Microsoft lays out Japanese game plan

By Dan Tochen, GameSpotPosted Apr 6, 2006 9:53 am PT

Xbox 360 Media Briefing in Tokyo brings new Silpheed, Culdcept games; Pac-Man and Galaga headed for Xbox Live Arcade.

Microsoft is working hard to keep the Xbox 360 in the game in Japan. The latest effort in the ongoing campaign to establish a beachhead in the Far East was a press event held today to trumpet the company's successes to date and get exposure for upcoming releases.

According to an Impress Watch report, new Xbox Japan head Takashi Sensui opened the event with fighting words, saying, "Xbox 360 is the only next-gen console right now, and it will be the best game machine for years to come. On top of that, it's easy to exploit its capabilities to produce high-quality next-gen games."

Sensui went on to promise that Xbox 360 would succeed in Japan, reminding the audience of Microsoft's record in the PC operating system market. After rallying the troops, Sensui passed the mic to representatives of firms with Xbox 360 games in development.

Developer Tri-Ace, known for its work on Valkyrie Profile and Star Ocean, announced that it is working with Microsoft Game Studios on a new, as-yet-untitled Xbox 360 game. While details were scarce, it will be a role-playing game, and Tri-Ace suggested that the action will be real time rather than turn-based.

Square Enix and Game Arts took the stand next to announce Project Sylph, an Xbox 360 exclusive the companies are developing together. This wasn't the only shooter announced for Microsoft's console today.

A Bandai Namco executive announced that Galaga and Pac-Man would both be coming to Xbox Live. He noted that the re-creations of these arcade classics are so faithful to the originals that old patterns and timing still work. Like other Xbox Live Arcade games, Pac-Man and Galaga will feature global scoreboards for worldwide competition.

The Bandai Namco exec then moved on to talk about full-scale retail games. He referenced the recently announced shooting adventure game called Zegapain XOR, and showed off screenshots of the giant robot game. That was followed up with the announcement of Culdcept Saga, a Live-enabled game that will be the latest entrant in the popular Magic-meets-Monopoly game franchise that had previous installments on the PlayStation 2, PlayStation, and Dreamcast.

Taking time out from development work on a clutch of Xbox 360-exclusive RPGs, Final Fantasy creator Hironobu Sakaguchi gave a progress report on a number of projects under way at his Mistwalker development company. His first game, Blue Dragon, is on track for a 2006 release. Sakaguchi says the game is playable and his team is currently focused on game balance and presentation. Sakaguchi's second game, Lost Odyssey, is slated for a 2007 launch.

Mistwalker is also working on a third Xbox 360 game entitled Cry On, and he admitted that between the three games, his team was working at--or maybe over--its capacity. Bringing three Sakaguchi games to its new platform is a considerable coup for Microsoft, and it will be interesting to see how his games affect Japanese sales of the console when they launch.

The press event closed with a look at the Xbox 360 Blue Limited Edition: 2006 FIFA World Cup console, and a demonstration of the hotly anticipated Ninety-Nine Nights, set to launch in Japan on April 20.

113 Comments

  • boo_dat

    Posted Apr 10, 2006 5:48 pm PT

    So anywho, Microsoft is a joke....let's see what kind of crap Sony can throw at us next...while we're at it, let's take a gander at the Rev shall we...I think not...this next gen of gaming is going down the tubes...I'm looking forward to the generation of consoles that will be coming out AFTER this...in the mean time I think I'll enjoy my NES, SNES, N64 and PS1...reefer addicts!

  • Game13a13y

    Posted Apr 9, 2006 2:57 pm PT

    how many freaking "M$ is going to dominate Japanese market" news do we have to read before they realize its all in their little dreams?

  • saberdook

    Posted Apr 9, 2006 10:07 am PT

    not cool.

  • soulknight63133

    Posted Apr 8, 2006 1:18 pm PT

    At this day and age,mhder. There's no good reasons why gamers can enjoy excellent gameplay and graphics.

  • soulknight63133

    Posted Apr 8, 2006 1:09 pm PT

    Imavnas- Apparently you were missing my point I said earlier. "Poorly worded" shows that you miss that I meant that it doesn't matter what business MS did to make them who they are today, but having the "attitude" of not being a "quitter" was my main point.

  • patjuan

    Posted Apr 7, 2006 8:54 pm PT

    One of the problems that microsoft is facing is that HD televisions are not popular in Japan. They're almost none existent. Therefore japanese gamers do not see a graphical difference between the Xbox 360 and the Xbox.

    Furthermore, the DS, PSP, and the PS2 are claiming the top software spots on the Japanese game charts. Right now Microsoft just does not have the software to keep up with those platforms.

    Microsoft really needs to do well in Japan. If it does not then this new generation is a lose.

