Microsoft will launch Xbox Series X in Japan, says they need to do a much better job in that market.

https://www.techradar.com/news/microsoft-confirms-xbox-series-x-will-launch-in-japan-and-says-it-must-do-a-much-better-job

The Xbox Series X will launch in Japan during the holiday season 2020 (that’s between October and December for our non-US readers) despite historically poor sales for the Xbox brand in the country.

Microsoft confirmed the console would launch at the same time as the rest of the world in a statement to the long-running Japanese video games magazine, Famitsu (thanks, VGC).

The Xbox One arrived in Japan 12 months after it launched in Western regions, which didn’t exactly scream that Microsoft cared much about the Japanese market.

To date, the Xbox One has captured just 0.3% of global sales in the region according to market research company IDC, and Famitsu’s latest annual sales report for 2018 states that the beleaguered console shifted 15,339 units during the entire year. Compare this to Sony and Nintendo, which managed to sell 1.7 million PS4 consoles and 3.5 million units of the Nintendo Switch, and it’s grim reading for Microsoft.

Microsoft isn't giving up, though. In an interview with Gamertag Radio, Xbox boss Phil Spencer has acknowledged the company’s failures in the region, and has pledged to do “a much better job” with the Xbox Series X. Some analysts have called for Microsoft to pull out of Japan entirely, as they see it as an impossible hurdle for Microsoft to overcome, but Spencer said he remains committed to the region and hopes Xbox can “mean more than it does today” when Xbox Series X launches in Japan.

Microsoft has recently acquired more Japanese games for Xbox One fans to enjoy in the last few months. The Yakuza series has made its way to Xbox Game Pass, as well as Kingdom Hearts 3. Xbox One also got a number of Final Fantasy games, although it’s unclear when Final Fantasy 7 Remake will arrive on Microsoft’s platform.

Xbox in Japan

Xbox has consistently been overlooked by Japanese consumers and has made a number of missteps since the original Xbox released. Over the generations, though, Microsoft has invested in exclusive games like Dead or Alive 3, Lost Odyssey and Blue Dragon in an attempt to broaden its player base beyond America and Europe.

Can Microsoft make it big in Japan, then? Early predictions would probably point to no, as the odds are certainly stacked against the company. But Phil Spencer’s continued commitment can only be admired, and if the Xbox Series X wants to get the same type of games that PS5 and Nintendo Switch will inevitably attract, having a presence in Japan is still an absolute must.

What do you think, SW? Can Microsoft do better in this market, or is it a lost cause? I actually would love to see them compete and get quality Japanese games for the systems. It could compel me to get the system!

Yeah I dunno man. Don't really keep up with sales stuff, but if they haven't gained a foothold for 3 gens running then I doubt it's happening now.

Not like the Japanese console market is what it used to be anyways. Not saying the region should be ignored, just don't see it being some major priority for MS at this point.

If anything just concentrate on getting more Japanese games on the platform for the rest of their user base to enjoy.

Yea, we could be repeating history here, as MS has tried before to get Japanese games on the platform, but I think major games should be a no brainer. Games like Persona and Dragon Quest are big enough to be sold on the system. I wasn't big into the original Xbox back in the day, but I believe it had a lot more niche titles too. Would be cool to see Xbox compete with PS and Nintendo on that front. But yea, it's been tried before. Maybe Phil can make a difference!

microsoft still planning for a Japan release means there is Japan devs that is interested in making something for the console. Believe it or not Xbox is actually a weeb console in Japan, tons of Visual Novels not even on Playstation or Nintendo. Perfect console for the shut ins.

How did the Xbox One sell in Japan?

What's a Japan? :P

Anyway, MS spent millions in the past with good faith efforts and still Japan snubbed Xbox so I wouldn't waste too much on them in the future. Just sell the Xbox games for what you can on PC and call it a day.

@HalcyonScarlet: it actually sold triple digits last week and current YTD of around 2.2k. I think it can beat last year's number of 2.8k total units sold.

Yea, but maybe your boy Phil can change it around.

Perhaps but I highly doubt it. MS really gave it a heck of a try with 360 and the results were lackluster to say the least.

They just won't support MS, a U.S. based gaming company > their own homegrown gaming companies and likely even if MS gave'em away for almost free. :(

Lol, no one cares for Xbox in Japan, actually the whole of Asia probably.

XGS most likely need to go grassroots with ID@Xbox with the smaller studios and build relationship that way and feature more games on GamePass/Publish. Then just keep building relationships so that bigger 3rd party don't bypass.

If they can't make a dent with hardware, maybe Xcloud/Gamepass combo is another way to tap into the market.

Xbox has never done well in Japan. Not once. I don't know why they would bother this time around but oh well.

I feel like I've heard this before

They say this every generation. They'll release 2 jrpg's and call it a day. Don't know why they're even trying.

Very good to hear as I love many Japanese made games so the more that come to the Xbox platform the better. Things seem to going well in that direction seeing stuff like Phantasy Star Online 2, the Yakuza games, and a new Tales of hitting the Xbox One. Still would love to see Dragon Quest games and Final Fantasy XIV come to the platform.

