• 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.

Removing MS/Xbox name in Japan. Think it will work?

M

MCD

Junior Member
http://techcrunch.com/2015/04/19/samsung-ditches-logos-in-japan/?ncid=rss

The Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 Edge go on sale in Japan on April 23, but customers won’t find Samsung’s logo on the devices as usual, instead they will be co-marketed with carrier partners as the ‘Docomo Galaxy’ and ‘au Galaxy’.
Click to expand...

If this last desperate move works for Samsung in Japan, do you think MS will follow?

Of course, they need the games to back it up but I really do believe that the brand need a reboot. It's as tainted as IE there.
 
S

Succinct Verbosity

Member
The fact that a company has to remove their name from a single market is just insane to me, especially where a korean company is concerned... So I dunno, it could work, but it's not something I like the idea of.
 
D

DarkLordMalik

Member
They should just rebrand it as PlayStation Box there.

/s

Name doesn't matter, it is all about them games and the assurance that it will keep getting Japanese support in the future.
 
R

Regret Upon Approval

Member
MCD said:
http://techcrunch.com/2015/04/19/samsung-ditches-logos-in-japan/?ncid=rss



If this last desperate move works for Samsung in Japan, do you think MS will follow?

Of course, they need the games to back it up but I really do believe that the brand need a reboot. It's as tainted as IE there.
Click to expand...


False. It is apparently well liked there, has its own anime mascot icon thing.
http://gs.statcounter.com/#desktop-browser-JP-monthly-201403-201504-bar

The mascot.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BHTUlF7NA2o

If anything, it shows Xbox Japan can't market.

Grimløck;160814167 said:
"a turd by any other name is still a turd."--shakspeare
Click to expand...

The Xbox is a turd or is that some sort of punchline/reference going over my head?
Yes. I know the fake quote joke.
 
M

Mael

Member
What would they call it then?
the One?
to appeal to Matrix fans?
It worked for Nintendo with the Wii after all, they changed everything and went for the white marketing.
For a product that has already launched and is known as a joke?
Yeah better luck next time, there's nothing they can do with only marketing to improve the situation.
 
M

Madness

Member
thekonamicode said:
Xbox brand doesn't need a reboot in Japan because it was never properly booted up to begin with.
Click to expand...

Oh yeah, I forgot where they didn't secure key JRPG games like Lost Odyssey, Blue Dragon and other more Japan-centric games. Or that they spent millions on advertising, took huge losses, dropped the price so much compared to competitors.

No, you're right, Microsoft never did anything to appeal to Japanese gamers. More like, Japan has always been xenophobic about its brands, that they have a greater history with their own Nintendo and Sony, that even Nintendo and Sony are struggling in the home console space as Japan becomes an ever increasingly smaller market, where nostalgia rules, and where mobile especially is dominant.

Microsoft never had a chance in Japan. They essentially lead the last generation solely with NA/UK/EU/Aus sales and that's why they didn't really consider Japan a top tier country anymore. Nothing they can really do is magically going to get Japanese gamers to pick Microsoft over Sony or Nintendo.
 
S

Shaanyboi

Banned
darkwing said:
The Box
Click to expand...

mysterybox31.jpg
 
M

Madness

Member
MCD said:
Come on, it's no xenophopia. Just look at Apple there.
Click to expand...

One fluke brand that has become world famous doesn't change the fact that xenophobia is rife in the country, especially around its own brands. Same goes for South Korea to a lesser degree. Japan had Sega, Nintendo, Sony, they didn't really need or want Microsoft. MS knows this and it's why they don't really consider Japan a tier 1 country anymore.
 
F

Faustek

Member
Hmm. Let's try and recall what was "wrong" with XB in Japan.

Original XB scratched the disks.


360 did what? I thought it sold kinda well when it got the exclusive Vesperia?

I don't know what was "wrong" with XB :/

Man outside of branding Windows phone with XB name and getting all the DQ games as exclusive I don't see much helping the brand :(
 
P

plasmawave

Banned
Madness said:
One fluke brand that has become world famous doesn't change the fact that xenophobia is rife in the country, especially around its own brands. Same goes for South Korea to a lesser degree. Japan had Sega, Nintendo, Sony, they didn't really need or want Microsoft. MS knows this and it's why they don't really consider Japan a tier 1 country anymore.
Click to expand...

Xenophobia in terms of what? Electronics? Cuz they sure love western movies, shows and music.
 
R

Ricerocket

Member
Regret Upon Approval said:
The Xbox is a turd or is that some sort of punchline/reference going over my head?
Yes. I know the fake quote joke.
Click to expand...

