So far, Microsoft is going strong with the Xbox 360, and in a much better position with the console than it was with its predecessor at the same point in its lifespan. But not everybody appreciates the action-packed online powerhouse—gamers in Japan have remained largely indifferent to the console’s presence since its launch late in 2005. It wasn’t until the recent release of Hironobu Sakaguchi’s Blue Dragon that the country began to take notice of the Xbox 360, though the resulting sales surge was short lived. Then, just last week, Epic Games’ Gears of War appeared on the Top Ten list in Japan for the week of the game’s launch, proving that not even a “games as porn†rating can dissuade consumers when the graphics look that good. Still, Microsoft recognizes it has a long way to go in sparking interest in the Xbox 360 with the average Japanese gamer, as Peter Moore, Corporate VP of Microsoft’s Interactive Entertainment Business, acknowledged in a recent interview with IGN.
“I think we need to continue to be a competitor as aggressively as we have been since the day we launched [in Japan],†said Moore. “Little things make your day a little better. This morning when I woke up, seeing Gears of War as one of the top ten selling games in Japan, on top of Blue Dragon’s success over the holidays, is vindication of a company that understand what it needs to stick to the task. I think we are seeing progress in Japan. With Lost Odyssey still to come, I think we feel real good about our ability to compete and compete aggressively in the Japanese market. It’s not easy, let me make that clear. It’s not easy. But we’re not going to back down just because it’s not easy.â€
When asked if Microsoft was simply using the Xbox 360 to lay the foundation for a successful attempt in Japan with its next console, Moore emphasized the need to compete in Japan now.
“There are a myriad of different things that provide benefits for us for being a competitor in the Japanese videogame market and that’s something we’ll continue to do,†he said.
Clearly Microsoft has no intention of rolling over in the Japan. With recent successes like Blue Dragon and Gears of War, and future titles like Lost Odyssey, Microsoft is slowly exposing the country to the Xbox 360’s capabilities. Now that the competition is in full swing, it will be interesting to see if Microsoft can continue to generate enthusiasm in the important Japanese market.
