RSSXbox 360 Not a Hit in Japan
By Ed Oswald | Published December 13, 2005, 1:00 PM
Confirming initial reports, a survey released Tuesday shows that Saturday's debut of the Xbox 360 in Japan fared much worse than the launch of the original Xbox in the country in 2002. Microsoft's failure to excite Japanese gamers could mean early trouble for the console outside of the Western world.
The Asian market is crucial to any game console's success. For example, 20 percent of the more than 100 million PlayStation 2 systems were sold in the region. However, Microsoft still has time to increase sales, as the Xbox 360 will be the only next-generation console on the market for at least the next several months.
According to Enterbrain, publisher of the popular Japanese gaming magazine "Famitsu," 62,000 Xbox 360s sold. This would mean only 39 percent of the estimated 159,000 consoles available at launch were purchased.
The survey also noted that weekend sales were 50 percent less than the numbers for the original Xbox launch in Japan.
The lakcluster response from Japanese gamers stood in stark contrast with the launches in the United States and Europe, where Microsoft easily blew through its initial inventory in both regions within days. It was estimated that 300,000 consoles were available at launch in Europe.
The Famitsu survey said that Microsoft's biggest mistake might have been the postponement of "Dead or Alive 4." 61.5 percent of potential buyers were planning to purchase the game, and many retailers reported cancellations of pre-orders after the announcement of the delay was made.
The disappointing sales also call into question Microsoft's target of 1 million systems sold in Japan by mid-2006. If sales do not accelerate soon, the Redmond company may have trouble hitting its goal with the PlayStation 3 expected to arrive Japan in spring 2006.
Sony has an 80 percent market share within the country with the PlayStation.
Microsoft has said that the Xbox 360 was designed with the Asian market in mind. The original Xbox was criticized by Japanese gamers as being ugly in design, having a poor selection of games that were of bad quality.
Discs had a tendency to become scratched by the original Xbox, which was seen by many as poor design. Thus, Microsoft redesigned the Xbox 360 from scratch, and signed exclusive rights to popular Japanese games like "Final Fantasy XI."
Analysts say to watch sales in January, as they should start accelerating due to the availability of new games. According to Microsoft, 10 new titles will be released in Japan this month, with an additional 100 in development.
You guys must not have read the article all the way through.
They said that the Asian market accounted for 20% of PS2 sales - that's a huge share of the global market for consoles. If Microsoft can't crack it because they're selling an inferior product, then they will be behind the 8-ball again in their aim of world domination.
That said, I don't find the PS3 inspiring either. But as it's likely to have a better selection of games for both Western and Asian markets (particularly for the Japanese), I imagine it will be a more popular console. XBox fanboy-ism is alive and well in the States, but realistically, I don't think it's going to be the best product on the market. While US citizens are happy with buggy devices as long as they're cheap and have the features, Asian buyers are sensitive to those sort of issues, and it might be the reason the XBox again has failed to capture their hearts and wallets.
Ok, enough of a rant. Back to real games. PC ones, that is. :P
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|They are apparently putting in non-related facts to confuse the reader.
Japan != Asia
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|Japan == Sony == protectionist policies
Big surprise.
There's a lot of stuff that's a hit elsewhere bt not in Japan. Similarly, there's a lot of stuff that's a hit in japan but is pure trivia elsewhere.
In short:
Big Hairy Deal.
There are LOTS of other markets where XBox360 is a hit and in the grand sceme of things, the oddball gaming market in Japan is of little if any consequence, never mind the shrill shrieking of the Little Sony Fanboiz (TM).
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|It's fine if they don't have Japan, they can still take the US and EU, both with more gamers than Japan. By alot. Because, put very simply, Japan is smaller.
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|You obviously don't understand why this is a big deal.
Also, Just wait til the PS3 hit's the US Market. Remember, the PS2 KILLED the original Xbox in sales.
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|"Remember, the PS2 KILLED the original Xbox in sales."
Hmm... that's not what I heard, but I don't have any stats to back it up.
