Clotaire Rapaille wrote a book called The Culture Code. The eponymous code is “the unconscious meaning we apply to any given thing“. This, naturally enough, includes games. Rapaille’s well-argued theory is that, essentially, we interpret everything not only fro the perspective of an individual and as a member of the human race (Jungian theories of the collective human subconscious plays a part) but also from a national (or racial) perspective).
Naturally this can get extremely confusing if studied too deeply, but we’ll cite a strong example before moving to games. Wedding are held around the world (in fact, Rapaille uses this very subject as one of his examples) but are entirely different depending on location, from the extremely decadent to the religiously austere. In the book, Rapaille uses his knowledge to decode countries and brands – in this latter way assisting marketers and consumer relations, along with consumers themselves (though this is arguable, as marketing is almost always about peddling wants not needs).
In this article, I am going to use Rapaille’s technique to decode games. I’ll look by country of the three biggest markets (Japan, the US and the UK). Lets take a look at what works in which territory, and why. Bearing in mind Rapaille has used this technique for businesses such as Nestle to have very positive effects, it is still nonetheless a social or people based science. This means that at times conclusions can be difficult to place in a qualitative perspective.
Japan
Insular and traditional, Japan is a country based on order and system. The idea of of a rigid structure and authority is still commonplace. This explains why games – in particular RPG’s with an emphasis on rules and number crunching do so well in the land of the rising sun. However, things are certainly changing, with much more creative types breaking down barriers in the younger generations. This energy results in games such as Katamary Damacy – even globally seen as unique and fresh for the industry. Games such as Okami reach between both worlds, offering a traditional tale with calligraphy on a modern platform. This cultural bridging on a national level offers a fulfilling experience.
America
The USA is big, bold and brash, with a comparison from Rapaille as that of an ‘adolescent‘. Is this why we see so many violent videogames, or those with a focus o war? Perhaps this national culture understands the difficulties in finding its’ own way so play them out on virtual battlefields. First person shooters such as Halo, Call of Duty and Doom are all American franchises, as well as finding a home in many dvd trays of families there.