Xbox Boss Phil Spencer Discusses the Importance of the Japanese Market for Microsoft

During its Tokyo Game Show livestream, Microsoft started with a message from Xbox division head Phil Spencer.

[XiNatsuDragnel]

Good luck Phil trying to do it.

[RpgSama]

Lol, he says the same thing every year, but they're just words.

[TheScotsman]

For sure and words that fall on deaf ears.
Japan is not a market xbox will ever dominate untill sony and nintendo stop making games console. And guess that isn't happening any time soon

[xHeavYx]

I honestly think that MS should focus their efforts somewhere else. Year after year the Xbox sells poorly in Japan. I know they're trying, but there is just no reason for them to try to enter in Japan territory.

[darthv72]

MS has a pretty long history with JP. I mean the MSX was a pretty important part of their gaming history but other than the og xbox they havent been able to really gain any footing there. And if they didnt try and have a presence there, it would be worse than it is. There is some honor in their perseverance and honor is very important to JP culture.

This time around though, they are hoping the JP gamers take an interest in xcloud. It is right up their ally in terms of gaming on the go and using their existing infrastructure. So... who knows. It may actually work this time, or at least be better than xbo.

[crazyCoconuts]

@RPG, laugh it up, with a name like that you just got put on Phil's buy list. Enjoy your new job at Microsoft

[Bathyj]

Anyone in Australia want a series s? JBHIFI still has preorders up.

[glenn1979]

They will buy Sega also🤔

[blackblades]

Buying Sega wouldnt help them in JP, it'll be a waste.

[NeoGamer232]

LOL.

The Slayer vs Sonic?

[Elda]

Good luck with that.

[Stanjara]

So they are buying Capcom, Bandai, and Konami for billion gazillion moneyz? /S

[TheEnigma313]

They tried this in the 360 era and failed. The 360 actually had some good RPGs. They should just leave the Japanese market alone.

[aaronaton]

Phil "The Japanese market is important to us, as it holds millions of potential Gamepass subscribers" Spencer

[Killer73nova]

Well they did something right because Xbox series x/s all sold out in Japan https://www.google.com/amp/...

To be fair there probably wasn’t much consoles to begin with but who knows

[RightFootGames]

All 10 of them.

[Killer73nova]

Better then none

[Unknown_Gamer5794]

I'm surprised the executives at various Japanese studios don't have a restraining order on this crazy “外人" who wastes their time once every 1-3 years.

[FyBy]

His daddy Satya will simply fill a cheque, so Phil will be happy again and can go shipping.

[crazyCoconuts]

Funny. I'm imagining that spoiled rich girl in willy Wonka's cf. "Daddy, you said they'd love me but all they want is PlayStation. I want to have games too, daddy!"

[Lexreborn2]

They talk about importance but all they showed to people in Japan was:

1. They are getting games already announced on other platforms that they are more inclined to buy.
2. No announcements that screamed we take your interest seriously.
3. Minecraft

None of those things showed they take Japans Market seriously. You want to take them seriously? Invest in a game that would interest them and westerners alike... just like how they make games that appeal to western interest...

You know like when you started on Scalebound and gave up on it? That wouldve been a great start...

[conanlifts]

It was weird that's for sure. I expected at least an announcement on timed exclusives or games being developed in Japan. Without a few AAA Japanese studios they will always struggle in Japan. Not really much of an impact, unless the Japanese market embrace cloud gaming on their mobile phones.

[GoodGuy09]

I dont get why mcsfts been wanting to be more involved with the jp market lol. They should just buy out nintendo or just gamefreak and the pokemon ip, then make a portable xbox if they really want to do that.
Or the monster hunter ip lol.

[crazyCoconuts]

Portable Windows gaming handheld with built in 5G for Game Pass streaming? That would get an arigatoooo gozimashta from me

[Teflon02]

You could have just said Thank You lmao

[crazyCoconuts]

@shaggy, no I don't want all that in a phone. I was referring to 5g radio built in to the Windows portable like the 3g was built into some Vitas and Kindles. But needing an extra paid plan always killed it. I'm just dreaming here

[conanlifts]

They can't buy Nintendo, they have too much money in the bank and would never sell. As for Pokemon, Nintendo items a larger chunk, so again never going to happen. I also don't think it should. If anything they should just setup their own studios and headhunt the best talent from Capcom, Konami, Platinum, Sega etc.

[C-H-E-F]

imagine worrying about Japan and you're losing the US.