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…"

[MultiConsoleGamer]

Intro reads like a bad forum post.

[vishmarx]

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.

[DarkOcelet]

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

[izumo_lee]

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.

[Reibooi]

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.

[ABizzel1]

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.

[DarkOcelet]

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_lee]

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.

[MrSwankSinatra]

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

[Hoika]

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).

[SaveFerris]

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.

[combolock]

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.

[DarkOcelet]

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

[qwerty676]

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.

[Dramacydal]

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

[Father__Merrin]

i believe microsoft should pull out of japan all together

[souldestroyer14]

They should just forget about Japan. All they play is mobile and visual novels. There may be a few pissed off people.. But it just seems like a lost cause

[airforcex]

The only reason Xbox is in the Japanese market is to develop relationships with developers. Xbox's competitive markets are the US and UK.

[strangeaeon]

It does not matter what hardware and software MS releases in Japan, it will never, ever be a success.

Edit

It just occurred to me that maybe if MS rebranded the Xbox with a different name and made it as small as possible and had exclusive titles, then maybe it would sell a few.