Why Does The Xbox 360 Never Do Well In Japan?

[TheBlackPaladin]

Okay, so, the thought occurred to me when I began to write this that this topic may end up getting locked for not being strictly "Dragon Ball"-related, so if the mods deem that to be the case, I have no problem with this thread being locked. However, having read Daizex for a couple years now, and reading a couple other gaming mags, it seems like the Xbox 360, and its games, seem to get a terrible response whenever they're released in Japan. Even earlier today, the front page of Daizex read...

"No word on a time frame or locations for release [for the upcoming Kinect-based DBZ game], but with the dreadful response Kinect has had over in Japan, it can be pretty much guaranteed that if they are bothering to make the game we will see this one over here in North America."

So why is everything Xbox 360-related received so terribly in Japan?

[VegettoEX]

Xenophobia about American-made products.

Not enough room in typical Japanese apartments to actually handle the space the Kinect needs to accurately read a person's movements.

[TheBlackPaladin]

Xenophobia about American-made products.

........Wow. That bad, huh?

Not enough room in typical Japanese apartments to actually handle the space the Kinect needs to accurately read a person's movements.

That makes sense. Thanks for the info!

[DarkGokuZ]

Well Sony is japanese, and if I were japanese I would rather want a PS3, instead of af 360.

[VegettoEX]

Yeah, it's pretty bad. It's not for Microsoft's lack of trying, or anything. The redonkulously gigantic controller from the first generation was toned down for the 360. They scooped up exclusives from Japanese developers like Mistwalker to develop games like "Blue Dragon" (Hironobu Sakaguchi AND Akira Toriyama), other games like "Eternal Sonata" (which later just got ported over to PS3 with extra stuff to recoup some costs), etc.

It's just one of those, "this is how the Japanese are" kinds of things.

[Piccolo Daimao]

Perhaps it's also that many of the best-selling and/or exclusive games for the title are dark first-person shooters like Call of Duty and Halo, which don't tend to sell as well in Japan, possibly because they're more into surreal, colourful and quirky games. You know, different countries, different cultures, different target audiences, etc. Their RPGs are certainly different.

Also, concerning Kinect, maybe they also feel that Nintendo (a Japanese company with a better/longer history and reputation)'s Wii motion control is just better than Microsoft's.

[BlazingFiddlesticks]

Tales of Vesperia as well; sold a lot of consoles, I hear. And then, like Eternal Sonata, PS3 version comes around with Kingdom Hearts II Final Mix levels of new content (As in enough that you wouldn't be insane to buy it again), and causes much rage everywhere (http://www.joystiq.com/2009/04/08/japan ... ver-vespe/).

I've even heard stories, though stories they are, of some game shops having a section roughly labeled "Western dogs***". I wish I was kidding.

But I think Microsoft's "Western Console" image honestly means more internationally than in Japan, if only because people actually notice or make a fuss about how many eastern versus western games you play abroad, be it because of Japan's massive gaming legacy and the resulting nostalgia or stereotypes, while Japan has a whole different level of cultural acceptance... "issues" (?) that goes far beyond video games. That fact that its American to begin with will probably be a much bigger issue than if it's library is dominated by Western games.

Or on the inverse, the PSP; it's strengths (and therefore its sales and library) cater much more to Japan than to the West, despite Sony's best efforts, to the point where the PSP's being worth anything has to actually be explained on English websites to those who don't play Japanese games.

I really feel like I'm stepping on glass here when we have people like Kei or even SaiyaJedi who could give us firsthand responses as opposed to what some of us hear through the internet grapevine.

There is a Call of Duty fanbase somewhere in Japan, though. Square wouldn't keep publishing (and dubbing!) them otherwise.

Not enough room in typical Japanese apartments to actually handle the space the Kinect needs to accurately read a person's movements.

And the very Japaneses brilliance of the Wii U's controller streaming, while we're at it; one of the first things that came to mind last E3.

[Krakabeast]

PS3 has so many more exclusives, and still is one of the better blu-ray players. I honestly can't believe that the 360 is selling well anywhere at the moment. Mine has been hidden under a few layers of the dust blown from my PS3's fan, and I have/had most of the big-name Xbox exclusives. I hope people are actually satisfied with their Kinects because by judging this year's line-up, Kinect games are Microsoft's main course.

