Microsoft Suddenly Closes Japanese Xbox Friends Service

Microsoft’s Japanese community site Xbox Friends has served for a long while as a meeting point and social network for Xbox 360 fans from the Archipelago of the raising sun.

Unfortunately all good things come to an end and today the site suddenly posted a notice advising users that it’s committing seppuku.

[Alexious]

I think Japan has been a little bit racist towards Xbox. It certainly deserved better sales than it ever got.

[SnakeCQC]

i really don't think its racist if they don't find it appealing. Imho the ps3 just gave the consumer alot more so they bought that.

[Virus201]

>>Imho the ps3 just gave the consumer alot more so they bought that.

I don't think so. The Japanese are very loyal to Japanese brands. They would have chosen Playstation no matter what. They rarely even play western games (I hear that all they play is Monster Hunter) for the PS3.

[xHeavYx]

@ Virus
I think they are smart enough to pick the more powerful, more reliable console

[Blackdeath_663]

@Virus201
nothing to do with brand loyalty, xbox has not offered anything other than shooters and driving games for the past few years all of which were sequels to existing franchises not even new ip's. not all cultures around the world like to play the same type of games even more so when you consider the deep gaming history Japan has. games like monster hunter, persona or ni no kuni are pretty much non existent on the xbox and therefore the xbox is pretty much non existent in Japan.

people have the misconception that the Japanese support sony because its a Japanese company which is not the case it is the opposite the Japanese support sony and nintendo because they have an understanding of the Japanese market. MS has failed to understand their own market let alone the Japanese one

[Elit3Nick]

@xHeavYx I definitely don't believe that, to me the Japanese always cared more about the system with their preferred games than the more powerful one, look at the 3DS vs PSVita, and now the WiiU is selling a lot better ever since Pikmin 3 came out.

[kreate]

what about all the other countries that didnt buy xbox360? they racist too?

so USA/UK is proud of american products and the rest of the world is racist towards america cuz they didnt buy a xbox360.

so for people to be considered not racist, people needs to go out and buy a xbox360 lol

good thing i bought a xbox360 or else i'll be called a racist by the fanboys :D

if a product is good, ppl will buy it. the whole country of japan cannot be racist, a few can be.

[Goro]

Racism towards a console? no, most Japanese people go with Sony because it's a Japanese company and they would rather support their own country, plus they're smart and just know Playstation is the best console

[kneon]

Yet they have been buying iPhones in droves. No it has nothing to do with Microsoft being American and Sony Japanese. The 360 just didn't appeal to them.

[Goro]

What i kind of meant is that it's better advertised in Japan.

[demonddel]

Just imagine how it would be if Americans thought that way Americans not only support their foreign products but they will ride or die for it Americans gotta love em

[Abriael]

Eh, Japanese consumers are very fast to adopt american products when they want to.

In this case they just didn't care to, for rather extensive reasons that have very little to do with racism.

[Alexious]

Racism is perhaps a strong word, but it's just the reverse medal for their national pride - and honestly, I cannot possibly find any other good reason for the abysmally low sales of the Xbox brand in Japan.

I'm hardly a fan of Microsoft's stance nowadays, but since 2001 there have been many games worth playing on their platforms.

[HammadTheBeast]

I think US has been a little bit racist towards PlayStation. It certainly deserved better sales than it ever got.

[shivvy24]

BOOM !

[creepjack]

Seriously? PS1 and 2 killed everything here. Just cause the PS3 actually had real competition this time around doesn't mean it didn't sell here. You can even begin to compare US PS3 sales to Japanese Xbox 360 sales.

[dudeOplenty]

@creepjack

pretty sure he was saying that to make a point - which, apparently, went completely over your head.

[iceman06]

Racist? Hardly. Xbox was designed for and catered to a Western audience. PS3, coming from Japan, had games ready to cater to what the Japanese like. Western games don't always have the same uptake in the Far East. Look at the Japanese charts and you will notice that some of the top selling games in the West don't even reach the top of the charts there. It's just different strokes for different folks.

