Xbox 360 launches in Japan to tepid reaction

Can't say anyone's too surprised, but apparently the general reaction to the Xbox 360 launch in Japan today was lukewarm at best. Microsoft does have first-mover advantage there on the next-gen console playing field unlike last time around, and they're hoping that will be the ticket to increased sales in a market that, if first-day reaction is any indication, may end up preferring to wait for the PS3 or Revolution to arrive next year.

[Ed @ Dec 19th 2005 1:26AM]

Good, now they can ship all the new premiums over to the UK and US, where all we are getting is cores.

[Jeff @ Dec 19th 2005 1:26AM]

"Good, now they can ship all the new premiums over to the UK and US, where all we are getting is cores."

It is pretty freakin' ridiculous that they took units away from the two regions where there actually is demand and shipped them to a region where there is basically no demand, all in the name of this artificial "simultaneous" worldwide "launch window".

(btw, at some point we're going to have to award the term "launch window" the title of "worst new marketing term" of this year.)

I know they can't give up on Japan if they ever want to overtake Sony worldwide, but there is no reason whatsoever why they needed to launch before Christmas there. It's just another way they misunderstand the Japanese market - it is not a holiday where families sit around a Christmas tree giving each other big gifts like this. And not enough people care about the Xbox 360 there that it would have sold out even if Christmas *was* like that.

So they take the thing away from the two regions where Christmas sales actually matter and send 'em to a region where nobody cares. Good move, MS.

[Edward @ Dec 19th 2005 1:26AM]

(Scared voice.) The 360 is horrible.

[Chris @ Dec 19th 2005 1:26AM]

with all these problems i have been hearing about this i won't buy one in the near future. i am sticking with my old but still good xbox.

[furtim @ Dec 19th 2005 1:26AM]

Don't taunt the fanboys.

[chris @ Dec 19th 2005 1:26AM]

I am on your side with this one by the the 360 hits stores in the US for sales again FEB? MARCH? I will just wait for the PS3. MS sucks and this just proves it! Convert to MAC and forget about xbox 360.

[charlie @ Dec 19th 2005 1:26AM]

I dont think that the 360 is terrible... its just expensive ($400) and still doesnt have any games worth buying it for. PDZ is a huge letdown, and CoD is OK but not as good as the PC versions.

[Shade @ Dec 19th 2005 1:26AM]

The XBOX 360 is too large to sell well in Japan, where space in the home is at a premium.

[Bo @ Dec 19th 2005 1:26AM]

PDZ is a huge let down? Have you even played the game? Everyone was saying such horrible things about it, then it comes out of no where and rocks. Yea I thinking launching the 360 in Japan before christmas was a dumb idea. I have friends over here who still can't get one. Xbox Live isnt' as fun if you don't know some people.

[ptooie @ Dec 19th 2005 1:26AM]

While I have seen heaps of Cores but no premiums here (europe) and am already sick of running after one I simply gave up on it at least until Oblivion is out in march/april, which might coincide with when MS manages to ship enough consoles to satisfy demand - might as well be wishful thinking though.

[The1 @ Dec 19th 2005 1:26AM]

What do people expect from MS? I mean Americans dogg the X360 because they say it�s not superior to the PS3 that has yet to show games running on its true hardware. Furthermore, it's funny how the PS2 was much weaker than the XBOX and Game Cube and people made dozens of excuses for it. Now the PS3 is supposedly much more powerful than the X360 in theory and these fanboys love SONY for this BS. We know that the REV will not be as powerful as the PS3 or X360, why are the Japanese and American not upset. Yes, I know its about games and content but lets be just. People never judge these consoles on fair ground because they are too ignorant and biased. People hate MS as long as they fail its ok with them. WHY? This is what I call a HATER, no reason in the world to hate; people just do. This is just SICK and people need to wake up to their faults.

IMO (In my Opinion) ENGADGET and JOYSTIQ are biased in this game too. I sent Joystiq many reports from other creditable news sits showing that in some places the XBOX360 sold out. Now, looking at the uphill battle MS is facing in SONY�s backyard you would think it would be said that MS a successful launch in Japan considering the environment. It all depends on how pundits spend the news. I see ENGADGET spun the news in another direction. You keep filling people�s heads with BS and they will start believing it: -example- SONY and all the PS3 vaporware.

Do not get me wrong, I will be getting the PS3 and REV., I hate when people are so BLIND and do not use common sense. Can this site be totally UNBIASED?

