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[A Human Becoming]

Your wrong. I live in the pacific region and deal with Japanese people daily. Apple is massively popular in Japan

That's anecdotal evidence. From what I had heard years prior Apple was only a small slice of the cell phone market in Japan. To your credit recent data shows their presence has been increasing.

Its not a matter of xenophobia. The Japanese have a great sense of national pride and a greater sense of community than any other culture on the planet. everywhere else on earth there's NO loyalty to your neighbor friend or family like in Japan. the Japanese ppl understand that supporting companies and products made by their ppl they're supporting themselves.

Every other culture is only interested in where they can get it the cheapest and then they complain that there's no jobs.

While the underlined might hold significance, the bold is BS. The "buy American" mentality has been around for well over a decade as has anger over jobs being outsourced. You must be a resident of Japan to have such a mind-set.

Lot of joke posts in this thread.

Was it? Doh.

 

[Celine]

But is that even a factor anymore? You got Final Fantasy and Metal Gear on Xbox 360 in the West, but no Japanese release.

That's the point.
If MS decide to not invest relatively "heavy" in Japan it won't be because "Japan doesn't matter anymore" or "MS dropped interest in the Japanese Market" (the interest is the same) but because they think their platform will receive ports from PS4 by default if the japanese publisher want to reach full [sale] potential in western markets.

 

[Ratrat]

Its not a matter of xenophobia. The Japanese have a great sense of national pride and a greater sense of community than any other culture on the planet. everywhere else on earth there's NO loyalty to your neighbor friend or family like in Japan. the Japanese ppl understand that supporting companies and products made by their ppl they're supporting themselves.

Every other culture is only interested in where they can get it the cheapest and then they complain that there's no jobs.

Lot of joke posts in this thread.

 

[flawfuls]

Yeah, Microsoft already has Frontier on the 360, with its sequel Frontier G coming out in April. I don't know how many 360s MHF pushes in Japan but it couldn't have been very many.

Yeah it doesn't seem to do much for this system, but it does seem to be proof that Microsoft is still trying.

 

[Margalis]

That's anecdotal evidence. From what I had heard years prior Apple was only a small slice of the cell phone market in Japan. To your credit recent data shows their presence has been increasing.

The Japanese cell phone industry was like 5 years ahead of the US one. While people in the US had shitty low-res low-color phones in Japan people had high res, high color, high power phones. The jump to iPhone was not nearly as large in Japan as it was in the US.

 

[Takao]

jp- zonaforo.meristation.com/foros/viewtopic.php?t=1869404

where that 500,000 come from, vgjankz?

 

[Celine]

Time to pump out another mascot for the Japanese market!

Go for it MS!

 

[Crash Station]

The Japanese market is insular and myopic. They won't pay attention to anything not-Japanese, which is why so many of their studios are in decline. Playing to the nativist otaku base is simultaneously a Japanese only affair and a losing international strategy. (Of course there are some notable exceptions.)

I wouldn't even bother releasing the next Xbox in their territory. Or any American or European hardware or software for that matter.

Apple products do ridiculous over there and there have been more western studio closures this gen than Japanese ones,.

 

[OldJadedGamer]

Right, because Japan hates Apple?

Honest question, what was the last great selling American made home videogame console in Japan?

 

[Stumpokapow]

Honest question, what was the last great selling American made home videogame console in Japan?

the xbox 360 is the only post-crash American made home videogame console that did well anywhere

 

[Doctor Decimate]

would there even be a point to trying to make the Durango successful in Japan?

 

[Stumpokapow]

When you provide some stats and citations to substantiate that we can move forward from here. In the mean time you are just stating arbitrary numbers by your own admission

i have the last story below 75k npd ltd, takao is (essentially) correct.

european sales:
uk: #10 week one, out of top 40 week two
germany: #4 week one, #33 week two, #54 week three, #74 week four, out of top 100 week five
(never charted in any other country)



(by way of comparison, Lost Odyssey is over 500k worldwide.)

 

[remnant]

Honest question, what was the last great selling American made home videogame console in Japan?

What was the last great selling american console?

 

[GeorgioCostanzaX]

The only reason for MS to do it is to effectively entice RPG fans in the west away from Sony's platform like they did last gen with a year's head start. Regardless of the end products' quality the announcement of two exclusive games by Sakaguchi and Akira Toriyama swayed a lot of die hard PS2 fans last gen: without Lost Odyssey and Blue Dragon I don't think many PS2 fans would have given Xbox a second look. Ironically, 360 had more exclusive JRPGS than PS3 overall so all in all I'd say the strategy of pursuing Japanese exclusives paid off in gaining mindshare if nothing else.

 

[Erethian]

would there even be a point to trying to make the Durango successful in Japan?

Japan is still the 2nd largest market in the world, on a country by country basis.

