As for the blockhead who looks down on So3, I hope I won't come across him in the street!

Being passed over for a GoW 2 release is but one of many ways that western developers have shot themselves in the foot in the Japanese market. The latest of which being the Bowdlerization of the Japanese release of Fallout 3 (as you can expect, the quest where you can nuke a whole town was removed as was any depiction of a mushroom cloud. Nuka-cola also had it's name changed.)These actions have been viewed as personal slights by the small but dedicated cadre of fans who prefer western titles. Western developers will continue to lose ground in Japan if they alienate their customers like that.