Microsoft unleashes new Xbox in Japan to lukewarm reaction

Neo · 12-10-2005, 11:46 PM

What surprises me is that Microsoft thought the results would be different this time around when they changed almost nothing with regards to their gaming philosophy.

GameMaster · 12-11-2005, 03:20 AM

Isn't the only reason Japanese gamers rejct it is because the company did not originate in Asia?

MuGen · 12-11-2005, 03:33 AM

No.... there are vast reasons...

Majority of Japanese gamers have a grown loyalty to the Nintendo and Sony brand. Microsoft has only been in this industry for one generation and Xbox 360 is their second offering. Also the Xbox 360's games don't appeal to Japanese gamers...

Being an Asian myself I can tell what asian gamers play most of... which are RPG's, Party games, and Adventure games...... which is what Sony and Nintendo offer to Japanese gamers....

For Sony theres their Final Fantasies, Katamari Damacy, Jak, and Ratchet games...
For Nintendo theres their Zelda, Mario Party, Super Smash bro's games..

Microsoft's launch lineup for the Asian market does not exactly quell Japanese gamers desires. I can't remember the last time Japan had a tailgate party for football...
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This is why I like Sony. Their marketing strategy in a recent interview with PSM magazine outlined that the reason they are looking towards a Spring 2006 release is because they are allowing the developers to create a launch lineup that would be available to all regions and that would appeal to the regions. Kaz Hirai told PSM that he's not worried about Microsoft's early release and that the PS3's launch would be worth the wait.

Neo · 12-11-2005, 11:34 AM

They also have a negative impression of MS in general. They think of an operating system which has numerous bugs and an original xbox which scratched discs. Plus the whole "giant PC" approach just isn't the style of Japanese gamers.

Professor S · 12-11-2005, 02:04 PM

Lets be honest. The Japanese are a extremely nationalistic people. They generally look down on any foreign products and they view their culture as greater than all others. They refer to all foreigners as "gaijin", which is an insult and not unlike a white person calling a black person a "nigger".

The fact that an American/foreign company makes the Xbox may not be the only reason why the Japanese reject the Xbox, it is a very big one, and it is also why the Japanese reaction to the 360 doesn't surprise me at all. In fact I was expecting it.

MuGen · 12-12-2005, 05:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Professor S

Lets be honest. The Japanese are a extremely nationalistic people. They generally look down on any foreign products and they view their culture as greater than all others. They refer to all foreigners as "gaijin", which is an insult and not unlike a white person calling a black person a "nigger".

The fact that an American/foreign company makes the Xbox may not be the only reason why the Japanese reject the Xbox, it is a very big one, and it is also why the Japanese reaction to the 360 doesn't surprise me at all. In fact I was expecting it.

Thats a very old fashioned and traditional view of the japanese people...You may be safe saying that about the older generation, but the newer generation is very open. And stop with the friggin nonsense. Gaijin is directly translated to 'foreigner' and has nothing to do with race or ehtnicity. So don't go comparing japanese words you don't understand to racial slurs.

And if someone from japan called you Gaijin with a hostile look... it was probably you.

edit: i didnt seek ur question link... i'm of course of asian descent. been to japan couple of times though and the markets are cluttered w/ rpg's and mario party ads,

Perfect Stu · 12-12-2005, 09:07 PM

ha! ha! ha! and may godzirra stomp on that yankee doodle trash!

Professor S · 12-13-2005, 12:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sony

Thats a very old fashioned and traditional view of the japanese people...You may be safe saying that about the older generation, but the newer generation is very open. And stop with the friggin nonsense. Gaijin is directly translated to 'foreigner' and has nothing to do with race or ehtnicity. So don't go comparing japanese words you don't understand to racial slurs.

And if someone from japan called you Gaijin with a hostile look... it was probably you.

edit: i didnt seek ur question link... i'm of course of asian descent. been to japan couple of times though and the markets are cluttered w/ rpg's and mario party ads,

I've never been to Japan, but I know wrestlers who have lived and worked there. They are referred to as Gaijin, and it is not a general term no matter what the literal translation is.

Gaijin are looked down upon. Sorry if you don't want to see it that way. Maybe the youth are different, but those that actually run things see it a different way. A traditional and nationalistic way.

Ginkasa · 12-12-2005, 12:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sony

Being an Asian myself I can tell what asian gamers play most of... which are RPG's, Party games, and Adventure games...... which is what Sony and Nintendo offer to Japanese gamers....

I don't mean this negatively or anything...

But are you really an Asian, or a North American of Asian descent?

/me shrugs and walks away

Xantar · 12-12-2005, 01:53 PM

The real test will be when Hironobu Sakaguchi's game comes out. Such a game would automatically be a mega-hit on a Playstation console. Hell, it would probably do quite well an a Nintendo system, too. So we'll just have to see if the Japanese are just too insular to get an XBox 360 for the father of Final Fantasy's next game.

Dylflon · 12-12-2005, 02:06 PM

I'm not inclined to buy an Xbox 360 either.

I wonder if that makes me asian.

...or a racsist.