From the media create sales thread, it's pretty much turd status. How do you market something that was designed for americans only in asia? It achieved 200ish consoles sold in a week. I think anyone buying it there is due to curiousity sadly.
 
T

thekonamicode

Member
Madness said:
Oh yeah, I forgot where they didn't secure key JRPG games like Lost Odyssey, Blue Dragon and other more Japan-centric games. Or that they spent millions on advertising, took huge losses, dropped the price so much compared to competitors.

No, you're right, Microsoft never did anything to appeal to Japanese gamers. More like, Japan has always been xenophobic about its brands, that they have a greater history with their own Nintendo and Sony, that even Nintendo and Sony are struggling in the home console space as Japan becomes an ever increasingly smaller market, where nostalgia rules, and where mobile especially is dominant.

Microsoft never had a chance in Japan. They essentially lead the last generation solely with NA/UK/EU/Aus sales and that's why they didn't really consider Japan a top tier country anymore. Nothing they can really do is magically going to get Japanese gamers to pick Microsoft over Sony or Nintendo.
Click to expand...

Didn't the original Xbox damage their brand for years in Japan before the 360 came out? If you ask me, everything Microsoft did right with the 360 in Japan was the equivalent of performing CPR on a cadaver.
 
P

PandaPandaPanda

Member
no -but then again console gaming is pretty much dead in it's current state in Japan so it's not even really worth the effort to begin with. Microsoft's better off just piggy backing off of games that aren't exclusive to the PS4 and just hope the publisher goes with the One as well due to "rising levels of HD game development" and whatnot.
 
P

Primethius

Banned
Madness said:
One fluke brand that has become world famous doesn't change the fact that xenophobia is rife in the country, especially around its own brands. Same goes for South Korea to a lesser degree. Japan had Sega, Nintendo, Sony, they didn't really need or want Microsoft. MS knows this and it's why they don't really consider Japan a tier 1 country anymore.
Click to expand...

Just because a company invests something in a country doesn't mean that they should be necessarily rewarded with success.

Hell, MS attempted to get quite a few Japanese games for the 360 like you pointed out and there's still a massive lack of audience on MS consoles for those types of games right now.

You don't just build a brand in another country by throwing a few exclusives over a couple of years and calling it quits when it doesn't work out.
 
S

StoneFox

Member
The only thing that would sell xboxes in Japan would be to make all future Monster Hunter games exclusive to it.

Or make a super kawaii mascot to overlay a bunch of commercials for it.
 
D

Dynomutt

Member
Your thread title seems to imply MS is taking this path. Upon clicking you have a link that has nothing really to do with gaming. At which point you make an odd linkage that because Samnsung is removing its logo from its phones, that MS will follow suit as a last hope effort.

Wow. When do these posts stop they're absolute garbage conjecture.

"Since Hilary Clinton uses her own email servers, it's likely Halo 5 will use dedicated servers..."

I'm done.
 
P

prwxv3

Member
PandaPandaPanda said:
no -but then again console gaming is pretty much dead in it's current state in Japan so it's not even really worth the effort to begin with. Microsoft's better off just piggy backing off of games that aren't exclusive to the PS4 and just hope the publisher goes with the One as well due to "rising levels of HD game development" and whatnot.
Click to expand...

That ain't working bro. There have been several Japanese games on ps4 that are skipping the xbone and that will only become more frequent as time goes on.
 
M

Madness

Member
plasmawave said:
Xenophobia in terms of what? Electronics? Cuz they sure love western movies, shows and music.
Click to expand...

Xenophobia in that Japanese brands always do much better than competitor and foreign brands, there is or was especially early on an anti-Korean, anti-Chinese sentiment. This was observable for a while and many corporations studied how to appeal to Japanese tastes more. And it's declined a bit in the age of globalization and made in China. Saying, oh but they love Apple or they watch western movies, doesn't really mean anything. Also, itvs observable in other countries as well, not necessarily entirely a Japanese thing. Look at the US and their paranoia over imports over 'Detroit' domestic etc.

But as to the point, Japan and Japanese would rather pick Sony over Microsoft especially in the same space. If it's something like Apple that is really unique or so dominant they have no choice but to buy or support is different. I'm trying to find the studies and articles on this, but I'm on mobile right now.
 
B

badcrumble

Member
MCD said:
Come on, it's no xenophopia. Just look at Apple there.
Click to expand...

Bingo. Blaming the Xbox's poor performance in Japan is just a way of overlooking the fact that perhaps the platform isn't a good match for the country in some actually legitimate ways.
 
M

makingmusic476

Member
Madness said:
Oh yeah, I forgot where they didn't secure key JRPG games like Lost Odyssey, Blue Dragon and other more Japan-centric games. Or that they spent millions on advertising, took huge losses, dropped the price so much compared to competitors.

