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Xbox One debuts with just 1,344 units sold in Japan

So, the 360 actually did decent in Japan and MS could have built on that success.

One of the things they did with the 360 but cancelled with the Xbox One was the required translation of games to Japanese (and many other languages).

For most Indie Games, MS even paid for the translation. Developers just had to code all text strings correctly so that MS could get them translated and recompiled into the game to change based on the language setting in the OS.


This isn't that expensive and would likely go over well even with a lot of Indies if MS re-started the program.

Basically, allow all Indies to submit projects with text string properly formatted for localization. If they do, MS will pay to have some of their large translation teams they use on products like Windows, Office, Bing, etc... to translate those strings to Japanese, Chinese, German, French, Spanish, Italian, Russian, etc...

Then MS takes the translation files with the submission from the devs to provide translated games for the broader EMEA markets.

Interesting info. What exactly prompted that shift in strategy between the 360 and ONE?
 
Interesting info. What exactly prompted that shift in strategy between the 360 and ONE?
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BibiMaghoo

Member
I think the shocking part of this story is that they shipped units to Japan

I mean it's great for the 1000 people who bought it, but isn't MS losing money logistically shipping anything there at this point.

I have not looked into this, but it's quite possible it's actually cheaper to ship the complete units to Japan than it is to America. They may well save money by stocking Japanese stores lol.
 
MY thoughts exactly, if they can maintain these numbers in Japan in the following weeks, it will be good for them.

Was it really? I saw a thread on GAF about one retailer in the UK being sold out of XBONEX pre-orders and people run with that as if it was a worldwide scenario, but I can't believe they expected to sell out in Japan, unless preorder allocation was 1344 for that region...

There was a report that Xbox One X preorders were sold out in Japan and then people were commenting that there weren't a lot of consoles allocated to the region to begin with.
 

Azelover

Titanic was called the Ship of Dreams, and it was. It really was.
Just end it already, Phil. Japan doesn't want Xbox, stop trying. Just don't release there, save money.

I agree, I don't think they hope to make money there, but in consideration to a few customers they have kept it going. Personally I think it's embarassing.

If only the Xbox was a really unique product that provided entertainment impossible on other systems...but you can get a lot of the same games on PS4 so..there is very little reason of being. One could say it is important for the sake of competition, but just look at the numbers..it is not a competition..
 

DiresuDR

Member
For what it's worth, I live in Tokyo and you actually can't really buy it unless you pre-ordered. Amazon/Yodobashi/BIC Camera don't have it available for purchase.
 

wipeout364

Member
Does it even matter? Japan has 125 million people it’s a market that was never going to embrace an American console so really why bother. Microsoft was always going to be an also ran there. PS4 has sold 5 million units in 4 years let that sink in,that’s shit sales for a native son.So what could Microsoft reasonably expect if they went in guns blazing spending millions :500,000 units maybe a million . Japanese companies need to get their shit out of Japan to make the big sales numbers anyway so MS doesn’t need to pander as much as they used to.
 

Mattyp

Gold Member

To be fair Japanese games have been continually on a downward trend since their first generation of consoles. Remember the impact of PS1, and even PS2 Japanese releases? The massive hype in the magazines for the next import waiting for localisation that you and all your mates where waiting for?

They've fallen way behind western devs in nearly every field, Look at GT Sport, The state of FF etc.

The only game I would honestly miss anymore is Yakuza.

Capcom is still capable sometimes but let a lot of IP's go to waste, Consoles sales in Japan have been continually down for years on end moving portable instead, the main reason I would say the Switch went portable. Even the PSP displays in Japan still take up half the gaming sections in shops with continual new titles.

If Microsoft wants to make any play for a Japanese studio they should look at picking up Capcom or even acquiring Sega. They seem on decent terms, build some Dreamcast emulation into the Xbox also after picking them up = $$$.
 

zansera

Neo Member
I was in Japan on launch day, and was looking for the xbox one x. And it also were many others there looking to buy the x, but it became clear that all the stores only took preorders, and that they didnt have any other stock.

And now i am talking about one of the biggest stores in Tokyo, Yodobashi Camera etc. So the japanese market will never reflect a consoles success. They are barely beginning to buy the switch over there because of the handheld property, and that says alot.
 

Tadaima

Member
I was in Japan on launch day, and was looking for the xbox one x. And it also were many others there looking to buy the x, but it became clear that all the stores only took preorders, and that they didnt have any other stock.

And now i am talking about one of the biggest stores in Tokyo, Yodobashi Camera etc. So the japanese market will never reflect a consoles success. They are barely beginning to buy the switch over there because of the handheld property, and that says alot.

Although portability is a factor at play, it is not the only reason people are buying Switch. How often do you see people playing it in the wild compared to, say, Vita or 3DS (which are not uncommon sights)?

Looking at the software lineup, Nintendo is obviously looking toward Japan as the primary market this time around, which is helping.

But realistically, high-quality beloved software combined with strong branding, a reasonable price point, and on-point marketing is a recipe which has proven itself repeatedly in the Japanese market.
 
I was in Japan on launch day, and was looking for the xbox one x. And it also were many others there looking to buy the x, but it became clear that all the stores only took preorders, and that they didnt have any other stock.

And now i am talking about one of the biggest stores in Tokyo, Yodobashi Camera etc. So the japanese market will never reflect a consoles success. They are barely beginning to buy the switch over there because of the handheld property, and that says alot.
They are only taking pre-orders because the extremely low demand of the product, they don't want a pile of Xbox One X sitting there forever collecting dust... Also barely buying the Switch..... I really don't know if you are joking there or serious.. because you are not going to find a Switch in any store in Japan, because is sold out.
 

