Microsoft lacks confidence in Japan, losing next-gen battle without competition

by James Ransom-Wiley { Jul 13th 2006 at 12:55PM }

The latest out of Tokyo reports that PlayStation 2 outsold Xbox 360 by 21,236 units in the last week of June. Not good. Sure the Japanese launch of Xbox 360 was marred by a lack of content targeted at Japanese consumer interests, but Mizuguchi's N3 Ninety Nine Nights has since been released, and so has Final Fantasy XI -- though we suspect Japanese gamers are content playing FFXI on their PS2s, as they've been doing since 2002.

With Sony and Nintendo on the verge of launching their new consoles, Microsoft has run out of time to gain a significant foothold in Japan. A May poll, conducted by Cross Marketing, found that out of 366 self-identified gamers, 256 of them want a PlayStation 3. Of the respondents that were permitted to select multiple next-generation consoles, 127 said they wanted Wii. Only 93 said they wanted Xbox 360. "I can't say I'm beaming with confidence in Japan," president and chief executive officer of Microsoft Japan Darren Huston admitted at a company event last Thursday. Not good.

Tags: Japan, PlayStation 2, Playstation2, PS2

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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)

Derbeste @ Jul 13th 2006 1:08PM

hmmmm.....Does someone mind telling me why an American is CEO of MS Japan? I mean....you think if you wanted to relate to japan you'd hire...oh....I don't know....a JAPANESE man to be the CEO....

To Quote Zoolander: "I feel like I'm taking crazy pills!"

Btw....I'd keep hush hush about the lack of confidence. Japanese (hell ALL) gamers can smell fear.

benjamin @ Jul 13th 2006 1:12PM

I'd imagine that hiring someone that's actually Japanese would help them. I'm sure others will argue with me about it, but we often hear about how Xenophobic they tend to be.

WamBam @ Jul 13th 2006 1:13PM

Hmmm, I think the PS3 is going to do alright after all, if this poll is any indication.

Petrie @ Jul 13th 2006 1:14PM

The Japanese are never going to come around to the 360, it simply doesn't support the kind of games they want. Microsoft needs to start to concentrate on the US in a lot more focused manner and at least ensure they take the number 2 spot here this generation. Japan is a lost cause guys.

james f. @ Jul 13th 2006 1:15PM

If my hair looked like a merkin I wouldn't be very confident in anything either.

That said, why don't they have a japaneese guy in charge the japan operation?

student @ Jul 13th 2006 1:17PM

It doesn't tell you much about that poll they conducted but frankly, it doesn't sound good for nintendo either if you ask me. Nintendo only had a slight head up over the 360. What's up with that? What happened to the excitement of the Wii in japan?

Probot @ Jul 13th 2006 1:17PM

Isn't Sony's CEO English? Does that matter to the Japanese gamer's opinion on the PS3?

KawF @ Jul 13th 2006 1:17PM

Didn't they have a local CEO over there, but fire him shortly after the japanese Xbox 360 launch?

Dmek @ Jul 13th 2006 1:17PM

Just let your Soul Glo...

Anonymous Rep @ Jul 13th 2006 1:22PM

Okay, where are the Sony fanboys complaining about this entry on Microsoft?

First off - as a nation, Japan is more protectionist and xenophobic than anyone else on the planet. Individually, their citizens are just like everyone else - except that most westerners are still 'gaijin' and rank somewhere between street droppings and barbarians. It's just their culture - deal with it and accept it - and I am NOT being racist when I say this, I'm simply stating facts.

Second, due to the culture difference, I suspect that Microsoft is probably going to write off Japan as a bad try. Not that they won't continue to market and sell there, just that they won't give it the emphasis that they are already showing in other markets. India, China, South Korea, and all of South America are markets that have been largely ignored, relatively speaking, by the gaming companies in the past.

You've got to figure that between India and China alone there are potentially 2 BILLION customers, and even if you grab 1% of that market, you're talking 20 million new clients. That's enough to make anyone sit up and take notice.

Xbox360Dude @ Jul 13th 2006 1:22PM

They are nationalist bottomline. They practically boycott everything from cars to videogames if it is American made.

Honestly I wish in America we had the type of nationalism to side with Microsoft instead of Sony and Nintendo. Personally I use to own all the systems.

This generation it is Xbox 360 only for me. For one it has all the games I like (Halo series, Gears of War, Project Gotham, Ghost Recon Advanced War Fighter, Oblivion and so forth.

