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Xbox 360 Now 13% Cheaper in Japan

By BetaNews Staff, BetaNews

October 22, 2007, 10:29 AM

Microsoft will cut the price of its Xbox 360 console in Japan by about 13 percent from 39,795 yen ($348) to 34,800 yen ($304) starting November 1. The Core version of the console will now run 27,800 yen ($243), further putting pressure on Sony, which recently lowered the price of the PS3.

The Xbox 360 will still be more expensive than Nintendo's Wii, which has been a runaway hit worldwide and costs 25,000 yen ($219) in Japan. Microsoft has struggled to gain a foothold in the country, and recently signed on some big Japanese developers to write games specifically for the Asian market.

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By plague201

posted Oct 22, 2007 - 1:12 PM

Microsoft can do all they want. But the Japanese will not buy American, plain and simple.

Score: 0

By MinuteMaid

posted Oct 22, 2007 - 4:36 PM

Because American stuff is s***.

Xbox360 40% failure rate for example..

Score: 0

By Latz !

edited Oct 23, 2007 - 1:28 PM

It doesn't sell well there because of the games it has. Remember the 360 is outselling your pwecious PS3 elsewhere. Nice try though trollboy, but next time if you want to bash Microsoft try to do so without bashing an entire nation.

Score: 0

By bobthegoat2001

posted Oct 22, 2007 - 5:54 PM

because (just like any country, not trying to be races) they tend to buy stuff from their own country). But there's no excuse for you, Grape Juice.

Score: 0

By pitdingo

posted Oct 22, 2007 - 7:48 PM

yeah, the USA does not buy anything but goods made in the USA. ROFLMAO!!!!!

Score: 0

By bobthegoat2001

posted Oct 23, 2007 - 12:44 AM

Hello pit$ingo.

Score: 0

By plague201

posted Oct 22, 2007 - 8:28 PM

I don't know how old you are, but I remember hearing slogans like, "buy American", "Made in the USA", all from our local automakers.

Other cuntries are not immune to this type commercialism.

Score: 0

By AaronDobbins

posted Oct 22, 2007 - 9:32 PM

Stuff is still made in America? I thought everything was made in China or Malaysia, or Taiwan these days. The beauty of free trade baby! America loses jobs, stuff is made cheaper in China by child workers since we don't enforce any regulations (yay capitalism!) and they can put lead paint on our toys to shave a few pennies off the cost. God bless America!

Score: 0

By Latz !

edited Oct 22, 2007 - 8:32 PM

Yeah, of course they said that. Would Ford try and tell people to buy Japanese cars? Don't be absurd. Anyway you see how well that marketing worked. Just about everything we buy is from China and Japan.

Anyway, that is NOT the reason the 360 doesn't sell well in Japan. It has nothing to do with where it's from, but what games it has. They like games and entertainment over there that is very different from other cultures, and so far Microsoft hasn't gotten a clue yet.

Score: 0

By Setian^Stalker

posted Oct 23, 2007 - 12:46 AM

I used to strongly believe that view as well actually but awhile ago I was proven wrong big-time. Then I realised their attitudes towards aliens proved it along with my experience here.

It’s all about Xenophobia. There are many western products in Japan that get beaten around by simular Japanese products.

As you know Japanese tend to buy Japanese cars most of the time. Most of those cars are marketed as european style believe it or not.

Score: 0

By yountmj

posted Oct 23, 2007 - 12:27 AM

Exactly. Microsoft's marketing sucks in Japan, in much the same way Sony's sucks in the U.S.

Score: 0

By terminalx

posted Oct 22, 2007 - 11:09 AM

If Sony has it right how well is the ps3 doing again?

Oh, you forgot that part huh?

Sony is taking things away, MS is adding things, how is this an issue?

The price cut is only in Japan as MS does not have a foothold in that market as that market bases more around rpg and fantasy.

Score: 0

By Steve Austin

edited Oct 22, 2007 - 11:04 AM

But hang on, Microsoft stated only a week ago, there are NO PRICE CUTS on 360..

Lets see the Xbots defend this massive turnaround, after b1tching about Sony doing the same thing a few months back.

I see the 360 sales rose 600% last month, based on Halo 3 launch. Yep, they sold a who 6000 units in Japan.. WOOO...

I also see that Microsoft/Toshiba are creating a Trojan horse, and forcing HD DVD on Xbox owners.. How desperate are they becoming now..

