Nautilus
Banned
Not to mention that there are old games like Secret of Mana which was one of the first action RPGs out there and I don't see people saying that's not a JRPG.Elden Ring counts as a JRPG in my opinion. If you look at what constitutes a WRPG since forever, it's basically any action RPG with some menus, equipment and stats. If those are WRPGs, then this is a JRPG.
If you think JRPGs only count if its pixel art, uses a menu, or says Final Fantasy on the box, then you're basically dooming JRPG to just be an old and outdated genre. You have to move with the times. Final Fantasy is also going to be action combat in FFXVI. Is that not a JRPG also? Really think about it. It's obviously changed.
Much like any with any genre, the games evolved and the genre with it. I don't get, what it almost feels like a hatred against successful JRPGs like Elden Ring, that " if it's selling like WRPG then it can't be JRPG.JRPGs have to be niche, so that has to be something else".
But this thread is to celebrate the JRPGs that released this year, and I'll focus on that, and this will be the only reply I'll give to this nonsense.