If we bought American only such as automobiles imagine how much stronger our economy would be. I think we start to realize that Nintendo and Sony are nothing but Japanese companies making huge profits off Americans. It baffles me that gamers our so naive that sometimes fanboys will follow Sony and Nintendo to the end when all they are doing is using you.

Microsoft has made honest attempts at giving solid gameplay and is an American company giving us American style games.

I think Americans should support them full fledge and say to hell with Nintendo and Sony.

Pip @ Jul 13th 2006 1:25PM

I think it's just the lack of games. Microsoft needs a whole slew of really nice JRPGs. Persona series, Disgea series, SMT series. Dragon Warrior and Final Fantasy. They need them all. People wont budge without them. It's not a xenophobic thing, because Apple has proven this time and time again.

No, I dont think its ONLY RPGs that they need, but it's a start. Super Robot Wars, etc. Where are they? Why aren't they being developed? Send some free dev kits to each company and offer incentives to making these games. Provide any copies of software they might need, and access to resources FOR FREE. You have to spend money to gain money.

GTG @ Jul 13th 2006 1:26PM

I really don't know why MS ever thought they had any chance of success in Japan. I think even if they got Square, Konami, and Capcom firmly on their side vs. the PS3, Japanese consumers would still shun anything from them. As long as Sony and Nintendo are around, Japanese devs and publishers will continue to give MS the cold shoulder.

"The Japanese are never going to come around to the 360, it simply doesn't support the kind of games they want."

I wasn't aware that the hardware and compilers have some sort of limitations that don't allow Japanese style games to be developed? It's not the hardware/SDKs. The hardware is a neutral party and developing for the 360 is far friendlier than the PS3 due to developer support and architecture. There's nothing preventing "Japanese style" games (Katamari Damacy, etc) from being easily created as an 360/XBLA title. It's dev/publisher reluctance to support the platform that's limiting the 360 in Japan.

Thryon @ Jul 13th 2006 1:30PM

X360 is not a lost cause in Japan. There is so much hype about the PS3 that Japanese gamers, who do not have as much disposable cash as most North American gamers, are just playing wait-and-see. I think that once the PS3 has been launched and gamers notice that the games do not live up to the Sony produced hype, and that for the same amount of money you can get an Xbox 360 with a good handful of quality games, that the Xbox 360 fate will finally blossom in the land of the rising sun.

MickyDoowinkle @ Jul 13th 2006 1:33PM

I hope that Gamers honestly dont believe that it is just the games. Come on!?

It is not just the games people. They dont buy American. They wont do it! It has nothing to do with the games. The Xbox 360 is a media player, game machine, as powerful as the PS3 and has more games than the PS3 will at launch by a longshot. Furthermore Microsoft has released Japanese specific games almost from day one.

IT IS NOT THE GAMES!

Stop being fanboys for once. Stop following Nintendo so blindly just because they created a Plumber named Mario.

Realize that Nintendo is nothing more than a clever company manipulating you and so is Sony.

Do you think that Nintendo is somekind of huge ethical company???

Well I have knews for you it is widely known that the former president of Nintendo Hiroshi Yamauchi was and is a member of the YAKUZA. That is the Japanese Mafia. Furthermore the guy is known to own Brothels. For some of you young kids that means he was a pimp or a manager of prostitutes if you will.

Like I said Nintendo painted its image to deceive you.

The Japanese are nationalist and I think Americans and all the Kids in America that look at Nintendo like some kind of angel company should realize that it is not. For crying out loud Bill Gates donates so much money to charity every year and is basically a philanthropist. The Xbox 360 is a great game machine.

Americans should buy American products and say to hell with Japan

Bob Johnson @ Jul 13th 2006 1:34PM

Japanese don't buy American anything.

KawF @ Jul 13th 2006 1:35PM

@Xbox360Dude#11

Please, you racist scum, don't even post crap like that. You apparently know nothing of the japanese people or their culture, because if you had, you'd known that the racist crap your saying is not true.

And to everyone else who believes the same. Sod yourselves.

GTG @ Jul 13th 2006 1:37PM

"Apple has proven this time and time again."

Apple and the iPod is actually are REALLY bad example. It might not be xenophobia on the part of consumers, but on the part of other developers. Not saying this is true, but it's a possiblity.

With something like the iPod, the hardware is made by Apple and its content/resources (the songs) come from an already licensed pool that's available from everyone. Sony Music, BMG, etc don't have to create music for the iPod, it's Apple's job to provide the available content in a format for their hardware.

With gaming consoles, the console developers (with the exception of Nintendo to some extent) need good 3rd party support to be successful and making the resources/content available for their product.

