360 outsells PS3 in Japan (for one week)
by Richard Mitchell 
{ Nov 9th 2007 at 12:15PM }
We agree with out kinfolk at Joystiq that it's probably time to start packing some supplies and head for your nearest bomb shelter. Why? Because the Xbox 360 outsold the Playstation 3 in Japan last week. We'll just give you a moment to let that soak in.
Got it?
Good. Yes, the impossible has happened, but it's not quite as grandiose as one might think. The Xbox 360 managed to sell 17,673 units compared to the Playstation 3's 17,434, a mere 239 units apart. Still, in a country dominated by Sony and Nintendo, it's bound to be a momentous occasion for Microsoft, especially given that the week prior saw only 3,718 360s sold. The reason for the nearly 500% increase was the release of Ace Combat 6: Fires of Liberation, which landed at number two in Japanese software sales (Super Mario Galaxy was number one). So, the message for Microsoft in Japan is clear: start making more games about jets!
[Via Joystiq]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
burgundymax @ Nov 9th 2007 12:18PM
That's what im talking about...
dunnypop @ Nov 9th 2007 12:18PM
wooah!
this is why Microsoft needs to buy Squaresoft! LOL
Fred @ Nov 9th 2007 12:26PM
A commentor on Kotaku suggested for MS to start making JRPGs about fighter jets for ultimate success and I agree.
Tony @ Nov 9th 2007 12:36PM
I guess it comes down to having games people there actually, you know, care about. If they could do that more regularly, maybe they'd not be doing so poorly.
It's a shame they couldn't somehow grab Monster Hunter instead of having it move from PS3 to Wii. I bet that would have helped immensely.
Eddie @ Nov 9th 2007 12:48PM
All of the exhileration of kamikaze, with none of the negative side effects (namely, dying)?
No wonder that moved systems!
Mark your calendar PS3: Bataan Death March Extreme 2 heading to Xbox as an exclusive in 2009!
skimming @ Nov 9th 2007 12:53PM
Though its been talked about before, for the Japanese market, the noise level of the 360 DVD is probably much more of a factor than it is for the US market.
If they can address this issue through a firmware upgrade (say allow users to limit the max DVD spin rate to say 1/2 of what it is now or allow cacheing in HD if available) then they could likely see a higher rate of adoption.
For a high volume game like Halo or Crackdown, you don't notice the drive noise very much but for quiet games like Viva (and RPG games I suspect), the drive noise drives me absolutely nuts; the main reason I don't play Viva anymore.
Interestingly, I don't hear the problem in Xbox games (KOTOR) played in 360 though, the drive spins up when loading sequences but through regular play, the drive is pretty much silent.
Tony @ Nov 9th 2007 1:25PM
Honestly, for me the most annoying sound the thing makes is the fan. The pitch of it really bothers me. I rarely am bothered by the disc drive sounds.
xenocidic @ Nov 9th 2007 2:22PM
main screen turn on?
ccc @ Nov 9th 2007 2:53PM
Alittle off topic but ps3 related.
Has anyone noticed the marketing ps3 has recently been doing? The assassin's creed, COD4, Guitar Hero 3 and even the simpsons games.
Ps3 has exclusive commericals for these games trying to make it look like the games are only on the ps3 with little or no mention of them available for the 360.
With this marketing the average consumer WILL think that a ps3 purchase is needed to aquire these games.
On the end of it I continue to see comercials that are actually just for the ps3 which is pathetic. It is an obvious sign that the system is doing very poorly and well below expectations. When is the last time anyone saw a commercial that was trying to sell the 360?
Either way, MS needs to counter act this week PR stunt by sony before ps3 gets a load of " sheep " users in troths. In the end it's about the numbers. Make no mistake, the GH3 COD4 and AC commercials are designed to sell ps3 units not to sell the games to existing PS3 users.
useedems @ Nov 9th 2007 3:47PM
"Ps3 has exclusive commericals for these games trying to make it look like the games are only on the ps3 with little or no mention of them available for the 360."
Are you retarded? Does Microsoft market X360 games saying "oh by the way you can buy these on the PS3 and PC too"? No. These are _Sony_ ads you're seeing, not ads from the game publishers, who regularly remind you at the end what platforms they're available on.
"When is the last time anyone saw a commercial that was trying to sell the 360? "
Uh, daily. Every freakin' day that weird-ass commercial with some kids' choir singing "nothig but a good time" comes on at least 50 times, 60 if I flip it to G4TV.
I'm not trying to flame you, just trying to balance the scales, as it were.
ccc @ Nov 9th 2007 4:23PM
@10
Sorry but when I see game commercials for a game that is multi system It is usually shown at the end the case for each console the game is on. Marketing the game should be in the hands of the game developer, in which case there would be no reason for actavision to promote GH3 or COD 4 soly on the ps3. And it is fact, the COD4 commercial makes no mention that the game is available on the 360 as well. Not in any text or other form.
Yet when the commercial runs for the 360 it is shown that yes the game is also available for the ps3. One is clearly the developers commercial and the other is clearly Sony trying to doop people.
As far as that other 360 commercial goes I havn't seen it. But I havn't been watching G4.
Sony pr is trying weak tactics like claiming COD4 AC and GH3 are ps3 only games to the general public without actually claiming it.
There is a problem with this and either way you look at it, its a frail attempt to sell something that no one really needs.
ccc @ Nov 9th 2007 4:34PM
@10
Oh yeah, and MS dose market thier games toward pc as well. As far as MS marketing towards ps3, why would they? Nothing is on ps3.
Bioshock
Mass Effect
Halo 3
Gears Of War
But yes, any commercial that is showing a game for the 360 that is actually on the ps3 list it at the end of the commercial. MS isn't that hard up for buisness pal.
RLM @ Nov 9th 2007 7:16PM
ccc: What? Have you already forgotten the Madden 2008 commercials? MS paid for those adds to link the 360 with Madden. Just as Sony is paying for the Simpsons commercials.
I don't know what you mean by MS isn't that hard up for business. They've done the same thing you are skewering Sony for earlier in the year, with a far more popular franchise.
ccc @ Nov 9th 2007 10:14PM
@13
Sorry i didn't attention to madden, but I'd like to see the tv adds and see for sure that it dosnt mention that its also available on the ps3 and wii.
As far as a more popular franchise goes I disagree. Madden is in no way at the level these games are.
All these games are up for game of the year, do you think Madden will win?
Sure madden sells but there is a new one every year, to add to that, when it comes to the previous installment of madden and purchasing it, you can either buy madden or get a couple of things from the Mcdonalds vaule menue.
Jason @ Nov 10th 2007 8:16PM
"5. All of the exhileration of kamikaze, with none of the negative side effects (namely, dying)?
No wonder that moved systems!
Mark your calendar PS3: Bataan Death March Extreme 2 heading to Xbox as an exclusive in 2009!"
And what does the constant steam of Shooters in the US say about us? =p That joke is old and tired.
Keyth.Halloween @ Nov 11th 2007 2:40PM
You know public faith in Sony is low when Japan turns on them. This is a little scary. I just hope it doesn't mean we get a lot of hand-holding Japanese games with no options or customization and lots of cute manga faces. They can play our games for a change.