The JRPG Pursuit

Join this channel to get access to perks:https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCtTJt-FyBOA8921t0XeB6hQ/joinA podcast for all things JRPG!If you're not already, consider becoming a member of the channel - you'll get access to our exclusive Discord to hang out with likeminded people, and at the Pursuer level, you'll also get the Aftershow (4+ additional hours of content every month!).Emily:YouTube: @orbalologyX: x.com/orbalologyBluesky: orbalology.bsky.socialInstagram: instagram.com/orbalologyBranden: YouTube: @JustTheGems X: x.com/_justthegemsBluesky: justthegems.netInstagram: instagram.com/_justthegemsAbdallah: YouTube: @DallahGamesX: x.com/dallahgamesBluesky: dallahgames.bsky.socialInstagram: instagram.com/dallahgames

Join this channel to get access to perks:https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCtTJt-FyBOA8921t0XeB6hQ/joinA podcast for all things JRPG!If you're not already, consider becoming a member of the channel - you'll get access to our exclusive Discord to hang out with likeminded people, and at the Pursuer level, you'll also get the Aftershow (4+ additional hours of content every month!).Emily:YouTube: @orbalologyX: x.com/orbalologyBluesky: orbalology.bsky.socialInstagram: instagram.com/orbalologyBranden: YouTube: @JustTheGems X: x.com/_justthegemsBluesky: justthegems.netInstagram: instagram.com/_justthegemsAbdallah: YouTube: @DallahGamesX: x.com/dallahgamesBluesky: dallahgames.bsky.socialInstagram: instagram.com/thegeekyglobetrotter

You've seen the same games on Underrated JRPG lists for years. We're trying to change it up and giving you ACTUALLY underrated games you haven't seen a million times already!

Join this channel to get access to perks:https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCtTJt-FyBOA8921t0XeB6hQ/joinA podcast for all things JRPG!If you're not already, consider becoming a member of the channel - you'll get access to our exclusive Discord to hang out with likeminded people, and at the Pursuer level, you'll also get the Aftershow (4+ additional hours of content every month!).Emily:YouTube: @orbalologyX: x.com/orbalologyBluesky: orbalology.bsky.socialInstagram: instagram.com/orbalologyBranden: YouTube: @JustTheGems X: x.com/_justthegemsBluesky: justthegems.netInstagram: instagram.com/_justthegemsAbdallah: YouTube: @DallahGamesX: x.com/dallahgamesBluesky: dallahgames.bsky.socialInstagram: instagram.com/thegeekyglobetrotter

A.I. is threatening a lot of jobs, but one area that it seems most baffling is in the arts. Is the goal to have A.I. do all the creative work for us so we can all just do menial labor forever? But anyway, we talk a bit about the DLSS 5 controversy and discuss the importance of art design, especially in aesthetic-heavy games like JRPGs.

Join this channel to get access to perks:https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCtTJt-FyBOA8921t0XeB6hQ/joinA podcast for all things JRPG!If you're not already, consider becoming a member of the channel - you'll get access to our exclusive Discord to hang out with likeminded people, and at the Pursuer level, you'll also get the Aftershow (4+ additional hours of content every month!).Emily:YouTube: @orbalologyX: x.com/orbalologyBluesky: orbalology.bsky.socialInstagram: instagram.com/orbalologyBranden: YouTube: @JustTheGems X: x.com/_justthegemsBluesky: justthegems.netInstagram: instagram.com/_justthegemsAbdallah: YouTube: @DallahGamesX: x.com/dallahgamesBluesky: dallahgames.bsky.socialInstagram: instagram.com/thegeekyglobetrotter

Join this channel to get access to perks:https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCtTJt-FyBOA8921t0XeB6hQ/joinA podcast for all things JRPG!If you're not already, consider becoming a member of the channel - you'll get access to our exclusive Discord to hang out with likeminded people, and at the Pursuer level, you'll also get the Aftershow (4+ additional hours of content every month!).Emily:YouTube: @orbalologyX: x.com/orbalologyBluesky: orbalology.bsky.socialInstagram: instagram.com/orbalologyBranden: YouTube: @JustTheGems X: x.com/_justthegemsBluesky: justthegems.netInstagram: instagram.com/_justthegemsAbdallah: YouTube: @DallahGamesX: x.com/dallahgamesBluesky: dallahgames.bsky.socialInstagram: instagram.com/thegeekyglobetrotter

Anime and JRPGs have gone together like peanut butter and jelly for a long time now. But has it always been the case? And is it possible that some people's distaste for anime is having a negative impact on JRPGs in the West?

