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Xbox in Japan


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#1 Neon

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Posted 13 December 2005 - 06:03 PM

According to a study by leading Japanese game magazine Famitsu, less than half of the estimated 159,000 360 consoles in stores sold in the first weekend of sales.

The poor performance of the console has been blamed on postponement of the Dead or Alive 4 game.

Japan's games market is traditionally dominated by Sony and Nintendo, which are releasing new consoles next year.

Catching Sony

Japan is the biggest market for console games, after the US but Microsoft has struggled to make headway in the Japanese market, where Sony is estimated to have an 80% market share.

Microsoft had to start out strong and it failed to do that

Takashi Oya, Deutsche Securities analyst
But it had hoped to steal a march on both Sony and Nintendo as their next-generation consoles are not available for a few more months.

When the original Xbox went on sale in February 2002, Microsoft sold 123,000 in the first three days of sales.

But according to an independent study by Enterbrain, which publishes leading Japanese game magazine Famitsu, Microsoft has failed to sell even half of that figure with its new machine.

Only about 62,000 units were purchased on 10 and 11 December, said Enterbrain.

Lack of games

Famitsu Editor Munetatsu Matsui said the sole reason for this was the postponement of the much anticipated game Dead or Alive 4.

Microsoft had intended to launch the game with the box but it will not now be released until after Christmas.

Enterbrain also reported that some customers had cancelled pre-reserved Xbox 360s and that others would wait until the much-anticipated game is available on December 29.

"Microsoft had to start out strong and it failed to do that," Deutsche Securities analyst Takashi Oya told the Reuters news agency.

"I feel sorry for them since they had put a lot of effort into promoting Xbox 360 in Japan."

Sales of the first Microsoft Xbox in Japan have always lagged behind Sony PlayStation 2, which was launched two years before it.

When Microsoft launched its Xbox 360 games console in Japan it received a more subdued response than it received in Europe and North America.

Queues of hardcore fans greeted the console on both sides of the Atlantic. It quickly sold out, partly because of limited supplies.

Analysts estimate the 360 has sold 400,000 units in the US and 75,000 in the UK.

The Xbox 360 costs 39,795 yen ($331; £188) in Japan.

The price is cheaper than the comparable package in the US, where it sells for around $400.

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#2 ShadowFox

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Posted 13 December 2005 - 06:21 PM

If I lived in Japan I'd put a got rice sticker on my xbox 360 :P But seriously What happened to the 360 it was supposed to be fenominal :P

But I still don't see the PS3 dominating, Sony's pissed way too many people off with the whole root kit deal. Nintendo may have an edge and may seriously get back into the game, I'd like to see that :(

#3 clarky3429

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Posted 13 December 2005 - 09:23 PM

i guess it wasnt planned too well, too much rushing to get things out before Christmas prolly

#4 Neon

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Posted 14 December 2005 - 12:52 AM

And basically Japan is sony territory, the people there support their own stuff heavily i think

#5 ShadowFox

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Posted 14 December 2005 - 02:50 AM

I think you are right, but still, Microsoft kind of stuck themselves, but hell I'd be happy to have a 360, overheating or not!

#6 Neon

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Posted 14 December 2005 - 01:26 PM

Oh i agree, Xbox is my preference, and it used to be the other way around!

#7 ShadowFox

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Posted 14 December 2005 - 01:31 PM

YUP!!! How funny is that? I use to despise Mirosoft but the more and more I use the stuff I start to find that a LOT of the stuff I own is Microsoft branded (technology wise)

#8 Neon

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Posted 14 December 2005 - 01:36 PM

How funny is that? It's Hilarious :handlebars:

#9 A4U

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Posted 15 December 2005 - 04:55 AM

I think other than the issues its had, the Xbox will stay at the top of its league in the US and the UK, it is so versatile now and the joke is on Sony, many people laughed at the size of the first Xbox, now its reversed!

#10 tntoak

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Posted 16 December 2005 - 02:20 AM

Between the Rootkit fiasco, the reports of DRM limiting PS3 games to running on only one system, and the relative delay after the 360 release, I think Sony is going to find itself on the losing end of this battle. Nintendo has a great chance to capitalize on Sony's screwups, and the controller innovations and ability to play old games via emulation can only help Nintendo's cause.

#11 ShadowFox

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Posted 16 December 2005 - 02:28 AM

Yup... the only reason why the new nintendo console looks good to me is the emulator :P

#12 Neon

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Posted 16 December 2005 - 07:37 PM

I MISS MY NES! (no not SNES, i said NES...) :handlebars:

#13 DJD

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Posted 16 December 2005 - 08:05 PM

View PostKW13, on Dec 16 2005, 08:37 PM, said:

I MISS MY NES! (no not SNES, i said NES...) :handlebars:

I miss my old SNES, it was the first thing, that got me into computers.
Saidley it died a few years ago :withstupid:

PS: i like the Xbox more. But I will give the PS 3 a chance to proof it self

#14 Neon

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Posted 17 December 2005 - 10:32 AM

Yeah, Xbox is my first call!




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