Microsoft Has Big Goals for Xbox One in Japan; Believes Market Share Can Change with New Generation

Dualshockers:

We’re less than 24 hours from the release of the Xbox One in Japan and Microsoft is going to try and dazzle the local audience with a day long launch marathon, while the company’s executives share their enthusiasm and expectations.

[AngelicIceDiamond]

Sigh....Good luck.

Is all I have to say.

[christocolus]

I wish them the best too. Just after E3 they did say they had some surprises planned for Japan. Have no idea what it could be but i know i would love more ips like fuzion frenzy,otogi,blinx and maybe a sequel to lost odysee in addition to that, mystwalker could ressurect Cryon and level 5 could start working on True fantasy live online again.also whatever big exclusives they release over there should be localized for the west to maximize returns.

Best of luck Takashi S. All the best.

[TKCMuzzer]

It's about brand recognition and unfortunately Xbox is a brand the Japanese don't really recognize. It would have to do something they have not seen to stand a chance and considering they are tech mad it just won't stand out enough as they have probably been there, done that.
It's also safe to say, Japan is a mobile gaming country and I can't really see that changing, hence why Sony hit the US and Europe first with the PS4.

[Why o why]

Boi....I need some of your PMA in my life right about now chris man

[Gazondaily]

I just honestly don't see it happening. They need luck, luck and then some.

To be honest, even getting back the US market from Sony now seems like an uphill task in itself. Just doing well in Japan would be a MASSIVE achievement.

The skeptic in me says that the Xbox will trail behind Sony in virtually every market out there, USA, Japan and others. The generation may have just started but the sheer momentum Sony have plus MS' slew of bad decisions and constant playing catch up is just too much. I wish them all the best but they're going to need A LOT of luck to pull off a success in Japan.

[IndoAssassin]

@septic

I think X1 will eventually outsell PS4 on a regular basis by next holiday.

[darthv72]

Like they say, third time is the charm.

but then again....the third console curse exists for a reason.

[christocolus]

@septic

I agree with you. Sony has been riding really high. At this point i just want the xbox one to be successful enough to get a successor. They definitly need to keep doing all they can to correct the mistakes they've already made.It may take a while,they may not even get to correct it all this gen but they just need to keep doing things right and remain focused. New studios, sequels to existing ips working with feedback from fans to make the experience better,great ads, constant updates to xbx one and xbox live.all round improvements and a constant inflow of new/killer AA ips.

I think they've been going in the right direction since Phil became head of xbox.

[GoGoGadge7]

Even if they gave the XBOX One tentacles, made it say Desu desu desu every 6 seconds, while it sprung boobs.. the Japanese STILL wouldn't want it.

[nX]

^If X1 outsells PS4 it's only because everyone has a PS4 already... or maybe during a Halo launch week. In Japan, PS4 will outsell the Xbone 3:1 even in a Halo launch week, no doubt about it.

[indyman7777]

Back to the article, if Microsoft actually thought they had a chance they would at least have a press conference! Not just have games.

[IndoAssassin]

If X1 is a dud in Japan they really should pull out and invest that money in new studios. I don't understand how their investors let them bleed money in this region.

@ my above comment. I meant in America X1 will eventually outsell Ps4 by next holiday

[MWMonroe2395]

.

[ShinMaster]

I hope their big goals aren't to make exclusive deals.

It would be a waste. The Xbox fanbase aren't big into Japanese games. Quality games could go to waste.

[ScaryMonkey]

@ IndoAssassin

I dont think you could be any more wrong if you tried.

[Death]

You have to give them credit for trying.

[choujij]

Do or do not. There is no try.

[Magicite]

they will loose lots of ''credits'' with this.

