..But despite its early market entry, consumers Saturday appeared muted in their enthusiasm in contrast to the excitement generated at the console's US debut on November 22.
Only some 10 people were in line when a central Tokyo outlet of the Bic Camera consumer electronics chain opened its Xbox sales counter at 7:00 am.
Customer reactions "are a bit subdued," a senior store official said, adding that fewer than 50 consoles were sold in the first two hours.
"It's not going to be a big hit in Japan," said 26-year-old Kentaro Okamoto, one of the first Xbox 360 buyers. "I buy every new game console... but normally Japanese customers only buy a machine when it's made by Sony or Nintendo."
Hard-core gamers overlap with heavy computer users and many of them have a negative image of Microsoft's Windows software because of its price, lack of after-sales support and unstable operating system, he said.
i think we all pretty much figured this out. i think though, that a big part of it is that the Japanese are so damn loyal to their own. i don't think MS will ever be really successful over there.
I wonder if MS has really even tried to assail the Japanese market. Are there many games available? I find it hard to believe that American MS would be 100% committed to creating Japanese language titles.
Dave wrote:I wonder if MS has really even tried to assail the Japanese market. Are there many games available? I find it hard to believe that American MS would be 100% committed to creating Japanese language titles.
and why should they be? they have like a million games over there.
troo.. I just think Sony and Nintendo have a much better insight into what Japanese consumers want. Americans are habitually bad at figuring that out because our culture often works its way into other societies without us having to modify it much (McDonalds for instance)
Dave wrote:I wonder if MS has really even tried to assail the Japanese market. Are there many games available? I find it hard to believe that American MS would be 100% committed to creating Japanese language titles.
they spent millions on this:
complete with lounging area, cafe, etc. opened Nov. 2nd. they want a better foothold in Japan for sure, but the only thing they have going for them is an early launch. no rpg's that i know of, which Japanese gamers will at.
10 people?
also, the jap version can only play 12 old xbox games on it (the US and euro versions have about 180 backwardscompatible games), and there were like 5 launch titles.
MS fucked up the jap launch AGAIN. gg
Dave wrote:I wonder if MS has really even tried to assail the Japanese market. Are there many games available? I find it hard to believe that American MS would be 100% committed to creating Japanese language titles.
they spent millions on this:
complete with lounging area, cafe, etc. opened Nov. 2nd. they want a better foothold in Japan for sure, but the only thing they have going for them is an early launch. no rpg's that i know of, which Japanese gamers will at.
Dave wrote:I wonder if MS has really even tried to assail the Japanese market. Are there many games available? I find it hard to believe that American MS would be 100% committed to creating Japanese language titles.
they spent millions on this:
complete with lounging area, cafe, etc. opened Nov. 2nd. they want a better foothold in Japan for sure, but the only thing they have going for them is an early launch. no rpg's that i know of, which Japanese gamers will at.
where the fuck is that?
The Xbox 360 Lounge will be located in Tokyo's up-market Aoyama district. It is scheduled to open its doors to guests on November 1 and for general visitors the following day. In addition to Xbox 360 consoles, the center will also have a 70-seat cafe, according to Microsoft.
You know... I was thinking to myself the other day how all asians kinda look the same to me and I wondered if white people looked the same to asians when I realized all asians seem to have the same colour eyes and hair colour. There's no naturaly born blond asians unless there's caucasian blood. So, rather than it being a racist thought I think it may actualy be true. And they look funny.
Gamers planning to buy an Xbox 360 at Shibuya Tsutaya didn't have to worry about lining up early, as the store gave out numbered tickets to ensure order. Nonetheless, there were already more than 80 people lined up outside in the cold an hour before the console went on sale at 7 a.m.
An additional crowd of curious pedestrians also gathered around the building, wondering what all the fuss was about. Some of the attendees from the previous night's countdown party at the Xbox 360 Lounge were also on hand. The number of customers at the Shibuya Tsutaya event eventually totaled 250, according to Microsoft.
still, for being THE place to get a 360, those numbers just look very low to me. MS just doesn't have the games that the Japanese want to play, plain and simple.
