Article: Japan - Games That Could Save the 360
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hupfinsgack has a point. Market is more software and profitability. If the EU console base buys on average 1 title a year per console, and the Japanese buys 5, you see the importance of the Jap market for revenue. I don't know what software sales is like per region, and how it various over consoles too.hupfinsgack said:That is not the size of the market, but the total number of consoles sold.
Also, though Japan may be a smaller market, it has strong importance in it's software output. Looking at key PS2 titles in the west, there's plenty of showcase Japanese titles along with showcase western titles, that add depth to the library that XB is severly lacking. Western devs are often hung up on shooters and racers. Adventure, bizarro RPGs, and those odd quirky games we'd never even think of like Katamari, come mostly from the East. A key reason I am interested in PS3 over XB360 is the likely software library. PS has always been wide and balanced. XB has been rather limited. Winning over Japanese devs I think essential to maximizing a console's wider appeal. All territories have something to offer in games, like movies. US produces the Hollywood blastfest and massive glitz. The EU produces low-key gritty thug-flicks, romantic comedies and off-the-wall continental works. Japan produces kung-fu movies and men-in-rubber-dinosaurs. Given a choice between a DVD player that plays films produced by only two territories, and one that plays movies produced by all territories, which would most people choose?
Turning your back on a territory would not be good IMO, and even though the ROI from other territories might get more unit sales, I think you'd be damaging the worldwide image of your console saying you were giving up a territory to your rivals.
hupfinsgack said:That is not the size of the market, but the total number of consoles sold.
I'm pretty sure that even on a software scale that NA and EU both dwarf Japan... (excluding handhelds of course!
)I just remember seeing a chart of the all time best sellers there for the past gen and I was shocked at how low the sales for all the titles were. NA and EU have far more million sellers than Japan.
Not saying Japan developers are not important. They by far make some of, if not the, best games in the industry. But from a pure marketshare perspective I don't think they are of dire importantance aslong as you get key Japanese dev support for the rest of the world.
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Trying to breathe a little life into the original article... is there anyone who sees a single game or handful or games that may "save Japan" for the 360?
I'm more looking for an announced title that looks like it will kick serious arse in the Japanese market, not simply stating "it needs a FF/DQ title". Personally, I can't. Enchant Arms looks average at best in terms of innovation and fun. The other JRPG's in the pipeline look similarly dirivative.
Not even a Ninja Gaiden/Panzer Dragoon game annouced either
I'm more looking for an announced title that looks like it will kick serious arse in the Japanese market, not simply stating "it needs a FF/DQ title". Personally, I can't. Enchant Arms looks average at best in terms of innovation and fun. The other JRPG's in the pipeline look similarly dirivative.
Not even a Ninja Gaiden/Panzer Dragoon game annouced either
PARANOiA said:Trying to breathe a little life into the original article... is there anyone who sees a single game or handful or games that may "save Japan" for the 360?
I'm more looking for an announced title that looks like it will kick serious arse in the Japanese market, not simply stating "it needs a FF/DQ title". Personally, I can't. Enchant Arms looks average at best in terms of innovation and fun. The other JRPG's in the pipeline look similarly dirivative.
Not even a Ninja Gaiden/Panzer Dragoon game annouced either
Blue Dragon would probably be the most likely to boost sales in Japan (having Sakaguchi and Dragon Quests/DBZ's artist behind it). MS appears to think so aswell as they've been airing commercials for Blue Dragon almost a year before it's scheduled for release:
http://www.xboxyde.com/leech_2111_en.html
http://www.xboxyde.com/leech_2112_en.html
quest55720
Regular
PARANOiA said:Trying to breathe a little life into the original article... is there anyone who sees a single game or handful or games that may "save Japan" for the 360?
I'm more looking for an announced title that looks like it will kick serious arse in the Japanese market, not simply stating "it needs a FF/DQ title". Personally, I can't. Enchant Arms looks average at best in terms of innovation and fun. The other JRPG's in the pipeline look similarly dirivative.
Not even a Ninja Gaiden/Panzer Dragoon game annouced either
That is the harsh reality though unless a miracle happens the only thing that would salvage the 360 in japan is for MS to buy a few exclusive FF/DQ titles. IF MS would of been smart they would of paid any price to have a new exclusive FF game at the 360 launch. Hell that might not work but it would of been their best chance.
