Get off your Peddle Stool!
-
Hey, guest user. Hope you're enjoying NeoGAF! Have you considered registering for an account? Come join us and add your take to the daily discourse.
AFP:Japan launch of Microsoft Xbox One a damp squib
- Thread starter sublimit
- Start date
Get off your Peddle Stool!
The article later on points out that the livestream had 200k unique hits which is very healthy compared to other livestreams I've watched with bigger international audiences.
But the lack of interest in lining compared to Nintendo's or Sony's launch says that while the Japanese are paying attention to Microsoft they lack enthusiasm.
staticneuron
Member
Well people.....
Most news on Yahoo's front page comes from different sources. It is more like a news aggregator.
Edit:
You just had to beat me to the punch didn't you?
Sho_Nuff82
Member
Lost Odyssey and Blue Dragon were both admirable starts that should have turned into franchises. Having a couple of series that consistently sell 100k in Japan would have been a huge improvement over their current situation. But they abandoned everything that didn't set the world on fire.
down 2 orth
Member
I love this part. The guy's just going about his business buying the console because he likes Halo, then he's swarmed by journalists congratulating him on being the first customer.
I can just imagine his face as he's unexpectedly singled out, noticing all the cameras fixed on him...
Another way to put this would be "They abandoned everything that didn't make money." In consoles, the stakes are too high and the margins too thin for that sort of investment at this point.
Back in the early 2000s, you could justify losses by suggesting consoles were a growth market and that investment now would yield growth later. That's no longer the case; particularly in Asia, consoles are a contracting market. You can't justify losses anymore the way you could in the PS1/PS2 heyday. If something isn't making money right now, investors don't want to hear "trust us this will totally pay off later on." There is no bright, promising "later on" for consoles in Japan.
ratcliffja
Member
At least Nintendo has Retro, Monster, Next Level, and NST. Does Microsoft have any Japanese studies at all?
Pankratous
Member
Finally the meaning of "Xbox One" is revealed.
Cthulhu_Steev
Member
They have to, even if it's just lip service. To not release in Japan would be far more damaging than a few weeks/months if 'xbox one sale lol'.
Sho_Nuff82
Member
MS is certainly projecting China as a growth market for the Xbox One, and I doubt we'll see very many games designed specifically for that market either.
MS also embraced AA and indie much more as the generation wore on for the 360 (while sticking to their tried and true AAA franchises), and the console ended up with a lot more software variety as a result. A similar initiative in Japan (outside of Cave shooters) might have given them something to work with without breaking the bank.
This was my point. They are actually doing worse.
Well what do they expect?
Xbox One may very well be the worst-selling Xbox console in Japan...maybe even worse than the original Xbox.
At least Microsoft tried to actively court Japanese developers back when the 360 was released. Now? Very little effort on their part.
I need an update to this pic
Fredrik
Member
Yup. Oddly enough though so did Sony too this generation, there were (still are?) almost no games geared toward the japanese market.
Well what do they expect?
Xbox One may very well be the worst-selling Xbox console in Japan...maybe even worse than the original Xbox.
At least Microsoft tried to actively court Japanese developers back when the 360 was released. Now? Very little effort on their part.
Why would they? Home consoles are dead in Japan. Mobile and Handhelds is where the developers and customers are.
I agree, but a couple of points: first, that's a projection; second, it almost has to be true by definition, as China didn't allow consoles when the 360 launched. I'll be very surprised if it sells substantial numbers, but even a pittance is greater than zero.
Now this I think could have been true.The "indie" scene in Japan is quite different, but there was definitely room for small, niche games in Japan on consoles that Microsoft didn't fully exploit.
Because if they didn't, this thread would be about how Xbox isn't a real contender because it's not in Japan. MS gets hit for trying, not trying, or trying to hard. Pattern detected.
ricardokenshin
Member
Yeah it was very sad
this looks so cool and sad and brought a tiny tear to my eye that I promptly wiped off.
lol funny but true.
the question has to be asked.
does microsoft need Japan in any way or form?
having stuff like eternal sonata or lost odyssey was a nice addition to the 360 library but at the end, people bought the 360 for their call of dutys, assasins creeds and halos. if japan does not want that, then there's no business there.
This is like putting a Mcdonalds restaurant in a place where all what people want is sushi. No matter how many "New Sushi Burger!" menus you introduce, perception will kill any good will you may have.
