The Real Reasons Why The Xbox Continues To Fail In Japan

In recent months, there have been attempts across the media to get to the bottom of why the Xbox brand has never really succeeded in Japan. It’s clear that there is a cultural disconnect concerning this topic but no-one seems to want to really understand what is happening here.

[Christopher]

Uh, really?

1. It's not portable
2. It doesn't get Japan-only games that the majority of the market wants in home consoles for games that aren't on portable devices.

Mystery solved.

[phoenixwing]

Japan remembers the failure rate of the 360

[Wasabi]

@Phoenixwing

**"Japan remembers the failure rate of the 360"**

If they never bought the console, how can they remember the failure rate?

[sampsonon]

@Wasabi: "If they never bought the console, how can they remember the failure rate?"

they can read.

[Godmars290]

The OG Xbox was a thing, failed miserably in Japan especially, before the 360.

[MasterCornholio]

@Wasabi

With failure rate of around 54.2 percent that makes around 500K units that died in Japan. Im pretty sure some of those owners would remember that.

Oh and Japanese people are quite educated and know how to read.

[BizarroUltraman]

how? when they bought the 10 that actually worked.

[kreate]

It just needs JRPG and anime games. And xbox dont have any. That's really mostly it.

Xbox has tv and shooters. And a bunch of failed games.

The other thing too is that MS gave up on the market.

[The Wood]

Lol. This guy think you need to buy something to be aware of its issues. . . My lord the shilling won't cease

[Abriael]

According to this writer's bio he lives in Japan.

I can't imagine living in Japan and being so blatantly oblivious and ignorant of what the Japanese gaming industry actually looks like.

"in Japan games are historically closer to toys and their appeal is more about the functionality they offer rather than any kind of movie-based narrative delivery."

What? It's like this person decided that the Japanese gaming industry is entirely represented by Nintendo-style games (and not even all of them), while the vast majority of Japanese game actually fits the opposite that he describes.

Just walking into a Japanese gaming store would let one realize that the statement above is absolutely misrepresentative of the topic at hand.

[Christopher]

Yeah, I'm not an expert but, considering many Japanese RPGs are extremely based on movie-based narratives if not just drawn out exposition you'd see in Japanese movies/TV shows, that statement felt off to me as well.

[ChrisW]

I live in Japan, been here for almost 20 years, and I'm going to partially agree (because it seems quite feasible) with the author's assessment of the Japanese gaming industry being closer to the toy industry. I only say "partially" because there's also Anime and Manga that has a huge, if not larger, influence. *EDIT* Meaning all of it is very much culturally based.

However, his take on Apple working very hard to break into the Japanese market seems rather BS. Why? In 2007, Apple came out with the iPhone and OMG! Japanese really love new technology!!! At that time Apple didn't have any other contenders. If they needed to wedge themselves in between two already existing major Japanese corporations (similar to Nintendo and Sony for gaming consoles), then Apple most likely would have failed.

[Abriael]

@chrisW: He didn't say that the Japanese gaming industry is closer to the toy industry.

He said that games are closer to toys, and they're more about functionality than narrative delivery

That's absolutely false.

We're talking about those Japanese games the most quintessential example of which is the JRPG. We're talking about an industry that churns out a massive number of visual novels a year, none of which is about functionality and all of which are about narrative delivery.

Hell, even mobile gacha games include a ton of storytelling nowadays.

The only style of games that fits his description is mostly Nintendo games (not even all of them nowadays) and part of the indies. The overwhelming majority of the rest can be described as the geometric opposite of his view.

[SpineSaw]

So your saying that Microsoft Xbox just sux and the good people of Japan will have none of it? That seems spot on to me and I'm sure most would agree. Well done sir, well done.

[Muzikguy]

Forbes has curious articles at times. While the business part is correct, games being more like toys than movies? Then they don't even say what some of the more evident reasons are. But hey, let's make an article and throw some stuff together real quick. I've noticed that a few times with Forbes. Like they're disconnected

[Imortus_san]

Xbox 360 got a ton o Japanese games, get down to earth.

[Tross]

Actually, every system available in Japan gets Japan-only games, even if it's not a very popular system. I know because I've seen that when I was there. However, with an Xbox it tends to be multiplats that are table scraps from studios who think porting a game over is worth the time and investment. Meanwhile, there are plenty of titles that don't make it to Xbox, so it's still a better idea for someone in Japan to get one of the other systems instead.

[Christopher]

I guess I could have been more specific and said "exclusive Japanese-only games."

[bluebenjamin]

Its a western console

[SyntheticForm]

That's it.