No, you're right, Microsoft never did anything to appeal to Japanese gamers. More like, Japan has always been xenophobic about its brands, that they have a greater history with their own Nintendo and Sony, that even Nintendo and Sony are struggling in the home console space as Japan becomes an ever increasingly smaller market, where nostalgia rules, and where mobile especially is dominant.

Microsoft never had a chance in Japan. They essentially lead the last generation solely with NA/UK/EU/Aus sales and that's why they didn't really consider Japan a top tier country anymore. Nothing they can really do is magically going to get Japanese gamers to pick Microsoft over Sony or Nintendo.
Click to expand...
That was a losing battle. Sony was the de facto choice for most Japanese developers going into last generation, with many also eyeing Nintendo because of the Wii's surprising success.

For every Lost Odyssey Microsoft dished out money for, there was a Yakuza and MGS and Disgaea and Neptunia going to ps3. Microsoft could never spend enough money to shift the tide of developer support significantly enough to sway the majority of consumers.

That's not xenophobia.
 
M

MCD

Junior Member
vsaintlo said:
Your thread title seems to imply MS is taking this path. Upon clicking you have a link that has nothing really to do with gaming. At which point you make an odd linkage that because Samnsung is removing its logo from its phones, that MS will follow suit as a last hope effort.

Wow. When do these posts stop they're absolute garbage conjecture.

"Since Hilary Clinton uses her own email servers, it's likely Halo 5 will use dedicated servers..."

I'm done.
Click to expand...

Didn't meant for that. Sorry.
 
P

Primethius

Banned
Madness said:
Xenophobia in that Japanese brands always do much better than competitor and foreign brands, there is or was especially early on an anti-Korean, anti-Chinese sentiment. This was observable for a while and many corporations studied how to appeal to Japanese tastes more. And it's declined a bit in the age of globalization and made in China. Saying, oh but they love Apple or they watch western movies, doesn't really mean anything. Also, itvs observable in other countries as well, not necessarily entirely a Japanese thing. Look at the US and their paranoia over imports over 'Detroit' domestic etc.

But as to the point, Japan and Japanese would rather pick Sony over Microsoft especially in the same space. If it's something like Apple that is really unique or so dominant they have no choice but to buy or support is different. I'm trying to find the studies and articles on this, but I'm on mobile right now.
Click to expand...

I'm not even going to get into the whole xenophobia bit because I don't even think that's the reason Microsoft didn't succeed in Japan. That seems to be an easy cop-out answer for a lack of success when there were a variety of other factors at play for why MS failed.
 
Q

Quadraphonic

Member
koshunter said:
I'm not even going to get into the whole xenophobia bit because I don't even think that's the reason Microsoft didn't succeed in Japan. That seems to be an easy cop-out answer for a lack of success when there were a variety of other factors at play for why MS failed.
Click to expand...

Yeah. Microsoft did a lot of things wrong. And that had nothing to do with it. (Samsung is a different story, though.)

MS did have an uphill battle to fight, which they tried originally, but realized it wasn't going to be something they could force.
 
P

prwxv3

Member
koshunter said:
I'm not even going to get into the whole xenophobia bit because I don't even think that's the reason Microsoft didn't succeed in Japan. That seems to be an easy cop-out answer for a lack of success when there were a variety of other factors at play for why MS failed.
Click to expand...

this. They burned some bridges with many many Japanese devs. Throwing money does not make healthy relationships with devs.
 
S

Sevyne

Member
Hunter of Monsters and Pokei Watch - Only on Xbox One


Naw, that wouldn't work either really.

Really can't think of anything MS could do to help their situation in Japan. Honestly, I don't think they really care now anyway. They're only a presence there because it would probably look even worse to simply not exist in the region, than to not succeed in it.

When Japan's own consoles aren't exactly flying off shelves due to the constantly growing portable/smartphone market, MS has no chance at all to succeed.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

The State of Xbox Game Studios and Bethesda Softworks: A breakdown of all the Confirmed Projects, Leaks, and Rumors
Opinion News Rumor 2
84
10K
Ozriel replied
Samsung working on Game Streaming Service "PlayGalaxy Link", a new thing in the industry that no other (40) companies are doing alrea-
39
3K
ResilientBanana replied
Calling out rumors, insiders and "sources"
2 3 4 5
245
20K
Varteras replied
  • Locked
Xbox is Shaping the Future of the Console Ecosystem (Playstation is 1 ecosystem, which is called PS5
2
65
7K
Sir Vilhelm replied
Google Stadia roadmap... of death?
Social Community Cringe 2 3
130
18K
deriks replied
Top Bottom