Hey Japan, why won't you buy us?

[Tron Bonne]

I found this article at kotaku and thought it was fairly humorus, but a little interesting:

Enterbrain, publisher of Japanese gaming mag Famitsu, has polled its readers as to why they don't buy the Xbox 360. You know, the reasons why. Here is the breakdown:
• Worried about its future 35.71 percent
• Price is high 7.14 percent
• No games I want to play 3.57 percent
• Another reason 53.57 percent
What were some of those other reasons? "I'm holding back from buying," said a 35-year-old man, "because it seems like new hardware is coming out." Another 35-year-old man stated, "It has a bad image because of that over 30 percent failure rate back when the console first launched." Other reasons included things like because it uses DVD and the very blunt "I have a PS3."

I mean MS has thrown about as much as it conceivable can, sans packaging with super cool mascots, but still can't find success in the land of the rising sun. Wonder what the other reasons are...

 

[Soapy]

Other than saying Wii and DS, I really don't have any idea. And truthfully I don't care anymore. I want Microsoft to succeed in Japan, but there's only so much they can do. The 360 has been the JRPG machine this generation, and JRPG's are proven sellers in Japan regardless of quality. If the Japanese aren't willing to buy the console to play their own games then there really isn't much more that can be done. Unless Microsoft wants to start a new studio dedicated to making dating sims.

 

[hippie_hunter]

Other than saying Wii and DS, I really don't have any idea. And truthfully I don't care anymore. I want Microsoft to succeed in Japan, but there's only so much they can do. The 360 has been the JRPG machine this generation, and JRPG's are proven sellers in Japan regardless of quality. If the Japanese aren't willing to buy the console to play their own games then there really isn't much more that can be done. Unless Microsoft wants to start a new studio dedicated to making dating sims.

That is rather debatable since a lot of the JRPGs that are exclusive to the Xbox 360 are rather rubbish (Operation Darkness, Spectral Force 3) or unremarkable (Infinite Undiscovery, Lost Odyssey, and Blue Dragon) and the major ones (Tales of Vesperia, the Last Remnant, Star Ocean: The Last Hope, Final Fantasy XIII, and Enchanted Arms) are multiplatform or inevitably will be multiplatform (in the case of Star Ocean).

The PlayStation 3 on the other hand has Valkyria Chronicles, Disgaea 3, White Knight Chronicles, Final Fantasy Versus XIII, Dark Cloud 3, etc. on the system as well as having unremarkable ones like Cross Edge all to itself.

So why would Japanese gamers go out and buy a system that they have no preference for, for games that they can get on the PlayStation 3 as well. Especially since Final Fantasy XIII is still exclusive to the PlayStation 3 in Japan.

 

[Addendum]

If it sells in Japan, that's good for Microsoft. If it doesn't, then that's the free market. Either way, it doesn't affect my gaming at all.

 

[Tron Bonne]

http://kotaku.com/5238671/xbox-360-propaganda-for-japan

Thought I would just revisit this thread for this one.

Take free! This "Xbox 360 super catalogue" is being distributed at Japanese retailer Messe Sanoh. Don't be fooled by the cute Xbox 360 console character, it's good old fashioned propaganda.

The cover reads, "Xbox 360 over PS3 if you are picking multi-platform games." At the bottom of this pamphlet, there's the Xbox 360 console line up — with little quips about each console. For example, next to the Xbox 360 Arcade, it reads, "Half the PS3's price!"

The catalogue's inside lists multi-platform likes like previous Xbox 360 exclusive Tales of Vesperia and then points out why the Xbox 360 version is better. According to this, those reasons are things like pricing, Xbox LIVE and Achievements. (Hey, it's got stellar HDD installs!)

Not sure this addresses all those concerns some Japanese gamers have voiced about the system or even touches on reasons why Japanese gamers are buying the PS3, but at least there's a kawaii character on the cover.

So, a free magazine with moe, anime-ish character and slander of your main opponent. I don't know what to say to that really

 

[TheCorpulent1]

I say Microsoft's trying to penetrate a highly biased market any way they can. It's shameless but, at this point, what the heck else are they supposed to do to try and get through to the Japanese market? Especially now that the PS3 has overcome its initial bad marketing and is rivaling the 360 even in North America.

