90°

How Microsoft Can Stay Afloat in the Shrinking Japanese Console Market

HardcoreGamer writes:"Yep, what your friend told you is true: the Xbox One is not doing so well in Japan. While Microsoft system have never done swimmingly in the archipelago of the Rising Sun, the One is floundering even more so than its predecessors. Hell, just this week a game expected to move some units — and has for Xbox 360 in the past — failed to do so. In fact, that very game, Chaos;Child, an Xbox One exclusive, didn’t even break the top 50 list for sales last week. That’s pretty bad, considering the success of that franchise, how well it sold on the 360 and the fact that it’s not available on any other console right now. But even so, it only managed to move approximately 1,500 units. Ouch…"

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hardcoregamer.com
MultiConsoleGamer3839d ago

Intro reads like a bad forum post.

vishmarx3839d ago

360 had blue dragon, versperia, lost odyssey, eternal sonata, magna carta2 , enchanted arms , star ocean 4 etc all exclusive to it early years and it sill bombed in japan.

i dunno what xb1 can do now that would actually sell enough to call it a big success.
maybe secure ff xv, kh3 , dq 11 and persona 5 as 100% exclusives lol.

DarkOcelet3839d ago

Vesperia was amazing , They should have held on to that. Its a shame it was the only one on the 360.

izumo_lee3839d ago

It's funny that some of those games you mentioned were ported over to the PS3 to recoup some of the financial burden these games caused.

Just face it any Microsoft console will never get traction over in Japan just cause of reputation. I don't think the RROD was appreciated over in Japan who genuinely expect quality hardware.

Besides Japan is a handheld & mobile gaming nation nowadays. Even Nintendo & Sony consoles are having a tough time in terms of sales.

Reibooi3838d ago

Yeah Microsoft gave it a hell of a go with the 360. Tons of games early on were basically aimed right at Japan and still nothing. I honestly think they should give up and pull out but they probably see that as a sign off weakness or something. I don't think they should waste the money. If someone in Japan wants a Xbox One so bad they can import.

Still makes me sad though that we never got Vesperia on PS3. I love the game to pieces and all the extra content was super exciting and it never happened. I would also love for them to port Lost Odyssey to the Xbox one or PC so I could play it again as it's one of the only reasons I have not packed up my 360 and put it in the closet.

ABizzel13839d ago (Edited 3839d ago )

The only way they have a remote chance is being significantly cheaper than the other 2 consoles and getting tons of Japanese games and exclusives on the XBO, neither of which I see happening.

They need a +$100 price drop, and need to fund plenty of Japanese games, but in the end it's not worth it to come out with at most 10m in sales, after spending hundreds of millions just to get momentum going. That's why they leave JP to Sony and Nintendo, it's a lost cause for them. The XBO sells to a niche market and military personnel.

DarkOcelet3839d ago

The only way i see it, if they want to pick up the pace they have to acquire a big Japanese exclusive. Say for instance Resident Evil 7, Final fantasy or MGS and i dont think thats going to happen but if they made Resident Evil an exclusive, it will sell alot.

izumo_lee3839d ago

True but i think it will only be a blip in overall sales if RE7 was exclusive to Xbox. Vesperia was a huge game when it came out as well as Star Ocean but even those games didn't keep the 360 in the game long.

Sure Resident Evil is a bigger household name, though it didn't help the Gamecube much when the series was exclusive for that system for a period of time.

MrSwankSinatra3839d ago

It doesn't matter what Microsoft does, the Xbox brand will never be accepted in Japan.

Hoika3838d ago

Even if they would get RE, FF or MGS as an exclusive (which indeed will prob. never happen) They would already have the new Street Fighter exclusive for PS4 to compete with. I guess Xbox One will indeed never really get foot in Japan. But they should continue with publishing Japanese exclusives though. Just to keep Western J-Game fans happy and maybe to attract people from other asian countries (like South Korea).