 

[neojubei]

it seems all those JRPGs have settled on the PS3 now..

have the moneyhats truly ended?

Doubt it.

 

[funkystudent]

They will try again next time.

In fact I bet given Capcoms distance for Sony and pretty good relationship with MS that they get a real monster hunter game on xbox next gen.

 

[Crash Station]

Maybe he's an economist?

In that case, there are plenty of markets not worth fighting for. Might as well not release anything in the UK while you're at it.

Is it possible that Western audiences have outgrown some of the bizarre and frankly juvenille plot and character aesthetics that are so common in JRPGs.


-- incoherent plots, character behavior and motivations

-- disturbing portrayal of androgynous young men and women, which in some cases (in Western eye's) appears borderline pedophelic in nature. By the way, what is it with the Japanese fixation on prepubescent schoolgirls?

-- Inexplicable over-use of ridiculous Deux ex machina plot mechanisms to resolve conflict and major plot issues, or simply to move a story from point "a" to point "b".

-- giant robots are both the cause and the solution to almost every problem

Not the thread for it, dude.

I promise you that if FF became exclusive to Microsoft's next system, it would not sell in Japan. People try to dance around the reason why US consoles don't sell in Japan, ie "Doesn't appeal to Japan's taste, etc.

Wrong. They ARE that unaccepting of anything not Japanese. They would simply find a way to explain how FF has now become too 'westernized' to support. There's ALWAYS an excuse with the Japanese audience to hide their clannish and xenophobic nature. It has always been a part of their culture, dating all the way back to the meiji era. Sorry, just real talk.

But this is ok with me, because Japanese developers have realized that the only way they can exist in this day and age is to now develop for western audiences, simply because their own market has shrunk into irrelevance. So my how the tables have turned.

Their mindset has gone from an ultra cocky "for Japan only" attitude to a "how can we appeal to western audiences and make games like Halo and WoW" attitude.

And I'm ok with this. Why? Cause we will always have transcendental, badass Japanese studios like FromSoftware and Platinum who can hit just the right balance of east meets west in their games and give us more Dark Souls and Rising. The best will always stay true to themselves and survive in this market without whoring out their development teams to make more western themed games.

And you call Japan Xenophobic with a post like this?

 

[t26]

Ironically, 360 had more exclusive JRPGS than PS3 overall so all in all I'd say the strategy of pursuing Japanese exclusives paid off in gaining mindshare if nothing else.

It had a good start but then just disappear. New games like Tales of, Disgaea, Atelier series remain on PS3. After you done with the 360 exclusive you still need to eventually get a PS3.

 

[mujun]

And you call Japan Xenophobic with a post like this?

On the xenophobia scale they are pretty xenophobic for a first world nation, though.

 

[DocSeuss]

Microsoft's main selling points exclusively appeals to western audiences , Japan has no interest in things like Halo, Gears, Forza, Fable and Alan Wake.

Even when Microsoft was pushing good JRPGs, Japan wasn't fucking interested. Remember games like Otogi, Ninja Gaiden, or Sega's huge catalog of Xbox exclusives? (mm dat panzer dragoon orta and jet set radio future...)

Japan's always been against the Xbox. Back in the day, Japanese testers were calling it the "deathbox," and flat-out lying to Microsoft, saying that X meant death and black was the color of death, so it would fail (this was when the PS2 was out and black, by the way).

There's a huge motivation for Microsoft to fail in Japan. Maybe it's the gaijin idea, maybe it's national pride for Japanese games, maybe Japanese people just really hate Microsoft... I don't know. But yeah, it's not about the kind of games Microsoft was pushing.

I feel Microsoft might have had more traction if they pushed themselves better as the true successor to the Dreamcast, which is what the Xbox was.

 

[OldJadedGamer]

the xbox 360 is the only post-crash American made home videogame console that did well anywhere

I'm speaking pre-crash as well.

 

[Vane_MagicCity]

those who wants to play jrpgs on xbox? LO, Blue dragon, Tales of Vesperia were a big reason why i got a 360.

Me too and it wasn't really worth it. I beat Lost Odyssey twice, got close to the end of Tales of Vesperia once and couldn't even get off the first disc of Blue Dragon. I wish it were possible to play Lost Odyssey on the PS3 or PC in a few years but oh well.

 

[Tobor]

I doubt they'll waste much time or money on Japan at all this time. At the least, they won't be bankrolling JRPGs.

That said, Microsoft is no stranger to throwing good money after bad, so who knows.

 

[iammeiam]

would there even be a point to trying to make the Durango successful in Japan?

After watching how last gen played out, I'd have to think the effort expended on the 360 in Japan would be better spent trying to push the 360 in Europe. Maybe if they can get their EU position closer to their US position with Durango, they can come after Japan again, but going all-out to crack Japan doesn't really seem to have worked for them so far.