This beats even Christopher's concise answer.

[ChrisW]

LOL!!! Please! His first answer is a sad and relatively false stereotype

[xX-oldboy-Xx]

The iPhone does alright, Starbucks too - xbox just isn't on the same level as Nintendo and Sony.

[bluebenjamin]

The iPhone is a phone is it not?

[xX-oldboy-Xx]

It's also a western product - that was the point of your comment, was it not?

[Profchaos]

The iPhone is a prestige symbol so will do well in Japan. It's a different story to a console which are not on display in public and are just entertainment products and carry no status like Apple does.
Plus Japanese gamers aren't lining up to play gears and halo shooters statistically don't do well in Japan and that's the Xboxs primary genre at least going into the current generation

[The Wood]

The iPhone is a phone is it not?

Lmao. . . . . dude forgot his own angle. . Proceeds to question retort to said angle. . .
Angle exposed as not true
. . . . .ghosts

[Knushwood Butt]

Why does the xbox sell the most in north America? Because it's American?

[SpineSaw]

Ummm what! When did the Xbox start out selling the he PS4 and Nintendo Switch in the US? Did the put the Xbox in the $5 bin for the Holidays?

[Knushwood Butt]

@ Spine

I'm talking about the popularity of the xbox only, globally. Not including other platforms.

[gamer7804]

Japan really likes their mobile gaming, a good start would be xcloud but the infrastructure would have to work really well on the go whichi'm not sure how well Japan is covered wifi and what their public speeds would be. Xbox would have to get more niche Japanese games and take advantage like the Switch is doing, and leaving Japanese games' integrity intact which sony is not doing currently.

[stuna1]

As I recall Japan has one of the best Internet and wifi infrastructure in the world. More than likely why portable devices and phones are so popular in the region.

[ChrisW]

Yes, but there's also the vast railway systems that many commuters use on a daily basis. On average Japanese near major cities commute about an hour to work or school (high school and college).

[Masterchief_thegoat]

Japanese customers trust Sony and Nintendo more

[FinalAeonX]

It has shit games. The Japanese have an eye for quality, unfortunately for Xbox.

[BizarroUltraman]

you have SHITTY fingers...there I said it.

[xX-oldboy-Xx]

Bizarro - whoa their soldier, go straight for the jugular.

[RedDevils]

Calm down xbox fanboi

[Doink]

It's just because they are nationalist trash the same as you are an stinky fanboy for Sony

[xX-oldboy-Xx]

Doink - sticks and stones, still doesn't change the fact that xbox is a failure in most of the world. Repeat after me FAILURE.

[Hungryalpaca]

Sony has the games. Xbox doesn’t. Get over it.

[nowitzki2004]

"Stinky fanboy" lmao.. How old are we?

[Dragonscale]

So xbox only selling to mainly americans must be nationalist trash as well then.

[Acecalibur]

Failing in Japan since 2003.

[Immagaiden]

Xbox first released within Japan during 2002 though

[RpgSama]

Failing in Japan since 2002**

There, fixed it.

[RedDevils]

Does it matter? It's still failed.

[bluefox755]

Plenty of reasons, it's not just Japan either, it's basically anywhere outside of the US comparatively speaking.

[NotoriousWhiz]

People seem to think because Xbox fails globally, they are failing as a console. You don't need a global audience to be successful. See Home depot and Best buy. Sometimes, your home country is all the support you need. Xbox should absolutely keep trying to be more relevant globally, but it's not the end all be all of they only sell 20 consoles in Japan.

[Dragonscale]

Yeah but xbone wasn't even that successful in the US and would've failed there if it wasn't for MS deep pockets. Just appealing to your home audience is why xbox is currently irrelevant pretty much anywhere but the us and uk.

[NotoriousWhiz]

I agree that Xbox one was a failure. I would not agree with 360 nor the original Xbox being considered failures.

[RedDevils]

In some European countries xbox is like a bomb. Yes, not many people like xbox outside of the US

[Godmars290]

My vote is largely the lack of creative diversity, the active dismissal of JP-style games, then the ever increasing instance of "paying more, continuing to pay, for a premium product" mentality MS had even early on. Before the products as services push.

That and the OG Xbox was just this massive big box.

[bahabeast]

It has x in its name. They are superstitious like that.