SaveFerris3839d ago

For a current-gen console with the lowest install base to secure exclusivity with a third-party developer, it means fans miss out and the developer also loses out due to low sales, even when the game is eventually ported over.

combolock3839d ago

Everybody thinks they are an expert. But let's be honest, if Microsoft hired this guy to fix their Japan problem he would be as confused as the others in the office.

DarkOcelet3838d ago

If MS had some brains, they would have invested the money they spent on Minecraft to make or acquire new games for the Japanese audience and for everyone out there but instead they waste it on Minecraft. Sigh

qwerty6763838d ago

yeah...microsoft has no idea what they're doing and you obviously know better

the fact of the matter is they've probably realized the return investment just isnt worth it atm, they could shovel money into more exclusives, but really in a dying console market in japan.

would it even be worth it? most likely no.

Dramacydal3839d ago (Edited 3839d ago )

They don't. But they have never and probably will never need Japan.

Show all comments (19)
240°

‘I think Xbox hardware is dead’, says Microsoft gaming veteran

One of the founding members of the Xbox team has questioned Microsoft’s multiplatform gaming strategy, and said they believe the Xbox hardware business is effectively “dead"

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videogameschronicle.com
1d 8h ago Replies(3)
Goodguy011d 6h ago

Think that rumor that they'll still make a new console but at a profit at $1000 will be true though. The series consoles will remain their cheap alternative throughout next gen I would say. Keep in mind that game pass and pretty much going 3rd party is their main focus. They want to bring xbox everywhere.

1d 6h ago
GamerRN10h ago

If they don't maintain some kind of console presence, I think they will lose gamepass subscribers and just become a 3rd party publisher who eventually sells everything off

Cacabunga9h ago

Xbox games are releasing on all platforms. Who needs this hardware? PS or PC is all you need

Flewid6388h ago

I've never owned an Xbox in my life and I have GamePass.

thorstein6h ago

The only Xbox I owned was the 360. I have gamepass for my PC.

GamerRN2h ago

Majority of Gamepass users are currently on console...

+ Show (1) more replyLast reply 2h ago
crazyCoconuts8h ago

Even if they could get it down to $800 for a box that can run with comparable performance to a PS6 (at, say $200 cheaper) the population of people willing to buy such a thing would be so limited.
It would be the worst of both worlds.

1d 4h ago
Futureshark19h ago

A slow, painful and public death too.

Show all comments (62)
300°

Looming Xbox layoffs threaten Microsoft's reputation

Even as the company sets out to overhaul the very definition of Xbox, cuts at its studios risk creating a negative image reminiscent of EA's worst era

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gamesindustry.biz
Jingsing3d ago (Edited 3d ago )

I appreciate the article but this guy must be living in a delayed universe, The reputation was ruined 10+ years ago and hasn't recovered since. As such people have voted with their wallets and stopped buying Xbox products in large amounts.

YourMommySpoils2d ago

Their reputation was lost way before that. From the moment Microsoft said they entering the console business, we all knew it would be a downgrade.

Bathyj1d 15h ago (Edited 1d 15h ago )

That's not true at all the OG Xbox had drive and they had hunger and they wanted to accomplish something. It was a great console.

they didn't quite reach their goals and they gave up prematurely because they couldn't win. It was halfway through the Xbox 360 when kinect released and that was when they lost their way and we're a rudderless ship ever since

Agent751d 12h ago

In all fairness, Xbox had some great games with online play, Xbox 360 even better. Xbox consoles started to die with the Xbox One. Ditch consoles for the PC and PS.

YourMommySpoils1d 4h ago

@Bathyj hard to compute ay. Xbox was never better than a PC and that's all they ever were. A demo box. Doesn't get more true than that.

3d ago Replies(1)
isarai3d ago

What reputation is this threatening exactly? 😂

Lightning773d ago

Rumors of Turn 10 being either shut down or hit with massive lay offs is on the horizon.