Also, don't forget that some of the Japanese labels tried to prevent artists from making their content available on iTunes Japan and trying to force them into huge restrictions that would make the service pretty unattractive.

GTG @ Jul 13th 2006 1:38PM

"Apple and the iPod is actually are REALLY bad example."

haha...I was typing a bit too fast

Timothy @ Jul 13th 2006 1:39PM

Msoft has such an opportunity with live arcade in Japan. Japan has so many independent game developers it's insane. If they could make it easy for these people to get on live arcade there would be a demand for the box.

Bob422 @ Jul 13th 2006 1:42PM

Your comments: Xbox360Dude, you are completely wrong.

American products succeed in Japan if they give the Japanese what they want - the huge success of the Ipod in Japan alone completely destroys your argument (I can't follow GTG's logic about why the Ipod is not a good example at all, can anyone?).

Another example: McDonald's, by offering menus modified for Japanese tastes.

KawF @ Jul 13th 2006 1:46PM

Here's the REALLY simple explanation for why the japanese don't want the 360 at the moment:
It's because there are not enough games they like on it.

Oh my god, they don't like american football? How dare they!

You americans seem to believe that unless everyone believes like you, thinks like you, and act like you, they're terrorists, nationalists, communists and racists. I can't understand you americans. Why don't you simply ley other people play games they like. No one is forcing you to play Cooking Mama on the DS or claiming that you are racist or nationalists for not doing so.

So why should you claim that when other people don't like the same games as you? You don't like all the games they like. And still no one is calling you americans nationalists.

Actually, I would call you that after having read the crap you spun off with Bob Johnson and Xbox360Dude.

Fortunatley, not all americans are assholes like you.

the deaf guy @ Jul 13th 2006 1:46PM

why the heck does microsoft keep fanning the 360's flame in japan when theres nothing left buy a tiny little ember producing smoke? its a god damn mystery i suggest we get scooby and the gang on it right away.

and #9... damn you now i need to watch coming to america again.

Derbeste @ Jul 13th 2006 1:47PM

MickyDoowinkle:

"Well I have knews for you it is widely known that the former president of Nintendo Hiroshi Yamauchi was and is a member of the YAKUZA. That is the Japanese Mafia. Furthermore the guy is known to own Brothels. For some of you young kids that means he was a pimp or a manager of prostitutes if you will."

Source?........no?.............didn't think so.

Even if it IS true, you are taking things out of cultural context. Prostitution is not viewed the same as it is here. You are merely a racist and a crusader.

There is a big difference between pro Japanese and Anti-everyone else. They DO have karietsus and they do support their own. It helped there economy in the past but now is kinda hurting them.

I have been to Japan many times. The people there are very friendly and the place is SATURATED with American culture. KFC, for example, is VERY popular there. Music and movies are also extremely U.S. inspired.

It all comes down to reputation. The Japanese do not believe that the Xbox360 has their best interests in mind. Americans have a GREAT reputation for music and movies....but not for games. This reputation is not going to change overnight. People's minds take generations to change. And until they do....their spending habbits are not going to change.

This is all about consumers. If the consumers buy it, the developers will make games for it. It's just that simple.

[-Z-] @ Jul 13th 2006 1:49PM

@XBOX 360
I think you never been to Japan. I think to begin with, you must be a Nationalist yourself in order to accuse the Japanese. When XBOX 360 doesn't do well in Japan, first thing came into your mind is Nationalism.
Western culture is really big in Japan, if Japanese are what you said being nationalist, why is the Ipod doing so well in Japan, a country that has powerhouse electronic corporations like Sony and Toshiba. Since you accused Japanese of being Nationalist, how is it possible that an American product triumphed over there.
There are a lot of others US products that do very well in Japan like Nike, Intel, AMD and ,Yes, Microsoft OS.

XBOX 360's marketting is an insult or disparage to Japanese gamers. They forces Japanese gamers do adopt to US FPS playing style which obviously Japanese Gamers doesnt buy that at all. Microsoft think that one or two Japanese tailored games will convert the Japanese gamers? Now that's arrogance.

Todd H. @ Jul 13th 2006 1:50PM

I think when the "GOOD" games start releasing on the 360, it will see better results in all of it markets, including Japan.

Todd
http://www.proxbox360.com

Derbeste @ Jul 13th 2006 1:51PM

"You americans seem to believe that unless everyone believes like you, thinks like you, and act like you, they're terrorists, nationalists, communists and racists. I can't understand you americans."

I can't understand why you would criticize us for generalizing about the Japanese while generalizing about us.

Not ALL Americans say that. In fact, very few do. I know that bashing America is in right now. I know our GOVERNMENT deserves it. But please....try to realize that an individual's comments are just that...the individuals.

