Japan scores FIFA-themed 360

  • By Hirohiko Niizumi, GameSpot
  • Posted Mar 31, 2006 11:11 am PT

Microsoft rides World Cup fever with new FIFA Xbox 360 bundle; package includes limited-edition faceplate, EA's 2006 FIFA World Cup Germany.

FIFA World Cup: Germany 2006

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TOKYO--With the 2006 FIFA World Cup Germany just months away, Microsoft is looking to capitalize on World Cup fever as the Xbox and Xbox 360 have been named the official game consoles of the international tournament. In Japan, where soccer has always been popular, the company is collaborating with FIFA, Adidas, and Electronic Arts to release a limited edition Xbox 360 bundle themed around the World Cup.

Today, Microsoft said it would release a limited edition Xbox 360 bundle--the Xbox 360 Blue Limited Edition: 2006 FIFA World Cup--alongside the launch of Electronic Arts' 2006 FIFA World Cup Germany soccer game on April 27 in Japan.

The bundle will feature the console, several accessories, and a copy of the Electronic Arts game. The console will also be tricked out with an Adidas Japan Blue faceplate featuring the colors of Japan's national soccer squad. The bundle will be limited to a shipment of 10,000 units. It will be open priced, meaning that it doesn't have a MSRP, but some online retailers are selling the package for around $430.

The items to be bundled in the Xbox 360 Blue Limited Edition: 2006 FIFA World Cup package goes as below.

Xbox 360
Xbox 360 hard drive (20GB)
Xbox 360 wireless controller
Xbox 360 media remote control
Xbox 360 HD AV cable
Xbox 360 LAN cable
Xbox 360 AC adapter
Xbox 360 Adidas Japan Blue faceplate
Adidas Japan Blue original bandana
2006 FIFA World Cup Germany game from Electronic Arts

84 Comments

  • Thorpe89 Site moderator

    Posted May 4, 2006 10:17 am PT

    This is also making its way to Europe.

  • Andron666

    Posted Apr 4, 2006 2:26 am PT

    RLOL

  • BorgMind00

    Posted Apr 3, 2006 3:03 pm PT

    I find it funny how so many people claim it won't sell in a country they have never been to and to a culture that they only know about through import anime, movies and games. The Japanese happen to be very big on soccer [someone else mentioned], very big impulse buyers, very big on change [as it pertains to entertainment anyway]. I think the package will do pretty well, considering that it's a limited edition release also. Those that will buy an Xbox 360 will definetly pick that one up. I will agree with an earlier post however which stated that perhaps Winning Eleven 9 would have been a better choice since the games popularity surpasses EAs FIFA in certain territories.

    My other comment pertains the quality of EAs games on the XBOX 360. EAs games so far happen to be some of the best as far as XBOX 360 games are concerned. I'm not saying that they've been great, "must haves", revolutionary or anything of the sort, but they've been good releases. Need for Speed: Most Wanted was just a simple port, left much to be desired and over all could have been better. EA really buckled down with the releases of Fight Night :Round 3 and Burnout Revenge however, the Fight Night being the better of the 2. They do deserve some recognition though.

  • abdu4

    Posted Apr 3, 2006 2:29 pm PT

    lucky ppl

  • xEviLLyAMuSeDx

    Posted Apr 3, 2006 2:14 pm PT

    Eh, I'll skip on the 'advertisement made into faceplate' thanks.

    Maybe they should have thrown in some Pepsi controllers and maybe a Pizza Hut Memory card! YEAH!

    /lame.

  • fmcuk

    Posted Apr 3, 2006 12:17 pm PT

    Reading all those complains about the FIFA X360 bundle, I realize this:

    It is hard for Americans to know nobody cares about "American Football" outside USA.
    Soccer (the REAL football) it is the world's most popular sport.

    Learn to accept it.