[rlow1]

Japan has always been a unique marketplace, heck lived there for two years and they march to a different beat........great culture...........lots of companies have a hard time and usually partner with a local company or even change the name of the brand to fit into the culture...........Ms has tried alot of different things, from having a Xbox store in Shabuya to even flying Japanese fans to Hawaii to play volleyball........the more I thought about what the article was saying the more i thought about the toy factor.......Xbox name isn't as appealing to the Japanese as PlayStation...........Xbox name came out of the 90s, when talk about a box that wasn't defined and could do anything.......more for the hardcore..........were PlayStation name is more defined and brings that more toy like feeling to it.......like when you were kids playing in the sandbox.........a place to play.......think of Apple......the name invokes nature, simplicity, and is a universal experience, just like playing in the sandbox...........so name is important..........but content and portability is King....... Nintendo proves this every generation and despite not having the most powerful hardware, they win in Japan again and again............What will be interesting, is to see how Gamepass changes things over there and the ability to play games on your phones.

[Hungryalpaca]

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[The Wood]

There are some good points within the . . . . . . .'s

[rlow1]

Lol........got me.

[moriarty1889]

its not a Playstation thats why.

[pornflakes]

Compared to Nintendo playstation is also a fail in Japan

Xbox is nonexcistend there

[xX-oldboy-Xx]

That's a stretch - Sony does very well in it's homeland, Nintendo just does better.

[Phils_Libra]

I think its because Microsoft hasn’t really shown a strong investment into Japanese developed games. There are no (nor have ever been any) Microsoft-owned first party studios based in Japan and, per the article, even during the 360 generation where their install base was highest, Microsoft got there mostly by paying Japanese third-party developers for their existing, already in development, games to be exclusive. Whereas both Sony and Nintendo have multiple studios based in Japan and both have fully funded many third-party exclusive games there.

[Petebloodyonion]

I think the article nailed the 2 subjects without falling in usual Japan hate the outside world product.

The toy relations vs movie relations is really an interesting take on the situation.

[aaronaton]

2018 in Germany, the PS4 sells 1.6millions units whilst the XB1 only manages 250k.
Now try and apply the same excuses here, do Germans not like western consoles??
The truth is, certain nations and cultures see the products for what they are, and are not swayed by fancy marketing and what the friends tell them.

[TheColbertinator]

The only thing Microsoft has to do to win Japan is to have the most powerful console again with the Xbox Series X. It will be their crowning achievement.

[RpgSama]

You forgot the /S at the end, if you don't put it, people will think you're serious.

[Dragonscale]

And explains why both PS4 and xbone are currently being outsold by switch. Also explains why scorpio didn't sell in Japan either. Its got nothing to do with powah fgs lol.

[Ratchet75]

I believe game pass and XCloud could be their golden ticket in Japan.
Phil Spencer already made some very smart moves with some of the the biggest Japanese publishers by bringing huge franchises like final fantasy, yakuza... Etc on game pass but if
they would invest on big Japanese exclusivity like they did it back in the early x360 years(blue dragon, lost odyssey.. Etc) and make them available on GP or XCloud, they will sell shit loads of subscriptions if not hardware.

[Thundercat77]

This rejection is not only on Japan. Outside of the US is basically almost the same history.

[Doink]

Tha's not true, omg where you get that shit?

[RedDevils]

Take vacation outside of US for change lol

[Dragonscale]

Whoa did you not know lol. Xbox has never been popular outside us and uk for 3 and soon to be 4 generations.

[Thundercat77]

Sorry to wake you from your dream but that's the truth.

[Kaedro]

It's because they're smart.

[DOOMZ]

N A T I O N A L I S M !💯💯💯

[CP_Company]

if they want to succeed in Japan, the plan is simple, buy Nintendo :D

[NeoGamer232]

I think MS would be better off to enter into a partnership with Nintendo....

aka.... MS provides XB cloud/network services and the XB OS to Nintendo. In return Nintendo and MS publish all their first party games on both XB and Nintendo gaming devices.

[RedDevils]

Even better, MS should be a third-party publisher for Nintendo

[Dragonscale]

But if all xbox first party games were on nintendo consoles people in Japan would just play them on nintendo consoles if at all. It wouldn't help xbox tbh.

[RedDevils]

But it will help MS to get their ip more recognise and have a better footprint than they're now.

[Knightofelemia]

Japan likes the consoles from the home country Nintendo Playstation and one time Sega. American consoles always tend to do poorly in Japan history has shown this even with the Atari 2600 they even went so far as to build an Atari 2800 for Japan only and it still did poorly. And when Microsoft announced the XB1 with the Kinnect back in 2013 that also hurt the sales because half the Japanese homes don't have enough space for you to fully utilize the Kinnect.

[Soulrakk]

I'm just going to leave this here. I encourage everyone to read it.
https://www.eurogamer.net/a...