If you try to do that...I'll try not to say that ALL foreigners just criticize Americans cuz they want to be cool.

that guy @ Jul 13th 2006 1:53PM

I can't believe I'm reading this stuff. Xbox360Dude and especially MickyDoowinkle - you guys should be booted off this place for your racist comments. I'm far, far from being uber-politically correct; you guys are just saying the most ridiculous things. Believe it or not, for me, it IS about the games. I'll buy a system if it has great games. Nintendo I find more than any other company has awesome games. I don't care what Iwata, Fils-Aime, or anyone else at Nintendo does with their free time. Give me good games, and I'll buy your products. The Xbox 360 is a great system with some great games - again, I don't care if it's an American product, Indian, Martian. It's not important.

You guys are absolute morons.

KawF @ Jul 13th 2006 1:54PM

@Derbeste#25

Hopefully, you read the last line of the rant which excluded sanley-minded people from the generalization.

MosquitoControl @ Jul 13th 2006 1:56PM

He didn't own brothels he owned romantic hotels.

A brothel is where you go to pay for sex.
A romantic hotel is pretty much just a bed and breakfast. Yes, it's mostly there for nookie. But, in Japan, they're quite common and accepted. They're considered polite.

Derbeste @ Jul 13th 2006 1:57PM

KawF:

Actually...I did miss that. I owe you an apology. I'm sorry.

But I still think my rant has some use to other readers. And your Addendum needs to be closer to your generalization lest anyone else make my mistake. hehe

Ramone @ Jul 13th 2006 1:58PM

Can you say, "weak chin" ?

TC @ Jul 13th 2006 2:04PM

I don't think fear of foreigners is really much to do with the issue. Sega was started as a western company and did well in Japan, Sony has a western CEO.

All I can comment on is my personal experience of Japan, and I certainly didn't detect any xenophobia when I went over for the 2002 World Cup. The star players were virtually worshipped no matter what nationality (especially English), and the people seemed to genuinely go out their way to talk to us and make me and my friends feel at home.

I think the Japan sales story is an issue brought about by Microsoft themselves - they've done very well increasing their marketshare wordwide in general, and no-one would begrudge them not doing too well in a market they're still trying to learn. The problem was they went out of their way to shout to the world how they were going to grab a large chunk of the Japanese market, and therefore the actual stats highlight their failure.
Xbox360 still has a chance, Microsoft have already stated that a new smaller die process will be used and this could hopefully lead to a 'slimPS2' style 360 with lower power req. and smaller case (and HDDVD?). If Microsoft relaunch with that version and get LOTS of Japenese favoured games for the launch, it just might gain a foothold.

Padriac @ Jul 13th 2006 2:05PM

If you're not into War/FPS games, then getting an X-Box 360 is pointless.

The Japanese aren't into War/FPS games.

They don't buy X-Box 360s.

The American thing probably doesn't help, but the reality is that the X-Box 360 library is *ass* to your average Japanese gamer.

LaylaLore @ Jul 13th 2006 2:08PM

I was gonna stay quiet, but I can't.

Of all the countries in Asia, (even those that were colonized), Japan adopted western ways , technology, and practices fastest and best. They sent diplomatic convoys all over the Western World to observe and learn the ways of what was then an invading force. They are definitely nationalistic, but to say that they completely shun foreign products is ridiculous. Japan is full of Technophiles, give them good technology and they will adopt it, regardless of the technology's country of origin.

Considering that America dropped 2 atom bombs on them, occupied them for several decades, wrote their constitution, and prevented them from having a military of their own (a choice politicians are now beginning to regret), I think they are entitled to a modicum of xenophobia. However, considering the demographics of the people buying gaming consonles, I really don't think that xenophobia is the sole reason preventing Microsoft's success.

So why don't they buy 360s?

1) The console doesn't have good JRPGs
2) Xbox 360 games are usualy American-centric. (and 99nights wasn't that good)
2) As a previous commentor observed, they are more cautious buyers and are waiting to see how the PS3 turns out.
3) Most of them don't own HDTVs, so next gen games are pointless to them

Now, to the people harping to the tunes of "America should buy the American Xbox" - what you are saying is contrary to all the free-market capitalist values America stands for. This country stands for Life, Liberty and Pursuit of Happiness; people should just choose the console that makes them the happiest, regardless of its country of origin. This protectionist babbling is one of those things that seriously ticks me off!!