[jonboi24]

I think many small Japanese devs will avoid MS unless MS pays them to make a game. I think companies like Compile Heart, Nippon Ichi, Gust and etc all know that they have a chance to make more money if they stick with Sony. Sony has proven over the years that the niche Japanese games have a strong and passionate fan base outside of Japan and most of them are Playstation consumers. It's the biggest reason why they keep localizing these kind of Vita games. I'm usually surprised that many of them usually break even or make a small profit . Rarely do you see a niche Japanese game get released on even Nintendo devices unless Nintendo or the big Japanese publishers publish the game.

[DevilOgreFish]

lost odyssey 2 announcement or a scalebound gameplay blowout and i'd be totally be cool with them for their event.

[OrangePowerz]

They keep telling themselves since over 10 years that they can be successful in Japan. Not even Nintendo or Sony do that great with their console sales, so I don't know how they can think they have any chance.

[Death]

In their defense, they aren't looking to dominate in sales. They are simply trying to make a profit and establish some kind of footing in a region where they are irrelevant. They have the resources to do it. Most others would have been forced to give up by now.

[styferion]

X1 launch must seem like an afterthought to Japanese now after Sony's pre-TGS conference, so much beloved Japanese IP announced..

[avengers1978]

The current state of there preorders, or lack there of in Japan says, says they have a serious uphill battle

[Kayant]

Should be interesting how they do at launch tomorrow. Although their efforts will likely be in vain sadly.

Reminds me of similar statement being said by Xbox German about getting 40% marketshare only for that figure ironically to represent the different between it and PS4 atm.

atm based on media-create numbers x360 does about 100+ units each week. This week it did 66. This obviously is numbers that are near the end of the x360 life cycle but to compare the PS3 did 6,225k units.

Launching in Japan tomorrow

Edit -
Corrected time of launch

[qwerty676]

hahaha they cant be srs?

i mean i get its their job to try to sound enthusiastic but thats just "words"

how about put your money where your mouth is Microsoft?

what games did you position to launch on xbox to appeal to the japan crowd? any? any at all?

[Death]

They can't have a worse showing than Sony did as far as games go. No one is expecting "big" sales so anything over zero is great. Double digits will probably set the nets on fire. Triple digits will be written off as incorrect numbers reported.

From the looks of it, the Xbox One launches at a reduced price and with Titanfall in the box. http://www.japantimes.co.jp...

Nothing Japan specific from the looks of it, just the existing catalog of games.

[S2Killinit]

what? did you even see the pre-TGS event? Sony blew it out of the water. I don't think MS has enough games to show, they should skip TGS so they have something for the next conference. (isn't that their gameplan anyway though?)

[GiantEnemyCrab]

God bless the Xbox Japan folks. It's like the band that kept playing while the boat sank.

[MrSwankSinatra]

sinking? The boat has been at the bottom ofthe ocean for years already.

[Mikefizzled]

Unfortunately last seen around 2008. As MS moved away from getting Japanese exclusives.

[-Foxtrot]

Except Microsoft have been trying to turn that boat into a submarine so they can keep on going.

[WeAreLegion]

Don't worry. James Cameron will save it!

[NikX]

@GiantEnemyCrab
Like the band from Titanic lol

[GamersHeaven]

Xbox one in Japan is D.O.A Microsoft can't even compete world wide never mind Japan that ship never sailed.

[Artista]

at least they haven't given up. . Every bit of dime counts.

[jonboi24]

Except those dimes are costing them hundreds. Sony put a lot of pressure on them with their pre-TGS conference. Sony has gained a lot of buzz and hype. Sony still has another conference at TGS to impress Japan/Asian market. I wish MS good luck.

[Spotie]

It's a pretty half-hearted effort, to be frank.

No TGS presence and next to nothing- if anything- catering to the Japanese audience. And make no mistake: they are aware of last year's gaffes, too.

If neither of the native console makers are doing all that well, why would anyone think the foreign product that's been historically a basement-dweller could do anything less than design their console for Japan and be successful?

[Asuka]

it's going to be hard for MS to compete without persona 5 and Disgaea 5. These two games will literally sell ps4 systems, and i know its only a demo but when Summer Lesson does launch Japan is going to go crazy for it.

