Something About Japan: why Xbox One could be Microsoft’s final strike

EDGE - Our Tokyo correspondent explains why Xbox One looks unlikely to reverse Microsoft’s fortunes in Japan.

[stage88]

Japan are smart. They know what's what and the competition is better so its a no brainer.

[GusBricker]

The only way MS could ever succeed in Japan is if they bought Square Enix.

And that still might not work.

[Mario20]

Gusbricker sorry but I just found your comment disclosed. Where on earth did you hear this. If your mind formulated it then wow Johnson will have to inspect your internal belongings and that also includes your dish washing soap. so get it ready because it is on like Donkey Kong

[slapedurmomsace]

@Mario20----what you've just said ... is one of the most insanely idiotic things I have ever heard. At no point in your rambling, incoherent response were you even close to anything that could be considered a rational thought. Everyone in this room is now dumber for having listened to it. I award you no points, and may God have mercy on your soul...

[Boody-Bandit]

Slap
You should've topped it off with the video.

[MysticStrummer]

MS could do ok with Kinect in Japan if they brought out some kind of sex game for it.

Then they could use the videos recorded on their servers to create a cable comedy/reality show.

Skinect... Friday nights on Showtime!!!

[SexyGamerDude]

I don't know why MS would even try in Japan. All of the Japanese devs are going to go flocking to Sony and that's where the Japanese consumers will go.

Even if they manage to get JRPGs they won't sell any systems. Look at FF 13 and 13 -2 for example. Both those games did well in Japan but hardly any of those sales were the 360 version.

[RiPPn]

Another good reason to own a PS4, I like diversity in my gaming choices, and I love JRPGs. 360 wasn't called the "shades of brown" console for nothing, it became very stale especially the last 3 years. And Ni No Kuni, Fire Emblem: Awakening, and other JRPGs are selling nicely, showing there is a market for these games.

[videgamenext1]

Actually soon has lost a lot of its hold on japan with there consoles the ps4 has been said by many Japanese developers its really for the American market. That's not to say you won't see Japanese games on it but you will probably see more on 3ds and WiiU

[SexyGamerDude]

The Japanese also don't care for the NFL.

[ginsunuva]

Yes they do; they love the Nasty Fetish League.

[kwyjibo]

But weirdly, they love Baseball.

[izumo_lee]

Everything they have shown in the conference was very USA centric which if you are trying to gain foot in Japan or even overseas is not something you wanna do.

The original Xbox was heavily western focus which is why Japan cared less for it cause content was not for them. With the XB360 Microsoft at first tried to gain back the support by getting exclusive content like Tales, Squarenix games, & some Japanese worthy content from developers. It worked for awhile but Microsoft stopped supporting it. This gave Japenese gamers a bad taste in their mouths.

Now again Microsoft is 'promising' more support for Japan. If i was a Japanese gamer i would be having 2nd thoughts & doubts if this is actually true. They have seen what Microsoft has done in that territory & it is not much.

So why should Japan gamers care for the XboxOne if even Microsoft cared less for that territory.

[GusBricker]

Stopped supporting it? More like MS did everything it could and it wasn't enough. They brought the JRPGs, they lowered the price big time(didn't they give away games with it?) and it still didn't sell.

They were doomed from the start.

Hell, it's worth owning one just for Lost Odyssey, IMO.

[SexyGamerDude]

They didn't buy that many JRPGs. I can confirm this as a 360 owner and a lover of JRPGs. The amount of JRPGs on the 360 are slim. Not nearly enough to make Japanese consumers want to go out and buy one. You can play all the JRPGs that the 360 has and tons of exclusive ones on the PS3.

Mika: Don't try to bring that "the Japanese don't want to support an American product" crap up. Explain the IPhone sales?

Japanese consumers didn't buy the 360 because it was slim on JRPGs and other Japanese games. Where are all the popular Japanese games? Kingdom Hearts? Final Fantasy 7 is on PSN. Why isn't it on XBL? Microsoft could have done a better job attracting Japanese consumers.

[-Mika-]

Thank you! The guy above you is trying to make MS seem like the bad guy. They really went all out for japan. You look at MS in the early 360 years. They funded alot of japanese games like lost odyssey and blue dragon. Also those triace games. They also paid to get final fantasy 11, phantasy star and plenty of other japanese games to the system. Plus they made it easy for small developers to get their games on XBL. So they really did try but the japanese just didn't want to support an american product. If MS doesn't bring the XBOX one to japan. I really wouldn't blame them. They went all out for japan and they just didn't buy the system.

@ dude

In the beginning of this gen. MS had alot more jrpg than Sony. They just didn't sell to MS expections so they stopped going after them.

