Japanese Xbox 360 sales off to slow start

is anyone honestly supprised?

Peter Moore

*Cough* Sigh...

i knew this will happen. it's like those japanese people said "we want our own technology and not on others", and that's why they love sony and nintendo consoles so much. but i think it the console will sell very well someday once konami released their best-selling game for that console (and i hope for the ps3 also) and that game is none other than winning eleven because the japanese loved this game so much than fifa it always sells a million copies per sequel of the game.

Haha well the 360 is a disappointment.... It doesn't give me that WOW feeling from PS1 to PS2... I mean... my computer now is just as good as the 360 or maybe even better.... which is just sad for a next-gen console... especially if it's suppose 2 last for the next 6-7 years? I really don't like MS rushing into the market like this... Because the next-gens are not ready... Also, Japan was the people tho created the video game console business... and Bill Gates is trying to get into the Japanese Market with sheer money power... So why is it wrong for the Japanese not accepting the 360? Sony needs more time to fix ps3's bugs and like others said add more function... but because MS is rushing out to the market, now Sony will product some lower quality console... That is so stupid... I wouldn't be mad if the 360 was perfect, however because they rushed into the market they are releasing bad designed consoles which overheats and make so much sounds... That is why I'm not supporting the 360...

true. But the old Xbox has been pretty successful here so far (compared to ***)

everyone knows that it would be more of a surprise if its sold in japan.

The X360 still in stock in Europe (in the Nordics at least), it's mainly core packages - but it's still a pretty hard sell as there not many HDTV-capable sets, hard to justify the price tag for the mainstream market (especially with the game lib on the X360 compared to current-gen systems)...

The Japanese people are smart. The Xbox 360 so far sucks.

Nothing is official *at least final* with the ps3 concerning launch. I would hope that the ps3 does come out here in the fall instead of spring because of the simple fact that they will fix bugs in the hardware. Plus they sometimes make improvements as well. If you remember, or maybe you dont, the original japanese launch for the p2 came with a memory card because, 1> you couldnt play dvd's without it, 2>all your sytems setting were saved on it. Plus, it didnt come with a harddrive bay. It had a port for a hd attachment that would sit next to the sytem connected by cord.

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Should anybody be surprised.

Yes, darn you japan. We americans have been supporting you by buying your cheap quality products!!! feeding your families with our hard earned american dolors. Now you have done us the ultimate wrong. You havnt gone launch crazy and bought all of OUR systems. Darn you for waiting a few months till the games you want come out. We worked hard to outsource their production in china. I pored our sweat and blood into dialing those phones and signing those checks so that those underpaid , underprivlaged children of china can make our entertainment machines. Machines that you wont buy.....Who cares if there werent any games that appealed to your market day one. You should just be happy to have it sitting in your rooms....collecting dust. What should it matter that reports from the us and europe say that the first batch, like any other hardware first released, has issues and you might risk ruining your game if played on a first batch system. A country such as yourself, one who specializes in making electronics and has gone through many many hardware launches shouldnt worry about that. You have descraised all ties with america japan. You have spit on our friendship and loyalty for not putting more money in OUR Bill Gates pockets. For shame on you japan. For shame.

I am an Xbox fanboy for the current generation, because i believe the xbox has better graphics. (It has higher tech specs than the ps2, you cant argue with whats in a machine). But the next generation looks like Sony is going to run away with. I wish Microsoft would have waited abit longer and gotten better hardware, but instead they rushed it. The PS3 will have much higher tech specs, but that doesnt say the games will be better. Hopefully Microsoft can pull out some games that are sweeter than drinking honey and powdered sugar together.

Buster, is it official that PS3 will have a Japanese launch only, or worldwide? Lord I hope I don't have to wait til next fall. .......You are spot on when pointing out Xbox's future with 3rd party japanese developers... why would/should they jump onto the development wagon if the system isnt a success over there?

Japan is a current gen of gamers for a next gen of systems.. plain and simple EVOLVE from mario kart!!!!