 

[Chinpoko_Master]

And you call Japan Xenophobic with a post like this?

What?

 

[Haunted]

Imagine last generation if they hadn't stopped subsidising these after Lost Odyssey and Blue Dragon.


edit: and I don't think it's as much xenophobia insofar as Western games just have a really bad reputation within Japanese gaming circles (yoge kusoge and all that). It's the kinda low opinion some people over here have when hear Japan and immediately think of icecream threads and are turned off by animu art styles etc, except multiply that a couple times and apply it to a much larger segment of the gaming population and that's the opinion many Japanese players have of Western-made consoles, and games.

edit²: I don't live in Japan, so someone correct me with the real reason all but a handful of Western games completely bomb in Japan if that's not right.

 

[Takao]

I still believe they should use the MSX branding in Asia. Even 30 years later, I'd say that has more cache than XBOX in Japan.

 

[Crash Station]

What?

It's pretty malicious toward Japanese people, basing his perception around assumptions and straw man arguments.

 

[Stumpokapow]

I'm speaking pre-crash as well.

do you count the MSX as being japanese or american?

 

[mujun]

It's pretty malicious toward Japanese people, basing his perception around assumptions and straw man arguments.

What is an assumption? Japan is pretty well known for its insularity, right? Afaik there are quite a lot of books and studies about it.

 

[Takao]

This thread made me realize that Konami had better support for Kinect than they've had for Wii U so far, wow.

 

[Agent Icebeezy]

It's not just Microsoft, Western games, overall, falter in Japan. What are some numbers of Assassin's Creed or Skyrim in Japan?

 

[Erethian]

It's not just Microsoft, Western games, overall, falter in Japan. What are some numbers of Assassin's Creed or Skyrim in Japan?

Call of Duty does quite well in Japan, and it's been improving its sales there a lot over the last few years.

 

[KongRudi]

MS just had a token-interest in Japan.
They didn't have any studios making games for the japaneese consumers, like both their competitors have, showing that they intend this to be a long-term solution.
They just bought a few games every once in a while this generation.

 

[Takuya]

Well, it's obvious why they gave up when they did, they just wernt making sure. It's too early to say if they've given up for good though. They may give it another shot with the 720.



Flatter himself? That doesn't even make sense. And yes the Japanese lost interest with the xbox (did they ever have any?) but that doesn't mean MS couldn't lose interest in trying for the Japanese market.

If you're gonna make some smart ass comment at least make it logical.

Microsoft didn't give up, they lost.

The whole premise of "dropping interest" is if they even had a fighting chance in that region, and if it was in Microsoft's hands to be able to even change its fate. The thing is, the Japanese never cared for Microsoft and that is why Microsoft is dead in Japan, Microsoft didn't drop interest, the Japanese lost interest in Microsoft. It's easy to follow the logic if you thought about it for a second.

 

[Four_Chamber]

MS just had a token-interest in Japan.
They didn't have any studios making games for the japaneese consumers, like both their competitors have, showing that they intend this to be a long-term solution.
They just bought a few games every once in a while this generation.

Every once in a while?

Early on this generation they had exclusive access a litany of AAA JRPGS- Lost Odyssey, Tales of Vesperia, Blue Dragon, Star Ocean, Infinite Undiscovery, etc. That's not trivial support by any means. Microsoft put in a tremendous effort this generation and the Japanese didn't respond- to me, its pretty clear that the Japanese don't have a sustained interest in Microsoft. I don't see the need for them to put in that type of investment again for a market that will never respond IMHO.

 

[Deleted member 20920]

The Japanese market is insular and myopic. They won't pay attention to anything not-Japanese, which is why so many of their studios are in decline. Playing to the nativist otaku base is simultaneously a Japanese only affair and a losing international strategy. (Of course there are some notable exceptions.)

I wouldn't even bother releasing the next Xbox in their territory. Or any American or European hardware or software for that matter.

Actually I think most of the Japanese studios are doing much better in terms of actually surviving and not dying and shutting down/

Also western games are selling much better these days (compared to before) and I think games like CoD actually manages to sell about 200K copies, which is really not too bad.

 

[Pachterballs]

The market had changed substantially in the past. There is no longer a need to try to get japanese developers. They will have to come to xbox360/720 to survive in the console market.

this isn't xbox era where the notion was they needed to crack the japanese market to be viable.

so MS doesn't need to try anymore.