[derek]

Xbox isnt really popular in the west either so maybe it's a problem with Xbox in general.

[godashram]

So many reasons.... The OG xbox was a tank compared the the various PS2 models, japanese made exclusives were/are slim, game selection was slim (not sure , Even multi-platform games tend to skip the xbox. Microsoft needs to capture the AAA Japanese games as well as the weird and quirky. I mean look at a japanese weekly top 10 list and get those types of games. And more than just a handful.Could probably go on for hours..... but have to get back to work.

[StormSailor]

Xbox is trash

[Parasyte]

Because Sony and Nintendo have been so ingrained in Japanese culture for so long that it’s been damn near impossible for Microsoft to gain a foothold in that market.

[Profchaos]

Because Japan dont play that way

[fastNslowww]

Simple concept...the US nuked Japan and they still haven't gotten over it.

[Prem8tuaProcrastin8a]

X can mean NO In Japan. Literally. Plus, owing their history of at one time, not allowing any foreign trade for hundreds of years, they are a tough market to crack for any company that isn't Japanese. They are the ultimate protectionist trade market. No Japanese company can be bought outright by a foreign investor for example. Which is why when you hear rumours of Xbox buying Capcom it's bs.

[HighPlayer28]

Well Microsoft are doing better with asian support right now but they still need more relations with japanese devs if the Xbox wants to become global and change the perception that Xbox is just a US console which is not true.

[gold_drake]

id say cause its a western console and cause the games just dont appeal to them. im sure there are other reasons, those are the only two i can think of tho.

[Elda]

It's not portable nor does it have exclusive Japan centric games.

[Mozillayaseen]

Japanese are not interested in the Xbox end of the story. It doesn't matter what MS tries to do in Japan to sell it. Japanese people don't want it. Honestly, I don't know why MS even bothers with Japan.MS should just pull out of Japan and if some Japanese people are interested in the Xbox they can just order it online.

[level 360]

No.1 reason is culture.
And then everything else fall into place.
Same analogy with cars, why aren't American made cars not popular in Japan?

[aaronaton]

Nah, it's quality of product, nothing to do with nationalism. American cars are some of worst in the world whilst Japan's are up there with the best.
If you supply them with a good product and price is competitive then they will buy it, they've bought plenty of iPhones tbf

[RedDevils]

Why would buy anyone outside of US even consider buying an American cars anyway. Same logic they break down just like xbox lol

[ARESWARLORD]

Probably because their nationalistic the Americans nuked them and they're still pissy.

They also like RPGs with little girls dressed as women

There are probably quite a few reasons XBox doesn't sell well in Japan

[PCgamer98]

Brand loyalty, also japanese wants japanese games and there's barely any of that on the xbox.

[tochi]

No. You guys are wrong.

Microsoft used code name 'Project Midway' for XBOX marketing. Every Japanese knew what was intention of it and how Microsoft saw them.
Just use a commonsense and think about it, if anyone who support Microsoft in Japan could avoid certain backlash from the public.

Also, a negative campaign is often considered as a dishonorable act in Japan. Microsoft employed it throughout social medias upon launch of XBOX. Moreover they supported many anti-Sony and anti-Nintendo websites secretly.
Later their acts were exposed on major game discussion forums, such as 2 chan, then XBOX supporters became a laughing stock in Japanese gaming community. Obviously this was linked to the first point.

I think the writer cannot read Japanese, because this Microsoft bashing on internet was a big movement back then.

As you know, 2 chan triggered creation of 4 chan which became known for certain level of influence on certain activities in this country. Today, I think it would be impossible to understand the US society by exclusively using translated major news sources. The failure of XBOX is one of those iconic events never be understood by major medias in early SNS era in Japan.

[Knushwood Butt]

Never knew about the Midway thing. Wow...

[Rekkr]

Because Japan Likes good games & Xbox has 1 good franchise, Halo! Japan also knows .Microsoft is terrible for gaming in general! GameAss & Always on internet! Do you know that you can’t even set your Xbox one up When you first buy it without having the internet ?? Fact! The only system that is like that! Fuck Microsoft!

[terstomp]

Microsoft focuses on the US market and their type of games that their most interested in reflect that. It's that simple.
The world is larger are more varied outside the US.

[Orionsangel]

The Japanese are proud of their own products. So they're biased and support Nintendo and Sony for the good of Japan's economy. Western made products like the Xbox are seen as a threat.

[4kgk76]

Xbox not being popular worldwide is the reason why Microsoft will lose next gen with Xbox series x just like their loss every gen since the Xbox existed.