LordRaptor

Member
They are barely beginning to buy the switch over there because of the handheld property, and that says alot.

They are "barely" beginning to buy the switch because they haven't had any stock to buy and have been queuing up to enter raffles just for the opportunity to maybe buy one.

Like, wtf
 

forgedbygeeks

Neo Member
Interesting info. What exactly prompted that shift in strategy between the 360 and ONE?

From what I heard a bunch of Indies complained that it delayed their releases along with MS eliminating the Xbox Live Arcade program under which the requirement existed.

Aka - thank Matrrick
 

zansera

Neo Member
They are only taking pre-orders because the extremely low demand of the product, they don't want a pile of Xbox One X sitting there forever collecting dust... Also barely buying the Switch..... I really don't know if you are joking there or serious.. because you are not going to find a Switch in any store in Japan, because is sold out.

I also tried buying a switch in Japan, and yes, it was sold out almost every time (except on mario odyssey launch). I didn’t mean it that way. I was just trying to make a point on the home console market in Japan.

And i understant the preorder versus stock situation. But the big stores should have the capacity to have a couple of units in stock on launch day...
 
I also tried buying a switch in Japan, and yes, it was sold out almost every time (except on mario odyssey launch). I didn’t mean it that way. I was just trying to make a point on the home console market in Japan.

And i understant the preorder versus stock situation. But the big stores should have the capacity to have a couple of units in stock on launch day...
They don't want to... Because there is no demand for the console.
 

i-Lo

Member
Shame. But hasn't market preferences shifted more towards portable in the last decade or so?

Oh no xbox one x is DOOOOOMED.

Brb checking some digital foundry video's
About what kind of BEAST xbox one x is.

Tbh japan can keep their crap games also.

Utter salty fanboy drivel keeps going unchecked on the 'Neo'Gaf.
 

Bickle2

Member
IPhone in Japan? They don't seem to care it's an American product. What does the Xbox offer to the Japanese that's unique to Xbox while they have Nintendo and Sony?

Disney, piles of American brands are very popular. Japanese people are habit based, and yes, there’s plenty of fear monger is that happens about not being able to get support If the company bails. You have to give them a compelling reason to change those habits, which Xbox is not, especially considering it’s Best features are useless to most of the populace, given they have the lowest home broadband penetration in the first world. Console gaming is also far less socially acceptable then mobile gaming, And most people don’t spend a lot of time at home that isnt spent eating or sleeping
 

nekkid

It doesn't matter who we are, what matters is our plan.
It’s not even a Microsoft issue given that the entire country and every business in it runs off Excel spreadsheets.
 
The PS4 isn't blazing any trails in Japan either.

Old article:
https://www.t3.com/news/the-fall-of-playstation-4-in-japan

I don't think Japan makes a big dent in video gaming anymore unless it's for hand held gaming.

Context. There's 20K units sold a week and then there's 80 units sold a week. EIGHTY. PS4 is around 20K a week, 80K more owners a month to grow that install base versus 320 (80 is around the average that XB1 sells each week in Japan!).
 

Dabanton

Member
In regards to Japan MS main focus should be devs there who want to bring their games to the west.

Anything else there is a waste of money.
 

Mustafa1

Neo Member
Xbox One X outsold Xbox One S at launch.
Very good result for a $499 box with just preorders and no general stock available.
 

Spukc

always chasing the next thrill
Shame. But hasn't market preferences shifted more towards portable in the last decade or so?



Utter salty fanboy drivel keeps going unchecked on the 'Neo'Gaf.
that's cute i got 40 friends in front of me that tell me ps4 is also nice
 

Freshmaker

I am Korean.
I think the shocking part of this story is that they shipped units to Japan

I mean it's great for the 1000 people who bought it, but isn't MS losing money logistically shipping anything there at this point.

Shipping from China to Japan wouldn't be that expensive would it?
 

forgedbygeeks

Neo Member
Shipping from China to Japan wouldn't be that expensive would it?

At least for board games it's not too bad. Main issue is renting the freight space in a shipping container on a boat and paying for customs and related charges.

But with even 1000 units they can probably justify the cost savings that come with renting a whole container for yourself.

Now if only I could do the same haha.
 

ReBurn

Gold Member
Xbox One X outsold Xbox One S at launch.
Very good result for a $499 box with just preorders and no general stock available.

No general stock available? Huh? I walked into GameStop yesterday and bought one without a pre-order. There is some general availability right now.
 
D

Deleted member 471617

Unconfirmed Member
Don't see how this is a surprise. Personally, Microsoft shouldn't even bother with Japan. If a company like Sony and Nintendo are a shell of their former selves in Japan in regards to consoles compared to back in the day, if anything, it's amazing that Microsoft has sold any Xbox consoles whatsoever in Japan.

Xbox brand will never ever be seen as relatable to Japanese gaming and I wouldn't be surprised if Microsoft loses money on every console sold in Japan. Most will disagree but Microsoft should just abandon the Japanese gaming console market with their next console because it simply doesn't sell.

Now, maybe if they developed an Xbox handheld, then maybe they have a shot but console wise, it's just a waste of money, time and resources.
 
Why do Microsoft keep releasing consoles in Japan? It's a waste of time and money. Not even Nintendo or Sony are lighting the charts on fire in Japan for consoles, so what do Microsoft expect?
 
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