 

[Raiden]

I don't think 360 can sell in the Japanese market, and Microsoft should concentrate on preparing their 360 successor to compete against Sony and Nintendo. It may be years away, but they can start looking at factors that can make them more competitive next time around. First thing first: they must minimize the RROD problem that has create bad publicity for 360 and make sure it won't surface in the next generation.

 

[hippie_hunter]

I think Microsoft needs to ignore the Japanese market next generation. It's going to cost them the JRPG genre and JRPG fans will go to the PlayStation 4, but it's not that big of a deal because this generation JRPG fans have already flocked to the PlayStation 3 (thanks to its predecessors and outselling the Xbox 360 in Japan) and handhelds.

However, Japanese companies aren't going to ignore the next Xbox because of them now focusing more on the Western market. Sure it won't get the Square-Enix and Namco-Bandai JRPGs, but they're still going to get all the other games made by Capcom, non JRPG Namco-Bandai games, Koei-Tecmo, Sega, and Eidos games.

 

[TheCorpulent1]

But they'll still be missing out on a pretty large install base.

 

[Metal Spidey]

I read every post in this thread and I still don't know why the Japanese don't like the 360. Anyone care to explain?

 

[Addendum]

I read every post in this thread and I still don't know why the Japanese don't like the 360. Anyone care to explain?

I guess you missed this from the first post:

• Worried about its future 35.71 percent
• Price is high 7.14 percent
• No games I want to play 3.57 percent
• Another reason 53.57 percent
What were some of those other reasons? "I'm holding back from buying," said a 35-year-old man, "because it seems like new hardware is coming out." Another 35-year-old man stated, "It has a bad image because of that over 30 percent failure rate back when the console first launched." Other reasons included things like because it uses DVD and the very blunt "I have a PS3."

 

[Metal Spidey]

I guess you missed this from the first post:

Ooooooohhhhhhhhhh! I see the reason. It's become very clear to me now.

 

[Tron Bonne]

But they'll still be missing out on a pretty large install base.

That's fairly true, but how much are you actually missing if none, or just a small percent, of that base is interested, much less buying

 

[hippie_hunter]

But they'll still be missing out on a pretty large install base.

Why invest the time, effort, and money on the Japanese market when it has shown that the consumers have little interest in the Xbox 360 and on the JRPG front, developers and publishers are going to prefer the PlayStation 3, Wii, PlayStation Portable, and Nintendo DS over the Xbox 360?

Why invest that time, effort, and money when Square-Enix, Konami, Namco-Bandai, Capcom, Sega, and Koei-Tecmo are still going to develop non-JRPG games for the Xbox brand because of their efforts to get more invested into the Western markets.

All that time, effort, and money can be used into other divisions of Microsoft that need the time, effort, and money to improve their image and products; and that money can be used on the North American and European markets which actually do want the Xbox.

 

[TheCorpulent1]

Because it's a pretty large install base. I'm sure they'll invest the time, effort, and money into bolstering their hold on American and European markets, but literally just writing Japan off would be kind of short-sighted on Microsoft's part, don't you think? Devs are making games for their console, but if they've got an untapped market of millions that could potentially buy those games, why not go after them as well? I doubt Microsoft would ever willfully cut itself off from Japan like that. People were skeptical about the Xbox when it came out in North America and they found a way to penetrate this market, after all.

 

[hippie_hunter]

That's because the original Xbox had games that appealed to the Western markets. However, despite their best efforts, the Japanese market has shown to be nothing but a waste of time, effort, and money for Microsoft. If they don't want it, then screw em.

It would be like me inventing something and trying to sell it to you. You're a great potential market for me, but you don't want it. So I keep tweaking it so you will buy it and no matter what you still don't want it. I keep shoving it in your face, but you keep telling me no. So why would I keep doing so when you have rejected my product constantly.

 

[Soapy]

There's no way they can pull out of Japan. They may not have a lot of fans there, but they do have some. Microsoft can't just abandon them and screw them over like that. Here's a question: If you were them, how would you go about dealing with Japan? (Aside from the cut and run strategy.) That's not rhetorical. Think about it. How would YOU deal with Japan if you were in Microsoft's position? It's a tricky spot they're in to be sure.

 

[Tron Bonne]

Yeah, that's true, that can't just abandon what base they do have there. I guess if I were them I would probably minimize my efforts. Not as much software/hardware sent there. Still keep up ad revenue and the such, but just minimize it.

