Edge examines Xbox turnaround in Japan

Edge Online has posted an article examining the Xbox 360's recent success in Japan. You may recall the console's recent sales surge, which saw it surpass the Playstation 3 in sales for weeks on end. Edge, unsurprisingly, points to the recent spate of games aimed at Japanese audiences as the reason for the sales spike. In particular, the article notes Microsoft's aggressive showing at the 2008 Tokyo Game Show, in which the company's booth was sandwhiched between the booths of Square Enix and Capcom. Said booth also highlighted the many Japanese titles at the forefront while showing its western titles in the back in an "adults-only" section.

The article also mentions Microsoft's recent courtship of Square Enix and its attempts to secure major franchises, Star Ocean 4 in particular, which will appear exclusively on the Xbox 360. The major question that remains, according to Edge, is whether or not Japanese gamers will abandon their Xbox when Sony catches up with major franchises of its own, especially Final Fantasy XIII, which will not appear on the Xbox in Japan. The other question is whether or not Microsoft intends to maintain its push in the territory (beyond a million units, anyway).