of games on Xbox.

@LavenderShroud "I recently got Star Ocean: The Last Hope"
Man, you should've got the enhanced edition on PS4. It's even got the illustrated portraits like the original PS3 version whereas the 360 version has the ugly 3D renders they made for us westerners. The remastered Last Remnant is on PS4 too.

MS need to put some more pennies into the Xbox marketing piggy bank.

I mean, I only know this game even exists because you lot shout about it.

I follow Xbox on social media and I didn't know about this coming out soon, not did I know Shattered Space or Hellblade came out so....

I think that says a lot.

It is true that Xbox isn't the first destination that people think of when they think of JRPGs. However I think it's mostly the name of the game that isn't doing it any favors. It is a very odd name that just doesn't stick with people.

I'm very excited to play it though. It's my most anticipated game of the fall by a mile.

Kinda funny how MS is paying for marketing and Gamepass when the PS5 playerbase will outnumber everyone playing it on Xbox.

I myself pre-ordered it this week for PS5. I've actually not been following the game and only only know its a new Atlas JRPG but yep other then that i'm in the dark and i'm kinda excited because of that.

Why should they market it. It will be on Gamepass day one. They won't benefit from selling copies (digital and physical) on XBOX, because no one will buy it.

Xbox fans to Atlus Fans: First Time?

I mean Xbox is terrible in marketing their own games and products.

@Yousef- Square is a bad example because they had some weird strategy of excluding games and shaking down platforms under the old CEO. Meanwhile octopath1 was on Xbox and not ps for ages, and ps got the weird incomplete dq11 while switch got the real version and then Xbox and ps got that one together.

I think under the new CEO they'll have platform party from now on. I think they were trying to shake ms down for game pass money and Ms wasn't always buying.

@LavenderShroud It's still an uphill battle. The platform will always be a place people don't play a particular genre until they cultivate a market for it. They've been working on getting Japanese devs to support them but it's been slow going. If the games don't exist on the platform, a market for those games will never exist. Catch 22. Sony and Nintendo didn't have to work to get it because it's where they started, but Nintendo has often struggled to get Western devs supporting them until switch so it's the same kind of issue.

Has to start somewhere. Only once all the games are there can they try to court fans of those games.

One big thing that's helping finally get all these jrpgs on Xbox it that before, Japan didn't touch PC at all. It was console only. Suddenly PC is big in Japan and every game is on it. That's where PC ports to Xbox make it reasonable for devs to participate where they wouldn't have before.

@1UP-HUSKY It's not on Game Pass

So "PlayStation fans" are complaining that "Xbox", which has some marketing deal with Sega/Atlus for "Metaphor: ReFantazio", is not promoting the game enough on the social channels that these "PlayStation fans" are usually on?

We're in the age where social media and websites show recommended content based on their interests. If "PlayStation" is your main interest then most likely you will only see recommendations of "PlayStation" news.

"Metaphor: ReFantazio" was first announced in June 2023 during the Xbox Summer Showcase 2023, so "PlayStation fans" likely didn't care to watch that. Most news outlets overlooked it, due to "Starfield" and "Fable" generating more buzz. The game was again shown during the Xbox Tokyo Game Show stream in 2024, most likely again ignored by the "PlayStation fans". There are trailers of "Metaphor: ReFantazio" on the official IGN, GameSpot, PlayStation, Xbox, Atlus Youtube channels. So if these "fans" ignore all those channels, then why is Xbox to blame?

Also it's just a false generalization that "JRPGs don't sell on Xbox", just like Xbox fans think PlayStation is just "sad dad games" (actually it's Fortnite, GTA 5, FIFA and COD). Yes JRPGS sell way more on PlayStation, but there are still many people new to the JRPG genre and are enjoying the games on Xbox.

But I guess negative articles drive user engagement.

@NEStalgia you’re right. They’re always the odd ones out.

Xbox only owners won't buy this game , all I've heard is 'why is it not on gamepass' , 'I may try it when it comes on gamespass',gamepass , gamepass,gamepass etc etc etc.

@DennisReynolds it's not even on gamepass, so they are paying to market a game that hardly any xbox players will be playing.

@Mr_Schnitzel It's not "Playstation fans" who's complaining but "Atlus fans" which i'm sure many of them also own Nintendo consoles / Nintendo fans. Their complaining is valid because they want to see this new IP sell well.

And it's not a false stigma if JRPG doesn't performed well on Xbox. Many JRPG skipped Xbox because the fanbase who wants to play JRPG is not enough to warrant a port.

@NEStalgia Shakedown Microsoft for Gamepass money? They had 70 billion for Activision Blizzard you expect them to give them a budget price to give it on Gamepass? Big developers with bigger budgets probably don't make a lot of Gamepass sales. Nice if you are a small indie with bigger budgets you can you probably need a way more expensive subscription to make it viable.

@Mr_Schnitzel Maybe you should start to learn how to read. It's in header Atlus Fans.

