Xbox 360 backward compatibility lacking in Japan

November 16, 2005 11:08AM PST

By Hirohiko Niizumi

List of playable Xbox games for the Xbox 360 in Japan tops out at a dozen versus 200-plus in North America; more promised in future.

TOKYO--Gamers in Japan that are planning to throw away their current Xbox console when they pick up an Xbox 360 this winter might want to rethink binning the black box. Microsoft Japan has released the list of Xbox games confirmed to be playable on the Xbox 360 in the country, and it's not looking good for Japanese gamers with a soft spot for current-generation games.

While the US list of Xbox games playable on the Xbox 360 has more than 200 titles, the Japanese list only carries 12 games. Microsoft Japan notes that additional titles will be added to the list in the future, so it might be a matter of time before the remaining games from the American list appears.

The list of games confirmed to be backward compatible with the Xbox 360 in Japan is as follows:

Crimson Skies: High Road to Revenge
Fable
Forza Motorsport
Grand Theft Auto Double Pack
Halo
Halo 2
Halo 2 Multiplayer Map Pack
Jade Empire
Ninja Gaiden
Ninja Gaiden Black
Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six 3
The Simpsons: Hit & Run

14 comments

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ChiefFreeman

It ended up being 478 by the time the last compatibility update was added in late 2007. Sadly, we never got the Otogi games, OddWorld Stranger's Wrath, or several other gems.

simonwest1977

well, 200 + for us now isn't impressing me, i expected alot more myself, and if i lived in japan i would be mucho disapointed ! how hard cam it be to d/l an emulator program to the 360 ?

Thakingk05

Lets just gets some more backwards games for north america.

breakout911

they might as well count that as 5 games, cuz the japanese don't play fps.

Zor

Umm.. hey chrisdojo, the japanese are owning MS not the other way around. If there was a huge demand for Xboxes in japan and they did this then yes, what you said would be true, but since there isn't it is the other way around. Sigh... so many people claim ownage without understanding what it means...

chrisdojo

LOL they have been pwn3t by m$

jjenkins78

I agree with the first poster. The XBOX did so badly in Japan I wouldn't waste a dime in retrofitting the 360. Of course, I wouldn't have spent any money on making the North American XBOX 360 backwards compatible either.

ewjim

It's the microSOFT - what do you expect from it :lol: Like any other company they think: ,,How to save as much money as we can?"

Rahxon

Hmmm.... if Microsoft really wants to gain more Japanese consumers, then this is NOT a step in the right direction........... or maybe that's just me *shrugs*

JimmyStewart

Just throwing away the first XBox? Must be the same thing they've done with every Nintendo console ever! People seem so quick to forget that outside of the PS2 and some GameBoy's backwards compatibility is a relatively new idea. Consoles have gone on without it for years I don't think Japanese gamers will be that disappointed or surprised.

linkdragon642

That's all fine and dandy... But why the HELL (in America) is Kabuki Warriors backwards-compatible, but not Unreal Championship 2?!

locustsux

wiafs02 has a point, they should put games that are made by Japanese developers.

wiafs02

they should atleast add DOA 3 & DOA:U

epic_nemesis

well....duh, there were oly like 2 people in japan that has an xbox, it doesnt make sense to give a lot of money to make the system backwards compatible for 2 people (yes i know i exaggerated the number)

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