The jap devs have always handled aigis. The thing was that nutaku tried to get dev rights because the jap devs gave us so long times between each event. They got dev rights and started training a group of people to handle it, which led to the dry summer last year. However, the jap devs took back their rights and then started churning out events at a better pace. So nutaku never really developed the game, except for the meager attempt in the summer last year.
That is not a good example because that walmart DID sell you the Chinese product (which is likely to be of a better standard then most American products to begin with you so you are aware) after they themselves had bought it. Nutaku does not buy games, they simple host games by other western devs who have bought them.
In terms you might be able to understand... E-Bay does not buy goods off people and re-sell them, they just list the sales and you buy from the owners. Same thing with Nutaku.
Flower Knight Girl: 255445855
That makes no logical sense, if the same Devs from Japan owned the game on Nutaku then it would still be making enough money to stay open, hell it wouldn't need to make extra just break even and they would still be in front due to Japanese sales. Are you telling me the Jap ver is also closing? If not then it's much more likely they had a western company (even if it was a subsidiary) doing all the translations and server side here. That company is the issue here, that and the fact that western gamers simply do not spend on games the same was as the Japanese do.
Flower Knight Girl: 255445855
Breaking even is not enough. They have to work and as a result they gain nothing, just break even? What kind of business would continue like this?
If they have positive income from jap sales and only break even or even go negative with western ones, it's quite logical to close the western production part.
This is not true. First, Nutaku is the only party you are dealing with. They took your money, by all laws and customs they are sellers and service providers, they hold all responsibility for the product.
Second, Nutaku is NOT "just storefront". Nutaku personnel many times admitted that they are involved in game production at much deeper levels, in particular NutakuDev on vndb said that Nutaku personnel is responsible for translations of texts for Aigis and have ability to correct these texts after they were inserted in the game and published.
I would hardy consider translation and insertion of text "a deeper level". And I imagine that Nutaku took their share, at the developers expense for this service. And at the end of the day they can on only make changes to what the developer has granted them permission for, even if they can make substantial edits.
It's shit, but this is the nature of these kind of games.
Since the game is going to end anyways, it'd be pretty cool if they said, "Fuck it," and just gave the players everything.
Not too sure what they plan to accomplish anyways, keeping a "dead" (damn it, it was a brilliant game) game open until December...
They do it. (resource dump)