Asura's Wrath maker says mobile social games are 'all rubbish'

At least they're "junk" in Japan, according to Hiroshi Matsuyama (pictured), CEO of Fukuoka, Japan-based developer CyberConnect 2. During an interview with Gamasutra, the chief overseeing upcoming traditional console games like Asura's Wrath for publisher Capcom and a Naruto game for Namco Bandai, said, "Another thing that I dislike is social games. Everybody is talking about social this, and social that. Even Bandai Namco. I don't like that."

However, don't think that Matsuyama's ire for social games is uninformed--the guy has reached Level 250 in DeNA's Kaito Royale for smartphones. "They're not fun at all. But, I have to play it," Matsuyama told Gamasutra. "The reality is that it has over 3 million users, and it's true that they're making money. I need to be aware of those businesses, so of course I play them. GREE's Dragon Collection. I've played that, too. [Matsuyama pulls out two smartphones] This is my iPhone, and this is my Android phone, and I play these games on both of these phones -- but they're all rubbish."

Ouch, Matsuyama. Keep in mind, however, the CyberConnect 2 president is referring specifically to Japanese mobile social games. Though, Matsuyama name dropped Infinity Blade for iOS (and soon on Mobage) as a favorite mobile game of his. Regardless, Matsuyama appears to think that, frankly, both Gree and DeNA have work to do before their games are suitable.

This point of view certainly isn't unique to Japan, as designers far and wide in the U.S. have called social games out for shallow gameplay, predatory design or just not being social enough. It seems that, regardless of the fact that social games are making a killing, they have a long way to go before earning the respect of traditional game designers. That is, of course, as their colleagues leave in droves for the social games scene.

Do you think social games deserve the respect of traditional game designers in their current state? Should social game creators even be working toward earning that respect?

Disney My Store: Gree gets a Disney-branded game before Playdom?

Technically, yes: Japanese social gamers now have a game that features Disney's iconic characters before the Western world. According to Serkan Toto, Gree has announced Disney My Store, a mobile social game for feature phones that will allow players to create shops complete with Disney products like Mickey Mouse plush dolls and Lightning McQueen toy cars.

Earlier this year, Walt Disney Japan worked with DeNAto release Disney My Land on the Mobage mobile social game network, but now it's Gree's turn. Alright, so the game doesn't feature the characters in the flesh, so to speak, but it is a game centered around said characters. That's more than we can say for Disney in the U.S. and abroad when it comes to social games.

Disney My Store allows players to sell their Disney-themed goods to their friends, dress up avatars just like their favorite Disney characters and work in their friends' stores. Of course, players will get to send each other gifts and trade items to sell in their respective stores--of which 300 will be available at launch.

Serkan Toto reports that the game will also be used to advertise real-life Disney Store items, and that Walt Disney Japan will use the game to spread word of new Disney movies that hit theaters. In the U.S. and abroad, however, Disney Interactive has dragged its feet in bringing its insanely lucrative characters to social games. But since the company slapped its name on Playdom's recent Gnome Town to positive results, Disney Interactive announced that a number of Disney-branded games will hit Western social networks in the next year. Well, it's 'bout time.

Why do you think Disney waited so long to bring its brand into Western social games? What Disney character do you hope gets a Facebook game first?