Microsoft has made vocal its confidence in the Japanese market in its new Xbox, pledging significant sales targets as the countdown to the December 12 launch draws near.
Speaking to Dengeki Xbox, Microsoft’s Japanese arm - savagely cut in recent years following disastrous under-performance on the back of massive investment - was quoted as predicting sales of a million 360 hardware units by summer of 2006.
“It's only a target," said Xbox business manager Yoshihiro Maruyama, "But the one million mark is a figure we'd like to reach by next summer. And then, we'd like to go to 1.5 million and then 2 million in next year's holiday sales rush. We believe the one million figure to be an important figure. If we break one million, it will be easier for developers to do business, so of course we'd like to reach it quickly.”
The current generation of Xbox has barely sold half a million units since going on sale in 2001, with the console largely snubbed in spite of some high-end Japan-focused software such as Ninja Gaiden and the Dead or Alive series.
Of course, the new Xbox has some advantages over its predecessor, not least the fact that it was co-designed with a Japanese agency and - bulky power-supply aside - fits the average Japanese gaming set-up far better.
With the Xbox 360 looming, Microsoft will be confident that it has the right software to back up its machine. It has Blue Dragon from Final Fantasy creator Hironobu Sakaguchi, endless support from Tecmo’s Team Ninja, in spite of DOA4 missing launch, and support from Q Entertainment in the form of the staggering Ninety Nine Nights, all must-have titles, in our eyes, for the Japanese gamer.
Speaking to Dengeki Xbox, Microsoft’s Japanese arm - savagely cut in recent years following disastrous under-performance on the back of massive investment - was quoted as predicting sales of a million 360 hardware units by summer of 2006.
“It's only a target," said Xbox business manager Yoshihiro Maruyama, "But the one million mark is a figure we'd like to reach by next summer. And then, we'd like to go to 1.5 million and then 2 million in next year's holiday sales rush. We believe the one million figure to be an important figure. If we break one million, it will be easier for developers to do business, so of course we'd like to reach it quickly.”
The current generation of Xbox has barely sold half a million units since going on sale in 2001, with the console largely snubbed in spite of some high-end Japan-focused software such as Ninja Gaiden and the Dead or Alive series.
Of course, the new Xbox has some advantages over its predecessor, not least the fact that it was co-designed with a Japanese agency and - bulky power-supply aside - fits the average Japanese gaming set-up far better.
With the Xbox 360 looming, Microsoft will be confident that it has the right software to back up its machine. It has Blue Dragon from Final Fantasy creator Hironobu Sakaguchi, endless support from Tecmo’s Team Ninja, in spite of DOA4 missing launch, and support from Q Entertainment in the form of the staggering Ninety Nine Nights, all must-have titles, in our eyes, for the Japanese gamer.
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Comments
majin dboy 5 Dec 2005 13:13
1/6
what .5 million,thats feck all.
does anyone think they will be able to hit this target.
does anyone think they will be able to hit this target.
tyrion 5 Dec 2005 13:40
2/6
majin dboy wrote:
what .5 million,thats feck all.
does anyone think they will be able to hit this target.
does anyone think they will be able to hit this target.
I've been tracking the JP hardware sales since the launch of the DS. In that time there have been 14,368 XBoxes sold in Japan - a weekly average of 276.
Let me put that into perspective, the XBox hardware sales have accounted for 0.14% of all hardware sales in Japan since the DS launched. GameCube accounted for 3.81%, the PSP 21.09%. Even the old, non-SP, GBA has out-sold the XBox by a factor of 225% during the lifetime of the DS.
Microsoft have an uphill battle in Japan. The 360 isn't much smaller than the XBox, plus it has the power brick. Also, after taking the SPOnG 360 home over the weekend, I've found out that the 360 is loud! It's louder than my lounge PC, projector and central heating all together! And yes, it was in a well ventilated area without the power brick being on the floor.
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OptimusP 5 Dec 2005 13:42
3/6
Depends on how well those RPG's are received and when they launch in Japan.
Anyone noticed that if you put the Xbox360 horizontall it's like designed to put a pillow in the concave and be used to put your feet up? That's still big, for Japanese
Anyone noticed that if you put the Xbox360 horizontall it's like designed to put a pillow in the concave and be used to put your feet up? That's still big, for Japanese
das_beck 5 Dec 2005 22:28
4/6
They ought to be shooting for 5000 but it's nice to see them just pull a huge # out of their a$$ because they're in a hopeless situation. It's like being down 0-2 at halftime and saying f#ck-it, we're just gonna win 33-2 in the 2nd half.
BustyKrusty 6 Dec 2005 04:46
5/6
HOW can they not like it this time again, when MS reworked everything and all. Oh but it's not this its not that...f**k it, i say!Japanese gamers need to realize MS's offering them best for their buck(and finely stylized console at that) so they better seize this chance cos i gotta feelin its their last one.And projected sales should be veerry close to 1 m or else MS is wasting their time, money, and probably, their good will as well. I hope MS proves itself out there and i think Australia will get its shipment no later than Japan.
gamereview 6 Dec 2005 07:48
6/6
i dont think microsoft will hit 1 million mark in japan if they do hit that mostly half of the console are goin to be defected or something crazy like that and if they can get 1 million in japan why didnt it happen in usa so my answer is no their not goin to reach that point