Blue Dragon is visually very good and has real potential, and the best bet for recognition in Japan I think. I don't know if a single title is enough to sell a console at launch prices though, when you're looking at the rest of a library and there's nothing there or coming that appeals to you. Are any Japanese going to buy XB360 for BD over PS3 where they know they'll get FF and DQ and loads of others?Hardknock said:
MS should by no means give up in Japan because much of the software will filter out to EA/NA.
I'm pretty impressed with some of the up and coming Japanese cotent on the 360 that will eventually hit the Western market.
I don't really care how well the 360 does in Japan aslong as Japanese Developers continue to develop for it, hoperfully the sales for Japanese software outside of Japan is big enough that they will continue to do so.
I'm pretty impressed with some of the up and coming Japanese cotent on the 360 that will eventually hit the Western market.
I don't really care how well the 360 does in Japan aslong as Japanese Developers continue to develop for it, hoperfully the sales for Japanese software outside of Japan is big enough that they will continue to do so.
MS already gave up in Japan, they are not blind. The 360 hardware sales are so low, and the software sales too (Chrome Hounds could sell only 7,000 copies in its first week). If you look at the E3 2006 Microsoft press conference, the presence of Japanese softwares was reduced from E3 2005. It doesn't make sense for them to sink the profit they got in NA/EU into Japan just to lose it.GB123 said:
Instead, what Microsoft is trying now is to establish Xbox as the dominant console platform in regions other than Japan like I suggested in my previous comment in this thread about Windows PC killing NEC PC-9801. Right now publishers such as SEGA and Capcom are developing Xbox games that cater to the Western taste, if Microsoft could gain the top spot in NA/EU there's no choice for Japanese publishers but to develop games for Xbox.
As for the article in the OP, my prediction is that DOAX2 will sell as much as or more than Blue Dragon.
hupfinsgack said:That is not the size of the market, but the total number of consoles sold.
Are you trying to suggest that there is a significant portion of the console market that doesn't buy consoles at all, or are you trying to suggest that the console sales totals are larger than the console market?
one said:
I think these two comments contradict themselves in that indirectly this eventual Japanese dev support will breed Japanese adoption of the console. Or at least logic dictates such.
If in 2 years a Japanese (Asian) gamer goes into a gamer shop to pickup a new gaming system and sees 360 on the shelf with a comparable software library selection (w/ a FF or DQ) and a much lower price (~$180 premium) then why wouldn't they select a 360? Obviously not everyone will feel this way and I'm quite sure there is some bias against MS in Japan for some, but I also imagine with this scenario would balance the userbase scales considerably.
A game doesn't sell tons and boost sales of the platform significantly just by merit of it's artists and directors, even if the games were up to standard, especially if it's on a console that only has a marginal userbase.
Blue Dragon and Lost Odyssey might have recognised names behind them, but as they are not well established brands, they might not me anything more than "Stubbs The Zombie" for Japan
Blue Dragon and Lost Odyssey might have recognised names behind them, but as they are not well established brands, they might not me anything more than "Stubbs The Zombie" for Japan
So, market where Sony sold more PS2´s than Xbox sold worldwide.. is not that important?
Japan is the cradle of console gaming. Franchises that japanese devs create are important for the overall success of the console. They do sell millions in USA and EU.
Peter Moore himself said that they can never consider 360 a success if they dont crack Japan.
Agreed.
Are you for real? That's an extremely optimistic forecast for the future in 2 years, even pre-360 launch predictions were not as optimistic as you.TheChefO said:
The point is, in the Microsoft game plan as of now, how Japanese audiences and Japanese-style games move are irrelevant, while Japanese developers develop Western-style games for Xbox.
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Powderkeg said:
I am not trying to suggest anything. But you're mixing up the appropriate terms. Installed userbase is not market size or rather it is not an accurate measure for market size. It's the audience, nothing more.
As Shifty already said, the total revenue made from consoles and games sales is a far better and more effective measure when talking about market size. That was what I was getting at.
mckmas8808
Legend
Japan is important to every console developer. Plain and simple. Everyone here should know that.
mckmas8808 said:
No it isnt... not by a longshot... the console relationship is one way transitive... Japanese devs expect to get sales of their best franchises in other territories because they have controlled the console market so long... western devs dont expect the same treatment...
