Japan gets a 360 price cut. Japan doesn't care

by Dustin Burg { Oct 22nd 2007 at 12:15PM }

With sales of Xbox 360 hardware in the land of the rising sun not doing to hot, Microsoft is looking to spur some sales using the age old marketing technique of ... price cutting. Starting November 1st the Xbox 360 will be available in Japan for 34,800 yen (from 39,795) and come bundled with Viva Pinata and Forza Motorsport. Maybe the price reduction and value add of getting free games with purchase will finally make the Japanese come to their senses and fall deeply in love with the 360. Ahh heck, who are we kidding? No amount of price cutting is going to change things in Japan unless Microsoft can swing a deal to get 360s shrunk down to the size of marbles and dispense them out of anime themed gumball machines. We'll be sure to send that idea off to the Japanese 360 marketing team.

Tags: japan, microsoft, price-cut, xbox-360

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

VampireHunter Z @ Oct 22nd 2007 12:20PM

The only thing left now is to duct tape them to Wiis.

mike @ Oct 22nd 2007 12:34PM

I don't understand why microsoft can't change their ways with japan. They obviously need RPG's, Dance Dance games and Anime heavy games. They need games like Space Channel 5, Seaman, Taxi (without the Crazy... speed limit driving etc) and insect games where they terrorize the household their in. WTF microsoft can't you come out with boring games like that sheesh

robinson @ Oct 22nd 2007 12:35PM

this is aswesome.. they pretty much have like double the games available for them..

http://www.spymac.com/details/?2279293

tackle @ Oct 22nd 2007 12:37PM

Its sad when an entire county miss out on some of the greatest game experiences in history, just because of "national pride".

dunnypop @ Oct 22nd 2007 12:40PM

the 360 needs to drastically cut their prices in Japan, just so they can make a small dent for their next system.

if they keep up the current pace, the next system isn't going to do anything in Japan as well.

E.J. @ Oct 22nd 2007 12:44PM

@mike

MS has approached Japan differently with the 360 than the first Xbox.

Whatever MS does for the 360, the Japanese will still not care. Even if 360s' quality was the best in the business, the Japanese still won't bite. When it comes to gaming consoles, if it didn't come from Japan, then it might as well not exist in that country.

DjDATZ @ Oct 22nd 2007 12:44PM

Japan is so xenophobic its ridiculous. Anyways, a price cut isn't going to cut it. (No pun intended.) The 360 needs more games that the Japanese are interested in. That is the only real way to capture SOME marketshare there...

DeadPlasmaCell @ Oct 22nd 2007 12:58PM

It's funny now last time the excuse was "Well the Xbox is just too big, people aren't going to like that in their houses." So the 360 comes out much smaller and thinner and nada. PS3 comes out BIGGER than Xbox 1 and looking literally like a George Foreman Grill and there's no problem with that. Just make me understand!!!

Tony @ Oct 22nd 2007 1:01PM

I do not think it's strictly xenophobia. It makes no sense. "Big in Japan" bands? Microsoft making the MSX? Do Japanese people apparently not use Windows? I know it's there to a degree, but I do not think it's the Xbox 360's #1 problem. I think there's several other things that come before that.

1.) The Xbox did very poorly over there and MS's attempts to get major Japanese developers on board that make games Japanese people actually BUY were largely fruitless.

2.) Following #2, if a system sucks and has nothing no one wants, why would you spend even more money on its successor?

3.) A large portion of 360 games that come out are not translated into Japanese. Oblivion, for example, came out in English initially. It didn't come out in Japanese until many, many months later. This is like someone in the US buying a Japanese version of a title. People would enjoy that?

4.) Advertising there is just absolutely terrible. Developers there seem to be aware of it, consumers certainly are. If you've seen most of MS's attempts there you'd probably agree too. It's still a step up from putting Bill Gates's picture on stuff.

As for changing things up, yeah, some things have been. MS has made some significant strides in getting better Japanese support, particularly in the realm of RPGs. Not just the major stuff we're all aware of, but also more obscure stuff that never really gets mentioned here.

But when putting those 4 things I mentioned on top of that, it really doesn't matter much. I think it's as much MS's shortcomings and past problems biting them in the ass now as it is any "xenophobia".

There was an interview with Japanese developers for the 360 on Gamespot that's worth reading.

TORO @ Oct 22nd 2007 1:10PM

Whatever atleast the rest of the world knows what's up!

FrankTheCrank @ Oct 22nd 2007 1:19PM

Wouldn't it be more cost effective to forget about Japan?

Maybe they should take some of those consoles that will never be sold and give them to RROD victims? Instead of sending RROD victims refurbed trash that will break again.

mob @ Oct 22nd 2007 1:26PM

Does the market in Japan still have worth for game franchise making a effort to sell their consoles or games? Is that still huge enough to make profits? I doubt that..