@Archangel3371:

I'm fairly certain FF XIV is on Xbox One. I think I tried it via GamePass.

You miss every shot you don't take.

you beat me to it was going to say the same thing.

@SecretPolice: No, Final Fantasy XIV is the online MMO one.

@Archangel3371:

Ah okay, never mind. lol :P

lol, you forgot to add one visual novel.

What sort of fallacy is this?

You act like a system has to sell well in Japan to get quality Japanese games, are you saying games made in Japan don't sell well out side of Japan?

Are you also saying the XB1 doesn't have any quality Japanese games?

@i_p_daily: Pfft, Xbox gets like 25% of what's out there. No Persona, no Dragon Quest, no Tales, no Ys, no Trails of Cold Steel, no Disgaea. The list goes on and on.

If its a requirement for Japanese support then they got to do what they got to do.

Makes no difference to me if japanese people buy one or not. I am.

@SolidGame_basic: Good to know. Less clutter in my store for games I’d never buy.

Tired of reading half baked excuses like "Phil's visiting Japan again, just wait!". Xbox clearly needs better Japanese game support and just launching in Japan isn't going to help them until they do.

Moving the goal posts I see, you said "get quality Japanese games" and they do, which makes your post a fallacy.

Could they get more yes, but lets not act like they get none like you are pretending.

Also the 360 didn't sell well in Japan and it got a LOT of Japanese support because of its worldwide sales, so this its needs to sell well in Japan to get quality games is a fallacy.

@SolidGame_basic: Actually Tales of Vesperia Definitive Edition is on the Xbox One and the upcoming Tales of Arise is going to be on the system as well. Y’s Origins is on the Xbox One. Hopefully this will pave the way for some of the other games too.

I didn't say it had none.

Tales of Berseria, Tales of Zestiria did not come to Xbox. Ys 8 did not come to Xbox.

@SolidGame_basic: Yeah I know that but the new upcoming Tales game is and ToV is already on the system. Y’s Origins is on as well. You saying that no games from those franchises are on Xbox is simply wrong.

I think you're missing the forest here.

@SolidGame_basic: What forest? You said that no Tales games and no Y’s games were on the system and that’s simply not true. What exactly is it that I’m missing here because it’s seems pretty cut and dry to me.

You referenced a remaster of a 360 game and a 15 year old PC as proof. Meanwhile PS4 got the latest Tales and Ys games. The point of my thread was I would like to see Xbox get support for these games. Tales of Arise is a start but in no ways compensates for so many games on PS4 and Switch that are no where to be found on Xbox.

@SolidGame_basic: Jesus dude. It’s ok just to admit you were wrong you know. You’re struggling WAY too hard over this and are just moving goalposts now. Tales of Vesperia Definitive Edition is still a Tales game that is on all current systems INCLUDING Xbox One and Tales of Arise is still a new Tales game that is also coming to Xbox One. Now it’s about compensating for other games not being on the system. Come on. 😅

Sure Y’s Origins is not a recent Y’s game but it’s still an Y’s game on the Xbox One. Maybe the recent ones will hit the platform, maybe they won’t but regardless saying that there’s no Y’s game is on the Xbox platform is simply just wrong. There’s really no two ways about it.

Xbox would get more Japanese support if their fanboys didn't shit on Japanese games all the time on social media.

This. They also don't buy them as much as people buy Japanese games on Nintendo and Sony systems. Not even close.

You said "get quality Japanese games" which implies there is none, don't try and change the narrative/move goal posts, that's what you said, and you knew what you were saying to put shade on the Xbox which is fine, but when you get caught out at least own your own shit.

And as arch said there is some of those games and yet you choose to ignore those and fixate on the ones not on Xbox to push the fallacy that you have started and can't own up to, that's sad.

And Archangel don't worry about him, we know why he said what he did, just to make the Xbox bad lol. and yeah he can't own his own shit.

Me and arch 1 unsolid 0, take the L and move on man

@i_p_daily: Yeah definitely not going to worry about it. Actually Xbox has been trending upwards in Japanese developer support for the last bit now and I expect that to continue into next gen as well.

It's a bit futile at this point. Xbox failed to make a mark when home consoles were still relevant in Japan. The Xbox brand has too much negative baggage there. And now that home consoles are becoming irrelevant in Japan, it's going to be even harder.

I guess Spencer doesn't want to give up on Japan because he knows Xbox will need more Japanese software in order to compete with the software variety available on PlayStation. The best way to win over Japanese devs is by having a strong market presence in Japan, which Xbox lacks.

It's an uphill battle. A good way might be to simply rename the console in Japan. Don't call it Xbox, which has a negative reputation there. Think up a new name for the Japanese market. And for the marketing, establish a nostalgic connection with the MSX, the most successful Microsoft hardware ever in Japan. Like with the "4 the Players" nostalgia campaign that Sony used for the PS4. MSX nostalgia could help Microsoft in Japan if they play that card well.

