Virtua Fighter 5 may not be on Japanese Xbox 360

The Xbox seems to have a real "chicken and the egg" problem in Japan. There aren't any games that appeal to the Japanese, so they don't buy it. Nobody buys it, so the Japanese devs don't want to make games for it.

Call me crazy, but isn't Virtua Fighter the kind of game that would *sell* 360s in Japan?

Its looks like Samus =)

Call me crazy, but I doubt if SEGA SAMMY approached MS to publish the game they'd have any problems.

They want to put it out on a console with a larger user base?

Might i suggest a low res waggle-o-wii version perhaps.....? Or would that make TOO much sense?!

When you have a completed game, and a seperate 360 version and japanese translation, it's patently obvious that squishing the two together will make a profit.

I don't own a 360, and I don't want this game (and I don't live in Japan), but if it doesn't get a release it'll be for nothing more than snobbery.

kinda funny...they seem to dislike most American/Western games but they sure love the white women.

The problem is, the install base of the PS3 in Japan isn't much better. It really isn't enough to bother for either system at this point. Both systems are doing terrible in Japan.

What they should be doing is focusing on the Wii if they are concerned about unit sales. Perhaps even making a DS game.

Wow, only 400k 360's and only 1m PS3's... even combined, that number is sad. I guess Japan only has time (and money) for DS these days, huh?

Maybe I'm being ignorant, but wouldn't it make sense to translate the game and release it anyway.

Let's say half of the 360 owners (in japan) buy it, wouldn't 200,000 copies of a game be worth the translation costs?

It's like they're saying we expect this game to be a million seller and any country that doens't have at least 1 mil consoles won't get this game.

Then again, maybe I'm just showing my ignorance.

Games are commonly localized for markets smaller than 400k. Some of Europe's language markets are smaller than that.

Honestly, I think it is kinda silly to not release the 360 version in Japan. As Ethan Duffy already pointed out, they have the 360 version done (for America) and a Japanese version done (for PS3). It'd be of little effort to apply the PS3's Japanese to the 360 version.

What was the figure that gets passed around? That publishers need about 500,000 copies of a 360/PS3 game to be sold in order to break even? With the PS3's measly Japanese install base, that would need an attach rate of the game of 1 VF5 for every 2 PS3s! Very unlikely to happen.
(then again, I wonder if that figure meant worldwide sales, and not just regional sales...)


Yeah, 360's install base is small. But not releasing a game on it doesn't help. I mean, who knows. VF5 (with online play) might be the one game to convince some people to get the 360. Or maybe there are people who want the 360, but are waiting for more games.

I think the arcade machines will make way more than the console versions in japan, anyway. Its so awesome, so many people play VF in Japan.

I tend to favor the ps3, but fanboy shit aside, There is no reason not to release a game that is already made for the 360 in Japan. What do they need to do? just put japanese voices and text. That should already be done anyhow with the ps3 version so the transition is there. This is Sega being lazy fucks once again.
Sorry 360 fans that wanted to play this in Japan. This kinda sucks and isnt right!

I prob still would like to have Tekken6 and
"Phat Bob" on my 360 but doubt thats ever coming lol!

Or please find a way to add online functionality to the PS3 version, I'm tired of the PS3 getting shafted all the time, 360 always getting the better ports, damn!

I agree with one of the previous posters who pointed out sega prolly doesn't want the 360 version cutting into it's arcade profit. the Japanese that want to play on live will have to import and pwn us westerners on US gamertags. heh.

Xbox doesn't needs VF5 we have DOA and if VF comes out on the 360 i would rent it not buy it, same with tekken.

In my honest opinion, Japan is becoming more and more irrelevant in the gaming culture. Sure there are some great studios there, talent, history etc. etc...... However, It sure isn't like it used to be when he who ruled Japan, ruled them all. Part of it has to be the players now. Microsoft doesn't even have to sniff a profit to stay in the game and drive the market. This is true to a lesser extent for Sony, even though I'm sure turning a profit would help them over all. Nintendo never seems to lose money, so there's that. My point is that if Microsoft wants this game in Japan, it will get it no problem. This seems more like a ploy to get some yen kicked in for the cost than anything else. The gaming culture has become almost counter productive these days, with quality games ( or atleast what I percieve as quality games ) sometimes struggling to get to market with production values intact and total crap (ie transformers) getting the green light with ease. I would like to see VF5 in Japan for just the simple reason of choice. Atleast the people who are willing to give 360 a chance should have the best tiltles to choose from. I don't know about Japan. Can't help getting the vibe that it smacks of racist pokemon collectors, turning their nose up at anything that didn't spawn there. I wish all the consoles would do well in the end, I am getting tired of the lame ass hand held generation with the disposable games. Guess, I ranted a bit at the end. Sorry... I'll grab the fire extinguisher just in case.