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|Not quite killed, but the PS2 came first last time.
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|PS2 sold 100 Million units as of Nov. 29th.
I think the XBOX has only sold 36 Million units as of then? might wanna check.
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|I'm sorry, but I'm gonna have to post again! Microsoft is having tough luck! All the "rumors" of the X360 being a peice of junk with nothing but problems. It not selling at all in Japan. AND!!! HD-DVD Being Delayed to release around the same time as Blu-Ray!!!
Sony: Hey M$! You thought you won because we screwed up with our rootkit!!
M$: Oh yeah? What's that suppose to mean???
Sony: Pwn'd!!!! HAHAAHAH!!
Sony wins again :P
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|Having fun?
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|yes :)
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|Oh ok.
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|It's quite an interesting world your mind dwells in. It's too bad it's so removed from reality.
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|What part of my comment isn't reality? (besides the Sony and M$ talking "JOKE")
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|Sorry Sony haters and M$ Lovers! The Japanese say "You Suck!" hahahaahaha
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|If you study any world history on Japanese economy, they must have mention they export a lot more than import. In others words, they don't buy foreign products. Unlike the US, we only buy foreign products. No wonder why our trade deficit is so big
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|Glad someone has some brains. Most american's car about the $0.10 they save cause it was imported. Where in the United States it would cost much more to develope. To bad 95% of those morons don't realize it will cost their job and their family jobs, Their homes and their safe life style. I do not buy anything that is not built in the US unless absolutly possible. Sony is included on the do not buy list for me. If I buy them I buy someones used stuff or borrow a friends. But I do not support sony though they are a good console.
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|I really think that due to the price tag of xbox360 and the expected tag of the playstation, it is no wonder that there is a lag in the Asian market. I am waiting too, so I can see the two together and choose the best one for the buck and games. The xbox360 does seem to be very bulky.
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|I kinda feel bad for MS. I mean less sales than the original failure thats Xbox (1)?
Well, I'm loving my 360. I guess the Japs have no interest since there's no DoA4 and no "Microsoft-ogs" equivalent.
I know it's easy to rip on the Japanese for their "unusual" gaming behaviour... I don't want to, but gosh darnit -- they're just so different over there.
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|Japan = Sony Lovers
Xbox in Japan = faliure
People in japan = waiting for ps3
Its that simple.
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|Yup.
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|It is no surprise, since the gaming market in Japan is SO different from North America. If MS actually got some date-sim games in their lineup there, maybe they can recover... I doubt it will happen though, as game development cost for PS2 is still cheaper than Xbox 360.
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|This is tragic for Microsoft and Xbox360, but I can't help the cynical bile rising in me over this.
After two or three years of planning, design and development, and after having had an easy run up to the starting line in the crucial Japanese race, Microsoft trips over its own shoes. And all this while Sony is months away from so much as a warm-up ad campaign. Dear oh dear, what is going on at Microsoft?
In Microsoft's defence - what bad quality games exactly? Sure we can all name a few frighteners, but when it comes to bad quality games, PS2 has nothing to shout about. How many derivative, badly drawn, 2D-looking, poorly translated beat-em-ups are there on PS2 these days - fifty, a hundred, more maybe?
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|Dude! I'm still on my Xbox hunt. This sounds pretty sweet. I'll just fly to China or wherever this is and buy like 10 of them and then sell them back here in the states for like a million dollars a piece. I'm gonna have a xbox and be rich. The only way my life could get any more awesomer is if my X-Men figurines came to life and played my xbox with me! Snap!
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|They built it from scratch thats funny, it still scratchs them!
And no hd dvd drive means more money down the road, xbox and xbox 360 games on a par(just look at king kong)if no hd tv!
They may have 100 or more game in develepment but how many at launch worth playing, how many of 100 are good?
Overheating of cpu and psu!
Then ps3 comes out microsoft joins opensourse after bill gate dies, the 360 join the dreamcast!
Long live the PS3!
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|just wait for the ps3, like any other sensible person, youl get more for your money
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