[mike @ Dec 19th 2005 1:26AM]

I know they can't give up on Japan if they ever want to overtake Sony worldwide, but there is no reason whatsoever why they needed to launch before Christmas there

---

Overtake Sony? Um, we just saw the NDP data from the US market and.. they were beaten by GC in the US. And of course, the GC has been shit-kicking XBOX since birth. So.. shouldn't you try to take out 'beleaguered' Nintendo first?

[Frank @ Dec 19th 2005 1:26AM]

Engadget is just another part of media mind control.....


and yes i know this will be deleted just like how my apple observation did

[Jason @ Dec 19th 2005 1:26AM]

The difference between the US and Japan is that in Japan, they love their giant evil mega-corporation. (Sony = God, to them) In the US, we hate ours and love Japan's. If Sony made an OS, everyone in the US would probably buy it, too.

[karmaghost @ Dec 19th 2005 1:26AM]

Tepid reaction? Ladies and gentlemen, the X360 SOLD OUT in Japan. I'm no fanboi, but those are the facts.
http://www.evilavatar.com/forums/showthread.php?t=7895

Also:
>>Posted Dec 10, 2005, 7:19 PM ET by Shade

The XBOX 360 is too large to sell well in Japan, where space in the home is at a premium.<<

If that's true, then the PS3 is in trouble as well.

[jon @ Dec 19th 2005 1:26AM]

The reason the xbox 360 is an awful creation isn't becuase it's not superior to PS3, it's becuase it's founded on a heap of advertising and not true game quality, it's targeted at ignorant gamers who feel the measure of a console is in it's power rather than its roots and its capability to innovate rather than stagnate the game market. The xbox 360 will do nothing for the game industry except introduce more of the same garbage microsoft has always brought us and keep us happy with the gimmick of HD while we wait for real game companies to make better and more innovative consoles with actual japanese support.

[Gubertech @ Dec 19th 2005 1:26AM]

According to your sister blog, the 360 sold out in Japan in half an hour at the grand launch location.

http://www.xbox360fanboy.com/2005/12/10/japanese-launch-location-manages-to-sell-out/

So I'm confused when you report 'tepid' reaction.

[jon @ Dec 19th 2005 1:26AM]

Number 13, it's quite easy to sell out a product when you only have a few in stock and only 80 people arrive to buy it on launch day. The fact is this console has no future, but microsoft will keep throwing money at it. It's not a priority for them, but it's like a little pet they keep feeding and hoping will one day gain acceptance.

[jaz @ Dec 19th 2005 1:26AM]

no they only sold out at that store, they got ones left at other places

[nick @ Dec 19th 2005 1:26AM]

I could have sworn the article says "launches in Japan to tepid reaction"

So then in some locations in Japan, the reaction was not tepid, ie a sell out? So saying that it was tepid in all of Japan was misleading...

[e2 @ Dec 19th 2005 1:26AM]

According to the BBC, one location in Japan sold out in 3 hours.

[dra @ Dec 19th 2005 1:26AM]

hey "The1"

Why don't you go over to ign.com and take a look at the killzone video (all real ingame footage)
and tell me that you still seriously think the Xbox360 is in the same league as the PS3. MICROSOFT should get back to working on Windows Vista and leave the entertainment to SONY.

To all the microsoft fanboys:
When PS3 is released your xbox360 will be worth less than a sega dreamcast.

[Jason @ Dec 19th 2005 1:26AM]

#14, just stop talking because you sound like an idiot. "Ignorant" gamers generally don't have a clue about console power, those are the tech heads who know how pixel shaders and pipeline architecture works. Also, Microsoft has an excellent track record when it comes to publishing titles. I would hardly consider games like Halo, Fable, Age of Empires, Mechwarrior, Dungeon Siege, Flight Simulator (insert extremely long list of excellent games) "stagnant!" High Definition is NOT a gimmick for crying out loud; it's the future of both TV and gaming. In fact, resolution is one of the reasons many PC gamers shunned consoles years ago. If you want "stagnation," go buy the next Final Fantasy XXXXIV. I don't see how "Japanese support" (uh, Tecmo anyone?) is all of the sudden about innovation and developers like Bioware, Valve, and Bungie are about stagnation. Go spew your bias somewhere else, Jon.

