PlayStation 4 Japan PS4 1

While the PlayStation 4 is breaking sales records all over the globe, Japan is proving a particularly tough nut to crack. With the nation becoming increasingly enamoured with smartphones, Sony's really finding it difficult to get consumers to pay attention to its new console. And one rather unpleasant thorn in its side is the continued popularity of the PlayStation 3, which is still receiving many of the region's most popular games.

In an exclusive interview with Push Square, the producer of Nobunaga's Ambition: Sphere of Influence, Kenichi Ogasawara, has hinted that this is actually holding the new-gen device back. "We had to keep in mind that the game itself has to be as good on the PS3 as it is on the PS4," he explained when asked about the sales dynamic between the two devices. "If we were developing this game not for Japan but mainly for Europe and the US where many more players have already switched generation to the PS4, we could have tried to use specific PS4 features and maybe improve the game, but we couldn't do that while keeping the Japanese market in mind."

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Ogasawara continued that the developer's a little "jealous" of the European and US markets as it wishes that Japan would catch up. "From a business point of view, it doesn't make much sense to put too much effort into new-gen consoles as they're not as widespread in Japan," he continued. This, of course, presents a classic chicken and egg situation: without consumers, creators are less willing to make compelling content – but the consumers won't come until the compelling content arrives. Perhaps the likes of Final Fantasy XV and Dragon Quest XI will do the trick.

Either way, Koei Tecmo seems to have its localisation strategy figured out. "We think that if we make a game that's good and is accepted and can be enjoyed by Japanese people, there will also be people in the West who will enjoy them and find them entertaining as well," he concluded. "We put a lot of effort into making good games and publishing them in the West, and hopefully we'll develop a growing fanbase for Koei Tecmo games in the West, too."

Do you think that Japan will ever accept the PS4? Are you happy to see so many Japanese-centric titles making the jump overseas? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section, and look out for our full interview later today.