The Japanese are wayy too nationalist for over 20 years america has been buying all thier junk and now this!! I guess were suckers!! : P

the launch wasnt good at all in japan. With the three most antisipated launch games being pushed back no one had a reason to buy one unless they just wanted to say they had it. Its like letting the 360 launch here in the states without the ea sports games, perfect dark, or pgr3. Whats left? Some shinier xbox games.

i didnt say that microsoft didnt have the support. Im saying they got that support through negotiations and im sure part of those negotiations were promises that they would have a certain amount of units at launch. You know, to persuade the companies to make games for them. Microsoft has a big us backing from game makers because the system did well here. Now they are trying to get the system to do well in japan so that they can have a big backing from their developers too. Plus, the ps3 is supposed to be released in the spring in japan. They NEED to get as many in japanese gamers hands as they can before it launches. With the ps3 being released sometime next fall here, they have more time to do the same here.

There is not as strong a launch lineup for Japan as there is here in the US (not that the US launch lineup is strong). If I were in Japan I would not buy one at this time either. The boxes should have been used in the US and Europe first. Then supply would have been better here while giving companies time to prepare a more solid lineup for the Japanese launch.

buster that can't possibly happen to microsoft believe me microsoft know what they are doing. They have a very extensive list of titles coming out for the 360 ALOT of amazing japanese titles so trust me when I say when these insane games do infact see the light of day the japanese market will sure as hell reconsider their position on the xbox360 and the ps3. Sony's advertising was a major success they've successfully convinced the japense market that everyone of those demos and trailers they saw were actual ingame footage..... Like I said wait until they find out that isn't the case. They gave people the impression that the ps3 will mop the floor with the 360, but that isn't the case at all.

without the major japanese thrid party support *which would be hard to get if your system isnt doing well in japan* microsoft is still going to play second fiddle when it comes to exclusives or even ports from major companys like konami, capcom, square. I dont think anyone wants to see the 360 turn into a nintendo system. *nintendo being the only one making games for its system (with help here and there)*

Hmmm the games for 360 and PS3 are very different... I donno about the games in North America but in Japan there is a huge difference... If I owned a PS2 and if I can only play North American PS2 games I would probably switch to X-box... However, there are just some amazing Japanese games that never get released in North America... That is why the games in North America for both systems seem the same...

Ronin you have no idea what you are talking about you are calling blue dragon, ninety nine nights, enchant arm, lost planet, lost odyssey and the others BAD games???? I'm still laughing at that one like I said just wait till the ps3 is out and morons realize that those so called gameplay videos weren't actual ingame footage. Wait till people see how much fun everyone that owns a 360 will be having with blue dragon and all those other insane titles :)

both systems are going to have killer games. some will be multi console others will be exclusive. stop hating on just one system and just look forward to what both consoles are going to bring, great games.

Why on God's green earth is Microsoft wasting it's time in Japan then when the people of NA and Europe are dying to get there hands on a 360. Instead of spending time, money, and effort on a bunch of ingrates, they should have been making more NTSC and PAL versions of the XBOX360. As far as I know, the second shipment of 360's hasn't even come in yet. I might not get my 360 before the year is out even though it came out on Nov. 22, and meanwhile, they're giving them away in Japan. I say leave them to their Nintendos and Playstations, and focus on the markets that are loyal to you Microsoft. I give credit to Japan. They are supporting their country's market when they refuse to buy the American-based MS console, and I say we should do the same in that case and boycott their country's systems. While I've held nothing against the Nintendo or Sony as consoles (I don't want to get into a system war), I say we give the Japanese a taste of their own medicine. I realize that the xbox did not have as wide or quality a selection as the other two consoles. However, it did have what they are now biting off, online function. I believe that Live on the 360 will still surpass without a doubt any online functionality the other two systems may bring to the table for their next installments. That being said, Japanese gamers still go to arcades. ARCs in the states is all but dead. They probably don't care about online functionality because they's rather socially play video games together, which is totally fine. However, MS should realize this and just pull out so that they can focus on the markets that do appreciate this. And I say that we as North American (and we can welcome European) gamers should support a company based in our country and support our homeland economic market.

i think the more logical reason for a slow launch is because two of the major japanese games were pushed back. *doa4 and enchant arms* The xbox was a flop in japan and so now that they have released a new system, of course people are going to wait and see how it does before they buy it. Its like if nokia ngage came out with a nokia ngage 2 here in the states. People wouldnt buy it right away even if it rocked hard simply because the first one flopped.

