Re: XboX and Japanese Market
- From: "Harris" <harishashim@xxxxxxxxx>
- Date: 22 May 2006 20:57:44 -0700
Doug Jacobs wrote:
harishashim@xxxxxxxxx wrote:
My 2 cents is that nothing microsoft can do about this. Mostly Japanese
people are in transition. So they are waiting for PS3 and WII. I don't
think having Japanese exclusive title will help much.
Let me reiterate and clarify. Having Japanese exclusive title NOW will
not help much. It will help a bit here and there. Might lure out some
people out of their transition state. But majority will just take a
wait and and see approach. One or two title doesn't means that Xbox360
will greatly support any genre.
While I wouldn't expect things to reverse overnight, I certainly think
Microsoft should be TRYING to improve the situation of the 360 in Japan -
mainly by courting Japanese publishers.
This imply FUTURE improvement to Xbox 360 game library. And I am
totally with you regarding this. It is not a bad thing that this does
not happen NOW.
The Xbox suffered horribly from a
lack of diversity with regards to game genres. For instance, there were
NO Japanese-style RPGs on the XBox at all! How do you expect to have a
successful product in Japan if you ignore one of the largest genres like
that?
As an Xbox (Original) owner I agree with you regarding this. In fact I
feel a little bit burned by this lack of diversity. I love coop RPG
game in one console (not networked or LIVE). and Xbox1 doesn't have
much to offer me in this respect. Will this continue in Xbox 360? Too
much stress on Live and no offering for console coop fun? I hope
Microsoft will not pull an Xbox1 act again this time around or people
will loose faith.
After PS3 and WII is out is totally different story. After that people
around the world can make informed decision and buy the best console. I
just hope this time around people will make smart decision instead just
being blindly loyal to a particular brand.
Unfortunatly, brand loyalty is a very strong force - especially in Japan.
Chances are, people will buy what they had last time - and that means a
Playstation. However, since Sony has priced the PS3 so high, there is a
real chance for Microsoft to try to sway players from Sony - but again,
they have to have the games, and I'm not talking about Halo3.
IMHO, whether Sony will have the games or not is still a big question.
I will believe it when I see it. In the last round Microsoft lost
because of brand loyalty and lack of games. Again, this time around I
hope Microsof will not repeat their old mistake.
In short Microsoft have no reason to worry if their console doesn't
sell well to Japanese now. The real fight is when all console are on
the table. Microsoft only have to worry if their console did not sell
well after PS3 and WII is out.
I totally disagree. Microsoft has to grab marketshare in Japan *NOW*.
Once the PS3 and Wii come out, I guarantee that 360 sales will all but
come to a complete halt in Japan (not that sales of the 360 are doing all
that well now...) Again, brand loyalty is very strong in Japan -
especially when pitted against a non-Japanese brand.
[This is why it doesn't matter NOW]
Microsoft can try to grab market share now but they will fail! Xbox 360
is effectively going against phantom consoles. A lot of people are
drooling for this phantom consoles and they choose to ignore what is
real and available.
These people are in transition. The best way is to show stability, be
consistent and gather momentum. Gain consumer trust little by little
instead of being too agressive like Sonny. This subtle act will send
message to Japanese that Xbox 360 will be there when Sonny and Nintendo
release their console and accept real challenge from real console. Akin
to 2 Samurai facing each other before they make their move. One second,
it is calm and calculative. The next second is when all hell break
loose.
Microsoft should be moving NOW to try and lure developers from the PS3 to
the 360 - then the gamers will follow. Otherwise, if the 360 only
provides American-style sports games, FPS games and multi-platform ports,
the 360 is doomed to have the same abysmal sales Xbox did.
I agree that microsoft should make their move NOW. So that they can
reap the result in time, in the FUTURE. There is still about 6 month
untill PS3 and WII is out. Please lure more developers to develop
varieties of genree for Xbox 360.
I agree with you that Xbox 360 will be doomed if current trend of sucky
games continue. Superb FPS will not save it from low sales number. Hear
us Microsoft. We want varieites on Xbox 360.
So what is this about having head start! It is about having a good
headstart. That is all to it. The way I see it. Either a 10 million
head start or 3 million head start anywhere in the world (even not in
Japan) is already a good head start. That means:
1. Hardware can be produced and sell cheaper.
2. Mature hardware platform means it is more stable. Known issue are
solved.
3. Mature Software. Games will make use more of Xbox 360 power and as
times goes by achieve true next gen quality and performance.
This is all true - Microsoft will be in a better position worldwide with
regards to hardware supply, maturity and game library. However that
doesn't guarantee sales. If Microsoft wants the 360 to sell in Japan,
they have to make strides to target the Japanese gamer, rather than simply
throwing the same material at the Japanese as they do for the American and
European markets. And Microsoft needs to do this NOW (actually, they
should have been doing this since before the 360 was released.)
You have to remember, it's the exclusive titles that sell consoles. If
you've got a good library of exclusive titles, you'll sell consoles. What
will be interesting this time around is whether or not the PS3 can survive
long enough for its price to come down to something more reasonable.
Right now, at US$600, the PS3 is priced about $200 too high to be
competitive.
My conclusion. Microsoft has a good head start. Japanese market is
important only after all console is available. In the mean time I am
not buying Xbox 360 because I am waiting for price drop and actual real
world comparison between Xbox 360 and PS3.
Again, I think by the time the PS3 and the Wii come out, Microsoft is
going to see 360 sales in Japan come to a complete halt. To avoid this,
Microsoft must aggressively market to the Japanese gamers via price,
polished, translated products (many Xbox games were released in Japan
*untranslated*!) and enticing Japanese-style exclusive games that won't
show up on either the PS3 or Wii a few months later. If Microsoft fails
to do this, they'll end up a distant 3rd in Japan. Granted, Japan isn't
the major market it used to be but I don't think you can truly have a
successful console without strong support from Japan.
All are good points. Without a doubt, PS3 and WII will have all of this
out of the box since traditionally Japanese market is their own
backyard. If Xbox 360 can have all this in 6 month time, then we have a
winner. Otherwise the fight will go on.
My earlier point is that we shouldn't worry if Xbox 360 is not so
strong in the Japanese market NOW. What matter is the next 6 month.
The objective of my previous post is to discourage people perception
that Xbox 360 is not doing well because it is not doing well in Japan
now (1st and 2nd Quarter of 2006). Some people do make this kind of
argument, which is not true.
Your post has outline how Microsoft can improve their product to
prepare for the near future (3rd and 4th Quarter of 2006). Lets just
hope for the best and see the result when December come.
.
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