XBox 360 launched in Japan

[Guden Oden]

just not the steady stream of stupid '360 is teh d00med' comments

Well, unless there's a fairly drastic change from the way things are going, the 360 will fail.

That said though, one has to add that all the INTERESTING titles are still in the pipe. What we've had so far is like dredge from the bottom of the barrel as far as software goes. That mecha game whatsitscalled on an ice world with a hero with amnesia... If that can't warm the otherwise giant robot-crazed japanese, then there's something wrong with them! Well, unless the game sucks I guess, but from the previews it looks really cool (and no pun intended). It's not even that far off into the future either from what I understand.

Main comforting thought for the fanbyos: the 360 can only go up from this point.

 

[scooby_dooby]

I don't disagree, I just feel that with the lack of games it could only be expected to be doing poorly right now.

How could anyone expect it to be selling good right now? It has no games, and the last XBOX had a horrible brandname over there.

It will be interesting to see what happens when a solid library has been built up, and if it's still not selling then then it would look like a write-off to me. Right now, it's just too early to say cause the games suck.

 

[Sis]

Main comforting thought for the fanbyos: the 360 can only go up from this point.

Sadly for MS, I don't think this is true--it can continue it's downward trend. It may see a spike in sales, but something drastic would have to occur for me to think that the Xbox 360 will be anything but irrelevant in Japan. The fact that the sales curve of the Xbox and Xbox 360 are almost identical should be seen as "not promising."

 

[Mr. Hanky]

What is the ETA of these games that are allegedly to turn X360 around (no pun intended) in Jpn?

 

[Tap In]

Japan will never be won by MS in our lifetime's so it's an exercise in futility with a little wishful thinking thrown in.


MS had better just stick to winning NA and Euorope.

 

[Mr. Hanky]

Evidently, there are some here that are still holding out hope for this event. Hence, the assertion that claims worded as yours is above are premature and "overanalysed".

 

[Lysander]

well, when nothing else works then...

http://www.kotaku.com/gaming/cosplay/rumble-roses-xx-demos-excite-otaku-158485.php

 

[scooby_dooby]

Evidently, there are some here that are still holding out hope for this event. Hence, the assertion that claims worded as yours is above are premature and "overanalysed".

Your exagerations never end. No-one in this thread has ever stated a belief that 360 would 'win' in Japan as far as I know.

 

[Mr. Hanky]

Perhaps, not "win", but certainly a "turnaround" of sorts happening. That's all my remark was addressing. Aside from that, you've nicely reduced Tap in's post to the level of "stating the obvious". It's like saying you are reasonably sure Earth will not be get sucked into a blackhole tomorrow- well, duh! ...and that's only if you consider he is talking about within the generation X360.

If you study his wording further, it seems he is also implying that a MS win in Jpn will never happen in our lifetime. That's a considerably larger timespan for the unanticipated to happen. Given that, you of all people should have a beef with that statement. Why not, I wonder...hmmm...

 

[scooby_dooby]

Back pedal a little more why don't you. Once again you're putting words in people's mouths that they didn't say, then pretending you 'meant' somethign else.

I think believing that a turnaround is 'possible' is basic common sense. Considering that no good games have been released yet, the data we have now is not very conclusive.

With games like N3, Chromehounds, Lost Planet, Dead Rising, Blue Dragon & Lost Odyssey coming, I see it being very probable that we see some sort of 'turnaround' from the dismal initial sales.

How much big will the turnaround be is really the question.

 

[Mr. Hanky]

You still have yet to answer the ETA question.

 

[scooby_dooby]

You still have yet to answer the ETA question.

Well there's no one game, but by the end of this year, middle of next it should have a good strong library of some quality japanese titles. We'll be in a better position to reflect on it's success or failure, and the sales figures will be much more meaningful.

It's one thing if it has no games and isn't selling, it's much more meaningful if it has good games and STILL can't sell.

Even by the end of the year, if there's any chance of turning things around we should see it starting by then. Lost Planet, Chromehounds, N3, Dead Rising, Blue Dragon and others should all be out by then. If all these games come out, and this sucker still can't move units, then I'll agree 100% it looks hopeless for 360 in japan.

 

[Mr. Hanky]

Well, it appears that not even your confidence is enough to back the X360 in Jpn. You think the release of some games will make a difference, but are unwilling to commit to which ones and when it will have an impact. So essentially, you are throwing the dart, and then deciding where to put the dartboard. You make the claim that some games will turn the situation around, but are waiting for "that game" to arrive, cause a peak, and then say, "Aha! See, I told you so! I knew it all along!!!" If you really had some substance behind your claim, you would at least have some specific games and ETA's in mind to really "say something" in this topic.

 

[Sis]

Well, it appears that not even your confidence is enough to back the X360 in Jpn. You think the release of some games will make a difference, but are unwilling to commit to which ones and when it will have an impact. So essentially, you are throwing the dart, and then deciding where to put the dartboard. You make the claim that some games will turn the situation around, but are waiting for "that game" to arrive, cause a peak, and then say, "Aha! See, I told you so! I knew it all along!!!" If you really had some substance behind your claim, you would at least have some specific games and ETA's in mind to really "say something" in this topic.