Hahahha i'm sooo going to laugh when all these idiots realize that the ps3 will not show off some amazing MIND BLOWING video games... The games will be similar and nobody realizes this fact. They don't want an xbox360 even when its down to $125 give me a friggin break send the consoles to the usa screw them. How can they ignore all the amazing japanese games coming out for the 360? haha I wont even bother speaking so soon just wait for blue dragon, lost odyssey, ninety nine nights, enchant arm, lost planet and many many more. People will regret those early decisions and start 360s. Even KILLING DAY is coming out for the 360 so the ps3 has no advantages over the 360 whatsoever. Just wait till the blue dragon trailer is realeased. :)

X-BOX 2.5 doesn't make success???? owowowowow.... and what is the surprise???

I don't even care about this it'll sell amazingly either way. Just wait till they realize that sony can't deliver those damn amazing demos they've been showing. I can't believe people are stupid enough to believe gameplay will be exactly like what they've been showing.... Anyway 360 will inevitably be bought once they realize mostly the same games being realeased being ran amazingly well on both systems and the 360 as tons of exclusives to coerce buyers so it doesn't matter in the least. Alot of people out there love their 360s so they will continue to buy and support it till its a success. If the japanese market doesn't wake up after blue dragon and some other huge games are announced by the end of this year and then next e3 when lost odyssey is shown then they are quite frankly a hopeless market. I could care less I love my 360 either way :)

Honestly if anyone is surprised by this they need to be studied in a lab for stupidity beyond measure. Microsoft is doomed to fail in japland and now even elsewhere. Here are my reasons: Japan) No good *** games or RPG's. The fact that its microsoft and competition for Sony and Nintendo ;USA) Moved consoles to Japland and europe for no real reason pissing off americans (even though its an american machine). As well as the idea of being shot if you try to buy the console. "here's your console and heres a free bullet, where would you like it?" ;Europe) Same reason as the americans if not a worse situation (without the shooting btw). -----DISCUSS

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8aihu Very true! PGR3 is by far the best new racing game for 360... yet Japan will not get it until Jan 06. It almost seems cruel to release the system over there without games like PGR3.

Why open a candy shop with the least popular flavors? Maybe stocking up on favorable flavors would do the grand opening some good? Especially if many haven't really noticed one was opening..............I may not be excited about the 360, but I do get the impression that they may have jumped the gun with those launch titles and no HD-DVD support. Maybe another DVD player isn't to welcoming if your trying to save space.

They should just close the Japanese side down and concentrate on supplying to America and Europe where they have a much healthier fan base and where a lot of people want one, but can't get one. In fact, I may see if I can get a cheap import from Japan..................

I'm supprised more of the people posting here aren't violently outraged at the pictures of 360's just sitting there. Come on people, if Microsoft wasn't too busy trying to line their pockets with Japanese money we could have had a full launch and everyone who preordered a 360 would have one, as opposed to all the japanese consumers who are able to walk into the local game store any time they want and just buy one. Come on people, this is seriously f***ed of Microsoft.

I think this is all good, ya know? A little competition here, a little there...This gives Sony a good reason to defend against a monopoly claim. Look, the majority of people (USA, Europe, and even Japan) who want to buy a next gen system will wait until the PS3 jumps on the scene. But for now all of this talk about the PS3 being better or X360 being better is meaningless speculation. With all of that said, I'm still getting the PS3 and there's one reason: GAMES. Killzone, MGS, Syphon Filter, and all the sports games. Although some of these aren't system exclusive they have superior controls and gameplay.

