It seems like every few months it's time for a new article discussing the doom and gloom that is the Xbox 360 in Japan. We're not sure how long it's been, but it's probably time for a new one, don't you think? GameSpot has taken up the reins this time, gathering together a gaggle of Japanese developers with Microsoft's Aaron Greenberg thrown in for good measure. So, what do Japanese developers think should be done to lift the Xbox from the Pit of Despair? The most common answer: more RPGs. It seems that Japanese gamers tend to dislike the "stressful, difficult" games preferred in the west (the article uses Rainbow Six Vegas, Gears of War, and Test Drive as examples), and would rather have slower, more guided games. In other words, RPGs. The article also notes that Microsoft is pursuing more Japanese made Xbox Live Arcade content as well, hoping that such offerings will appeal to Japanese gamers as well as gamers across the pond. In fact, courting Japanese developers doesn't seem to be the problem at all (unlike the original Xbox), as more developers are looking to the larger western audience when designing games. It's merely a matter of getting the Japanese gamer on board that presents a problem. Whether or not Microsoft can ever make a sizable dent in Japan remains to be seen. We're keeping our eyes on Lost Odyssey.
Japanese developers talk Xbox performance
by Richard Mitchell @TheRichardM on Oct 4th 2007 5:15PM
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It seems like every few months it's time for a new article discussing the doom and gloom that is the Xbox 360 in Japan. We're not sure how long it's been, but it's probably time for a new one, don't you think? GameSpot has taken up the reins this time, gathering together a gaggle of Japanese developers with Microsoft's Aaron Greenberg thrown in for good measure. So, what do Japanese developers think should be done to lift the Xbox from the Pit of Despair? The most common answer: more RPGs. It seems that Japanese gamers tend to dislike the "stressful, difficult" games preferred in the west (the article uses Rainbow Six Vegas, Gears of War, and Test Drive as examples), and would rather have slower, more guided games. In other words, RPGs. The article also notes that Microsoft is pursuing more Japanese made Xbox Live Arcade content as well, hoping that such offerings will appeal to Japanese gamers as well as gamers across the pond. In fact, courting Japanese developers doesn't seem to be the problem at all (unlike the original Xbox), as more developers are looking to the larger western audience when designing games. It's merely a matter of getting the Japanese gamer on board that presents a problem. Whether or not Microsoft can ever make a sizable dent in Japan remains to be seen. We're keeping our eyes on Lost Odyssey.
