Microsoft unleashes new Xbox in Japan to lukewarm reaction

[Teuthida]

The Japanese are a funny case in terms of nationality. They hate to include themselves with the rest of Asia. The most popular selling manga as of late are ones that put down Chinese and Koreans. It's quite popular to bash South Korea since the Korean pop scene and other things have been invading Japan. Sorta like how here some people lash out against anime and are tired of the Japanese influence on the media they used to like. Japan's modern culture grabs bits from other countries. Most of their knowledge of the US for example comes from such things like MTV...not a real awareness. Thus when my friend's cousin came to the states from Japan to visit he was pretty dumbfounded that his dreds and Rastafarian clothing weren't the norm.

As for Xbox 360 not selling well why do you assume iPods are virtually nonexistent in South Korea whereas way too popular here? Where a product originates is a big influence on who buys it even if you refuse to believe it.

[DarrenMcLeod]

http://www.kotaku.com/gaming/xbox-36...ces-142368.php

[Teuthida]

Oh my. I feel kinda bad for MS.

J Allard needs a hug.

[Dyne]

The question is, why did those stores sign those contracts?

They should've actually looked at the console.

[GameMaster]

The store should sell them to American retail stores. People are still hungry for 360 over here. They aren't paying double or triple the price on eBay but people still want them.

[Jonbo298]

I think Microsoft also put in that contract you can't just export them overseas

[MuGen]

Believe it or not, but most of the market is Eurasia and Japan with about 60%. Without Japan now, Microsoft's hopes for crushing Sony in the gaming industry have been crushed.

Either that or my hopes of Microsoft failing because they thought a head start would change things have been fullfilled.

[Professor S]

Originally Posted by Sony

Human nature tells us we always fear what we can't understand. And don't take the perspective of wrestlers you knew who were there. Ultimately it comes down to your experiences and what your opinion about it is. I bet you if you went to Japan you'd have a blast. No one would get in your face without a reason. Wrestlers face animosity wherever they go, from fans who don't like there character to rival fans.

My advice to you is to visit Japan and see how their culture works and how they go about their lives before making a stereotype about them. Remember... they came from an Imperialistic origin with Emperors and a Monarchy. You could say their stubborness roots from that, but today things are a lot different. How do you think they got their clothes, their start in technology and their industrialization? The WEST....

they are what they are today because they accepted western philosophy. If not you'd still be seeing samurais....

1) I know I'd have a great time in Japan, and its one of the 3 places I want to visit before I kick off. When I say that Gaijin are looked down upon, I don't mean that the Japanese would outwardly treat them badly. Japanese nationailism isn't the same as American racism. Its soft and polite, you are treated with respect, but you are still not considered at their level.

2) You know nothing about wrestlers, how they are treated, or how wrestling works in Japan. I'll leave it at that.

3) While Samurais do not exist anymore in Japan, Samurai culture and its code of honor are still very prevalent. Afterall, non-feudal Japan is still very young, so to think that the old ways are not still evident is the equivalent of saying that racism/classism no longer exists in America (and no, I'm not comparing Japanese nationalism to malignant racism or slavery)

4) I spent a semester studying Japanese culture, and I've followed Japanese Puroresu and Sumo for years. I know a thing or two about the Japanese and their culture and history.

The Japanese will accept foreign ideas and products, but it takes a while, and they initially distrust foreign goods. An American can be accepted on the same level as a indigenous Japanese, but it takes years of proving yourself. The proof even lies in Japanese writing. In Japanese media, native Japanese names are presented in a traditonal dialect, while Gaijin names are presented in a lower, phonetic-based dialect.

And just curious Sony, have you ever been to Japan? If so, what was your experience like?

[MuGen]

Yes, a couple of years ago for graduation I spent 2 weeks in Japan. And I made several friends over there whom I still keep in touch with. I also study Japanese culture and I have several Japanese friends who live here now whom lived most of their lives in Japan. They enlight me almost everyday with new things about japanese culture and how things are done.

All I'm saying is, it's not as it once was before. The only reason Japan is such a power house now is because of Western civilization's influence on them. They wouldn't have cars today nor would they have any kind of electronic device without western industrialization of Japan.

Originally Posted by ProfessorS

I'm not comparing Japanese nationalism to malignant racism or slavery)

hmm...

Originally Posted by ProfessorS

They refer to all foreigners as "gaijin", which is an insult and not unlike a white person calling a black person a "nigger".

I'd say the offensive nature of the world 'nigger' is held on a very high pedestal compared to 'gaijin.' It's safe to say that the older Japanese people still hold a grudge and evident stubborness towards foreigners because Foreigners are the ones that changed their way of life. You may say the way of the samurai is still prevalent, because the older generation hold on to their traditions with a firm grasp. As seen in The Last Samurai... they were very religious about their traditional ways and held on strong to keep Japan from modernizing. Their conviction for their traditional culture was steadfast. Today, you see that in the old generation. The youth is changing Japan however and things are a lot more open. US and European bands from afar are heralded in Japan now, and the iPod is widely used now in Japan.

Although the first games weren't from Japan.... it was Nintendo that came out as the pioneer in video games. And so the videogame industry has been widely dominated by the japanese market. So in all honestly, Microsoft never had a chance in Japan.

[DarrenMcLeod]

When you say "Eurasia," what exactly are you referring to?

[Teuthida]

http://www.1up.com/do/newsStory?cId=3146296

Clears up the price cut. @TCOM trying to get some more business.

[DarrenMcLeod]

Teuthida, why must you stomp all over everything?

You ruin all the fun.

[Teuthida]

I started this topic so I set the fun level.

[Professor S]

Originally Posted by Sony

I'd say the offensive nature of the world 'nigger' is held on a very high pedestal compared to 'gaijin.' It's safe to say that the older Japanese people still hold a grudge and evident stubborness towards foreigners because Foreigners are the ones that changed their way of life. You may say the way of the samurai is still prevalent, because the older generation hold on to their traditions with a firm grasp. As seen in The Last Samurai... they were very religious about their traditional ways and held on strong to keep Japan from modernizing. Their conviction for their traditional culture was steadfast. Today, you see that in the old generation. The youth is changing Japan however and things are a lot more open. US and European bands from afar are heralded in Japan now, and the iPod is widely used now in Japan.

Although the first games weren't from Japan.... it was Nintendo that came out as the pioneer in video games. And so the videogame industry has been widely dominated by the japanese market. So in all honestly, Microsoft never had a chance in Japan.

I meant the nigger/gaijin comparison in the way that they are not unlike in that they are or were considered insults, not in the power that they hold.

Well, maybe things have changed in the passed decade or so. After all, my class took place enarly a decade ago (holy crap I'm old). Lord knows American youth culture has completely been revolutionized in the last decade by communications technologies. There is a good chance that could have happened in Japan.

I'll concede and take your word for it, Sony. Enjoy it, it doesn't happen often

[Dylflon]

I wanted to make a joke about an American accusing someone of being nationalistic but I think I'm too late.

It would have been all in good fun, I assure you.