Importing Japan-only games involves real friction — language barriers, payment complexity, shipping costs, region-locking on some platforms. Three of the six I imported this year were worth the friction; three weren't. Here's what I learned about which imports justify the effort.
The 3 worth importing
1. Title #1: niche genre with limited Western localization. Japanese-only release was the only way to access this kind of game. Worth the language barrier for the gameplay.
2. Title #2: sequel to a series I love that wasn't getting Western release. The continuation of the story justified the import effort.
3. Title #3: distinctive indie with no Western publisher interest. Importing was the only path; the game justified the effort.
The 3 not worth it
4-6: three imports that turned out to either get localized later, not be as distinctive as I'd hoped, or have language requirements that exceeded what I could navigate.
The imports that didn't work share patterns: I imported based on hype rather than verified game quality; I underestimated language barriers; I didn't check whether localization was likely.
The framework for import decisions
Before importing:
- Verify localization isn't scheduled. Check publisher patterns.
- Assess language requirements. Does the gameplay require Japanese reading?
- Verify game quality. Don't import based on hype alone.
- Calculate true cost (game, shipping, sometimes adapters or region-free hardware).
- Consider waiting. Some imports get localized eventually.
The takeaway
Importing works selectively. The friction is real; the right imports justify it. The wrong imports produce expensive frustration.
For your own importing, apply the framework before committing. The discipline produces better imports.
