360: New life in Japan?

[TheChefO]

http://www.next-gen.biz/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=4037&Itemid=2

The special-edition, of which there are about 10,000 units, sold out almost immediately, with the further 90,000 standard units selling fast.

Obviously not the millions MS expected at this point but they have to start somewhere...

All the hype of BlueDragon looks to be turning into significant sales. Hopefully they have other software lined up over the next year until LO comes out to sustain sales.

-Thanks mods.

 

[Sankari]

No surprise there, but I wouldn't be surprised if it didn't sell all 100,000. Blue dragon and Lost odyssey will most definately be both magnificent games and if I ever buy Xbox360, these 2 are the reason for that. I can never get enough of JRPG's.

 

[superNoid]

Mark my words, Blue Dragon will spark initial sales, then Lost Planet and Lost Odyssey will come in and solidify a base for the 360 in Japan.

 

[one]

Mark my words, Blue Dragon will spark initial sales, then Lost Planet and Lost Odyssey will come in and solidify a base for the 360 in Japan.

Aren't they just buying them in anticipation of DOAX2? Remember, that Blue Dragon Pack is the same price as the 360 Core (29,800 yen) so Blue Dragon is a basically free bundle. If you buy a console to play DOAX2 it's the cheapest option. Oh, buying this face plate (3150 yen) doesn't hurt either, for fans at least. Mark my words, I'm 99% sure DOAX2 outsells Blue Dragon in Japan.

 

[Dr. Nick]

Both DOAX2 and Blue Dragon will be hot sellers for the Xbox 360 in Japan. This is going to be Microsoft's best holiday in Japan for the Xbox brand.

 

[pipo]

This is going to be Microsoft's best holiday in Japan for the Xbox brand.

Not that that's saying a lot.

 

[superNoid]

Aren't they just buying them in anticipation of DOAX2? Remember, that Blue Dragon Pack is the same price as the 360 Core (29,800 yen) so Blue Dragon is a basically free bundle. If you buy a console to play DOAX2 it's the cheapest option. Oh, buying this face plate (3150 yen) doesn't hurt either, for fans at least. Mark my words, I'm 99% sure DOAX2 outsells Blue Dragon in Japan.

You know, lol you're probably right actually. I totally forgot about DOAX2

 

[Sankari]

Never quite understood whats the big deal with Dead or Alive Xtreme but I guess its cultural question. Can't really say I'm going oh boy! with the pixel girls.

 

[quest55720]

I think the good news in all this is if MS can put out a quality product for a reasonable price they can sell a little in japan. They should include blue dragon with both editions of the 360 from now on. Just don't include the extra goodies that made the special eddition special. Maybe next holiday season eat some cash and include both LO and blue dragon with the 360 and even come out with limited eddition with some extra goodies like a special face plate and paint job on the 360 and controllers.

 

[Rangers]

So these are pre-orders rather than actual sales? How many people will actually fail to plunk down the full money later?

When is the bundle actually released?

100k would nearly double X360 Japan sales to date (should be around 130-150K currently). Might give it a chance of breaking the Xbox1's 500k (i think) someday. And also, having microsoft eventually sell 1 million consoles (Xbox/360 combined) in Japan (yes, it would only take them 6-10 years, but I still think it'd be kind of a neat number).
________
RebeccaLoveXXX live

 

[Brimstone]

Japanese gamers are going to have Lost Planet this holiday season aren't they? Seems like plenty of games of to choose from once Blue Dragon gets released.

 

[pipo]

Japanese gamers are going to have Lost Planet this holiday season aren't they? Seems like plenty of games of to choose from once Blue Dragon gets released.

Yup. I'm curious to see what's going to happen with Wii launching and all that...

 

[Powderkeg]

So these are pre-orders rather than actual sales? How many people will actually fail to plunk down the full money later?

Probably about the same percentage as people with PS3 preorders who won't pick up their system.

Not enough to bother counting.

 

[GB123]

Probably about the same percentage as people with PS3 preorders who won't pick up their system.

Not enough to bother counting.

Was just about to say that.

 

[Dr. Nick]

This game might help out a little bit as well.
http://www.idolmaster.jp/

 

[Geo]

What, we've proven that content matters, even for xb360 in Japan? On the one hand --Duh! On the other, okay it's nice to have it proven that the Japnese will in fact buy the thing if you scratch their particular itches.

 

[Acert93]

What, we've proven that content matters, even for xb360 in Japan? On the one hand --Duh! On the other, okay it's nice to have it proven that the Japnese will in fact buy the thing if you scratch their particular itches.

I don't think it quite proves that, seeing as scratching isn't a big problem But seriously, while 100k or 200k units would be a positive move for MS, that is well below 1% of the Japanese market. Those sorts of sales could just indicate 1) the darth of appealing software on the 360 that appeals to Japanese Xbox-gamers (the few that exist) and that this was the first compelling purchase and/or 2) the general lack of next-gen RPGs and this being one of the few opportunities and thus the gamers with disposable income are willing to make the investment to get a game they want and/or 3) hardcore Sackaguchi fans crossing lines; imo a combo of all three. But I don't think it tells us about Japanese gamers in general. Kind of a chicken and egg though, until MS provides ample compelling content will we know if they will/won't bite, and MS probably cannot get ample compelling content until enough bite based on potential, and there won't be much potential until developers get on board, and developers won't get on board until MS can beat the stereotype of foreign company with little appealing software, which means until... Now if something like FFXIV had a timed exclusive on the 360 we probably could get a better gauge if Japanese gamers would, in general, bite if their peculiar itch was scratched.

 

[Geo]

Well, maybe I'm misremembering. Weren't we seeing some gadawful numbers in Japan for XB360? Like 1,500/month or something? Because if that's right, I'd have to call 100k a nice content-driven bump.

 

[Acert93]

Well, maybe I'm misremembering. Weren't we seeing some gadawful numbers in Japan for XB360? Like 1,500/month or something? Because if that's right, I'd have to call 100k a nice content-driven bump.

You are right, but I am looking at it more from the, "The 360 is doing worse than the original Xbox". I cannot help think that while the content is driving some sales -- as you noted! -- that in the big picture this doesn't tell us that "it proven that the Japnese will in fact buy the thing if you scratch their particular itches". I am not sure 100k sales tells us that much, at least not imo as it doesn't "prove" much about Japanese gamers in general (for the reasons I gave about), if that makes sense. Basically a semantic, but I am not disagreeing totally, just on the prove&Japanese part

 

[MasterDisaster]

What, we've proven that content matters, even for xb360 in Japan? On the one hand --Duh! On the other, okay it's nice to have it proven that the Japnese will in fact buy the thing if you scratch their particular itches.

this time there're a lot of titles that I think fits in japan tastes..

Blue Dragon
Lost Planet
IdolMaster
DOAX2
Lost Odissey
GuitarHero
Squarenix's Project Sylpheed
an so on...

edit: I think that those too can be good for japan

Armored Core 4
Bullet Witch
Cry On
Culdcept Saga
Earth Defense Force X
Far East of Eden: Ziria
Kengo Zero
Infinite Undiscovery
Ninja Gaiden 2
Oneechanbara vorteX
Rayman Raving Rabbids
Resident Evil 5
Trusty Bell
Operation Darkness
New game by Tecmo
Proyakyu Spirits 3
Samurai Warriors 2
Senko No Ronde Rev. X
Spectral Force 3
Tenchu Senran
Vampire's Rain
Zegapain XOR
Zoids Infinity EX Neo


Japan have a very strong support