[_FantasmA_]

You could also argue that Muricans support the 360 for the same reason. I know several jarheads that prefer the 360 and could care less about the PS3 being cheaper and having a more diverse, larger, and higher quality library. Ironically none of the 360 supporters I know even play Halo or Gears, they play COD. LOL. They should know better. They could play COD on PS3 without paying twice to use their own internet.

[LAZL0-Panaflex]

With ps4 they will.

[karl]

If u like games i dont know why u would ever get a 360... its not like the damn thing has any

[grimmweisse]

I've read stupid comments, but yours takes the cake. Just because a region fails to adopt hardware from another country doesn't make them racist.

By your logic them Japanese are racists towards themselves because they aren't buying enough VITAS.

Japanese adopt hardware and products from foreign countries if they feel it's good enough. Apple and Samsung phones are selling extremely well here in Japan.

Xbox failed in Japan because of it's image. It's always been Western centric in terms of gaming.

[ALLWRONG]

How does race fit in with a game console?

[JsonHenry]

Its not racist. But the Japanese are VERY loyal to home-land companies. Having several people close to me that have lived there and taught english/german in their schools they all tell me that they look at you funny if you mention anything but a Japanese made product as a suggestion.

On the flip side this is why so many of Japanese stories, anime, and literature of a bleak future has to do with not the government getting out of control and putting its boot on the throats of the little guy but Japanese companies overthrowing the government and seizing control. The complete opposite of most Western culture fiction.

It is just an extension of national pride. Not racism.

[_FantasmA_]

Like I said before, Muricans after this immigration thing are really anti-Asian. Thats why things like that airplane crash, racist names on Asian people receipts, etc keep happening. I'm not Asian but I did notice an increase in anti-Asian jokes in school and at work. Not cool.

But Asians will buy what appeals to them and they mostly like RPGS. You can't get that on the RRODbox, so naturally they are going to be on PC and PlayStation. If they really were racist, they would buying up nothing but Vitas. Although of course, 3DS has more games at the moment, so there is another problem.

[JsonHenry]

^^ "Muricans"? No. That is the media making a big deal to drive headlines. Americans on the whole is vastly far from racist.

Jokes are jokes. Grow some thicker skin.

[talisker]

Good move. Why keep it for five people?

[JoeReno]

You beat me to it. i was going to say something to the effect of "both users are going to be pissed"

[GameCents]

Good. They don't deserve it.
jk folks, jk.

[dcj0524]

Japan doesn't buy 360 because it mostly has multiplats and barley any exclusives. The ones that they do are super western and dont really appeal to anyone overthere. But then again Battlefield sales well over there and thats western.

[Chrisgamerguy]

It's not like xbox sells in Japan no wonder their taking that site Down and no wonder the xbox isn't launching there in November. The goal of a company is to make money and Microsoft isn't making any in Japan from xbox

[worldwidegaming]

Why do people compare a smart phone to a console?
I think thats so stupid! I mean most people own a smartphone and those same people
Do not own a console! Stick within the console world and stop straying within the smartphone world.
When you want to reinforce your argument that Japan does not buy Amarican stop pointing to apple. They buy apple because its not samsung and they still buy Japanese phones more than Apple ones. They refuse to buy American beef or cars but buy some of our games and products.
Apple is trendy and cool! Owning a console in no way can be trendy or cool. It surves a purpose to transport us to worlds unknown (or known)
Getting into bed with Japan is risky business and Microsoft keeps getting burned! American consoles are not wanted in Japan, plain and simple!

[FanboyCrusher]

Great time to get that Japanese support Microsoft, that would get the sales up on your console for sure.

[kawausokn]

Japanese All loves iPhone,iPod,Mac,Windows,Coke,M cDonald,Mister Donut,etc.