M$ Aims to Reverse Xbox's Japan Failure With Local Games.

[Brimstone]

What is the Microsoft developer strategy in Japan?


They hired some former Square higher up, but what else have they done? Capcom has lost a lot of people that have gone on to start new companies that are working on PS2 games. Even Sega lost a top person that migrated over to Naughty Dog.

So who is Microsoft hiring to work for its Japanese game studios? Fresh graduates that have never worked in the industry before?

 

[Deepak]

Also what games from the US are popular in JAP? I can't think of any right now.

I think GTA3/VC have been most sold US games in Japan, both did suprisingly well there around 500k each?? and still selling...

 

[RaolinDarksbane]

I think those 6000+ titles includes PS1 games. The PS3 and Nintendo's Revolution will have BC which will enticed buyers into buy them. If MS don't implement BC into XBOXNext, then they pretty much have to start over and have 20 games(I am being optimistic here) at launch.

 

[Evil_Cloud]

Also what games from the US are popular in JAP? I can't think of any right now.

I think GTA3/VC have been most sold US games in Japan, both did suprisingly well there around 500k each?? and still selling...

Crash Bandicoot and Ratchet & Clank also sold well in Japan after they 'adjusted' the game a bit for the Japanese market. Like they removed Crash's eyebrows and such, to let him look more cartoonish.

 

[Spidermate]

You do realize that IBM does rather well in Japan as does Microsoft (at least as far as Windows/Office penetration)...

Um...this is not the OS world.This is the gaming world,two completely different things.This is not an industry where you build something and lay back while others continue to work out all the problems.You have to constantly be thinking up better ways to push the gaming world.Nintendo and Sony are known for this.

 

[cthellis42]

I think those 6000+ titles includes PS1 games. The PS3 and Nintendo's Revolution will have BC which will enticed buyers into buy them. If MS don't implement BC into XBOXNext, then they pretty much have to start over and have 20 games(I am being optimistic here) at launch.

Actually, it's probably correct. Remember, there is a veritable slew of other genres that only sell and appeal out there, and some things we might not really classify as "games" at all. Since they're much smaller from a PC gaming perspective, they probably have a lot more we'd associate with "freeware"-quality, and small, cheap-to-produce titles that get updated a lot. (There are 20+ Mahjongg games that I can find...) It's just a more intrinsic platform out there.

 

[j^aws]

Square Enix Co., Japan's No. 2 game maker, publishes none that can be played on the current Xbox. It's considering making titles for the next Xbox, said Michiro Sasaki, general manager for corporate planning. Tokyo-based Square Enix's ``Final Fantasy'' series for the PlayStation 2 console -- in which players assume roles and team up with other characters to achieve objectives -- has sold 60 million copies worldwide.

SquareEnix probably have the largest influence on the movers and shakers of any console generation. AFAIK, the most popular console from each of the last four generations had onboard a numbered Final Fantasy and a numbered DragonQuest series and this will likely to continue next gen. M$ will need to be hugely diplomatic to get SquareEnix onboard!

 

[AlNom]

.....and hope like heck they don't make an MMORPG that'll eliminate a lot of customers....

bad = Live subscription + SquareEnix subscription;

return fail;

 

[wazoo]

SquareEnix probably have the largest influence on the movers and shakers of any console generation. AFAIK, the most popular console from each of the last four generations had onboard a numbered Final Fantasy and a numbered DragonQuest series and this will likely to continue next gen. M$ will need to be hugely diplomatic to get SquareEnix onboard!

Even if this is true nowadays, at least in japan, you could argue that Square was successfull on the Nes because of the NES success and not the opposite. Would FF and DQ been released on the Master system, those companies would be dead now.

 

[j^aws]

SquareEnix probably have the largest influence on the movers and shakers of any console generation. AFAIK, the most popular console from each of the last four generations had onboard a numbered Final Fantasy and a numbered DragonQuest series and this will likely to continue next gen. M$ will need to be hugely diplomatic to get SquareEnix onboard!

Even if this is true nowadays, at least in japan, you could argue that Square was successfull on the Nes because of the NES success and not the opposite. Would FF and DQ been released on the Master system, those companies would be dead now.

Sure, but new franchises have to start somewhere! Where better to start than the console with the largest userbase!

If FF and DQ were released on the Master System, one could argue that Sega could still be alive today!

 

[thop]

That doesn't mean there is gonna be FF13/14 or DQ9 on XBOX2! It could just be sth. like FF:CC.

 

[j^aws]

That doesn't mean there is gonna be FF13/14 or DQ9 on XBOX2! It could just be sth. like FF:CC.

Yeah...at best XB2 may get something like that. I can't see the prized 'numbered' FF and DQ leaving PS. The strange thing is that SE have released FF on PC's before and if XB2 and future PC's use XNA, who knows?

 

[Freak'n Big Panda]

XB2 is looking to be very diffrent from PC hardware wise. I think a xbox1 to PC port would be much easier to do then a xbox 2 to pc port so I sorta doubt SE will bring FF over to xbox2, seeing as they didn't bring any FFs to xbox1.

 

[j^aws]

XB2 is looking to be very diffrent from PC hardware wise. I think a xbox1 to PC port would be much easier to do then a xbox 2 to pc port so I sorta doubt SE will bring FF over to xbox2, seeing as they didn't bring any FFs to xbox1.

I was thinking of the port from PC (XNA) to XB2 than XB2 to PC. Since SE have released FF on PC before...

 

[Evil_Cloud]

XB2 is looking to be very diffrent from PC hardware wise. I think a xbox1 to PC port would be much easier to do then a xbox 2 to pc port so I sorta doubt SE will bring FF over to xbox2, seeing as they didn't bring any FFs to xbox1.

I was thinking of the port from PC (XNA) to XB2 than XB2 to PC. Since SE have released FF on PC before...

They only released Final Fantasy VII and VIII, and scrapped Final Fantasy IX mind. 6 years is a long time.

 

[Fox5]

There are 6000 games available foe the PS2? I bet my ass 5000 of those never sold more than 1000 copies.

Also what games from the US are popular in JAP? I can't think of any right now.

Grand Theft Auto was fairly popular.

I also believe either Goldeneye or Perfect Dark in Japan outsold Halo in Japan, though niether game sold well.(I'm not even sure if perfect dark made it to japan)

 

[MrSingh]

Even Sega lost a top person that migrated over to Naughty Dog.

who is this person?

 

[Psychogenics]

Don't they hate MS as a company out in Japan?????

 

[Blade]

The ~6000~ PS2-compatible figure includes PS1 titles, definitely.

I was astonished a few years ago when they said that there were 4000+ PS1 games available in Japan..

I mean, Jesus, that's just incredible.

 

[wazoo]

Even Sega lost a top person that migrated over to Naughty Dog.

who is this person?

one of the level designer of the Sonic Team