[BitbyDeath]

Yes, some might say it is almost unfair ;-)

[qwerty676]

"These two games will literally sell ps4 systems"

not really,

those are very ninch titles.

@Asuka lol the sales even in japan were still not impressive for the previous games.

[Asuka]

yeah, maybe for anywhere outside of Japan =\ We are taking about "Japan" here. Jeez I'm tired of people thinking X-country represents the whole world (namely Americans and yes I am an American)

[All_Consoles]

Disgaea isn't even that popular even in Japan. And persona is on ps3 which they already own

Actually according to vgchartz all the disgaea games sell twice as much in North America and only 1 game sold more than 500,000 units in total

[cyhm3112]

haha, what do you expect this person to say? of course he will say xbox can win. this is what he is paid to do!! imagine he say something like

we will lose!!
we probably can't win!!
no, it is very difficult to win!!

he will get fired immediately

[D-riders]

What's else are they gonna say. Good luck

[Bennibop]

I am not sure releasing in Japan is going to help Microsoft catch up with worldwide ps4 sales. I get now why sony done the press the, why would a Japanese gamer buy x1 when there are so many jrpgs coming to ps4 as well as bloodborn, that was a very clever way for Sony to dampen x1 japanesenlaunch sales.

[Khlydo]

so true

[True_Samurai]

Hope to see more Japanese RPGs ^_^ I've been watching out for some ScaleBound news

[LAWSON72]

Scalebound is probably an action/adventure hack n slash, not a JRPG.

[Rugga23]

After that recent announcement of all those Japanese PS4 games, I can safe with no regret that PS4 will dominate over Xbone in Japan hand over fist with little to no threat.

[LAWSON72]

I hope they realize the Western audience and Eastern audience are far different. PS4 had a lot of great stuff announced for the Japan while MS is not even having a conference or showing at TGS.

[C-H-E-F]

Because one "believes" in something doesn't make it a reality.

[Brazz]

This is a lost battle! no way in hell Microsoft can win in japan! they don't have hardware power at theirs side, they don't have the price advantage, they don't have the games to that appel to japanese gamers, they are almost 1 year late, they have nothing aside from Microsoft financial advantage over Sony...

[DarXyde]

They'd have better luck with a handheld, honestly. Vita isn't doing too badly relative to other regions and 3DS is doing stellar.

Consoles, not so much.

XBOX in general already has a certain perception in Japan: too big (every console, period), not a massive appeal of games to Japanese gamers, and mistrust for the Japanese exclusives (gamers were furious they bought an XBOX 360 for Tales of Vesperia). They look to be trying to have more games for Japan this time around, but it's going to take more than a handful.

[ScorpiusX]

Hope they are successful and achieve all their projected goals and then some. Personally wish they would concentrate on the US,Europe,China and just drop Japan when it comes to Xbox, so much money being wasted.

[NeoGamer232]

Shouldn't be hard for MS to double their market share in Japan...

0% x 2 = 0%

[BludoDaSmelly]

Japanese dont take kindly to foreign products, they are very loyal.

[ScorpiusX]

But yet Apple is doing quiet well for it being foreign.

[BitbyDeath]

Americans dont take kindly to foreign products, they are very loyal.

[DualWielding]

After tomb rider Im honestly afraid that they may have bought wxclusivity over kh3 or ffxv

[cyclindk]

Tomb Rider, starring Lara Croft in sexy western style bikini-wear on horseback and next gen boob physics. Bouncy bouncy anyone?

Sony exclusive.

[weirdo]

give up already. the japs have taste!

[AD705]

When you think about how the ps4 is getting persona 5, YS, god eater 2, disgaea 5, dragon quest and a bunch of others and that was just their pre TGS show what does MS have that can possibly compete in a region where console gaming in general is having trouble in that the brand in general has never been popular at all? You can say lost odyssey 2 or blue dragon 2 but is that it?