 

[Deleted member 20920]

jp- zonaforo.meristation.com/foros/viewtopic.php?t=1869404

where that 500,000 come from, vgjankz?

lol...That site has it at 0.48 mill

Imagine last generation if they hadn't stopped subsidising these after Lost Odyssey and Blue Dragon.


edit: and I don't think it's as much xenophobia insofar as Western games just have a really bad reputation within Japanese gaming circles (yoge kusoge and all that). It's the kinda low opinion some people over here have when hear Japan and immediately think of icecream threads and are turned off by animu art styles etc, except multiply that a couple times and apply it to a much larger segment of the gaming population and that's the opinion many Japanese players have of Western-made consoles, and games.

edit²: I don't live in Japan, so someone correct me with the real reason all but a handful of Western games completely bomb in Japan if that's not right.

I think this might be sort of true. At least in my country (Singapore) when the Xbox first came out when it comes to word of mouth. General sentiments is that western developed games were mostly bad except for a few games (when it comes to consoles at least). Some people I knew then wasn't swayed over to the Xbox camp simply because it was western (in the vaguest of terms, and not simply because it's a US console). I remember them pushing the console pretty hard then. For a while Xboxs were given away for free by one of our cable internet if you sign a 2 year contract with them.

 

[PseudoKirby]

I feel Microsoft might have had more traction if they pushed themselves better as the true successor to the Dreamcast, which is what the Xbox was.

EXACTLY, I dont know why Microsoft didnt take the time to buy or merge with Sega, givin MS's connections with them, and the staff that joined MS from Sega.


Instead of SAMMY merged with them... but in reality pretty much just bought them.

 

[Meelow]

Microsoft really tried last gen with the 360 in Japan, with the exclusive Japanese titles and getting Final Fantasy XIII but it didn't really help much, I would be shocked if Microsoft doesn't release the Xbox 720 in Japan but I don't see them trying that much this gen.

 

[The Bookerman]

it seems all those JRPGs have settled on the PS3 now..

have the moneyhats truly ended?

Why don't you ask Kamiya on twitter about it?

 

[Crash Station]

What is an assumption? Japan is pretty well known for its insularity, right? Afaik there are quite a lot of books and studies about it.

You don't think this

Wrong. They ARE that unaccepting of anything not Japanese. They would simply find a way to explain how FF has now become too 'westernized' to support. There's ALWAYS an excuse with the Japanese audience to hide their clannish and xenophobic nature.

is an assumption? It's a made up scenario calling out Japanese people for being extremely irrational.

Yes, insularity is a part of the country's history, but it's different now and there are MANY western products that do very well over there, including some electronics. They understand how Americanized their country is compared to previous eras, so calling them unarguably xenophobic is some pretty big hyperbole.

Are there still some cultural issues in regards to foreigners? Absolutely. Is it something that pertains to this thread? Not so much.

 

[FordGTGuy]

Really now?

The amount of resources needed to turn the Japanese market towards Xbox would be better spent elsewhere. Imagine if Microsoft could get a foothold in China like American car companies are.

The money is better spent in Europe and getting Europe behind Xbox.

 

[Ridley327]

I will say one thing, though; MS has done a pretty good job of making it so that the former Playstation third-party heavyweights like Final Fantasy, Resident Evil, and Metal Gear Solid will no longer be thought of as Playstation-only franchises outside of Japan. So they've got that going for them.

 

[FordGTGuy]

EXACTLY, I dont know why Microsoft didnt take the time to buy or merge with Sega, givin MS's connections with them, and the staff that joined MS from Sega.


Instead of SAMMY merged with them... but in reality pretty much just bought them.

Considering how much Microsoft is known for purchasing companies small and large (Skype for instance) it's pretty amazing how tame they've been in the gaming market.

 

[EagleBurnn]

Considering how much Microsoft is known for purchasing companies small and large (Skype for instance) it's pretty amazing how tame they've been in the gaming market.

They're spending their money in forming new studios instead. They've already made Black Tusk Studios (supposedly making the new top game like Halo was) and Playground Games (Forza Horizon). And I'm sure giving a blank check to 343 for Halo 4 was a big buck as well.

 

[FordGTGuy]

They're spending their money in forming new studios instead. They've already made Black Tusk Studios (supposedly making the new top game like Halo was) and Playground Games (Forza Horizon). And I'm sure giving a blank check to 343 for Halo 4 was a big buck as well.

Playground Games is a 2nd party developer, although I agree with the new studios there is a big difference between creating a studio and buying a company. If they were to buy SEGA they would also own all of their trademarks also. If I could've chosen one purchase for Microsoft this year it would've been THQ, they could've used THQ to rekindle their PC gaming development.

 

[fvng]

i have the last story below 75k npd ltd, takao is (essentially) correct.

european sales:
uk: #10 week one, out of top 40 week two
germany: #4 week one, #33 week two, #54 week three, #74 week four, out of top 100 week five
(never charted in any other country)



(by way of comparison, Lost Odyssey is over 500k worldwide.)

I need numbers. You're giving me chart positions. citations please