The issue is MS will do something right only to do something very, very wrong. And they do this what seems calculative at this point. Doesn't matter what they do the Investors and leadership want more and more money an endless bottomless pit of purr insatiable greed. A company that acts like it's broke or hurting is what really, really infuriates me. They've surpassed apple again well over 3 trillion who acts like they're a million dollar company is fk stupid. Pivots and changes for no reason and can't do things for more than a year with out a pivot or changing their metrics.

Christopher2d ago

That would be really bad since Phil just hyped up next year as a big Forza year at Summer Game Fest.

1Victor2d ago

@christopher: “ That would be really bad since Phil just hyped up next year as a big Forza year at Summer Game Fest”
The key word big can be ether good or bad 🤷🏿only time can tell

DarXyde2d ago

First Forza being generated entirely via AI?

If any company would do it, it'd be them.

Nacho_Z1d 20h ago

Isn't the point that it's irrelevant how profitable MS is, the suits have decided it's time that the Xbox division started making them money. Hence the layoffs, the pivots.

hennessey861d 15h ago

That wouldn't surprise me, as motorsport has been heading down hill since the great number 4. Where as playground have consistently put out better games. I think the two studios will be merged under playground games banner.

2d ago Replies(2)
Show all comments (63)
660°

Microsoft planning “major” Xbox layoffs next week

The cuts are expected to be announced next week.

Microsoft is also planning thousands of job cuts that will impact other parts of it businesses

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theverge.com
6d ago Replies(1)
6d ago Replies(1)
Obscure_Observer6d ago

MFs has been beating their chests over great quarterly results and big profits to shareholders while firing people by the thousands just like Sony.

I wonder if at the top of those rumored layoffs they´ll also cancel upcoming or unannounced games while shutting down more studios as well.

6d ago
pwnmaster30006d ago

Always got to throw shade at Sony smh.
Yes we get it,
MS good Sony bad
MS bad Sony is also bad lmao

6d ago
Obscure_Observer6d ago

F* them both!

Just for the record, I don´t care about your victim complex crap either. Find someone else who cares.

blacktiger6d ago

He was talking about both. Why you getting offended when he's using both names

pwnmaster30006d ago (Edited 6d ago )

@Blacktiger

Im not offended , that’s just his formula lol
He can’t help help himself, he needs to bring Sony down when the topic involves MS.
Whether is good news for MS or bad, it some how leads to Sony doing bad lmao.
It’s actually hilarious.

InUrFoxHole6d ago

He's not wrong but im tracking what youre saying. In this case is should just be MS bad. Thats a lot of people fired

+ Show (4) more repliesLast reply 6d ago
Tacoboto6d ago

"just like Sony"

Gosh you're insufferable, not everything needs to be both-sides'd. Sony's had layoffs, but nothing like what Microsoft has been doing and is continuing to do.

CrimsonWing696d ago (Edited 6d ago )

I mean, no offense, but this is why you’re not some corporate business person running a major corporation. Big profits don’t mean jobs are safe. Do you understand why things like this happen:

Cutting jobs to maintain or increase profitability, especially in underperforming divisions like parts of Xbox like other gaming divisions.

Corporate restructuring and relocating resources for strategic stability in ever changing markets and consumer behaviors.

Investor expectations and optimizing operations to maintain investor confidence. Whatever boosts stock prices and improves future margins.

And there’s many other factors at play. It’s never as simple as business doing well, everyone’s safe. That’s just you not understanding at all how corporations work and have been working since the beginning. This isn’t something that’s specific to Xbox, you can bet your ass Sony and Nintendo do this and if it’s not clear by now, game development is not a stable job nor has it ever been for many. A lot of developers are contractors and guess what happens when a project is done?