[Nyanta @ Dec 19th 2005 1:26AM]

The video store around the corner from my place has like 6 xbox 360's sitting on the shelves waiting for purchase....I doubt very much if it was a true sell out.....Here comes the sweaping generalization....The thing is, the Japanse like to associate themselves with the clear winner, the largest group, the biggest. To them it represents "the best". Even if it it prone to viruses and crashes daily. Take windows for example, if you try to talk to them about alternate OSes they jump on the MS bandwagaon and claim it's success as there own....they don't want to be seen as not being associated with the majority leader....
Nyanta
Nagoya Japan

[LaughingBoy @ Dec 19th 2005 1:26AM]

All the Killzone PS3 footage is pre-rendered. Say it with me "pre-rendered." I know you can.

[roxtox @ Dec 19th 2005 1:26AM]

Hey, very sorry, but "tepid" is a pretty good way to describe how the things are selling in Japan. I know because I live here. There're a couple game stores within walking distance of my apartment and neither of 'em have sold a single xbox 360 to anyone other than the store employees. Stacks of xbox 360s taking up valuable valuable Japanese space. They're alot cheaper here than in the US too.

And here's the real kicker: customers are inevitably going to compare the new xbox to the old xbox. And the selection of xbox(1) games in Japan is pathetic. Most stores just have one little shelf for xbox, whereas the rest of the store is overflowing with a hojillion-plus PS2 titles and all the good Nintendo stuff. Japanese consumers are going to take one look at the paltry xbox(1) selection and ask themselves, "Why would I ever buy into this xbox360 crap?" The only way MS is going to sell their (still) oversized console into the Japanese household will be JAPANESE GAMES. There will need to be a few absolutely killer Japanese rpg/porno/etc games that are xbox 360 exclusive. That's the only way.

[Bloo @ Dec 19th 2005 1:26AM]

I beg to differ. Call of Duty on the 360 in HD really rocks. I can't get enough of this game. And Perfect Dark Zero is a real surprise. The weapons make the game cool.

[argos @ Dec 19th 2005 1:26AM]

Wanted to correct something in number 8's post where he said:
"I have friends"
Sorry to burst your bubble, but you most deffinately do not.

[JamesP @ Dec 19th 2005 1:26AM]

PS3 is still vapourware, not a single one has been seen running anywhere in the world and no one has any idea when its going to come out but yet it still inspires idiotic comments from the likes of dra.

The only thing weve seen from the PS3 is a MGS movie that the creator said could be done on a 360 (the kill zone footage has been exposed as a fake as the designers say it only represents what might be possible and that it was even running on a ps3 dev kit) and when you compare specs there are little different between the two so how people can come up with such sweeping comments is simply beyond my comprehension!

Why dont we wait untill we see the PS3 in action before writting off the 360 as "not in the same league"

[JamesP @ Dec 19th 2005 1:26AM]

PS3 is still vapourware, not a single one has been seen running anywhere in the world and no one has any idea when its going to come out but yet it still inspires idiotic comments from the likes of dra.

The only thing weve seen from the PS3 is a MGS movie that the creator said could be done on a 360 (the kill zone footage has been exposed as a fake as the designers say it only represents what might be possible and that it was even running on a ps3 dev kit) and when you compare specs there are little different between the two so how people can come up with such sweeping comments is simply beyond my comprehension!

Why dont we wait untill we see the PS3 in action before writting off the 360 as "not in the same league"

[The1 @ Dec 19th 2005 1:26AM]

20. Posted Dec 10, 2005, 8:26 PM ET by dra
hey "The1"

Why don't you go over to ign.com and take a look at the killzone video (all real ingame footage)
and tell me that you still seriously think the Xbox360 is in the same league as the PS3. MICROSOFT should get back to working on Windows Vista and leave the entertainment to SONY.

To all the microsoft fanboys:
When PS3 is released your xbox360 will be worth less than a sega dreamcast.



I am no fanboy I am a realist. I visit IGN.COM and read everything on all the sites. Where have you been KILLZONE was rendered. Get your facts kiddo.

[Bryan @ Dec 19th 2005 1:26AM]

The XBOX was a successful product. The 360 will be a successful product. The gaming market does not need to be dominated by a single product. No amount of whining about Microsoft business practices is going to change the fact that the 360 is a wonderful device with a long future.

[dra @ Dec 19th 2005 1:26AM]

the1

You show me where it says it was rendered. because from what I've read and heard; it is ingame footage.

[dra @ Dec 19th 2005 1:26AM]

and I bet that you're gonna tell me that every single video of the ps3 in action is fake.

[The1 @ Dec 19th 2005 1:26AM]

DRA----

You cannot read....everyone stated and said KILLZONE was rendered. ENUFF SAID..