Anyhow it's sad if they abandon this little country. Because people in japan will lose opportunities to have great experience from great games from oversea.(totally agreed with tackle)

I'm a japanese 360 owner from Tokyo.
I don't play japanese games much. I do know that games from overseas are better than japanese cheap shit games in every way.
So plz dont make region protected game anymore for me lol

I can say that japanese gamers are bored with old school RPG and anime games too. So Lost Odessey will be...cough

ScrewTheJapanese @ Oct 22nd 2007 1:35PM

Who gives a shit about japan? Start creating Hentai games and bukkake simulators for 360, and you will see it sell like hot cakes in Japan.

Preston Crawford @ Oct 22nd 2007 1:56PM

All these comments about forgetting about Japan, screw them, all they like are Hentai...

Criminy. Grow up. THIS is the reason why the 360 does poorly in Japan. Because they see it as a system that caters to and is played by testosterone junkies from America who play nothing more than shooters.

Many of you are proving them to be right about this. The 360 needs more variety of games. Period. End of story. There is no game like God of War for the 360. There is no game like Shadow of the Colossus or Ico for the 360. There is no game like Persona 3 for the 360. There is no game like Okami for the 360. There is no game like Final Fantasy for the 360.

The 360 has a severely limited game lineup. The Japanese love Nintendo and love Sony mostly because they love a certain type of games. Some of us in America love those games as well and would love to see them make their way to the 360 so we couldn't unhook the PS2. I don't think it's too crazy to ask Microsoft to diversify their lineup. Many of us in America want that diverse lineup as well.

Soon (if it hasn't already happened) the Wii will pass the 360 in the US and never look back. So you can make rude comments about Japan all you want, but gamers writ-large clearly want certain types of games and outside of Beautiful Katamari, Viva Pinata and few other exceptions, the 360 just isn't delivering.

The 360 has a tremendous game lineup. But it isn't a terribly diverse game lineup. This has to change if Microsoft not only wants to win Japan, but wants to win the US.

ScrewTheJapanese @ Oct 22nd 2007 2:15PM

"Criminy. Grow up. THIS is the reason why the 360 does poorly in Japan. Because thehy see it as a system that caters to and is played by testosterone junkies from America who play nothing more than shooters."

If thats what they think about Americans, then why the fuck do you have a problem with me calling them hentai freaks that would rather read a comicbook featuring tentacle sex than play all of the amazing 360 games that are out?

I personally dont care if the 360 does well in Japan, and I dont give a damn about what kind of games those sexually repressed madmen care about.

DjChad @ Oct 22nd 2007 2:17PM

Amen Preston.

Emily @ Oct 22nd 2007 2:31PM

The 360 has a limited game type? I'm sorry but I think you've been touched in the head, it has everything for everyone! They have RPG's, cars, shooters, fluffy little kid shit like that damn pinata game and with XBL they have even more, they are getting better and better with introducing more and better games all the time! Maybe the Japanese just find the controllers too big or maybe their style is just different then ours, it is a Different country, their interests just don't sync up with ours.

The Japanese also have an amazing culture, they are NOT just porn freaks. Of course there are a lot of them who watch Henti and some totally messed up shit, but narrowing it down to just that is so racist it's not even funny.

LV426 @ Oct 22nd 2007 6:39PM

I love it when the solution is to insult the audience you are trying to gather. :)

LV426 @ Oct 22nd 2007 6:36PM

and to finish, you WANT this audience, because they MIGHT put it on the 360 to get audiences here, but they WILL put it on the systems that succeed in their home grounds.

GregA @ Oct 22nd 2007 3:12PM

Japan!!! Start buying the 360, or I quit buying your cars! Oh wait, that means I would have to drive Chevy or Ford.

Dang nfm

FM @ Oct 22nd 2007 3:35PM

Hey could someone ban #13? What a racist little shit. Cry all you want but the PS3 and Wii are double-teaming together and kicking the 360's arse and for obvious reasons. You should be happy that the 360 is doing so well in the US(for now).

Vocenoctum @ Oct 22nd 2007 3:46PM

It's amusing, really. The 360 in Japan is sort of like the PS3 in USA, except with some Xenophobia tossed in. Developers at least had a thought that the PS3 would do well in the USA at start, but the 360 never had a chance in Japan.

Removing National Pride from the equation, you have the age old situation of "we won't make games for a console in such small numbers" and "no one will buy consoles when there aren't enough games".

I doubt the money that MS spends on trying to get Japan to play 360 is worth it, they should focus elsewhere instead of beating their head against the cultural wall.

maniac0201 @ Oct 22nd 2007 4:07PM

MS...give up on Japan. Just focus on dominating North America and Europe.

akatsuki @ Oct 22nd 2007 4:28PM

Having lived there, I would say that there is a slight anti-American bias when they make superior products like for cars. But cultural things are a whole different kettle. The original Xbox was too big, the damn thing would literally not fit on my friend's tv shelf. And while PS3 is selling okay there, the Wii, which is even smaller, is doing much better.