[TheBlackPaladin]

I vastly prefer the Xbox 360 most of the time because of its ability to switch the soundtrack at will. As in, if you download a song to your Xbox 360 hard drive, and then play a game, press the "Xbox button" in the center of the controller, and select the track you downloaded in the music menu, you can swap out the in-game music with the track you selected. Furthermore, only the music is swapped out...the sound effects and dialogue tracks remain untouched. I've made a couple of my DBZ games more exciting that way by swapping out the generic in-game music with pieces of Kikuchi and Yamamoto's music.

[DarkGokuZ]

I vastly prefer the Xbox 360 most of the time because of its ability to switch the soundtrack at will. As in, if you download a song to your Xbox 360 hard drive, and then play a game, press the "Xbox button" in the center of the controller, and select the track you downloaded in the music menu, you can swap out the in-game music with the track you selected. Furthermore, only the music is swapped out...the sound effects and dialogue tracks remain untouched. I've made a couple of my DBZ games more exciting that way by swapping out the generic in-game music with pieces of Kikuchi and Yamamoto's music.

Ehh maybe I'm wrong, but I think you can do that with the ps3 too.

[TheBlackPaladin]

I vastly prefer the Xbox 360 most of the time because of its ability to switch the soundtrack at will. As in, if you download a song to your Xbox 360 hard drive, and then play a game, press the "Xbox button" in the center of the controller, and select the track you downloaded in the music menu, you can swap out the in-game music with the track you selected. Furthermore, only the music is swapped out...the sound effects and dialogue tracks remain untouched. I've made a couple of my DBZ games more exciting that way by swapping out the generic in-game music with pieces of Kikuchi and Yamamoto's music.

Ehh maybe I'm wrong, but I think you can do that with the ps3 too.

Haha, oh trust me, I've looked into it. In theory you should be able to do that on the PS3, and you can indeed download music to the PS3 hard drive...but if you're ever able to utilize the "music swap" option (for lack of a better term), the game that you're playing needs to be enabled ahead of time to allow for that option. I have yet to play a PS3 game that has been enabled for that. The Xbox 360 has no such restrictions.

[Piccolo Daimao]

I honestly don't know nor care whether or not the Xbox 360 is better than the PS3, and I only got the Xbox 360 because of all my friends. But I rarely play it because of lack of money to buy games, not having enough free time and not having it in a private enough place that suits me (like my bedroom) where I can potentially play certain video games without fear of embarrassment or having to acknowledge my mother and/or brother being in the living room.

And I'm not a fan of online gameplay and all these expansion packs either. I just want to be able to plug it in and play the damn game, preferably without having to learn a billion controls either. Sometimes, this current generation makes me feel like an old man who longs for the days of the Sega Mega Drive and Nintendo Game Boy. Or it's just that I'm not a child anymore, who had so much more free time on my hands, almost no responsibilities, parents to pay for all my stuff and was more easily entertained.

Ah, nostalgia...

[MCDaveG]

Well, this topic is my long time issue....... and as Japanese don't like XBOX, I'm pissed on them for a long time because of video games.
But well, on the xbox topic...... We got this console because of Kinect, which is awesome feature, but then, my fav games and franchises started to be released as ports on XBOX and PS3.
Know what? Of course PS3 ports had bunch of bonuses and such. At that time I started to be pissed off and cursing Microsoft as my rage slowly turned on Japanese.
For example, one of Mortal Kombat creators said why they didn't included some bonuses and Kratos on XBOX? Because SONY didn't allowed them to do it.
Then lot of Japanese games started to be released on PS3 only in US and Europe (last one being Saint Seiya Senki and some future Final Fantasy titles).
I don't fucking care about Blu-ray, as nobody here I live is buying them, more so the distribution of them is scarce and only plus I see on PS3 personally is free PSN network.
What pisses me since the ancient time on Sony, is their moronic strategy of back uncompatible consoles....... Nintendo can do it too and they are Japanese.
I have s**tload of UMD's. Guess what with the PSVita? It is back compatible, but only with games from PSN, hahaha

As an European, I say f**k you Sony.