  • strahd01

    Posted Apr 7, 2006 5:19 pm PT

    I don't care if MS sucks in Japan the fact that they're trying is awesome because look how many great devoplers we are getting. we must be up to 15 upcomings RPGs so far and you know they all signed a 5 year contract so here they come!

  • thefjk

    Posted Apr 7, 2006 2:30 pm PT

    Not gon work. But Best of Luck!

  • jdcflash

    Posted Apr 7, 2006 10:48 am PT

    It's funny when you (mhder) take stupid comments seriously. Of course boycotting the PS3 is stupid. Now go spend time on something more meaningful than arguing against stupid comments. And it doesn't take a genius to realize gameplay is more important than graphics. Keep preaching to the choir. Been there, said that.

  • SavoyPrime

    Posted Apr 7, 2006 10:07 am PT

    Ninety-Nine Nights, Blue Dragon, and Lost Odyssey are probably MS's only hope of moving X360 units in Japan. If those games don't do it, then nothing will.

  • mickel_darmawan

    Posted Apr 7, 2006 6:28 am PT

    CRAP.

  • mhder

    Posted Apr 7, 2006 5:04 am PT

    There's an interesting trend in the US that I have noticed towards games having to look real. I guess a game is only acceptable if it looks real? Now I was reading some user reviews for age of empires three. In my opinion age of empires 2, the age of kings had the best gameplay and for me, I have played it the most and have enjoyed it the most. Now this one reviewer praised age of empire 3 because it looked so real with flags and explosions and stated that it was better than age of empires 2 and went as far as to trash it(aoe2) because it looked cartoony. That's all the review was based upon, the look. Japan seems to be totally opposite where realistic graphics are a turn off, as if they want to be reminded that "this is only a game," with its cartoony/anime graphics. Can't say one is right or wrong but in my opinion, although cartoony seems to be important in Japan, gameplay is paramount. Not sure if I can say the same about western market by the number big of sales for some crappy, realistic looking games.

  • soulknight63133

    Posted Apr 7, 2006 3:28 am PT

    Well, we'll just have to wait and see. I admire MS for trying, Sony is a definite powerhouse in the US. So I see nothing wrong with trying to break into their market. People thought a Japnese company would never be successful here in the US (especially after Pearl Harbor), but Sony and other Japanese proved despite the past they can be VERY successful.

  • mhder

    Posted Apr 7, 2006 1:42 am PT

    Well I see stupid comments like " I think American should boycott the PS3." Well if you are going to do that, you better boycott a lot of things because almost everything you have is from somewhere outside the US. MS has done a great job preying on the insecurities and the tastes of the Average american gamer. It doesn't work elsewhere. they should know from the mistakes of other companies. SOny has so much variety in games it will sell in the USA. Nintendo has a long tradtion and good fan base to sell to. In Japan, MS has nothing but failure. So they have to do something drastic to get attention + they have to be able to do better than Sony and NIntendo. That's an uphill battle. Don't blame Japanese gamers for having different tastes and holding MS accountable for disc scratching and the bad response + the lackluster game selection on the original Xbox. Look at MS fans in the US - they don't hold MS accountable, they don't get their pre-orders and instead of taking their business elsewhere, they wait and make excuses for them - you think MS really cares if they produced consoles any faster or cheaper? You're going to buy it anyways. Business doesn't work that way in Japan. A major blunder calls for public apologies etc but also, a huge loss in business and credibility.

  • KiLLer_ba

    Posted Apr 7, 2006 12:47 am PT

    Well at lest Microsoft is trying this time, to bad its not going the way they were planing it.

  • jdcflash

    Posted Apr 6, 2006 11:24 pm PT

    I think America should boycott the PS3.

  • priest17

    Posted Apr 6, 2006 10:24 pm PT

    wow fanboys unite

  • NeokVash19

    Posted Apr 6, 2006 8:21 pm PT

    lol....it's sort of funny seeing microsoft strugling to gain japanese territory, don't they realize that those territories already belong to sony and nintendo. Microsoft is just like a intruder, trying to gain attention but with no success. These games sound interesting but that's no good reason to be all happy about anything. This doesn't mean anything

  • Maquis_UK

    Posted Apr 6, 2006 7:42 pm PT

    you may call them crazy, but a LOT of the world actually DON'T consider micro$haft hardware or more importantly software to be any good at all. and there is NO 360 DROUGHT in Europe. or if there is, then some mysterious force protects the UK, as i see 360s second-hand and unloved in shops everywhere.

  • mpeg3s

    Posted Apr 6, 2006 7:26 pm PT

    Bye, Bye MS games won't matter in Japan.

    It all has to do with "Made in Japan" pride and the ANTI MS shadow that has been casted from the US.

    Make the US Japan MS.

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