  • solidsoldier1

    Posted Apr 3, 2006 10:57 am PT

    im buying that faceplate though. On EBAY

  • Maquis_UK

    Posted Apr 3, 2006 10:33 am PT

    it seems that these people aren't fooled by shiney box and little else. good riddance micro$haft, take your average games and your ongoing fee-collecting and your 5 million new lines of code, then go jump off a cliff.

  • chrisdojo

    Posted Apr 3, 2006 9:29 am PT

    good for them.

  • SemiMaster

    Posted Apr 3, 2006 8:24 am PT

    You know, at first I thought this was an April Fools joke... but there were posts from Mar 31st. Sounds like a day early. Strange marketing move.

  • ezridax19

    Posted Apr 3, 2006 6:29 am PT

    why does japan get all the cool stuf???

  • skitzocyko

    Posted Apr 3, 2006 6:04 am PT

    release it here, it would sell.

  • sgt_tickles

    Posted Apr 3, 2006 5:16 am PT

    Pretty neat idea. If the game is better than RTWC 06 then hopefully it will do well. For all you haters out there, MS is just exploring different marketing strategies and tayloring them to a specific audience. Hence football is big in Japan, so WOW lets bundle a special edition 360 and exploit Japan's obscene patriotism to their national team. Brilliant I say. But the figures will tell.

    Plus dont complain too much, at least you have customised FIFA WC covers for the upcoming game....in aus we will get generic one

  • solidsoldier1

    Posted Apr 2, 2006 11:51 pm PT

    wow i can already see this budle on ebay selling for some pretty amount

  • GamerDudeB3

    Posted Apr 2, 2006 10:40 pm PT

    [This message was deleted at the request of a moderator or administrator]

  • umaque

    Posted Apr 2, 2006 11:59 am PT

    HEY ONI....
    THAT'S MICROSOFT PROBLEM NOT YOURS
    JUST STAY OUT OF IT
    AND TRY NOT TO CARE TOO MUCH
    THEY DIDN'T USE YOUR MONEY
    OR YOUR PARENTS FOR THAT MATTER

    GOD I HATE RACIAL COMMENTS !!!!

  • umaque

    Posted Apr 2, 2006 11:53 am PT

    ' That's true, they did think mini-disc was "all that". I'm getting sick of all this trying to win over the Japanese news all the time. Who cares? I don't. It's kinda funny how a culture who tries to look like us, act like us, make movies and music like us can't stand products made by us. I mean, do the majority of the Anime characters you see really look asian to you? I love the Japanese culture, but Microsoft, please give it up. They don't like you '

    HEY ONI YOU'RE REALLY COCKISH
    JUST SHUT UP AND STOP BEING A FANBOY

  • sizzlingdviper

    Posted Apr 2, 2006 12:47 am PT

    Perhaps Microsoft should make a Pokemon styled 360,cos A lot of Japenese games seem to be cartoon style graphics such as pokemon.A lot of Western gamers wouldn't touch their style games with a bargepole.

  • stefan_vaziri

    Posted Apr 1, 2006 11:00 pm PT

    Ummmmmmm, did anyone else notice that this bundle (including a faceplate,game,bandana,hd av cable,ac adapter is 430...only 30 dollars more than what we all payed at launch for simply the console and hd? WTF

  • kickedchaos12

    Posted Apr 1, 2006 10:56 pm PT

    whoa.. this is pretty cool, i've never seen this before.. where do u get the faceplate?

  • flynow

    Posted Apr 1, 2006 10:56 pm PT

    Anyone know if the Japanese Xbox360 system is able to play American game discs? I heard that the PS3 is going to be region free. That's hot.