Btw, I love my 360, will most likely not buy the PS3 at launch, and am not from Japan. Hopefully, once they get to compare the 360 and PS3 heads on, the Japanese will come to the same conclusion I did - the PS3 is overpriced and the 360 (with the Wii?) will do just fine.

Anticrawl @ Jul 13th 2006 2:09PM

I don't know what the hell you folks are talking about. I think you forget these are global corporations, they may have started in a specific country but the money Nintendo of America makes stays in America. If you have stock in Nintendo, it isn't Japan's stock. NoA has developers in the US that get paid by NoA when they publish their game. Honestly people, how dense can you be? The money NoA makes belongs to the company as a whole but Nintendo isn't just in Japan, it's not like one building where all things Mario are done. The same goes for Sony. You remember the NES? It looks entirely different than the famicom, because NoA developed the look and marketed it.

People need to get their head out of their ass and be grateful there is competition pushing this market forward. We can only benefit from it.

Anticrawl

John Lucas @ Jul 13th 2006 2:11PM

I countered this bogus argument about Japanese being anti-anything not Japanese in this forum I post in (for God knows what reason I continue) & I got attacked similarly there. I think my words struck a nerve judging by how many people here parrot that "Japan don't like non-Japan!" line.

See if what I'm saying makes sense (it's a good long read).

===================================
http://www.n-philes.com/forums/showthread.php?t=28068

You know there's something I've been picking up reading gaming news blogs & forums.

I always hear people saying that the Japanese are ANTI ANYTHING not made in Japan.

This argument is mostly brought up when X-Box/X-Box 360 sales in Japan are posted.
(Just got through reading one article just now)
http://www.joystiq.com/2006/06/30/japanese-hardware-sales-19-june-25-june-the-bigger-they-are/

I don't know if I quite believe that.

This is the same country that gets a kick out using random English words on T-shirts & reporting on THE AMERICAN NBA on their sports programs? Why report about the NBA of the nation, USA, on a Japanese sports news program? What about THEIR basketball teams? Or at least China's?

This is the same Japan that has absorbed so much American & Western culture in their music (R&B, Hip-Hop, Rock & Roll, Funk, Folk, Country), in their fashions, in their overall culture.
(just heard today about "president" Bush & Prime Minister of Japan, Junichiro Koizumi, touring Graceland because Koizumi was a big Elvis fan)

EVEN in their food products!

Milk is a delicacy in mountain-laden/farmland-deficient/seafood-centric Japan. And those "western" foods are changing the way the people over there are developing.
Hamburgers from McDonald's & Burger King, KFC complete with the Colonel's fixin's...I wouldn't be surprised to see a BBQ joint over there somewhere!

Don't know if any Wal-Marts have surfaced yet (they'd be best to keep it that way).

Hell, it's even in their language!
How many words in Japanese are basically Japanese-accented ways of saying English words?

Ice Cream = Aisukuriimu
Hamburger = Hanbaagaa
Sunglasses = Sangurasu
Pro Wrestling = Puroresu
Television = Terebijon/Terebi
Family Computer = Famicom/Famicon

So I just don't buy that argument that Japanese are nationalistically-biased against anything outside of their country.

You could make a case that they would be more willing to purchase something made direct from their country as it benefits their economy but that would be the case for every country that makes its own or has a populace who wants to own products from their own country (sadly this only applies to America in the realm of processed foods. i don't even think the paper towels are made here anymore).

Japan's a smaller country than America land-wise & resource-wise so I think that would only be natural but I don't believe they are dead-set resistant to anything not from their own country. Their culture surely isn't.
A lot of the characters in videogames based out of Japan are not Japanese & are usually of European descent. Hideo Kojima's Solid Snake for example.

I think the real reason the X-Boxes are having such a hard time getting ahold of the Japanese market is because of size.
Small, island-shaped, mountain-dominated country with lots of people = little living space.
This is the reason why celllphone gaming & portables are so big over there. Plus they're busy people mostly on the go so that also goes hand-in-hand.

The other reason I think is lack of appeal of the genres most commonly featured on X-Box systems. Metroid was never big in Japan but in the West it's a monster. First person shooters just don't grab the Japanese's attention. And I really don't know how well WWII-based games sit with Japanese audiences.

America has a habit of being too set in its ways when it comes to fresh ideas. This is seen in the movie industry, the TV industry, the music industry & the videogame industry (how many orcs do you need? can't nobody come up with nothing else for characters?). The Japanese took over videogaming from the West mainly because they tend to think outside the box, outside the contemporary, outside the usual. Very artistic creative people as a whole.

Style, design & function is a big part of what they do & this derived from the environment they came from just like cultural attitudes around the world are shaped by their physical environments.