[izumo_lee]

They did stop supporting it. After they tried to get all these games on the 360 like Tales, Last Remnant, Mistwalker games like Lost Odyssey etc. When that did not work they stopped trying instead of doing more.

The only ones supporting the 360 in Japan are from bullet hell developers & some visual novel creators. Remember that conference when Microsoft said they were giving Japan more games like a new Panzer Dragoon? Where is that?

Heck they even stopped selling 360s in Japan all together now. If that is not stopped supporting it than i do not what is.

Ok so Japan can care less for the Xbox brand but that doesn't mean one should abandon that market which Microsoft clearly has. Now they are again promising more support for Japan with the XboxOne? Like is said if i was a Japanese consumer i heard that before.

[Theyellowflash30]

MS stopped supporting the Xbox 360. Where was a sequel for Lost Odyssey and Blue Dragon?

Mistwaker was making Blue Dragon games for the DS!

And no sequel to Lost Odyssey one of the best selling JRPGs this gen on the Xbox 360?

Yeah, they stopped supporting Japan.

[MikeyDucati1]

Xbox One is a western console catered to western players. Plain and simple. Arrogant, cocky players I might add

[Knightofelemia]

Atari failed in Japan Microsoft would be no differant. The taste in games is completly differant between the US and Japan. Also Microsoft does not have the established home turf in Japan like say Sony, Panasonic, Sega and Nintendo. Only thing Microsoft in Japan would be a computer running Windows. Also the typical Japanese household is smaller than an American home so the Kinnect in all honesty is a failure right there in Japan. For the XboxOne to work and be successful in Japan Microsoft should listen to those gamers on what they want for games and features. Microsoft would need to think like they are Japanese and really think what would it take to make my console stand out differantly from Sony and Nintendo and also figure out why the Atari failed in the land of the rising sun.

[Silver360]

10% of market for video games sales. Better to worry about North America and Europe. The home of SONY is no longer power consumer of video games.

[strigoi814]

japan doesn't want restrictions and they only want games I mean quality games and mostly jrpgs..

[Brazz]

i have to say, MS i better out of Japan. Japan market is domminated by Nintendo and Sony, and the dominant consoles are the portable ones. 75% japan market is about portable and only 25% is for consoles like wiiPS360, and of this 25% MS catch only something aroud 5-7% ( 5% of 25% > 1,25% of the real market). that said i dare say that japan is not for mycrosoft, it's better go for other good markets...
Edit: In this generation, Nintendo was the king in japan, WII an NDS granted this...

[ghostrider32]

Japan gave Atari the middle finger, they gave both of Microsoft's systems the middle. Their third system would obviously get the same treatment. Especially seeing how they pissed EVERYONE off, even the most loyal ride or die fans.

[Iceman_Nightmare]

Microsoft will do good, but only in USA... PS4 will do good in every other regions, and them baving ads at the champions league is a huge win over Microsoft.. now lets wait for E3 hope Microsoft doesnt disappoint us some more.

[CaulkSlap]

MS bought a bunch of JRPG exclusives for 360 and it did absolutely nothing. I just assume they're going to give up Japan entirely now.

Microsoft is probably going to have a hard time retaining 1/3 market share in the US let alone the rest of the world. Japan should be last on their list when PS4 is dominating Europe and has majority in US.

[HonestDragon]

Watching the conference, this was one of my thoughts, "How could Microsoft possibly make the Xbox One appealing to consumers in Europe and Asia?" Xbox One screams that it's all American. It's not a product that anyone from any country can buy and enjoy. It's something that will most likely be popular in North America, though even that is questionable given the reaction from many.

Microsoft knew going into console gaming that they have to win over different markets. Europe and Japan are good markets. The fact that Microsoft completely alienated both in one single blow shows that they are out of touch with those areas of the world. Just look at Xbox One and see how generalized it is for just us Americans. NFL, EA sports, cable programming, and apps are what make this console unappealing to our neighbors abroad.

It's no wonder that Japanese consumers see Microsoft's attempts as a joke. PC is universal and will have people gaming for years. Nintendo has their set demographic and dedicated fans, so they don't have to worry. Sony has everyone excited for PS4. As far as I can tell (and through numerous conversations I've had), people are going to be jumping ship both now and later on this year, with Nintendo and Sony having their arms wide open.

[Stoppokingme]

Trying to sell the ONE in japan would be like trying to sell glasses to the blind.

M$ has done nothing to entice Japanese gamers to purchase the 360, and nothing will change next gen. M$ should detour Japan and focus on...whatever the hell they're doing, if they even know what they're doing anymore.

[Prcko]

foll me once foll me twice,y...

[Master of Unlocking]

XBOX ONE

-> "BATSU ICHI" ("divorced once")

:)