Stop being a hater. Even the SONY reps have said the game footage was rendered. Timeline-SDK were delivered after E3 which were running in BIG BOXES at 2.5Ghz, what PC was KILLZONE running on since you think it was actual. There was PS3's SDK's around at said time?

[The1 @ Dec 19th 2005 1:26AM]

DRA---------------


HIGHLIGHT-
There has been tons of speculation about whether or not the videos that Sony had shown at their press conference were pre-rendered or done in real-time. Well, Epic Games's Mark Rein has gone on record to say that "in addition to the Sony demos being shown by Phil Harrison, the Epic and EA presentations were the only third party portions actually running on the PS3 in real-time."

Facts are better than speculation. Until I see the unit running on actual hardware lets wait and see.

Source-http://ps3.ign.com/articles/615/615531p1.html

[Ed @ Dec 19th 2005 1:26AM]

Loads of the videos that Sony showed at E3 were target videos. That's what they hoped the games would look like. Some of these were CGI and some were compiled videos where the test kit pumped out the game frame by frame and it was made into a video later, but the system wasn't running in real-time. The best guide for the system is to check out what's going on with MGS4. That's the only real progress we can measure it by.

And the whole "Sold Out" story is a press release, plain and simple. Where there was a big event with all the bells and whistles the systems sold out. But as for the rest of the country the reaction has been more sobdued.

[jaysins @ Dec 19th 2005 1:26AM]

I personally like the xbox better mainly for the games (personal preference), online support, and modding :). I use it has the hub for my media centric house as a dvr and sending shows to my puter. However, it is different in the japanese market. There are so many more times the games over there than we get. So take all the game you know of for sony and times it by at least 5. Of course, there completely biased against the American consumer, and they're even worse to our PAL using brothers overseas, which makes me favor Microsoft more. Oh and Killzone was prerendered... idiot ( couldn't help a flame) and if there have been several developers shunning the PS2 for how hard it is on the devs. Food for thought. :) Oh, I plan on owning all 3 systems hopefully.

[japanesejay @ Dec 19th 2005 1:26AM]

Hey Gang! Just wanted to throw in my 2 cents in this burning line of fire. I'm actually in Japan right now and No, theres no crazy massive overly hyped excitement here.
At 7pm, I was in Akihabara, and not one store said they were sold out. Furthermore, if the xbox360 wasent bundled with a "beta" version of Final Fantasy XIIIIIIIIIIII or whatever, i think the sales number would have been lower.

If there were any places that were sold out, it was probably because they only carried 5 ~ 10 consoles. remember, japan is small, and they dont like to waste space with over sized boxes if they dont have to. heh.

and to all you graphic whores out there. Its not the look of the game, its the feel of the game. who still plays old school games?

IMHO, there wasent a single must-have 100% purely amazing game that would steer me into buying an xbox. like who the fark would by Tetris of all games on the 360 on opening day?

But, to end on a positive note, this time around microsoft did form some alliances with japanese companies. Namco being one of them so that part seems promising. we'll just have to see.

play nice kids!

PS: I will not pick up any xbox360 for anyone, so please do not email me and ask. thanks. =)

[jbestman007 @ Dec 19th 2005 1:26AM]

Dear Xbox, I have loved you from the first day you came into my life but you really broke my heart this time. You told me you were gonna make yourself better, but on the day you were to return to me you decided it was better to "please everyone, worldwide" whatever happened to loyalty? I have spent dollars, time and sweat on ya and even now you are still not in my house. Instead you are being disregarded and disrespected in Japan... my goodness! You really hurt me this time.

I have supported u in websites, colleges, even to family. People label me a fanboy, but I disagree, I am just a guy in love. You really hurt me this time. Still, as a true lover I will be here waiting, hoping that you wake up and realize NO-ONE can love you like I do, not in Europe, Asia, Africa or the Middle East. Hurry up though, cuz I'd really hate to spend xmas alone. Don't do that to me, not to "US", I will hate to see us breakup but that will hap...cant say it. Man, you really broke my heart this time.

[umijin @ Dec 19th 2005 1:26AM]

Sold out? I don't think so. Maybe in Shibuya where all the senseless young people go you could find that.

I went to Akihabara yesterday (not for a 360) and noticed 360 were available in several retailers. I was surprised that in the biggest electronics store (the new Yodobashi building) that there was a virtual wall of Xbox 360s behind the counter and only a handful of men, mostly 30s+, standing in front of the live display and screaming salesman.