Ganif6d ago

Nintendo said they have no plans for layoffs, and you can't seriously claim that the scale of Sony's layoffs most of which involved Bungie which is self managed as even close to the same scale as what Microsoft has done since they purchased Zenimax. And that significantly less layoffs would have happened if those publishers had stayed independent. Keep in mind that much of these layoffs have been due to redundancies specifically related to these buyouts.

CrimsonWing696d ago (Edited 6d ago )

@Ganif

Nintendo:

https://gamerant.com/ninten...

Sony:

https://gamerant.com/playst...

https://techxplore.com/news...

I don’t think it’s realistic to treat Sony’s layoffs as somehow outside the norm for the industry right now. Even if Bungie is self-managed, Sony’s cuts went far beyond that like Naughty Dog, Insomniac, London Studio being shut down completely, and multiple teams across the globe took hits. These weren’t just minor adjustments.

Nintendo, I had to look up and you’re right. They seem to be an outlier, but rest assured at some point it happens. And even then there’s been layoffs, albeit a smaller amount and contractors.

Would fewer layoffs have happened if studios from acquisitions stayed independent? Maybe. But even independents have been hit hard and look at what’s happened with Embracer’s fallout, or smaller devs like Digic, Roll7, or Volition. This isn’t just a “Microsoft problem” or strictly tied to acquisitions; it’s a broader correction happening across the whole industry, and unfortunately, layoffs are a big part of that process right now.

Ganif6d ago

From your article:

"According to reports, Nintendo of America restructured its testing operations, leading to layoffs of about 120 contractors, part of a strategy for global integration.

Nintendo of America, publisher of iconic franchises like Mario and Zelda, is shifting some contractors to full-time roles for better development integration."

Contractors are not employees, and even if you want to count them as that, it's 120 people vs around 7500 since Microsoft purchased Zenimax.

In an era of game industry layoffs, Nintendo is hiring more people
https://automaton-media.com...

Nintendo Announces 10 Percent Pay Raise For Devs Despite Lower Profits
https://kotaku.com/nintendo...

Nintendo CEO’s refusal to layoff staff goes viral following industry-wide cuts
"Satoru Iwata took pay cuts to ensure staff didn’t have to be let go"
https://www.nme.com/news/ga...

And as for Sony you're comparing less than 1000 total jobs to an estimated7500

Has the industry faced layoffs, yes, but that still doesn't account for the mass layoffs due to redundancies that was easily predictable, or that fact that at least 1/3 of Microsoft's layoffs and studio closures happened before the industry downturn.

thorstein6d ago (Edited 6d ago )

Take the L, Crimson.

People hate Nintendo, but Ganif proved why they deserve support.

+ Show (1) more replyLast reply 6d ago
-Foxtrot6d ago

It's like banging your head off a wall, he just can't help himself.

Microsoft can do no wrong, Sony sucks at everything and Nintendo is bigged up because it's less hassle than trying to defend Microsoft all the time

What's going to happen when Microsoft finally turn completely third party, then what?

anast6d ago

I enjoy Obscure. Obscure does good work.

crazyCoconuts6d ago

Did you know that the first n4g was designed to be a perfect human world? Where none suffered, where everyone would be happy. It was a disaster. No one would accept the program.

Tacoboto6d ago

I wouldn't be surprised at this point if anast and osbcure were both alts for the Admin.

We know how Obscure especially drums up additional comments and clicks with his spam-worthy remarks that somehow never get moderated

+ Show (1) more replyLast reply 6d ago
Profchaos6d ago

Thats business present a strong front to your shareholders while your company burns around you.

Keep shareholders happy at all costs andnif not happy keep them numb to the reality of you organisation

Angyobangyo5d ago

" Just for the record, I don´t care about your victim complex crap either. Find someone else who cares. "

Just for the record, you clearly you do if you have to vent this hard.

TheExecutioner5d ago

Basically you think like kids when it come to choose between candy or chocolate.

Sonic18815d ago (Edited 5d ago )

Are you and Anast the same person?

+ Show (7) more repliesLast reply 5d ago
6d ago
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