 

[TheCorpulent1]

That's because the original Xbox had games that appealed to the Western markets. However, despite their best efforts, the Japanese market has shown to be nothing but a waste of time, effort, and money for Microsoft. If they don't want it, then screw em.

It would be like me inventing something and trying to sell it to you. You're a great potential market for me, but you don't want it. So I keep tweaking it so you will buy it and no matter what you still don't want it. I keep shoving it in your face, but you keep telling me no. So why would I keep doing so when you have rejected my product constantly.

Because the goal of any company is to sell their product to as many people as possible. If your invention isn't for me, you keep trying to think of new ways to present it so that it will be for me. Abandoning a potential customer is a surefire way to court failure. Remember, Sony and Nintendo do pretty well in the markets Microsoft does well in, too. The Japanese market is like an added bonus for them that Microsoft gets no part of, and it's a pretty huge market to lose out on.

 

[Tron Bonne]

Seeing this article made me remember this thread from way back when.

n June, after nearly six years on store shelves, Microsoft finally managed to crack the 1.5 million unit milestone for the Xbox 360 in Japan. To put that number into perspective, the 3DS just hit 1.5 million units sold after just six months ... and the 3DS is considered to be selling so poorly that Nintendo's CEO took a 50% pay cut. So it's not surprising to read Edge's report that Japanese retailers are finally giving up on the Xbox.

Edge cites Media Create data which puts Microsoft's year-to-date 360 sales in Japan at 46.7% lower than they were at the same period last year. Adding insult to that sales injury is the fact that the 360's last "high-profile Japanese exclusive" Idolmaster 2 will be ported to the PlayStation 3. Edge reports that "Geo, the nation's largest specialist retailer, is drastically scaling back its Xbox 360 business" while "staff at electronics retailer Yamada Denki in Ikebukuro, Tokyo, confirmed that the company is removing hardware and software from the majority of its stores nationwide."

Of course, Xbox 360 systems and games will still be available online, and Edge writes, "it is our understanding that Amazon now handles a substantial proportion of Japanese Xbox 360 software sales." But without a solid retail presence for the Xbox 360, Microsoft may have a difficult time finding shelf space for its next console, expected to be released in the next several years. Even without retail support, don't expect to see Microsoft abandon the strategic Japanese market. As long as Sony, Nintendo, and Japanese publishers exist, Microsoft will work to gain traction in that market.

 

[hippie_hunter]

I still stand by my statement of two years ago, Microsoft should just abandon Japan. They don't need the Japanese market and Japanese publishers will still flock to them, especially since the JRPG is a dead genre now outside of the PlayStation brand.

 

[spiderbob]

I still stand by my statement of two years ago, Microsoft should just abandon Japan. They don't need the Japanese market and Japanese publishers will still flock to them, especially since the JRPG is a dead genre now outside of the PlayStation brand.

You take that back! There are plenty of good non-PS JPRGs!

Like um....

Um....

Hold on. I'm thinking.

 

[Soapy]

Oh, god. Remember that stupid Xbox 360 "lounge" Microsoft opened up in Japan for the console's launch? They had such high hopes.

 

[Spoonman]

That is rather debatable since a lot of the JRPGs that are exclusive to the Xbox 360 are rather rubbish (Operation Darkness, Spectral Force 3) or unremarkable (Infinite Undiscovery, Lost Odyssey, and Blue Dragon) and the major ones (Tales of Vesperia, the Last Remnant, Star Ocean: The Last Hope, Final Fantasy XIII, and Enchanted Arms) are multiplatform or inevitably will be multiplatform (in the case of Star Ocean).

The PlayStation 3 on the other hand has Valkyria Chronicles, Disgaea 3, White Knight Chronicles, Final Fantasy Versus XIII, Dark Cloud 3, etc. on the system as well as having unremarkable ones like Cross Edge all to itself.

So why would Japanese gamers go out and buy a system that they have no preference for, for games that they can get on the PlayStation 3 as well. Especially since Final Fantasy XIII is still exclusive to the PlayStation 3 in Japan.

This is not the case anymore, an "international version" was released in Japan exclusively for the 360 on December 2010 that included some optional "super easy" difficulty or something like that and made use of the English voices instead of the Japanese cast. This does not negate your statements at all, but just to set the record straight.

 

[GhostPoet]

The games on the 360 (generally speaking) just don't appeal to the Japanese gamer.