Seems Sony got it SO right, that Microsoft had to copy every damn thing about the PS3, with the HDMI ports, HDD, HD storage. l I'd be pretty annoyed right now, if I had a obsolete 360, with no HDD, no HDMI, no HDD, that had to be send back for repair every month, and when it worked, it was noisier than a jet taking off in your living room.

LOL, "quality" American engineering...

Score: 0

By Setian^Stalker

posted Oct 22, 2007 - 7:40 PM

"But hang on, Microsoft stated only a week ago, there are NO PRICE CUTS on 360.."

Oh are we forgetting about that other company that did that previous 2 or 3 days before?

Score: 0

By pridewalker

posted Oct 22, 2007 - 5:39 PM

Sorry, but nothing to b**** about. First, I don't live in Japan. Second, I understand why both companies stayed quiet about it, until it happened.

Any sales increase in Japan is a good thing for MS, when you consider the loyalty that the Japanese have to 'home' companies.

Again, you're wrong about the Toshiba/MS internal HD DVD version of the 360: http://uk.news.yahoo.com...x-360-hd-d-6017cbb.html.

And Sony is far from having it right. An oppressive price tag, an unfinalized format, a lack of exclusive games, the constant flip-flop on backwards compatabilty (and before you rant about this, I actually like the idea of a cheaper model without the bc.), the fluidity of standard storage size...the list goes on.

If you're going to give Sony credit for 'HD storage', at least do it properly. The concept came from the original Xbox.

You're list of standard talking points for the 360 is also fairly tired. To date, there are only 2 games that require the HD (one of which is an MMORPG...the same one that required it on the PS2, ironically). Developers still prefer dealing with the 360 over the PS3 (and have found more than adequate work-arounds for the DVD9 'limitation'). HDMI isn't a requirement for High Def content (I'm using component and 1080i looks great); plus it was only added because of customer demand. The sound issue isn't as big as you want to make it out to be...I've personally never noticed it while playing or watching a movie. To be fair, the failure rate is unacceptable for something with this kind of price tag, however, MS has addressed the issue (without the need of a class action lawsuit, like Sony needed).

Score: 0

By siryak

posted Oct 22, 2007 - 5:31 PM

This rumor has already been debunked by both MS and Toshiba. http://uk.news.yahoo.com...x-360-hd-d-6017cbb.html

Score: 0

By AaronDobbins

posted Oct 22, 2007 - 3:30 PM

And we've been over it a thousand times why companies do not announce price cuts before they happen. Everyone who bought a console last week would have waited....duh.

"Come buy this new car....next week it will be $5k less, but buy it this week!"

Morons...

Score: 0

By AaronDobbins

posted Oct 22, 2007 - 3:30 PM

What will be interesting is when Xbox 360 has the HD DVD drive in all new units, and continues to outpace the PS3 in sales dramatically, what the Sony fanboys will say about the format war.

Right now they go on and on about how the numbers do not count PS3s and blah blah blah. I'm sure they will whine continuously when it takes 360 w/HD DVD sales a few months to catch up to the PS3 w/Blu-Ray totals.

Of course, when Sony bundles the format with the PS3 it is not desparation, but good marketing and a way to win the format war. When Toshiba and Microsoft team up to offer it after it becomes affordable, it is a desparation hail mary to save the format. Sorry fanboys, you can't have it both ways.

The fact is Blu-Ray cost the PS3 delays in release date to get right, which cost them a market advantage with game development and console adoption. Not only that, but Blu-Ray technology is so expensive it jacked up the price of the player and they still lose money (I know MS loses money on Xbox as well so shut it).

Microsoft, on the other hand, released their console, got some awesome games done for it and then added an HD DVD OPTIONAL attachment (still cheaper than Blu-Ray). Now it is affordable to include them by default, so they are going to do it.

In the end folks, competition is a good thing. I don't understand why you idiots want Sony to win so bad so early. Right now the competition is driving price drops for both formats. Without HD DVD what would be Sony's incentive to get after Blu-Ray?

You are all a bunch of whiney babies that need to get over yourselves and go outside for a while. Maybe try to get a girlfriend (or boyfriend if you are so inclined). The point is, there is more to life than video games.

Score: 0

By bobthegoat2001

posted Oct 22, 2007 - 5:37 PM

I agree with your post 100% except I think you should have said "The point is, there is more to life than just Sony."

Score: 0

By DZNetworks

posted Oct 22, 2007 - 12:26 PM

I think you got that wrong there, they are making an HD DVD player with 360 capabilities, so if anything, they are forcing 360 on HD owners. And is that really a bad thing?

