r/JRPG • u/Marinebiologist_0 • Apr 27 '25

News Clair Obscur has achieved the highest concurrent player rate ever for a JRPG on Steam.

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Incredible numbers, this doesn't even include the Xbox Gamepass player count. The last time I remember a JRPG getting this level of attention was Persona 5 and NieR Automata in 2017. It'll be interesting to see how massive Persona 6 will be, if it launches day 1 on all major platforms.

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93

u/Trunks252 Apr 27 '25

Did you just say Nier was turn based?

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u/Fair-Lingonberry-268 Apr 28 '25

I’ve stopped so many times to look at 2B that you may as well call it turn based

14

u/CovidScurred Apr 27 '25

JRPG

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u/meta100000 Apr 27 '25 edited Apr 28 '25

"The last time I remember a turn-based JRPG getting this level of attention was Persona 5 and NieR Automata in 2017."

1:1 quote from the OP's post.

Edit: Like someone else said, the OP noticed and fixed this, so it's fine now.

14

u/walkeritout Apr 27 '25

They must have edited, because that's not what it says now

1

u/[deleted] Apr 27 '25

[removed] — view removed comment

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u/meta100000 Apr 27 '25

This feels like a joke, but yes, I am trying to say Nier Automata is not a turn based game.

14

u/Trunks252 Apr 27 '25

Loot at the previous two words before JRPG

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u/[deleted] Apr 27 '25

[deleted]

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u/Funkcase Apr 27 '25

You can certainly call it that, but the people telling others they're wrong for calling it a JRPG and saying it's only 'inspired by them' would themselves be stretching the definition of 'inspired by', considering this plays entirely like a JRPG (the anime comparison is a bit of a fallacy here). The only reason this is not being considered a JRPG by people is because it was made in France and got popular (nobody had any issue calling Chained Ecoes a JRPG, apparently). 

The point of genres is to help people find similar games to the ones they have enjoyed. This game has nothing at all in common with the likes of Baldur's Gate, Witcher or Mass Effect, but it has tons in common with games such as Lost Odyssey, Persona, and Final Fantasy. It isn't even the first one to use QTE's in battles, we've seen this in Lost Odyssey, Legend of Dragoon, and Final Fantasy VIII, too (they have greatly expanded upon this though). Essentially, calling it a JRPG helps new players find similar games instead of cRPGs that play completely differently. This is why the devs themselves are using the JRPG label on the storefronts to market the game, referring to it as an 'evolution of JRPGs'. 

The JRPG label is quite broad encompassing the sub genres of Tactics JRPGs, Action JRPGs, and Turn based JRPGs. This is why it seems so stretched. They all have their unique quirks unique to them while sharing some DNA too, beyond simply being made in Japan. 

0

u/[deleted] Apr 27 '25

[deleted]

3

u/inEQUAL Apr 27 '25

Wait, no, Unicorn Overlords is not a JRPG. Neither is Fire Emblem or Shining Force. Those are SRPGs, which is its own genre with its own conventions. The gameplay loops are too distinct to lump in with JRPGs.

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u/weglarz Apr 27 '25

ER isn’t a JRPG and neither is Nier

2

u/garfe Apr 28 '25

If you're going to say Nier isn't a JRPG, I hope you're prepared to the same for stuff like Kingdom Hearts and Ys

-2

u/Lady_White_Heart Apr 27 '25

They're both JRPGs.

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u/weglarz Apr 27 '25

They’re not. They aren’t even close to what a JRPG is. JRPG hasn’t meant “RPG from Japan” since the early 90s

14

u/lestye Apr 27 '25

Why wouldn't Nier be a JRPG?

I can see Elden Ring being its own separate thing. But Nier is a pretty cut and clear JRPG.

2

u/weglarz Apr 27 '25

It doesn't have to be turn based, but that is a factor. It is a combination of multiple factors, if a game has enough of them it could be considered a JRPG. There are also sub genres like Action JRPG. Party based instanced combat, turn based combat, Japanese inspired aesthetics, the "town>dungeon>town" gameplay progression, leveling up/stats, equipment/item management, random encounters, specific story themes and elements, etc... these are some of the things a game needs to have multiple of(not all) to be considered a JRPG.

2

u/lestye Apr 27 '25

You haven't explained what disqualifies Nier.

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u/weglarz Apr 28 '25

It has almost none of these?

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u/Gharvar Apr 28 '25

Seems way too broad of a description to be an actual label.

I legit don't get how Nier Automata is a JRPG but then Soulsborne games aren't.

Mass Effect is a JRPG btw.

2

u/weglarz Apr 28 '25

Nier automata isn’t a jrpg imo. Mass effect is definitely not a jrpg

4

u/Lady_White_Heart Apr 27 '25

Because from the looks of it, people only consider turn based games as jrpgs.

14

u/lestye Apr 27 '25

I never see this discourse when we talk about Ys, Kingdom Hearts of Tales of games so I'm genuinely lost.

4

u/Lady_White_Heart Apr 27 '25

I don't know. I got people hating on me for considering them as jrpgs though lol.

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u/weglarz Apr 27 '25

It doesn't have to be turn based, but that is a factor. It is a combination of multiple factors, if a game has enough of them it could be considered a JRPG. There are also sub genres like Action JRPG. Party based instanced combat, turn based combat, Japanese inspired aesthetics, the "town>dungeon>town" gameplay progression, leveling up/stats, equipment/item management, random encounters, specific story themes and elements, etc... these are some of the things a game needs to have multiple of(not all) to be considered a JRPG.

1

u/Lady_White_Heart Apr 27 '25

https://www.playstation.com/en-ro/editorial/great-japanese-rpgs-on-ps4/#:\~:text=Discover%20some%20of%20the%20best,cult%20favourites%20like%20NieR%3A%20Automata.

Is this why Playstation themselves have considered Nier a JRPG?

0

u/[deleted] Apr 27 '25

[removed] — view removed comment

6

u/Lady_White_Heart Apr 27 '25

Insults now oof.

Souls games are on that site as well, it states that players might not consider them as jrpgs or something like that.

I consider them as a Jrpg.

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1

u/weglarz Apr 27 '25

Lol, they are the WORST at tagging correct genres, just like steam. They want people to buy more games, so they tag them with a bunch of genres that are kind of maybe close and let it rock.

0

u/Aroxis Apr 27 '25

Nier is 100% a JRPG. ER is not. This is commonly accepted.

1

u/migstrove Apr 27 '25

I propose "JRPG-like", it's like a JRPG while not actually being Japanese

0

u/CovidScurred Apr 27 '25

I don’t know, I’m just a civilian passing by.