Ace Attorney 5: It’s digital or nothing

Fans have been wondering why Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney – Dual Destinies is releasing as a download-only title on the 3DS, and now Capcom has answered.

"Historically, it's been tough to attract long term retail support for Ace Attorney titles," wrote senior vice president Christian Svensson on the Capcom Unity forums. "… With that in mind, we have opted for a digital only release via the Nintendo 3DS eShop.

"I understand that this decision may upset fans who wanted to have a physical version of the title to add to their collection, but we believe this direction is the best to take."

The business is changing, explained Svensson, and it's not possible for every game to be available in both formats.

"We worked very hard to ensure a Western release on this title," he wrote. "If we'd said 'no, it's not coming,' it would have triggered the inevitable 'please bring it to eShop, at least' cries. Instead we shortcutted that and brought it straight to eShop."

Digital could be a great and cost-effective way to bring more niche titles to the West — if only fans could learn to accept the change. Physical copies are great for collectors, but for true Japanese-game enthusiasts, digital is better than nothing.

[The Escapist]

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