Score: 0

By MinuteMaid

posted Oct 22, 2007 - 4:34 PM

If it means a 40% failure rate, yes....

Score: 0

By SGD

posted Oct 22, 2007 - 9:38 PM

You and Pitdingo sound like a broken record I wonder if you are the same person.

Score: 0

By SlapShot

posted Oct 23, 2007 - 7:17 AM

wouldn't be the 1st time

Score: 0

By bobthegoat2001

posted Oct 22, 2007 - 6:55 PM

At least there would be games to play on it.

Score: 0

By MinuteMaid

posted Oct 23, 2007 - 4:29 AM

The assumpton you have made of course, is that it's based on Xbox360.

However the article carefully never uses the 360 term.

It's entirely possible, and even likely, this is a new incompatible Xbox console, meaning, games will be starting again from scratch..

Score: 0

By yountmj

posted Oct 23, 2007 - 8:24 AM

No, of course not... *sigh*

They'll probably just "copy" Sony, redesign it, and call it the "Three-Sixty".

Score: 0

By SlapShot

posted Oct 23, 2007 - 7:17 AM

smart mouth, to bad it's full of FUD

Score: 0

By yountmj

posted Oct 23, 2007 - 12:32 AM

*smack* :)

Score: 0

By NULLedge

posted Oct 22, 2007 - 11:53 AM

no one cares. no one. not even you. stop spamming the comments.

Score: 0

By timatl

posted Oct 22, 2007 - 11:53 AM

steve austin cracks me up. this dude is funny.
i live in the US and the sales are great for the 360. that is where counts most for me because I live in the US. with no doubt the 360 is doing much better than sony and the gap is widen more every month even after sony dropped the price of the PS3.

Score: 0

By wreckedchevy

posted Oct 22, 2007 - 11:48 AM

you say microsoft is forcing hdd then what about sony? don't see a hdd option for the ps3 seems they are forcing bloray on the unfortunate few fools who actually bought one.

Score: 0

By DZNetworks

posted Oct 22, 2007 - 12:27 PM

The only reason they are adding hd is to give game developers what they want- more space.

Score: 0

By Steve Austin

posted Oct 22, 2007 - 12:04 PM

few? 6 million..

I see Microsoft are following suit however, and forcing HD DVD on 360 owners pretty soon.

The difference of course, is by the time that happens, HD DVD will be dead in the water.

Score: 0

By Latz !

posted Oct 23, 2007 - 2:05 AM

" see Microsoft are following suit however, and forcing HD DVD on 360 owners pretty soon."

WRONG. Don't believe every stupid rumor you hear, this has already been debunked, sorry.

Score: 0

By bobthegoat2001

edited Oct 23, 2007 - 12:47 AM

"I see Microsoft are following suit however, and forcing HD DVD on 360 owners pretty soon."

Make up your mind Steve, is Blu-Ray forced or is it a feature? Now that Microsoft is going to start including HD-DVD your calling it forced, when the Blu-ray was forced all along (just like you like it).

VG Chartz says 5.07 million, not 6 million. It's closer to 5 million than 6 million, you can't even round it up.

Score: 0

By yountmj

posted Oct 23, 2007 - 12:35 AM

No, he claims it was 6 million shipped.

The extra 1 million are the consoles gathering dust on the shelves looking for a good home (or good developer).

Score: 0

By bobthegoat2001

edited Oct 23, 2007 - 12:49 AM

Ohhhh. Talking about tring to spin things. Maybe he shold change his name to Spin Austin.

Score: 0

By timatl

posted Oct 22, 2007 - 2:06 PM

the numbers do not look good for bloray. it started the year with outselling the HD-DVD 3 to 1 and now it is more like 1 to 1. The 360 with HDDVD will just be the death blo to bloray.

Score: 0

By plague201

posted Oct 22, 2007 - 1:18 PM

Your such a hypocrite. I'm sure you were blabering about how its a good thing the PS3 has built in blo-ray, and now that MS is getting HD-DVD its a bad thing?

Thats totally retarded. Atleast MS is adding parts, not REMOVING them. The big difference here is that MS is adding HD-DVD when its affordable, unlike Sony who overpriced their console over blo-ray.

What will be interesing is the escalating sales rates of HD-DVD once MS finally spits on Sonys face and slaughters the blo-ray market.

Kudos to MS, they really know how to kick Sony where it hurts. And judging from your blabering I think my point is justified.

Score: 0

By terminalx

posted Oct 22, 2007 - 12:26 PM

Fact: Profile 1.1 when and if it goes live will NOT work on models already on the market.