Gamers planning to buy an Xbox 360 at Shibuya Tsutaya didn't have to worry about lining up early, as the store gave out numbered tickets to ensure order. Nonetheless, there were already more than 80 people lined up outside in the cold an hour before the console went on sale at 7 a.m.
An additional crowd of curious pedestrians also gathered around the building, wondering what all the fuss was about. Some of the attendees from the previous night's countdown party at the Xbox 360 Lounge were also on hand. The number of customers at the Shibuya Tsutaya event eventually totaled 250, according to Microsoft.
still, for being THE place to get a 360, those numbers just look very low to me.
I'm sure SONY would have a 57 mile long que.
I'm sorry but this is retarded. less than 3% of all 360 sales are faulty, and SONY fanboys love to moan on and like its the biggest problem the world as ever seen. Lets not forget that A) When the PS2 launched, sony couldn't get ANYTHING sold because they didn't make enough, just to "seem" like its the number one gift. And B) 11% of "ALL" consoles sold are btought back faulty.
So yeah, go on and on about how shit the 360 is, all of you can. Your almost as dumb as these people that say the PS3 is "so much more powerful than a 360 it makes the 360 look like the psone".
Come on. Grow up. There is place for all the consoles. Just so happens that the Nintendo will rule Japan. Big deal.
Gamers planning to buy an Xbox 360 at Shibuya Tsutaya didn't have to worry about lining up early, as the store gave out numbered tickets to ensure order. Nonetheless, there were already more than 80 people lined up outside in the cold an hour before the console went on sale at 7 a.m.
An additional crowd of curious pedestrians also gathered around the building, wondering what all the fuss was about. Some of the attendees from the previous night's countdown party at the Xbox 360 Lounge were also on hand. The number of customers at the Shibuya Tsutaya event eventually totaled 250, according to Microsoft.
still, for being THE place to get a 360, those numbers just look very low to me.
I'm sure SONY would have a 57 mile long que.
I'm sorry but this is retarded. less than 3% of all 360 sales are faulty, and SONY fanboys love to moan on and like its the biggest problem the world as ever seen. Lets not forget that A) When the PS2 launched, sony couldn't get ANYTHING sold because they didn't make enough, just to "seem" like its the number one gift. And B) 11% of "ALL" consoles sold are btought back faulty.
So yeah, go on and on about how shit the 360 is, all of you can. Your almost as dumb as these people that say the PS3 is "so much more powerful than a 360 it makes the 360 look like the psone".
Come on. Grow up. There is place for all the consoles. Just so happens that the Nintendo will rule Japan. Big deal.
yeah, i have three Nintendo consoles. sure makes me a sony fanboi
Gamers planning to buy an Xbox 360 at Shibuya Tsutaya didn't have to worry about lining up early, as the store gave out numbered tickets to ensure order. Nonetheless, there were already more than 80 people lined up outside in the cold an hour before the console went on sale at 7 a.m.
An additional crowd of curious pedestrians also gathered around the building, wondering what all the fuss was about. Some of the attendees from the previous night's countdown party at the Xbox 360 Lounge were also on hand. The number of customers at the Shibuya Tsutaya event eventually totaled 250, according to Microsoft.
still, for being THE place to get a 360, those numbers just look very low to me.
I'm sure SONY would have a 57 mile long que.
I'm sorry but this is retarded. less than 3% of all 360 sales are faulty, and SONY fanboys love to moan on and like its the biggest problem the world as ever seen. Lets not forget that A) When the PS2 launched, sony couldn't get ANYTHING sold because they didn't make enough, just to "seem" like its the number one gift. And B) 11% of "ALL" consoles sold are btought back faulty.
So yeah, go on and on about how shit the 360 is, all of you can. Your almost as dumb as these people that say the PS3 is "so much more powerful than a 360 it makes the 360 look like the psone".
Come on. Grow up. There is place for all the consoles. Just so happens that the Nintendo will rule Japan. Big deal.
wow just when i thought you couldn't outdork yourself.
at.
