SE finally figured it out.

Toriyama went on to make some comparisons between Western role-playing games and Japanese role-playing games. Of course, he played fast and loose with the definition of the genre, using Hitman and Tomb Raider as his examples of “Western RPGs.”

"The difference, he said, is that Western RPGs like those ones starring Lara Croft have camera systems that zoom in tightly on the main character because the player wants to identify closely with that single character, whereas Japanese RPG cameras are more zoomed out, because the player wants to see the entire scene from a bird’s-eye view."

http://www.wired.com/gamelife/2010/03/final-fantasy-gdc/

Holy fuck! Not this shit again! This is the 3rd time in recent memory that Mr. Toriyama has brought up WRPG's. Does this guy not know what a WRPG is? Has he even played one? It's comments like this that make me wonder just how much he is in tune with Western gaming in general. Honestly, how the hell does one called Tomb Raider and Hitman, both action games, WRPG's? It's stupid ass comments like this that make me laugh at Japanese developers when they try to appeal to western gamers and utterly fail. Here's some free advice Toriyama, go back and play the Baulders Gate, Fallout (1-2), Icewind Dale, and Neverwinter Nights to get an understanding what WRPG's really are. This BS you and SE keep spouting about WRPG's is frankly just plain sad.

SE shoots their mouth off again about WRPG's.

SE certainly seems to have a fixation on the Western gaming market and WRPG's in general it would seem. In a recent interview with Joystiq, FF13 director Motomu Toriyama commented on the game scattershot reviews and linearity claiming it was a hang native to western reviewers and gamers.

During an interview with 360 World magazine, Toriyama explained, "we think many reviewers are looking at Final Fantasy XIII from a western point of view." He later added, "when you look at most Western RPGs, they just dump you in a big open world, and let you do whatever you like... it becomes very difficult to tell a compelling story when you're given that much freedom."

It's statements like these that make me wonder if these Japanese developers have even played a WRPG or have any knowledge of the non-Asian markets. First of all, the only games that really dump you in a huge open world are Bethesda's sorry ass excuse for "RPG's". As for telling a compelling story, Baulders Gate, Fallout 1-2, Planescape: Torment, Dragon Age, and Mass Effect 1-2 all say hello Mr. Toriyama.

Honestly this reminds me of the time Yusuke Naora was shocked to find out that the term JRPG was applied to RPG's coming from Japan. Mr. Naora was absolutely dumb founded that such a term existed and was also shocked about Fallout 3's success (more on that in a second). I personally call bull shit on stuff like this. As for Fo3's success, well that's easy. It's got first person pew pew pew gameplay, poorly done gore, childish swearing, and most FO3 fans are around 13-14 years old and 13-14 year olds like like that sorta thing so, bam, instant success.