I would say that it is selling, but nowhere near that in the US. BTW, the PSP sells better in the US (or did) than in Japan. The DS is more popular here, perhaps because it is smaller and cheaper. Most stores have twice the DS accessories/game shelf space than for the PSP.

And I disagree that Japanese like evil megacorporations more than people in the US. That's nonsense. And there are plenty evil companies in the world other than Sony. I can't recall the last time anyone used a Sony for a CO2 producing fuel source.

[Jen @ Dec 19th 2005 1:26AM]

Come on guyz, if you have money just get 360,PS3 and Rev. If not just pick 1 and be happy with it. No point bugging around.

[Tamyu @ Dec 19th 2005 1:26AM]

Yes, it`s very tepid over here.
Despite visiting about 3 game shops a week, I failed to even notice the launch was this week. There was really no advertising other than little reserve fliers that you could take home.
And every game shop around me *still* has them in stock. If they stocked them in the first place, which a lot of places didn`t. I`m sure that some stores in Tokyo may have sold out, but believe me, if I wanted to pick an Xbox 360 up I would have absolutely no problem. I find it even more amusing that our local *used* game shop even had one in late last night - used and apparently rejected.

I don`t think that anyone`s opinion of Sony here has the slightest to do with sales. It`s the games that matter. If it has a good game selection *that appeals to the Japanese market* it will sell. Otherwise the 360 will always be confined to a little niche. Japanese tastes are and always will be different than American. And as game companies prefer to produce games for the better selling console, it`s hard for Microsoft to lure them over to improve the selection.

Currently the PS2 has probably 10 times the selection released in the US, and the Xbox has maybe 25% the releases as the US. If that even. It all has to do with the games. No one is going to buy a system that they don`t see hosting the games they want to play. And people`s taste in games is not going to change just because a ton of money is invested in marketing - Microsoft knows that now from the original Xbox. Their best bet is to get a good catalog of exclusive games that appeal to the Japanese gamer - which is going to be very difficult. Ports maybe, but exclusives, no.

Really though - why fight over the power of a system? Even the most powerful system in the world would be useless without good games. Instead of fighting over graphics and processing power, I think everyone should be a bit more concerned with content...
But I guess that`s the biggest difference between US and Japanese gamers.

[FU @ Dec 19th 2005 1:26AM]

Hey Idiots...
http://www.gamespot.com/ps3/action/killzone2/news.html?sid=6126204
Go there, the killstorm and moterstorm where both PRE-RENDERED
"It's basically a representation of the look and feel of the game we're trying to make,"
In other words, it�s faked�

[Beau @ Dec 19th 2005 1:26AM]

note: if microsoft is continually allowing themselves to LOSE FOUR BILLLION DOLLARS on a console life (thats $4,000,000,000 they lost on xbox 1,) then hell, ill take that lost money while i kill time for ps3. And as for some cases (mine), it wasnt about the games, it was about the fact that my xbox, which i bought months after its release, crashes and burns on the single game I play (i've gotten replacements for both, no change), while the ps2 i bought on launch day hasnt even ever hiccuped. However its blatent fanboism to say microsoft hasnt brought anything to the table; live. Live is a (decent) revolution of online gameplay on consoles. however I'm still liking the idea of ps3>360 for now. (damn used to hacakaday;hehe they dont display caps.)

[Matt S. @ Dec 19th 2005 1:26AM]

If the Japanese had any smarts, they'd be buying all the 360s they could and sell then on eBay to us american fools for $1000 a system.

All this talk about "diverting units away from the US market" is pure crap, since 40,000 (at least) of those units were bought by people simply to resell. If everyone wasn't acting like a money grubbing creep, there would be plenty of US systems to go around for those who wanted to buy and play them.

[Tom @ Dec 19th 2005 1:26AM]

Bullcrap from Engadget yet again.

[anonymous coward @ Dec 19th 2005 1:26AM]

What makes this more entertaining is that they're selling the premium system for about $330, instead of the usual $400, and they still aren't selling.

It's gonna be a long four years for MS in Japan.

[Tony @ Dec 19th 2005 1:26AM]

Look kids, if you think 360's are gonna sell well in Japan, you're wrong.

A simple analogy: It's like trying to sell an American muscle car (for example a Ford Mustang) in Japan. There is no advantage for them to have one, so why would they buy one? Just for the novelty?

[Shmoe @ Dec 19th 2005 1:26AM]

The 360 is huge?? Gimme a break. The PS3 is a freakin' fridge!