Gaming depends on freshness & out-of-left-field ideas so that's why Japanese gaming sells & is loved around the world.
Western gaming in the FPS-realm is fixated on assortments of guns & little really changes in that aspect though we get some innovative perks from time to time (Goldeneye 007, Perfect Dark).
But for the most part most of those games outside of the backstory & theme are mostly the same. Which is not a crime but little has really changed over the past 10 years in that genre.

Nobody reinvents the wheel enough in much of Western gaming & all that changes really is the characters, the backstory, & maybe slight modifications to game engine.

Nintendo & Sony rule over there not simply because they're Japan-based but because the games on their systems (ESPECIALLY Nintendo's) keep it fresh.

Sony with its 3rd party mostly-Japan-based powerhouses makes characters, gameplay, & genres that appeal to the Japanese audience.
This is why Sony took control of the home-console market with the PS & PS2.

Nintendo (which is more true to Japanese artistic sensibilities than Westernized Sony) makes distinct characters, inventive gameplay, & fresh scenarios that appeal HIGHLY to the Japanese audience.
This is why Nintendo is perenially unbeatable in handheld market & why their homeconsole is more competitive there than here.

The X-Boxes seems to only appeal to the Western-centric world though even there they still run into competition from Sony's 3rd party monsters & Nintendo's trademark franchises. All because of the influence Japanese gaming has had on the world since the 1970's/1980's in arcades & on consoles.

The eternal classic Pac-Man was designed by a Japanese man from Namco.
Back then mostly all you had was your Space Invaders-type shooter & Pong with some other primitive sportsy games.

Who created Donkey Kong? Japanese. Nintendo. Shigeru Miyamoto.
Who created Frogger? Japanese. Konami.
Who created Dig Dug? Japanese. Namco.
Pole Position? Japanese. Namco.
Zaxxon? Japanese. Sega. (Sega originally American but transferred to Japan early in its history)
Defender? American. Williams Electronics.
But Galaga? Japanese. Namco.
Now Joust? American. Williams Electronics.
And Gauntlet? American/British. Atari/U.S. Gold.
And Pitfall? American. Activision.
And Centipede? American. Atari.

But most of the games we remember from back in the day that were distinct, fresh & totally unforseen before were usually Japanese. And that was for a reason.
They kept it fresh.
And that's how a Japanese company named Nintendo ended up saving videogaming as a prominent pastime.

For the X-Box to TRULY break into the Japanese market they will have to capture that spirit that encourages you to take chances & be TRULY creative not just with storyline but with entire game engines. Also to create more of the types of games that will more readily appeal to Japanese audiences.

Dating sims? Horseracing? Custom robot battles? RPG makers? Courtroom simulators???
I mean, wow, those folks over there in Nihon love their variety. I'm so glad the barriers have broken down over the years as to what would be "sellable" in Western markets because Japanese gaming is rich. Still some ways to go in that regard though.

Sega's Project Seaman could have come from nowhere else but Japan. And the same for The Typing of the Dead. And what about Crazy Taxi & these Dance Dance Revolution games?

American Football only means something to Americans while Football/Soccer is a worldwide phenomenon. If X-Box 360 only focused on American Football a la Madden paying no regard to other audiences then they will have limited themselves only to the American market. A market that they may be significant in but not dominating because of Americans' historic love of Japanese gaming.

Now say they start making scores of various baseball games serious, arcadey, AND quirky/campy they might get somewhere because the Japanese love their Yakyuu. All this while keeping the game mechanics fresh & fun to use.

Knowing all of this I think that line about Japanese resisting non-Japanese products is a cop-out.

John Lucas

Cabbage @ Jul 13th 2006 2:11PM

I'm just wondering if Xbox360Dude, MickeyDoowinkle and Bob Johnson are all the same person. I find it hard to believe that there are that many people out there that still tell themselves those kinds of lies.

I think that reality is finally settling in for the "next-gen" crowd. With two more ultra-hyped titles (Prey and Chromehounds) receiving less-than-stellar reviews it is becoming more and more obvious that in most cases "next-gen" is essentially just a prettier version of "last-gen."

Next-gen turds may be shiny, but they're still turds.

Jeff @ Jul 13th 2006 2:20PM

"First off - as a nation, Japan is more protectionist and xenophobic than anyone else on the planet. Individually, their citizens are just like everyone else - except that most westerners are still 'gaijin' and rank somewhere between street droppings and barbarians. It's just their culture - deal with it and accept it - and I am NOT being racist when I say this, I'm simply stating facts."

Racist, no. A moron, yes.