MS should focus on the west. the japanese home console market is contracting anyway, PS4 and WiiU are big failures there too so it's not like they should feel ashamed.
does microsoft need Japan in any way or form?
having stuff like eternal sonata or lost odyssey was a nice addition to the 360 library but at the end, people bought the 360 for their call of dutys, assasins creeds and halos. if japan does not want that, then there's no business there.
This is like putting a Mcdonalds restaurant in a place where all what people want is sushi. No matter how many "New Sushi Burger!" menus you introduce, perception will kill any good will you may have.
MS should focus on the west. the japanese home console market is contracting anyway, PS4 and WiiU are big failures there too so it's not like they should feel ashamed.
Bxbombers3
Banned
GAF seems more excited about this than the launch of destiny
kruis
Exposing the sinister cartel of retailers who allow companies to pay for advertising space.
AFP (Agence France-Presse) is the oldest and one of the largest international press agencies in the world with bureaux in 150 countries. It's a very respected news outlet.
kruis
Exposing the sinister cartel of retailers who allow companies to pay for advertising space.
This is bad too. From the Hollywood Reporter:
The Japanese launch is an unmitigated disaster. Extremely embarrassing for MS. Not showing up in Japan at all would have been better than this.
The Japanese launch is an unmitigated disaster. Extremely embarrassing for MS. Not showing up in Japan at all would have been better than this.
Maintenance
Member
People trying to discredit Yahoo even though the news came from a good source.
Sigh.
Sigh.
Handy Fake
Member
Don't be putting anyone up on a pedal stool, now.
I think it was just a fraudulent slip.
Sectorseven
Member
Did they get all non Kinect bundles or a mix of both?
Shin-Ra
Junior Member
You forgot Bullet Witch, Ninety-Nine Nights and Vampire Rain.
I was there. Prior launch there was hardly a strong build up unlike the PS4 and when I went to Akiba today I only saw passer-by checking out the machine, and a small amount of people queuing to purchase some of the games. Some people who were not knowledgeable about the Xbox One was thinking that the Xbox 360 was the more powerful machine because of "360" (kinda make sense in some ways), and when they were informed that the Xbox ONE is a new machine, they wondered what's so special about it because nothing really stood out from the PS4. All sounds understandable to me. Let's hope all this will change in due time as marketing need to increase and the games need to give the machine a stronger unique selling point as Forza and others are NOT doing it. The impression here is that the Xbox One is just another machine that is out there... just out there.
I guarantee that when Project Morpheus becomes closer to launch, it will be like the second coming!
I guarantee that when Project Morpheus becomes closer to launch, it will be like the second coming!
Smiles and Cries
Member
I would have hired at least 50 people to stand in line and buy if the Press was going to show up at a launch
this is not good news from the press to outnumber your buyers
this is not good news from the press to outnumber your buyers
Thankfully? Oh ok. I forgot that competition was a bad thing.
So you want the X1 to not sell?
Let's just hope for Microsoft that 360 won't outsold One...
Shin-Ra
Junior Member
There it is.
"with journalists covering the debut far outnumbering buyers."
Has Mr. Mehdi denied this based on the picture he re-tweeted yet? Or is this going to be spun into something like its so popular ever journalist in Japan waited in line for it, including journalist students and random bloggers? Or is it that everyone in Japan is so happy with 360 that they aren't ready to upgrade yet?
Has Mr. Mehdi denied this based on the picture he re-tweeted yet? Or is this going to be spun into something like its so popular ever journalist in Japan waited in line for it, including journalist students and random bloggers? Or is it that everyone in Japan is so happy with 360 that they aren't ready to upgrade yet?
LiquidMetal14
hide your water-based mammals
Once PS4 starts getting its software together it's pretty much over.
Opus Angelorum
Member
Shouldn't have even bothered, complete waste of time and money.
Smiles and Cries
Member
I wouldn't expect those in 'tier 2 launch' countries not to be a little down on the One
it was late showing up, and would not expect any gamer to promote weaker hardware in favor of competition or everyone would own a WiiU right now it has great games
sublimit
Banned
Come on dude competition is good.
massivekettle
Member
Because it's not a market worth investing into. Point blank.
EDIT: Beaten to it by Opiate.
That1BlackGuy
Member
That's why Microsoft soft launched, they knew what was up and they're probably not sweating over it. Anyone that expected a blowout from them in light of WiiU's and PS4's sales performances and X360s numbers were kidding themselves.
How many fish heads do you have each night?