It doesn't help that the Xbox is so poorly engineered.

I think the game selection is a huge deal. There are very few Japanese developers, and the Japanese basically think of the Xbox as being aimed at American gamers, so it never even crosses their mind to see what is out there. The ad campaign for the 360 sucks and the only bright spot is really Blue Dragon. Even games which might appeal to Japan, like Viva Pinata, are actually done in a pretty western style, which is off-putting, just like a lot of people hated the super deformed heads of the FF series.

If MS really wanted the Japanese market, they could get it. They would just need to do what they did in the US, buy a really good development house and pay for exclusives. It costs a lot of money.

I am just more jealous that they actually get a better bundle as far as I am concerned. I would much rather have VP over Marvel Ultimate.

TiltedCircle @ Oct 22nd 2007 4:37PM

BTW, 34,800 yen is equivalent to $304.85 USD. FTW!!! LoL

Preston Crawford @ Oct 22nd 2007 5:19PM

Please, please toss the racist. This doesn't help the argument.

Regarding the game lineup...

There is no doubt that the 360 has RPGs, has car games, has kids games (usually licensed garbage). But that doesn't change the fact that it lacks variety in terms of good quality games.

Compare it with the PS2. Once again, please find me a game like Shadow of the Colossus, God of War, Final Fantasy X, Okami, Persona 3, Disgaea, etc. and I'll agree that the 360 is as diverse as the PS2. The fact remains that eastern-style games are fun to play. They have a different flavor and feel that appeals to both Americans and Japanese gamers. And the fact that these games are almost non-existent on the 360 is a drag if you love the system overall.

I want to be done with the PS2 forever. I've moved onto an HDTV and don't care to try to dial in my HDTV to work with the PS2. But the PS2 has some essential gaming experiences that the 360 lacks or flat doesn't have anything even in the ballpark.

OTAM @ Oct 22nd 2007 6:49PM

If Microsoft put out some games where you played as 15 year old school girls and the object was to dance with robots i'm sure the 360 would skyrocket.

Too bad we're stuck with such crap like Viva Pinata,Gears of War,Dead Rising,and Bioshock.

Arno @ Oct 22nd 2007 8:16PM

Man, those vending machines are classic.

PWPerna @ Oct 22nd 2007 9:19PM

In order to cater to one culture, you'd have to stonewall the other. No one can diversify their library of games enough to satisfy all concerned parties.

I'd rather them keep making games for the Western audience, if it has to be one or the other. That being said, let us not forget...

Dead Rising
Viva Pinata
Blue Dragon
Enchanted Arm
Beautiful Katamari
Warriors Orochi
Eternal Sonata
Fatal Inertia
Kengo: Legend of the 9
Dynasty Warriors: Gundam
Guitar Hero II & III
Kameo: Elements of Power
Lost Planet

These are all games that fit into what Japanese gamers are geared towards, and they still don't care.

If they don't want the cake, fuck 'em. Let 'em go hungry!

lildude56 @ Oct 23rd 2007 3:46PM

@ ScrewTheJapanese, you are seriously having xenophobia in your side. You probably drive a ford and think that asian/european made cars are bad. You seriously have something wrong with you if you think that japanese only looks at stuff you just said. Like a stereotypical brat who is oblivious to the things around him. You should be banned for your name alone because it is racist.

well anyways the japanese probably doesnt want to buy the xbox360 because they are the kind of people who like variety. Plus there are much much more RPGs that only the japanese have. FPSs are great but I want some other types of games from time to time.

burgerbat @ Oct 23rd 2007 1:53PM

Well said Perna. More cake for me. Unless the cake is a lie...

Ryan @ Oct 23rd 2007 9:25AM

"In order to cater to one culture, you'd have to stonewall the other. No one can diversify their library of games enough to satisfy all concerned parties."

Obviously not. The wii is dominating everywhere and has absolutly no software... To win all microsoft needs is to make a gimmicky control and there all set.

Chain @ Oct 23rd 2007 11:51AM

I think "neither do we." needs to be appended to the title.

Da @ Oct 24th 2007 1:18AM

lol, Japan isn't this 'tiny' little island with a small population, there are more consoles moved in Japan then US.
Maybe M$ should make a controller thats small enough to fit in a japanese persons hands?

The problem with japanese is they know what they like. If they want Gran Tourismo, they'll wait for it instead of running out and buying shoddy Fonza. The only way M$ can dent japan is if they turn PS3 exclusives into xbox2 exclusives.
Also, Japanese (unlike america apparently) care about build quality, and if M$ doesn't care enough to release a working console, then japan doesnt care about M$