Join this channel to get access to perks:https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCtTJt-FyBOA8921t0XeB6hQ/joinA podcast for all things JRPG!If you're not already, consider becoming a member of the channel - you'll get access to our exclusive Discord to hang out with likeminded people, and at the Pursuer level, you'll also get the Aftershow (4+ additional hours of content every month!).Emily:YouTube: @orbalologyX: x.com/orbalologyBluesky: orbalology.bsky.socialInstagram: instagram.com/orbalologyBranden: YouTube: @JustTheGems X: x.com/_justthegemsBluesky: justthegems.netInstagram: instagram.com/_justthegemsAbdallah: YouTube: @DallahGamesX: x.com/dallahgamesBluesky: dallahgames.bsky.socialInstagram: instagram.com/dallahgames

With the announcement of the new generation of Pokemon games, JRPG fans' nostalgia is going into overload - but what is it about this genre that makes us so nostalgic to begin with?

Join this channel on YouTube to get access to perks:https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCtTJt-FyBOA8921t0XeB6hQ/joinA podcast for all things JRPG!If you're not already, consider becoming a member of the channel - you'll get access to our exclusive Discord to hang out with likeminded people, and at the Pursuer level, you'll also get the Aftershow (4+ additional hours of content every month!).Emily:YouTube: @orbalologyX: x.com/orbalologyBluesky: orbalology.bsky.socialInstagram: instagram.com/orbalologyBranden: YouTube: @JustTheGems X: x.com/_justthegemsBluesky: justthegems.netInstagram: instagram.com/_justthegemsAbdallah: YouTube: @DallahGamesX: x.com/dallahgamesBluesky: dallahgames.bsky.socialInstagram: instagram.com/thegeekyglobetrotter

In modern video game discourse, there's peak, and there's trash. There's no in-between. We break down why this mentality is damaging both to the financial side of the games industry, as well as its creative soul.

Join this channel to get access to perks:https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCtTJt-FyBOA8921t0XeB6hQ/joinA podcast for all things JRPG!If you're not already, consider becoming a member of the channel - you'll get access to our exclusive Discord to hang out with likeminded people, and at the Pursuer level, you'll also get the Aftershow (4+ additional hours of content every month!).Emily:YouTube: @orbalologyX: x.com/orbalologyBluesky: orbalology.bsky.socialInstagram: instagram.com/orbalologyBranden: YouTube: @JustTheGems X: x.com/_justthegemsBluesky: justthegems.netInstagram: instagram.com/_justthegemsAbdallah: YouTube: @DallahGamesX: x.com/dallahgamesBluesky: dallahgames.bsky.socialInstagram: instagram.com/thegeekyglobetrotter

We're diving deep into Trails Beyond the Horizon, and we aren't pulling any punches. Nothing is off limits in this in-depth discussion about the latest game in the Trails series, and we're joined by special guests Cam from Party Chat and Mags from Level Up Legacy!

In this episode, we dig into a growing concern around the future of the genre: why younger players aren’t connecting with JRPGs the way older generations did. 🎮💭

We break down a recent article from Automaton Media that explores how long development cycles in modern JRPGs are impacting player attachment, especially in Japan. When many of us were growing up, new JRPG entries arrived every year or two. Now, it’s common to wait six to seven years between releases, which makes it harder for younger players to form lasting connections with a series.

We also talk about how some developers, like Nihon Falcom, have found a sweet spot with AA development. By releasing games more consistently, they’ve kept their audiences engaged and helped drive long-term adoption and sales. It raises the question of whether other studios need to rethink their approach if they want the next generation to grow up loving JRPGs.

💬Let us know in the comments: Do long gaps between games affect how you connect with a series, and what do you think studios should do differently?

✨ Don’t forget to like, subscribe, and join the JRPG conversation with us every week!

Link to the article: https://automaton-media.com/en/news/young-gamers-in-japan-may-not-be-forming-the-same-attachment-to-final-fantasy-or-dragon-quest-because-modern-dev-cycles-are-as-long-as-their-childhood-users-theorize/

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Timestamps:

00:00:00 Intro

00:01:15 Let's talk about that automaton-media article

00:09:00 What are the kids playing?!

00:14:22 Are younger generations less interested in narratives?

00:25:00 Are there unrealistic expectations on series like Final Fantasy?

00:33:55 Bringing it back to the success of the Trails series

00:44:30 Are cross platform releases affecting development and creativity?

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Join this channel to get access to perks:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCtTJt-FyBOA8921t0XeB6hQ/join

A podcast for all things JRPG!

If you're not already, consider becoming a member of the channel - you'll get access to our exclusive Discord to hang out with likeminded people, and at the Pursuer level, you'll also get the Aftershow (4+ additional hours of content every month!).

Emily:

YouTube: @orbalology

X: x.com/orbalology

Bluesky: orbalology.bsky.social

Instagram: instagram.com/orbalology

Branden:

YouTube: @JustTheGems

X: x.com/_justthegems

Bluesky: justthegems.net

Instagram: instagram.com/_justthegems

Abdallah:

YouTube: @DallahGames

X: x.com/dallahgames

Bluesky: dallahgames.bsky.social

Instagram: instagram.com/dallahgames

#jrpgs #jrpg #podcast #videogames #games