microsoft-japan
Latest
Xbox One launch didn't ignite Japan, just 23K consoles sold
Xbox failed to make Japan the land of the rising One by a long stretch, with Microsoft's latest console mustering just 23,562 units sold in its opening week. The figures, recorded by Famitsu from Thursday, September 4 to Sunday, September 7, fall well behind the two-day 62,135 sold by the Xbox 360 nearly a decade ago. Three years prior, the original Xbox sold 123,929 units in its opening weekend, more than five times the Xbox One's numbers. The sales figures are even more unflattering when compared to the more recent launches of the PS4 and Wii U. Sony's console shifted 322,000 units during its first two days in Japan, and the Wii U's launch weekend reaped 308,000 sales back in 2012. According to Famitsu, the PS2 enjoyed the best ever launch in Japan with 630,552 sales across its opening weekend.
Microsoft tells Japanese gaming division to try, try again
Turns out, the home of Mario and Sonic is still a tough world to penetrate for Microsoft's gaming division, despite its near-decade presence in the market. While homegrown Nintendo and Sony products receive much of the love and Yen, newly-hatched industry outsiders are left to fend for themselves. Having finally broached the one million mark in Japan for its five-year-old console, MS is shifting the focus to its Kinect launch failures. Unsurprisingly, the full-body motion control accessory hasn't jump-kicked its way into as many Japanese hearts and households as the Ballmer-led company would like, so it's shuffling the deck at its Japanese outpost in order to spin the strategy a bit differently. Announced via press conference today, Takashi Sensui -- former head of the Home and Entertainment division -- will now oversee the newly created Interactive Entertainment Business division. Also in the works are some very culturally-tailored IPs for the Kinect platform: the Suda51-produced Codename D and a version of Steel Battalion from Capcom. Whatever the result of this renewed push may be, it sure won't be long before Microsoft gets to give Japan the old next generation college try. After all, third time's the charm. [Image credit via In.com]
Square Enix announces FPS for 360, codenamed 'Project Sylph'
One more interesting tidbit was revealed at Microsoft Japan's recent press conference, it's codenamed, Project Sylph — Square Enix's latest development for the Xbox 360 — and it's not an RPG. Instead, Project Sylph was simply described as an arcade-style FPS, and then Square Enix pointed to E3, where further details will be released.We can't help but feel a bit disappointed by this prospect. Microsoft's consoles have been overrun with FPS games. We thought the point of bringing Square Enix into the 360-picture was to grace the platform with some patented RPG flavor. Change is often good, but is Square Enix headed in the wrong direction with this one?As FFantasy.com notes, sylph has dual meanings: 1) a slender, graceful woman (we're thinkin' Aeon Flux, pictured); and 2) a being that inhabits the air (in the Paracelsus philosophy). Any guesses?Update: "The Sylph summon consists of several pixies that steal HP from the enemy and give it to the characters. In FF4, it only gave HP to the caster; in FF5, the entire party. In Tactics, Fairy did not steal HP, but did heal the entire party" [via Final Fantasy Compendium].