There's nothing xenophobic about a country that plays host to the busiest Starbucks in the world. Or that has more McDonalds outlets than any country other than the United States. Or where the iPod leads in DAP market share, just as it does here. Or where Levi's are the #1 brand of jeans.

As for westerners being considered "barbarians", I'm sure my wife (who's from Ibaraki-ken) would be interested to know she's married to a barbarian. As would all of our mutual friends.

What you're doing is this: in the process of trying to prove how the rest of the world fundamentally misunderstands Japan, you are fundamentally misunderstanding Japan. Here's how that process goes:

Company A introduces a product in Japan because they think "oh, the Japanese are just like us, and they love Starbucks and McDonald's and Levi's so they'll love our product too." They therefore make no changes to the product to appeal to the Japanese.

The product then bombs, predictably. The reaction then swings all the way to the other side: "oh, Japanese culture is so different than ours, and they'll never accept any outsiders. What a bunch of xenophobes!"

The truth is it's you that's the xenophobe, and you that's unwilling to accomodate other cultures, by failing to take into account those cultural differences. If you go to Japan and act like an idiot and get all loud and angry about the fact that people don't bow down at your feet, then yes, they WILL think you're a barbarian. Not because you're an American, but because you're an asshole. That's not the same thing. Act like a person is expected to act in Japan, though, and they will love you.

Same goes for game consoles, ironically enough. A console that's designed by Americans, for Americans, with a bunch of first-person shooters and American sports games, with American-style "in-your-face" marketing (I particularly loved the harassment MS had their lackeys foist upon commuter train riders in Makuhari during the last TGS), is pretty obviously doomed. I mean, you don't need to be a rocket scientist to figure that out, and I said so before the launch of the original Xbox as well as before the launch of the Xbox 360.

But that does not mean the Japanese care at all about the fact that the Xbox 360 is American. They care that it sucks ass, by their criteria. If it sucked less, they'd buy it. Thinking there's any regional bias going on here is a big mistake. The bias is against the fact that they see a big ugly console with no games they want to play and a nerdy image. If it looked different, if it had different games and different marketing, and all that stuff was designed from the get-go to appeal to them, then they wouldn't give a flying f where it came from. Do you think they honestly believe that Teriyaki McBurgers at McDonald's are a Japanese creation? All they care about is that they taste good.

Too late to fix all this now, IMO. Consoles never gain traction after this long in the marketplace; its position is cemented. But it would be nice if some of the people around here, and some of the people at MS, would quit assuming the Japanese are either exactly the same as us or diametrically opposed to all we stand for. They are just a different country - that's all - and all anyone needs to do to be successful there is take that into account.

Anticrawl @ Jul 13th 2006 2:20PM

If Japan was anti-everyothercountry then when they opened up to imports the US wouldn't have made millions, possibly billions on denham jeans. The japanese didn't have jeans and were crazy about them. You could sell a worn used useless pair for hundreds, even thousands.

Anticrawl

I'm With Petrie @ Jul 13th 2006 2:25PM

I'd just say to he** with the Japanese market. The fruitcakes over there play some of the dumbest games, i mean come on ... its where that freakin electronic pet dog crap was invented. Yeah, thats some good stimuli. I'd concentrate on the US and UK markets and let the Japanense enjoy their crazy anime/hentai crap all they want.

KawF @ Jul 13th 2006 2:26PM

@Derbeste#30
No problem at all. I don't like to use generalizations my self, but sometimes they are neccesary. I would have like to have included my exclusion in all the places where I did use the generalization, but that is simple infeasible in a text of this type and length. I have to come up with some nice way of making up defenitions of subsets of people, matters, and objects that can be practically used and found to be as non offensive as possible.

Using a classification such as Americans and Asshole-Americans, would probably not be too... let's say, well met.

Not to say that this type of attitude as seen in some posts here is only something found in America, but at least from the view I get of america from reading blogs such as this, american news, and so on, I get a feeling that this problem with seriously negative attitudes against foriegners is becoming more and more prelevant. Again, not only in america, but actually, in most of the countries that heavily use propaganda against "terrorists". I've seen one too many pictures depicting some sterotypical "arab" people in situations that should not be allowed, even in satire these "enlightened" days.

Even if they do depict terrorists, they use racial slurs and sterotypes that even if they are not meant to, creates a mindset that is unhealty.

Now I've gone off and started another rant, but when I see these types of comments... they are simply not acceptable.

