BusinessWeek looks at 360 in Japan ... twice
Earlier this month, BusinessWeek ran two stories about the Xbox 360 in Japan: one just before the big Japanese press conference, and one right after. The contrast is notable. They begin discussing the admittedly poor sales of the 360 in Japan, with some choice (and dubious) quotes.
"To get an idea of what's ailing the Xbox 360 in Japan, look around the Internet and check out the video game blogs. There, you'll find a litany of complaints directed against Microsoft's next-generation game console. The Xbox-bashing ranges from the machine's perceived uninspiring design to the overall scarcity of enticing must-have game titles to date." Well, perhaps solely in relation to Japan, but I think everyone knew the Japanese market would be difficult to penetrate. Certainly, I think the blogosphere has been impressed with Microsoft's new system, certainly compared to their previous entrant.
"'The Xbox 360 is not attractive... it's big and heavy,' says Ichiro Ookawa, manager at Sofmap, an electronics retailer in Tokyo's Akihabara district." If this is the metric all of Japan is going to use to measure the potential for future video game consoles, reports that the PS3's already large casing is some 50% too small for the guts mean it will be an immediate failure, right?
In Japan, software will sell systems. That's where the second article comes in. Just one day later, following their press conference, BusinessWeek covered the impending torrent of titles aimed at the Japanese market. "Twenty-five software games are out so far for Xbox 360 in Japan, and [new Japanese Xbox manager Takashi] Sensui said 15 more are being developed for release by the summer in Japan. Microsoft plans to have 80 titles available by the end of the year."
Microsoft banked on an impressive head start to get a foothold before the PS3 stormed onto the scene. In most of the world (US, Europe, Australia) this tactic seems to be working as planned; however, in Japan, gamers are holding out for games and the perception of a superior PS3. In this market, the comparisons between the two consoles will not only not hurt the Xbox 360, they will certainly drive purchases of it. Games designed for them will be released, and the polish of second-wave titles will compare favorably to PS3 launch titles, removing the fears that the 360 is incapable of competing.
Read - Why Xbox 360 Isn't Playing Well in Japan
Read - Microsoft to triple Xbox titles in Japan