To be fair, scooby has said that you have to wait for the games. Why does it matter which game and by what date? If any of the games causes a jump and turnaround in the Xbox 360's fortunes in Japan, then, well, he'd be right.

I think your question really is: "When can we dance on the grave of the Xbox 360 and not be called out for celebrating too early?" In my mind, there's the big three: Blue Dragon, N3, and Lost Odyssey. I don't believe it's likely to have any effect at this point, but it could... I think it's ok to start the warm-up band...

 

[scooby_dooby]

You think the release of some games will make a difference, but are unwilling to commit to which ones and when it will have an impact.

Despite the fact I just named five specific games? What are you talking about? Do you even read my posts past the first sentence?

No one game is going to suddenly sell a game console to the mass public, it's needs a variety of good games like any console, even more so in this case because XBOX has a terrible repuation. Like I said, we should see most of the fruits of MS's labours in JPN by years end, and whether or not they cause any sort of turnaround.

 

[randycat99]

...and dates, and. You did not answer the question completely by just listing a few games you have your eye on. I believe that was the whole point of asking about "ETA", i.e., release dates, not "sometime later this year".

No one game is going to suddenly sell a game console to the mass public,...

Has there been anyone here saying "one" game would do the trick? You are going off to a tangent once again. Either you are arguing against something no one ever said or stating the very obvious. Which do you cop to?

 

[rabidrabbit]

I think it's a bit overly optimistic to expect xbox360 to succeed in Japan.
I know nobody believes it'll exceed PS3 and Revolution sales (ok, it is selling better now than either of them ), but to think it'll even sell enough to become a significant plaer is.... well, over optimistic.

Sure, there are a couple of games that will help sell it to some more, but how much did DOA do to Japan xbox360 sales? Not much.
What makes people think the couple of other games that appeal better to Japanese tastes would do much more. Especially as PS3 and Revolution releases come ever closer, and it's not that hard to predict which one will sell, xbox360 with Blue Dragon, or PS3 with the mere promise of a next gen Final Fantasy.

I could bet my head that xbox360 won't be any more of a success in Japan than the xbox was. It just has no chance any more.
Had it launched with good selection of titles, it might have had a chance, but a handful of titles year or more after just don't do it, it might were there no competition, but as there is... no chance.
I don't mean to troll, but that's just the reality.
US and Europe are the xbox360 markets, not Japan, and they should accept it and consentrate on delivering titles to these markets. I would even say that the Blue Dragon will be tailored more to a western audience, not to lure the japanese into xbox...
MS are not that stupid as to desperately try to get into Japan, they know there is a large enough market for them elsewhere, and it's those markets that need the games from Japan, not Japan itself.

 

[Shifty Geezer]

...and dates, and. You did not answer the question completely by just listing a few games you have your eye on. I believe that was the whole point of asking about "ETA", i.e., release dates, not "sometime later this year".

What's this. An 'all get Scooby' day? The guy thinks there's a chance for things to improve in Japan if good titles appear fo rthe system. Nothing wrong with that. Nothing wrong with him having that opinion. Why are some people determined to try and discredit that idea with talk of ETAs and naming games? The game that turns XB360fortunes around in Japan (if it ever happens) might be something as yet announced that surprises everyone. Maybe an Arcade game for example. Just because Scooby isn't able to name every game, date every game, and predict the Japanese public's response to every game, doesn't mean it won't happen and the possibility of a turnaround (which Scooby has said he isn't putting money on happening, but is just saying it's too early to write the system off) is fair and valid with Scooby's point of the software not yet appealing. It only takes a 'Nintendogs' sudden popular game to really make a system.

 

[Phil]

From what I have observed over the last few months, the notion of a big "turn around" was very popular. Now that the hype and died down and the results are in, all those that were holding to this idea of a big turn-around are much more down to earth and are quick to forget what they themselves were arguing months/weeks ago. Making claims is one part, but making claims that have any sort of evidence or logical arguments to back them up is another. From what I'm seeing, Scooby's posts mostly - and evidently - fall into the former; Claims based on some good belief and nothing more. Surely we can expect a bit more of an argument here at Beyond3d, can't we? At least an argument of some sort that would actually be of valuable contribution to the forum, one to spark constructive debate.

Is it wrong to expect some quality/signal and maturity here at Beyond3d or are we going to lower our expectations to what we see on Gaming-Age / IGN boards on a daily basis? Kudos to those that have tried to turn this into a constructive argument, a topic worth reading while staying perfectly civilized at all times. Speculation based on some beliefs will only get a topic so far and certainly isn't the best way to improve the quality of this discussion.

 

[rabidrabbit]

Well, the DS already was a fairly succesful before "Nintendogs"
If a 10 score game that appeals to the japanese comes for the xbox360, and there is nobody to play it, does it make an impact?
It needs more than one or five potential games that are released this or next year, it needs a constant supply of those games, and assuring people that there indeed will be more of those games after the first one... that will be very very difficult considering the Revolution and PS3 will launch with that promise and that promise will be fulfilled (unless a series of meteors suddenly hit Sony and Nintendo HQ's and all the japanese devs making games for them )