@UltimateOtaku91 Is it not? Lol

I don’t think the marketing deal with Microsoft is a problem on its own. It’s the fact that the marketing deal prevents Sony from mentioning the game entirely. Nothing on the PS Blog; no trailers on the PS YouTube; etc.

Given the much larger audience of PlayStation, especially for JRPGs, none of this seems wise.

Also, this game is going to get eaten alive by Sparking Zero!

@get2sammyb very true last paragraph. Finally someone said it. 😂

Every time I click onto this site, a playstation site, I see a large ad for the game on the right side.

I am very interested in this game and I think anyone who likes turn based RPGs is aware of it.

Everyone worried about Sony not having competition remember one thing:

This is how microsoft acts when they are in last place.

Stumbled upon the prologue demo, and it instantly hooked me.
The battles are so fastpaced.

@wiiware the power of Xbox marketing baby!

@wiiware It said it all when Japan didn’t even get a release of the 360 version of XIII until it was reissued on budget on ps3 and they quietly put out a budget 360 version the same time

Only reason I know this game is coming to ps because they do have been marketing it somewhat Sony does have a video of it on their YouTube

@Shalooda Of course they will ask if it's going to Gamepass because many games do go to Gamepass Day One, it would be stupid to rush out and buy it on release only to find it was also on your subscription

The name of the game is really weird. I played the demo and enjoyed it quite a bit, but I think a lot of people will think it’s just a mobile game or something.

@get2sammyb "It’s the fact that the marketing deal prevents Sony from mentioning the game entirely. Nothing on the PS Blog; no trailers on the PS YouTube; etc"

Actually, Metaphor got showed in this PS ads
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=XtrrrGVzSEU

Demo trailer
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=PkCN7gZwLGQ

And PS Blog also wrote an article when the pre-order was opened.
https://blog.playstation.com/2024/09/23/20240612-metaphor/

I played the demo, great game but for a reason I don't really know if am not loving it. I will play it but not on release

Mightykeef is a known Sony fanboy…Yakuza was marketed by Xbox and so was Persona 3 Reload,where were sales impacted?

The name of the game is terrible and people don’t even know what the game “is”

I mean, I know I'm not the target audience of the marketing, because I don't need it to choose which games I'll buy.

I sort of agree. There have been various videos about the game, but I've barely clicked on any of them. Looking back at the past articles, the story and character trailers always carry the risk of revealing too much, and the 16 minutes of unedited gameplay video is too long for me to bother watching.

Shorter gameplay trailers would be more useful for me. If they have been doing these, then I've missed them.

I feel the game will do well since it's an Atlus title, but it would do better with more marketing.

I legit forgot the game releases in a few days lol.

I just thought it was weird that Sony didn't show it off at their most recent State of Play.

I said it in other articles covering this that the marketing rights with XBOX was probably the stupidest thing ATLUS has done. It's amazing how short their reach is for JRPGs that even my close circle of friends who are actually always look forward to ATLUS games felt blindsided on how unaware they are about this game.

When majority of Japanese players also still think that this is an XBOX "exclusive" due to your poor marketing, that's on you.

Hopefully they'll learn their lesson after this. XBOX is where JRPG goes to die, so good thing it's a multiplatform release.

@Shad361 you really can't see the difference between XBOX marketing a well established IP like Yakuza and Persona compared to a brand new game like this one?

Yakuza and Persona were born and grew with PlayStation, no JRPG players in the right mind would think that that these two titles would ever be an XBOX "Exclusive".

It can't be said the same with Metaphor which is a completely brand new IP.

I wouldn't say it was a bad move, because at the end of the day exclusivity and marketing deals exist to make releasing a game possible.

But it is a move that probably will not pay out.

@QiaraIris what proof do you have the “majority” of players think this in an Xbox exclusive? This is an atlus game…anyone with basic logic should understand why that’s unlikely. Imagine being JRPG player and having trouble finding out what platform a game is on that was announced MONTHS ago. That’s a weak excuse.

The game just isn’t that appealing right now in a stacked month with big games releasing. Maybe Altus shouldn’t have chosen to release a game the month that Dragon Ball, Call of Duty, and Sonic x Shadow are releasing.

@Rog-X that's not what I said

Grabbing random people's moans on Twitter and making articles about it now as of to say that's how everyone feels?

@Flaming_Kaiser Yeah, but that was Square under Masuda. And remember Xbox "doesn't have a big marketing budget like Sony" lol. But to be fair to it all, I think MS does allocate generally low budget to Xbox itself, and the ABK merger wasn't Xbox, it was MS corporate (It was Amy Hood, CFO, and Witch Queen of Ice, that approached ABK, not anyone at Xbox), really because they wanted King, and they were more or less using it to disband the Xbox that was.

Because of its marketing I keep seeing people confused with what console it's coming out on and forget about pc people want this on switch

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