Gemini Project Update
March 31, 2004
We have now made our request for a timetable on approval of the project. We may have some advantages since development of a video game consists of a far more substantial schedule than any other type of product: even a new anime series. We are also slowly accumulating disadvantages as well.
It should be noted that from a business point of view, Sailor Moon is slowly becoming less and less valuable. With no broadcast series, DVD or manga available, licensed products like video games are very difficult to get funded, because investors and publishers will insist on some help with marketing. Having a few million people as a daily television audience helps. Now, a video game or series of video games could form their own basis for marketing, but that would put the entire advertising burden on the publisher of those games, something which would be enormously expensive. Publishers, as a rule, don't like the phrase "enormously expensive."
As each day passes, we are also watching a planned release date move well beyond even our most exaggerated development schedule. This is another important question we'll have to answer for publishers: will people buy a Sailor Moon video game so many years after the television series? Platforms are going to become a major question as well. Such a release date may require us to develop for consoles that aren't even being sold yet.
All of these items will make it more difficult to interest investors and a publisher, even if the project is approved for development. However, we will update with some of the information from our second presentation when it becomes available.
I'd suggest letting them know that with the new live action series, interest in Sailormoon is the highest it's been in the last 3 years (online anyway).