  • smityjoe69

    Posted Apr 1, 2006 6:30 pm PT


    That's true, they did think mini-disc was "all that". I'm getting sick of all this trying to win over the Japanese news all the time. Who cares? I don't. It's kinda funny how a culture who tries to look like us, act like us, make movies and music like us can't stand products made by us. I mean, do the majority of the Anime characters you see really look asian to you? I love the Japanese culture, but Microsoft, please give it up. They don't like you

    to oni. by the way japanesse people have there own culture. they just take wat good american things there is and makes them better. as for films just coz japnesse films have high special effects doesnt mean they are copying the amercian. anyways who copied the japnesse in films kung fu and other martial arts. japnesse films are a art. amercian ones are only superfacial films to make money. u say u love the japanesse culture then why diss it.

    japnesse can see good products when they r shown to them. their just isnt good games for japnesse people on the 360. their mostly action and fps shooting games which the japanesse dont like. this is not an attack on the 360 i have one its just the 360 has no chance in japan coz their simply isnt japnesse friendly games for it.

  • Kravyn81

    Posted Apr 1, 2006 3:38 pm PT

    "Woe. Kravyn81. 360 is getting spanked in Japan. They need to do something, and fast. This is in the realm of the doable." - DiscGuru101

    Exactly. And do you know why? Because the Japanese are smart! The first Xbox bombed in Japan and MS did everything short of giving away systems for FREE and they still croaked. Now they're following the same path while still IGNORING their home market who, BTW, saved their asses with the last Xbox, yet the USA never gets any special treatment. Oh! Whoopty doo! A "Halo" edition Xbox. How many special events and Xboxes did they create solely for the Japanese market?

    They make me sick. I hope the Japanese keep snubbing the 360 and I hope it bombs abysmally over there. Maybe, just MAYBE, MS will get the message and start catering to its home market instead of pissing away time and money on a market that doesn't give a crap. It's a blatant insult and slap in the face to every customer who was dumb enough to buy a 360.

  • thefutureofball

    Posted Apr 1, 2006 11:28 am PT

    Quit giving japan all the cool stuff MS and let us have some they dont even like you

  • veracity024

    Posted Apr 1, 2006 11:16 am PT

    Fifa was a crap game. dont bundle that!

  • KoVeRt

    Posted Apr 1, 2006 9:25 am PT

    Since when did Yoda start working for MS?

    "Impossible Is Nothing"

  • TraiklinX3

    Posted Apr 1, 2006 7:39 am PT

    this is a good april fools joke story.

    oh wait, you mean it's not? I can't tell when a stie tries to incorperate joke story's in with the real story's because they think it's cool for a day.

  • DarkHero1

    Posted Apr 1, 2006 1:38 am PT

    Why the hell do the Japanese get all the good stuff when they don't even appreciate the Xbox 360.

  • thefbz

    Posted Apr 1, 2006 12:40 am PT

    I am waiting for PS3 but I'd love to have a FIFA WORLD CUP GERMANY theme XBOX 360.

  • Sagacious_Tien

    Posted Mar 31, 2006 11:08 pm PT

    It's a nice colour. Maybe they'll release it here?

  • waraga

    Posted Mar 31, 2006 11:07 pm PT

    microsoft's 360.Doing this will be the key in the battle in wining the console war it is very important and i would like to prise petter more for his wonder full idea.go go 360 showthem all.

  • FFgalaxy

    Posted Mar 31, 2006 10:14 pm PT

    lets just hope we can get a decent soccer game on the 360

  • FFgalaxy

    Posted Mar 31, 2006 10:12 pm PT

    lets just hope we can get a decent soccer game on the 360

  • rowlodge

    Posted Mar 31, 2006 9:52 pm PT

    looks cool

  • killa-k

    Posted Mar 31, 2006 9:19 pm PT

    wicked deal

  • MetaMods

    Posted Mar 31, 2006 8:48 pm PT

    WTH, we get nothing living in USA. Japan always get awsome stuff. I am moving to Japan.

  • John_of_Fire

    Posted Mar 31, 2006 8:30 pm PT

    I don't see why people are getting so upset. A soccer Xbox won't sell well here. Besides we received a limited Halo system that never saw light in Japan for the first Xbox. You act like MS hates you because they haven’t made one for the US yet. Besides MS is the only company that has bothered to make limited systems for the US anyways. (PS2 got sweet colors in Europe but no love for the US) And now at least 2 games had custom faceplates when they came out.