The real racism is the hidden racism. Ever hear that joke about the arab? Or that joke about that slanty-eyed asian fella'? These are the real problem. Jokes can make something acceptable, no matter how horrendus it may be. There was some comedy show here in Sweden that tried to show that, and you would not believe what the audience of that stand up comedian would laugh at.

Ah well, time to go yell at the children on my virtual lawn.

David @ Jul 13th 2006 2:32PM

How can anyone say that the 360 is not selling in Japan because they just hate Americans products. Everything come down to the games and the 360 has the reputation of the original x-box a system that didn't cater to the japanese audience.
If the Japanese where as natinalistic as some claim to be then the Sega Saturn, Sega Dreamcast and Nintendo Gamecube wouldn't have sell as horrible as they did in that country. And do you realize that the biggest selling territory of the ps2 is the United States of America?
I also believe it is completely stupid and insane to mix nationalism with consumerism. These companies care only about money, if it didn't make economic sense they wouldn't release any console. Don't think Microsoft is doing a system for the american people...they are doing a system that hopes to grab a hold of the largest gaming market which just happens to be the American market. So stop mixing nationalism with capitalism Xbox360Dude (although your goverment sadly has let the corporations do exactly that) it just makes you seem very naive and childish.
Sadly we have to come to understand that on the current world everything is ultimately determined by money. It has become our limiting factor instead of just being a tool for trade.

Neil @ Jul 13th 2006 2:32PM

No, the message shouldn't be "Buy American", that's ridiculous. Don't be ignorant to quality- Japanese made titles like Loco Roco, Every Extend Extra, Steambot, and the like. Because by missing out on titles like these you're being unsupportive of the industry itself.

David @ Jul 13th 2006 2:38PM

Stop with this cheap nationalism,,,the world would be a better place when everyone realizes that we all live in the same place, and that we are all in this together. It may sound cheesy but we are all humans and must all work together to make a better world. Intense nationalism is just a step away from being facist.

When it comes to buying stuff I just look if it is worth its value, not where it was made.

Pedro @ Jul 13th 2006 2:39PM

The japanese see the 360 for what it is an ugly, boring, overheating, loud piece of shit. Most americans apparently think this way, since it's not breaking any sales records in the US either. The problem that ms has it's that 360 is not very appealing, it doesn't have the best of games, xbox live is no big deal and it's just boring. If the PS3 were 3 years away, I would just keep playing my PS2 and I bet that the PS2 would kick the 360 ass for those 3 years.

Japan is not the problem, the whole xbox franchise is. Xbox has a loyal but relatively small following and it's getting smaller in Japan, the US and the whole world. The wind is gone from the xbox sails and when its competition strikes its just going to be dead in the water. It's just a matter of time.

coalhalo @ Jul 13th 2006 2:41PM

Let's go back in time shall we. Let's say how about a few years ago when a software company announced that they were going to make a gaming console. Anyone remember that? Nobody took MS seriously when they announced the xbox, it was considered a bad joke, rather bad form actually. I know that I did not think they had a shot in hell at having any success, and most people thought along similar lines. All hype and no substance. Where did MS get off trying to compete with Sony's playstation brand and Nintendo's legacy? Who the hell were these upstarts? Sure they had created a monoply with Windows, but that is a far cry from Donkey Kong and it's brethren that followed. I remeber thinking just how god awful ugly the xbox was and the first game I remember associated with the xbox was Bloodwake. Not something that would make me run right out and drop a few hundred bucks. About three weeks after the xbox released my initial PS2 crapped out on me. I trundled myself off to a local electronics mega store and went to the video game section to replace my PSdeuce with another PSdeuce. And there it was. Black and piss-neon green ugliness: XBox. And about ten games. That day I went home and plugged in my new console and fired up one of the four new games I bought; Metal Gear Solid 2.
Screw the xbox. When I stood there looking at it all I could think of was Turbografix. I thought to myself, no way am I getting stuck with another console that nobody makes games for and just kinda dies a sad pathetic life next to my tv that plays commercials for other game systems.
Her we are a few years later and the xbox survived. Now we have the 360 and the PStrey is in the pipeline along the Wii. Has MS conquered the Japanese market? Of course not, but to even have a discussion topic like this was unimaginable just a few short years ago. MS, like Sony, is in this for the long haul. And they have proven themselves quick learners. The 360 is not reviled by all and people talk about the console war and wonder if the mighty might not have slipped, with the upstart usurper being looked at as a formidable competitor. Do not underestimate MS. Do you think that Levi's were the most popular brand in it's first six years in Japan? No, they were not. But now some of the biggest collectors are in Japan.
MS strategy evolves over decades, not in one year. Right now it's 2006. Let's see how MS is doing in another six years.