Microsoft: "Japan remains important to us"

[prowler]

Microsoft has insisted it remains committed to the Japanese market despite Xbox 360's struggles, but admitted: "It's a challenging market."

Earlier this week we revealed the extent of the Xbox 360's Japanese woes, with sales down 46.7 per cent year on year, retailers beginning to phase out the console, and its last high-profile exclusive heading to PS3 following dismal sales. At this week's Gamescom in Cologne, Eurogamer asked Microsoft's executive VP of interactive entertainment in Europe, Chris Lewis, if the company was considering admitting defeat.

"No, of course we're not pulling out," he said. "It's a challenging market. We are up against very strong competition there. We're very respectful of what Sony and Nintendo do, and where they've come from, and what they bring."

Lewis then said that Microsoft's motion-sensing peripheral, which has done much to extend the 360's lifespan in the west, will keep the console afloat in Japan.

"Nintendo, particularly with the Wii, have opened up a market opportunity there," he said. "We've leapfrogged that handheld technology with Kinect. What we're seeing is users love using their own body without worrying about how to work a controller.

"So we see ourselves as, frankly, a company that does bring an awful lot of firsts, and we've enjoyed fabulous success with Kinect."

Lewis pinning his hopes on Kinect is a curious move. Retailers said the peripheral was "off to a pretty rough start" within days of its launch last November, and it was revealed soon after that it had sold 26,000 units in the week of its release, its best-selling game selling 6,000 units and entering the all-formats software chart in a lowly 24th place.

By the end of 2010 it had sold 90,000 units and, while we've not seen any sales data since, Japan's Xbox boss Takashi Sensui admitted last month that Kinect sales had failed to meet internal expectations.

However, at last year's Tokyo Game Show Microsoft announced five Kinect exclusives made by Japanese developers, and Lewis hinted that Microsoft has more up its sleeve for this September's show. "Japan remains important to us," he said. "We're very committed to that market. The development community there is very important. Tokyo Game Show will be a notable element in the year as usual."[/p]

Source

 

[Slyakin]

So... they're basically using Nintendo's success to get into Japan?

Well then.

 

[emigre]

Yet the Xbox 360 is dead to Japan

 

[machomuu]

And not a single f*ck was given that day.

Seriously, as long as Monster Hunter Frontier is Japan-exclusive then I don't give one crap about the 360, though the majority of 360 games I actually own are from Japan, lately my 360's been collecting dust.

 

[emigre]

And not a single f*ck was given that day.

Seriously, as long as Monster Hunter Frontier is Japan-exclusive then I don't give one crap about the 360, though the majority of 360 games I actually own are from Japan, lately my 360's been collecting dust.

You want Microsoft to clean your 360?

 

[prowler]

And not a single f*ck was given that day.

Seriously, as long as Monster Hunter Frontier is Japan-exclusive then I don't give one crap about the 360, though the majority of 360 games I actually own are from Japan, lately my 360's been collecting dust.

er, this is about Microsoft trying to win back Japan.
Go speak/rant to the devs and publishers about Japan exclusives.

 

[machomuu]

And not a single f*ck was given that day.

Seriously, as long as Monster Hunter Frontier is Japan-exclusive then I don't give one crap about the 360, though the majority of 360 games I actually own are from Japan, lately my 360's been collecting dust.

You want Microsoft to clean your 360?

In a matter of speaking, yes.

Also, I really don't see why it's not popular in Japan. I've seen the library and they have some amazing games. Then again, many of them are very niche, games like Idolmaster. And I guess games like Red Dead simply aren't that interesting because of the way they are advertised (or the lack thereof)...?

QUOTE(machomuu @ Aug 19 2011, 06:19 PM)

And not a single f*ck was given that day.

Seriously, as long as Monster Hunter Frontier is Japan-exclusive then I don't give one crap about the 360, though the majority of 360 games I actually own are from Japan, lately my 360's been collecting dust.

er, this is about Microsoft trying to win back Japan.
Go speak/rant to the devs and publishers about Japan exclusives.

Who's talking about that? I simply said MHF, that was just one exclusive.

 

[prowler]

You edited your post to remove a douchey comment saying "Fix it, Microsoft".
Microsoft can't force devs/publishers to release games for their system (unless they pay them enough)

 

[machomuu]

You edited your post to remove a douchey comment saying "Fix it, Microsoft".
Microsoft can't force devs/publishers to release games for their system (unless they pay them enough)

Well it wasn't because it was douchey that I removed it, honestly I thought it was rather appropriate. I would put it back but I assume the reason I removed it was a good one, though I honestly don't remember what the reason was. Besides that was a rather general post, or at least that part of it was, that and the MHF part, the middle was relevant.

 

[koimayeul]

eh that's pretty courageous of them to stand their ground in japan despite the bad numbers.. quite sure mcirosoft is not close to bankrupt but still, they got balls

 

[chartube12]

I dead certain if microsoft didn't charge you for multiplayer, the 360 would be doing better. I stop buying 360 games over a year ago because of live fees.

 

[prowler]

I dead certain if microsoft didn't charge you for multiplayer, the 360 would be doing better. I stop buying 360 games over a year ago because of live fees.

Doesn't stop the success of it in the West though.

 

[Slyakin]

It's not the fees that bother me; It's just that the saturation of 2/3 games compared to the abandonment of other games that makes me hate how the 360 works.

Of course, this is in the hands of devs, but maybe MC should make some type of incentives.

 

[chartube12]

I dead certain if microsoft didn't charge you for multiplayer, the 360 would be doing better. I stop buying 360 games over a year ago because of live fees.

Doesn't stop the success of it in the West though.

Japan is smarter than most Americans

 

[qlum]

the 360 was never really alive in japan and most likely never will as its to late to build a userbase there with the amount of games released for it in japan.

 

[machomuu]

I dead certain if microsoft didn't charge you for multiplayer, the 360 would be doing better. I stop buying 360 games over a year ago because of live fees.

Doesn't stop the success of it in the West though.

No, it doesn't. I can't say that's a good thing, because they would possibly do something about the fees if it weren't, but as long as they're making money and at least making some money in Japan they really don't have to worry about it, so for them it's really no big deal.

 

[smile72]

I wonder if Microsoft will ever see any real success in Japan.

 

[Snailface]

lol

What else are they going to say, they failed?

This is PR spin 101.

 

[Slyakin]

lol

What else are they going to say, they failed?

This is PR spin 101.

They could, and say that they won't support Japan anymore. It might hurt, but they're already wildly successful in the US/EU.

 

[Oveneise]

I don't really see a western console do well in Japan. Hell, even I gave up the Xbox mumbo-jumbo and started playing my PS3 JRPGs. Much more fulfilling and meaningful than half the FPS's that get released for the 360.