I think the Japanese public is just saving up for their $800 PS3's

Seems like they are waiting for the "true" next generation system with the PS3. I'm more of the wait and see before I buy but I have to admit that I am leaning more toward the PS3 since 360 did that whole bait and switch thing with the two priced systems and the awful launch lineup. Don't get me wrong, I am an Xbox fan fully but until Halo 3 or Morrowind Oblivion come out, I'm just not impressed.

thats a lot of xbox 360s left. why dont microsoft make more for the people... like us. argh.

American products can be very successful in Japan. iTunes is giving Sonys downloadable music service a real hard time over there. The Japanese will also pay high premiums to import American SUVs over there for luxury vehicles. Also, the Japanse are big on the iPod and such. The 360 isn't doing well in Japan because it doesnt have anything near the level of support the Playstation brand does. The Japanese are into a whole lot more than RPGs by the way. They like games like Katamari Damacy and train simulators and whacky stuff like that. Just because the typical FPS power gamer thinks those kind of games are garbage doesn't mean they aren't important. For the 360 to go anywhere with the Japanese, they will have to not only grab developer support, but they will have to hold on to it. The real quagmire is, MS would have to completely focus on Japanese development support and turn a blind eye to the American FPS hungry fanbase that made them at least number 2 last gen. Frankly, the 360 is between a rock and a hard place. We'll see how well MS can build up Japanese development support in the face of a free online Nintendo console and a PS3 that seems like it was conjured from the deepest bowels of hell with 360 destruction as its only goal.

I love how all the microsoft fanboys who were bragging and laughing it up when they read the "360 sells out in Japan" article are now like "oh, well, Japan will come around." No... no Japan won't, Japan doesn't like FPS for the most part, and therefore, they don't like Halo, which is basically the main thing the original X-Box had to offer to the masses. Don't get me wrong, I love my X-box, and I will love my 360 when I can finally get my hands on it (Stupid f***ing microsoft, you shouldn't launch overseas when you can't even supply your own market, Japan doesn't want you, America does.... Seriously, get that though your thick heads.) but the system offers little to Japanese gamers until Blue Dragon and Enchant Arm come out, then I am willing to bet they will sell a good chunk of 360s. I know I can't wait for those games.

Absolutely amazing, Microsoft really nutted in this one. There are ppl in the US paying top dollar for those systems, and in Japan they can

The japanese people aren't very keen on the xbox 360 because well, it isn't made in japan and based on surveys and so on more japanese gamers will prefer the japanese made sony Playstation 3. And me myself I am waiting for the ps3 to come out but I ain't japanese. PEACE!!!

I would con't Microsoft out, Do you all think that sony is always going to rule the video games market forever? Try telling that to nintendo back in 89. They could not be beat and now look. A little console called playstation came in no body liked it unit 97. So we can't really can it until it happens we have to wait and see what happens by 2008 to see who will really rule.

This just makes MS look plain bad. A simultaneous launch in the U.S. and Europe would've been fine, and they could've use these consoles wasted in a place where nobody cares about them to better supply the two regions where people actually want the console. Instead they put all their focus in to Japan and it still doesn't work. Great idea by Peter Moore.

Japan however does have a sense of national pride in product u cant ignore that, i mean america can be the same "by american help the economy" we've all heard it. oh well FOR THE HORDE!

all you morons think it didnt sell because its not japanese made are MORONS.

They will sell them out eventually. Don't worry Microsoft wont be sending any more 360's until these sell out .

gmoney983---- explain why then PS sold more combined worldwide as in more units than xboxs in USA, Europe, and Japan each. Answer because even though xbox has better hardware um if sony didnt let out GTA San andreas to it well there goes a 1/4 of their big lineup. plus without your "kiddie" PS2 comapanies like M$ wouldnt have to try and be better in hardware and software ud jes get junk probably