I really can't imagine buying PS3 console next to the PSP, PS2, Wii and XBOX 360 because of some shitty Japanese franchises (excluding FF series of course) and few bonuses...... that I will be damned moron.

[VegettoEX]

I'm really not interested in your irrational vendettas against Sony, MCDaveG. Nothing you added has any real relevance to the question at hand (never mind some of it being factually incorrect).

Everyone, please keep your middle-school console war drama at the door.

[MCDaveG]

Kinda overdid it yes.......... PS3 is the first back compatible console from what I know. PS2 was too, but you had to mod it and PS3 supports stuff from PSN network only. No physical discs.
But I dunno much about PS3 as I don't have it. My only touch with PS system nowadays is trough PS Network and I'm also not satisfied with it, because European one compared to US and Japan don't have almost anything.
But you can ask Hayato from Namco Bandai about it. Because Sony system is succesful in Japan, and XBOX not, lot of domestic games here are Sony exclusives and won't get port even licensed outside of Japan. Even director of Final Fantasy XIII Versus stated that they will be developing PS3 exclusive only as XBOX didn't prove succesful enough.

Also as we spoke in different thread, the letdown of Kinect is actually lack of good games for this feature.

[dbboxkaifan]

Possibly because the Japanese prefer to buy their own country made console/games than foreign, shame for them they're missing out the fun on Xbox LIVE.

[Piccolo Daimao]

Personally, I've never been a fan of motion control, which I see as just a gimmick that doesn't enhance gameplay, and on some occasions, it detracts from it. It's also brought with it a ton of third-party shovelware that many casual gamers seem to think are actually good. Give me a traditional controller any day. If it ain't broke, don't fix it.

I don't mean to sound like an elitist, but that's just my opinion.

[DBfan4life]

Besides japanese people supporting japanese products being the case, I don't think that they would want to pay to play online. I mean I have both consoles and even I feel like an idiot for paying for Xbox Live when I can play online for free on the PS3. There is no difference in the online IMO. Also, I thought that Final Fantasy actually did good on the Xbox and PS3, guess I heard wrong.

Personally, I've never been a fan of motion control, which I see as just a gimmick that doesn't enhance gameplay, and on some occasions, it detracts from it. It's also brought with it a ton of third-party shovelware that many casual gamers seem to think are actually good. Give me a traditional controller any day. If it ain't broke, don't fix it.

I don't mean to sound like an elitist, but that's just my opinion.

I agree with you about this whole motion control bit. I'd rather use an actual controller instead. However everyone has their opinion and if somebody likes it than that is great for them and the company.

[dbboxkaifan]

Ehh maybe I'm wrong, but I think you can do that with the ps3 too.

On Xbox 360 I can load custom music whenever I feel like but on PS3, only certain games allow the feature, the devs either allow or refuse. I have yet to play a game that lets me hear the damn music I want.

paying for Xbox Live when I can play online for free on the PS3.

You can play on Xbox LIVE free for the entire year, you know. 'bout PS3 online gaming for free, used games will make you pay for the online gaming service if you don't have a new sealed game.

About Sony's next home console, I'm feeling they'll charge people for the online service because the servers have cost.

The only time I use my PS3 Slim to boot up is to play Blu-rays and DVDs, maybe, but other than that nothing. Gaming, video, music, internet, it's all on Xbox.

Xbox LIVE certainly has a lot of trash talk, which I like because I don't take it seriously but there is also the fair play side who hate the "wankers" who ruin the game, please note I sometimes am part of clean gaming not just trash gaming.

In case you don't want trash talk, people talking or unfair gamers then go with PS3 Slim.

I like both consoles, both have their potentials but overall I prefer 360 over PS3.

[DBfan4life]

DBfan4life, you can play on Xbox LIVE free for the entire year, you know.

Yeah, I know, but you have to pay $60 (or $48 on Amazon) to get the 12 year Live membership. I'm saying that $48 can go towards a game or something else instead since its free for online from the beginning on the PS3. Unless your talking about something different that I don't know about. Just so we are clear I like both consoles and use both for gaming. Although PS3 I also use as my DVD and Blu-Ray player.

Just saw your edit and yeah I know about the whole used games I have to pay online so I know what you mean. Also I agree that the next console Sony will probably start charging for online.