The xbox one cannot even outsell the ps4 in America where the 360 was lord and master over the ps3. In the other regions the xbox one has released the situation is even much worst where the ps4 overkills the xbox one but they think that they will do amazing in Japan?

[nigelp520]

Microsoft Japan needs to invest in a studio and pay Capcom for Monster Hunter

[PhatGokuu]

wow Microsoft missed a huge opportunity having basically nuthing to show at TGS I was really let down when they said no press conference it's like there folding on every hand and sony stacking up chip after chip

[BlackWolf12]

It definitely CAN change with a new generation.

Unfortunately for you MS, it didn't change in your direction.

Also, I am starting to see the 360 as a fluke simply due to the PS3's early failures. I honestly believe that Playstation is till the dominant gaming device.

[TheTwelve]

Japan = moneysink for Microsoft.

Focus on winning back America.

[voodoogts]

Japan = 89 % of the population use PC that has Microsoft Windows OS installed.

PC = Microsoft.

[Seafort]

Microsoft gets nothing from PC apart from the sale of the OS.

So no PC ≠ Microsoft.

Microsoft haven't supported the PC since they launched the Xbox console.

[headblackman]

japan will never support the xbox brand because it's not a japanese product or made in japan. they are smart enough to keep japanese money in japan as much as possible. (unlike americans)

japan also has a chip on it's shoulder and wont support america because of what america did to them with the bombing of hiroshima. they dislike america and wont support it just like china dislikes japan and wont support it for the very same reason.

so all in all, this doesn't surprise me not one bit. but i wish microsoft all the best, but i don't see that area ever changing their business practices. america would do wise to learn something from the japanese and support american businesses and keep american dollars in america.

[Provolone24]

>"Has big goals in Japan"

>Isn't doing a TGS conference because they have no new games to show

[gamertk421]

Only way I see it is exclusive Monster Hunter.

[feraldrgn]

The only way they'd win Japan is if they lied to them or monopolize all Japanese titles.
(I'm sure they'll pay money for 'some' games to stay off competitors consoles.)

[ScaryMonkey]

I think the simplest and most accurate response to this article is just to laugh. LOL

[Dannylew]

Yes... sure microsoft sure... the most important thing is "believe" hahahahahaah

http://n4g.com/news/1577537...

[bobdog626]

If they make a new xb1 slim and lower the price point then mabe .Thats a Big If lol

[Perjoss]

What a colossal waste of time and resources.

[King_of_Nothing]

I thought it was decided that if a submission was satire it would be labeled as such in the title so as to not rile up n4g members.

[Tales RPG addict]

Sry microsoft but this isn't gonna work for you. Sure you may get some Japanese gamers to buy your console but in the end it'll go the same route as Xbox 360, and the Original Xbox before it as well.

PS4 will dominate The rest of the World, while Wii U catches up.

[RedCloud88]

Three things microsoft needs to do to win over japan.

1, hd remaster blue dragon and lost odyssey. Shows brand loyalty despite limited sales, japanese consumers are big on brand loyalty.

2, lost odyssey sequel, and good marketing for final fantasy xv and kingdom hearts 3.

3, buy CAPCOM. The purchase would immediately add resident evil, dead rising, monster hunter, mega man, and several other big name japanese titles to the roster of exclusives.

[Provolone24]

Yeah I'm sure that will pan out perfectly in your fantasy world.

[RedCloud88]

Oh I'm not saying it would happen, but at this point those are the only things microsoft could do to grab any amount of the Japanese market. Capcom could be replaced with another Japanese developer, but truth be told they're the only company that really looks to be up to a buyout.

[Flames76]

The day one pre orders for the X1 in japan sold out as soon as they went on sale.Plus the X1 was number 1 on amazon japan for a few weeks so the launch will be big no doubt.The thing is japan is getting like 50 some launch titles so its gonna help push sales for awhile.

[Ps4marksthespotnotX]

good luck you have no chance Microsoft!