    I keep hearing 'stop trying to court the Japanese market' but if you don't you can't compete. The Japanese market is huge. Over a third of all games sold go to that small country. It's only in recent years that Japanese companies have had to cater their games to the west. Now they are finally starting to court the western market instead of just sending a few games out to the west every once in a while. Old school gamers that have been playing for 15 years remember missing out on everything good and getting games a year after they came out in Japan. (Nintendo still does this to the west every so often. Nintendo Puzzle collection was never brought over here. If you don’t court the Japanese you lose out on a third of the market and Japanese companies won’t take you seriously….you can figure the rest out.

  • BenderUnit22

    Posted Mar 31, 2006 8:20 pm PT

    Good idea, but won't help. Maybe make a blitzball themed one...

  • TJSpyke

    Posted Mar 31, 2006 8:05 pm PT

    Xbox 360 has flopped in Japan, even more than the original Xbox did when it launched. The only way all 10,000 units will sell out withen 3 months is if it becomes a really popular import for North American and European collectors.

  • Sonicgod

    Posted Mar 31, 2006 6:00 pm PT

    And 99% of special theme package have Ugly art plasterd on it rather than doing a simple desgin like this.

    Filling the console with uneven character wall paper is not a way to make it look good.

  • Sonicgod

    Posted Mar 31, 2006 5:55 pm PT

    I don't care about FIFA or most sports period but that is one nice looking face plate Just the type I have been looking for for mine.

  • BZSIN

    Posted Mar 31, 2006 5:41 pm PT

    Football (soccer, pffft) is big in Japan. EA and it's FIFA games are not. They are more into their Pro Evo (Winning Eleven). They have taste.

  • thechosenone827

    Posted Mar 31, 2006 5:28 pm PT

    The adidas faceplate looks pretty cool

  • DiscGuru101

    Posted Mar 31, 2006 4:22 pm PT

    Woe. Kravyn81. 360 is getting spanked in Japan. They need to do something, and fast. This is in the realm of the doable.

  • Mr_Flatulent

    Posted Mar 31, 2006 4:01 pm PT

    It irks me that we here in the U.S., long time supporters of Xbox stuff (and the ones who basically saved MS's butt with the Xbox) never get any special treatment.
    It's like they ignore the obedient, helpful child and instead reward the obnoxious, mean kid instead. I don't get it . . . oh, wait, I do--MONEY!

  • Kravyn81

    Posted Mar 31, 2006 3:28 pm PT

    And we see history repeat itself with MS pissing on its home market while bending over backwards to a market that doesn't give a crap.

    Way to treat your home fanbase, MS. And that is exactly why I now hate MS.

  • automaticsnake

    Posted Mar 31, 2006 2:33 pm PT

    the 360 selling bad in japan so they trying to find a way to make it sell better.

  • mamad_raiss

    Posted Mar 31, 2006 2:29 pm PT

    I read a news that MS is going to relaunch XBOX360 in late june . I can't understand japanese .why they don't buy this super amazing product? it's like we don't buy japanse cars or tvs and other japanese products because we are not japanese? let's be honest

  • tremo01

    Posted Mar 31, 2006 2:29 pm PT

    God why aren't they selling those in Europe??? They would sell like crazy...

  • drangel_jam

    Posted Mar 31, 2006 1:53 pm PT

    "TalesOfGazayan
    Poor Microsoft trying so hard in a country were it's not wanted. With Adidas logos it looks more like a ShoeBox than an XBox. (select an action below) ______________ Report Abuse To Moderator Posted Mar 31, 2006 1:22 pm PT "

    u're a funny one!

    I still believe it's a nice move. The day That MS flurishes pemanently in Japan will be the da that MS and Square Enix give birth to Final Fantasy XIII or XIV one the XBox 360 (exclusively!? that'd probably be too much to hope).

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