Speculation: is that the ps3 will not even get the full benefits of profile 1.1 either.

Dead in the water, huh? (I know HOW much you LOVE links)

http://gear.ign.com/articles/826/826990p1.html

"Dedicated hardware does not include the PlayStation 3, which is responsible for getting several million Blu-ray players installed in American homes. Toshiba believes it can counter this advantage in 2008, however, as the company will soon be offering laptops with built-in HD-DVD drives at the popular $1,000 price point. The company estimates that it will ship 5-million HD-DVD drives for PCs and laptops next year and expects better attach rates for movie titles than the PS3 currently encourages, as various studies have recently suggested that (rather horrifyingly) only 20% of PS3 owners play Blu-ray movies on their consoles."

http://gizmodo.com/gadge...sers-as-well-309905.php

http://www.engadgethd.co...s-sales-are-back-on-top/

Yep, Hd-Dvd is really dead in the water...

I love the title of this article

http://kotaku.com/gaming...rties-on-ps3-313148.php

Score: 0

By yountmj

posted Oct 23, 2007 - 12:43 AM

Sony recently "pleaded with third-party developers not to abandon its struggling platform"

Aww... the almighty Sony pleading? Boo-freakin'-hoo. Love it...

Untapped potential, eh? PC gamers already maxed out the potential of that outdated GPU 2 years ago. Either that, or they're referring to the vaporware BD Profiles.

Score: 0

By MinuteMaid

posted Oct 22, 2007 - 4:40 PM

I love the title of this article

http://kotaku.com/gaming...rties-on-ps3-313148.php

OK, I'll explain this, for the thick/guliable...

The article was written by a guy called Dean Takahashi who works for the Mercury News.

But guess what he also does? Yep he writes books. He has 2 books out...

Opening the Xbox: Inside Microsoft’s Plan to Unleash an Entertainment Revolution ISBN 0761537082, ISBN 978-0761537083

The Xbox 360 Uncloaked: The Real Story Behind Microsoft’s Next-Generation Video Game Console ISBN 0977784215, ISBN 978-0977784219

Another sad Xbox fanboy using his job to try and swing the format war.

Score: 0

By yountmj

posted Oct 23, 2007 - 12:53 AM

...so says a sad PS3 fanboy using his multiple user names to try and swing the format war.

Score: 0

By Setian^Stalker

posted Oct 22, 2007 - 7:45 PM

I take it you have read those books to make such a comment? If not im sure most would agree with me if I say SIT DOWN AND...

Score: 0

By terminalx

edited Oct 22, 2007 - 4:47 PM

How is it a fanboy, Sony has consistently lost exclusives, seems to me they are pleading...

The only exclusives they have left are final fantasy (squenix has expressed concern so its still possible after the game is released it could end up on xbox360 if the sales do not overwhelm) Rachet and clank Z(fun game but hardly a reason to spend money on a system with lackluster games) I am sure there are a few others but again none of those exclusives are what will make someone commit to the system with a WOW factor.

None of these games (the ones that are supposed to save sony) will be out until next year which could cause these developers to start thinking of porting to another system.

Score: 0

By Niro

posted Oct 22, 2007 - 12:16 PM

"
The difference of course, is by the time that happens, HD DVD will be dead in the water."

Actually, the difference is, MS didn't have to overcharge for their console just to promote their format unlike sony, who pushed the price of the PS3 sky high and delayed the launch of the console just to get another propiatery, soon to be unsupported format down consumers throats...much like they did with the psp. Now that HDDVD is becoming a more widely used standard, MS is bundling it with the 360, with no cost increase to new buyers...sounds good to me.

Score: 0

By dlab21

posted Oct 22, 2007 - 1:14 PM

hmmm really and where did you hear this? so they will continue to sell the hd-dvd addons but simply give them away for free in the new consoles.... keep dreaming

Score: 0

By Niro

posted Oct 22, 2007 - 3:39 PM

Buy an HDDVD addon for $100 for you old xbox, or buy a new xbox for 250-300 or whatever the price will be at the time.

Hey...the you PS3 fanboys speculate all the time...and then when someone says something about the potential future of the 360 it can't possibly be true right...

Score: 0

By Bogunch

posted Oct 22, 2007 - 11:29 AM

...and backwards compatability?

Score: 0

By TomeOne

posted Oct 22, 2007 - 11:08 AM

1. Who cares.

2. Get a life.

Score: 0

By DZNetworks

posted Oct 22, 2007 - 12:29 PM

3. Why are you here?

Score: 0

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