What Excites Japanese Gamers About the Xbox One

From a rocky start to now, with over 5 million units sold, the Xbox One seems to have found its footing. Next stop, Japan. But how will Microsoft's black monolithic hope fare in a market where its predecessors haven't exactly enjoyed the lion's share?

Following the September 4th Japanese release date announcement, Japanese gaming mag Weekly Famitsu asked its readers for what they thought of the Xbox One. Here are the results and some reader opinions.

[Bennibop]

5 million sold????

[Naga]

Come on, man... because nitpicking the wording of statistics in the prologue to an article is so useful. Whether it's "sold" or "sold through" is not even relevant to the article. Just read the darn thing. You were doing so well up until the 9th word.

[Webbyy]

"You were doing so well up until the 9th word. "

lol.

[MysticStrummer]

About 75% of XB1's install base was bought before 2014 even started, so it's hardly accurate to say it "seems to have found it's footing" just by looking at a total, which itself isn't accurate because over 5 million XB1s haven't been sold to consumers. MS could have sold 20 million XB1s to retailers by now if their production capacity had allowed it, but until consumers buy those consoles, the product hasn't "found it's footing".

Statistics can be spun various ways, so nitpicking is sometimes necessary for accuracy. For instance, it's still technically accurate to say XB1 is the fastest selling XB, even though sales dropped so far off after the holidays and at this pace 360, which had supply problems early on as opposed to the readily available XB1, will have regained that title before this time next year.

MS is slowing production in preparation for entering new markets. Does that sound like a console that has found it's footing?

@MightyNoX - Yeah what can I say… I'm easily drawn into pointless discussions at times. Later today or this week I'll most likely see this person still using that 5 million number as evidence of how well XB1 is doing.

[MightyNoX]

@Mystic: It pains me to see you trying to make an intelligent argument to someone who published an article "Why the PS4 will become a niche product"

Let it go, Mystic. Just back away from the lunacy.

[Naga]

@ MightNoX

Submitting a reasoned yet contentiously debatable article does not mean I endorse the beliefs of the author. It means I think the opinion is worth at least being heard and considered. I favor an open forum of discussion and the free exchange of opinion. I'm sorry if you think that stance is "lunacy".

[Naga]

@ MysticStrummer

I think you make a very fair point, and I agree. It has always frustrated me to see people use the political tactic of spinning statistics in order to make advance a point. I have actually had personal dealings with government lobbyists where I have called them out on that bullsh*t. No matter how minor it may be, it's a dishonest practice that casts doubt on the legitimacy of whatever agenda is being supported.

So I agree with your sentiment, and I think your point is well-taken.

However, I was calling into question whether the nitpicking was necessary in this particular instance. Here, the author of the article merely used the most recent available statistic to make an opening statement. Whether Microsoft has thus far gained a foothold really wasn't relevant to the point of the article, which was simply to explore the survey results in Japan. I think they would have just as readily opted for the sold-through numbers if they had them available, but all of that data is out-dated at this point.

I look at that statement as just a springboard for an article - not a foundation for an argument. I don't think they were advancing any agenda by saying it, but were rather just providing the latest available data. Granted, it would have been better if they had used more precise language instead of simply saying "sold".

But that's the reason I don't think the nitpicking was appropriate here - it just wasn't relevant at all to the topic of the article, and so there was no real value in fixating upon it.

Yours is a fair point to make, but I hope mine is an equally fair position to hold.

[Bennibop]

Sorry if it came over as nit picking, I am a gamer foremost and support all consoles. Just don't like the spin and over the last 12 months I have heard more of it from Microsoft than my last 30 years of gaming!

[UltimateMaster]

This article has so many fails that I can't take any of it seriously.

[MonstaTruk]

Propaganda. Gotta love it...

[Magicite]

as of late consoles dont sell very well in Japan.

[randomass171]

Give it time. The more Japanese games hit them the more Japanese gamers buy them. Vita for example...

[KinjoTakemura]

5 million sold? Of the 5 million, 1.5 million still sitting in stores.

[TheLyonKing]

i feel most people who buy xbox's in japan are most likely westerners living in the country and people who can afford both consoles.

[OrangePowerz]

FF, MGS and KH so low on the list looks very strange for a vote that was made by Japanese.

[RoboticusRex]

Shenanigans

[AceBlazer13]

Some of the answers on here and the ff,kh and MG's coming in so low puts this entire survey into question for me

[Longshot28]

Nothing.

[XiSasukeUchiha]

I guess Shenanigans

[truefan1]

The perception of XB1 is changing in Japan, I'll take it.

[T2]

well I'm sure MS will enjoy that boost from 300 consoles sold per week to about 375 sold then... hope they allocate about 1000 for the launch in japan....sad but true

[esemce]

Eff All! aka jack sh1t.

[Darkfist]

so when asking japanees gamers FF, MGS and KH are the top wanted, when asking about xbox FF, MGS and KH the lowest? lol

[Predaking77]

" with over 5 million consoles sold"

Stopped reading there and didn't gave kotaku my click.

Why it is so hard to say the truth? 5 million consoles shipped and not sold. Big difference there.