In another sign that Microsoft may never understand the Japanese market, Peter Moore, vice president of the company, claims the Japanese will like the Xbox 2 because it will be smaller. Sure, the Japanese like small products. We all do. But was this a wise thing to say in public? Is it really the kind of selling point an AMerican company wants to trumpet in a foreign land? Think about it. Wasn't it Bill Gates who claimed the Xbox S controller would be popular in Japan because its smaller form factor would fit in their hands better? Oh, that went over really well. The latest statement may be factually true; indeed, it may be a sign that the company is grasping the Big Picture of its failure in the country. But if they're not careful they may have a publicity error on their hands of the highest magnitude. Make good games that the Japanese customer enjoys, and you'll succeed.