Why do people keep repeating this line when its not true. I mean Japanese games are sold around the WORLD and also popular around the WORLD. So sold numbers worldwide would be the main factor.

For example the XB1 sells like double digits a week in Japan, so if we go by your logic no Japanese dev would make games for it, and yet a lot (if not all the biggest Japanese devs) make games for the XB1, yes there are games that don't come to it, and it could be better, but there is a lot that does.

@neogeo2k2: avoid referring to the Japanese as "Japs." It is considered offensive due to its hostile use during World War II.

@neogeo2k2: avoid posting altogether.

Please re-read my OPs:"Pfft, Xbox gets like 25% of what's out there. No Persona, no Dragon Quest, no Tales, no Ys, no Trails of Cold Steel, no Disgaea. The list goes on and on."

Never said Xbox doesn't get any Japanese games. IP retorted that there are Japanese games on the system, but I never said to begin with that Xbox doesn't get ANY. He's inferring that. I then gave him some examples of major franchises whose games I didn't see on Xbox. Yes, Tales of Vesperia Definitive Edition came out, but the last two entries did not. As for Ys, Ys 8 came out on PS4 and then came to Switch. Never came to Xbox. Ys 9 was announced for PS4. The point of my original post was that I would love to see Xbox compete more for the Japanese market. You named a couple of titles just to debunk my response, and while true that those two titles are available, the support for current titles are lacking. You did mention Tales of Arise, and that's great, I'm happy about that. Let's see more!

@i_p_daily said:

@SolidGame_basic said:

@i_p_daily said:

@SolidGame_basic said:

@i_p_daily: Pfft, Xbox gets like 25% of what's out there. No Persona, no Dragon Quest, no Tales, no Ys, no Trails of Cold Steel, no Disgaea. The list goes on and on.

Moving the goal posts I see, you said "get quality Japanese games" and they do, which makes your post a fallacy.

Could they get more yes, but lets not act like they get none like you are pretending.

Also the 360 didn't sell well in Japan and it got a LOT of Japanese support because of its worldwide sales, so this its needs to sell well in Japan to get quality games is a fallacy.

I didn't say it had none.

@Archangel3371 said:

@SolidGame_basic: Actually Tales of Vesperia Definitive Edition is on the Xbox One and the upcoming Tales of Arise is going to be on the system as well. Y’s Origins is on the Xbox One. Hopefully this will pave the way for some of the other games too.

Tales of Berseria, Tales of Zestiria did not come to Xbox. Ys 8 did not come to Xbox.

You said "get quality Japanese games" which implies there is none, don't try and change the narrative/move goal posts, that's what you said, and you knew what you were saying to put shade on the Xbox which is fine, but when you get caught out at least own your own shit.

And as arch said there is some of those games and yet you choose to ignore those and fixate on the ones not on Xbox to push the fallacy that you have started and can't own up to, that's sad.

And Archangel don't worry about him, we know why he said what he did, just to make the Xbox bad lol. and yeah he can't own his own shit.

Me and arch 1 unsolid 0, take the L and move on man

You seem to take offense to any post about MS. My OP said I would love to see MS compete in Japan and get quality titles. That's it. You're the one that's reading into it. There's no conspiracy here lol. You brought up that Xbox already gets Japanese titles. I'm saying I would love to see them compete for Japanese games at the same level as Sony and Nintendo. There are a lot of Japanese games that never csme to Xbox this gen.

Yay...good news for the 2 people who buy Xbox in Japan.

@SolidGame_basic said:

@Archangel3371 said:

@SolidGame_basic: Jesus dude. It’s ok just to admit you were wrong you know. You’re struggling WAY too hard over this and are just moving goalposts now. Tales of Vesperia Definitive Edition is still a Tales game that is on all current systems INCLUDING Xbox One and Tales of Arise is still a new Tales game that is also coming to Xbox One. Now it’s about compensating for other games not being on the system. Come on. 😅

Sure Y’s Origins is not a recent Y’s game but it’s still an Y’s game on the Xbox One. Maybe the recent ones will hit the platform, maybe they won’t but regardless saying that there’s no Y’s game is on the Xbox platform is simply just wrong. There’s really no two ways about it.

Please re-read my OPs:"Pfft, Xbox gets like 25% of what's out there. No Persona, no Dragon Quest, no Tales, no Ys, no Trails of Cold Steel, no Disgaea. The list goes on and on."

Never said Xbox doesn't get any Japanese games. IP retorted that there are Japanese games on the system, but I never said to begin with that Xbox doesn't get ANY. He's inferring that. I then gave him some examples of major franchises whose games I didn't see on Xbox. Yes, Tales of Vesperia Definitive Edition came out, but the last two entries did not. As for Ys, Ys 8 came out on PS4 and then came to Switch. Never came to Xbox. Ys 9 was announced for PS4. The point of my original post was that I would love to see Xbox compete more for the Japanese market. You named a couple of titles just to debunk my response, and while true that those two titles are available, the support for current titles are lacking. You did mention Tales of Arise, and that's great, I'm happy about that. Let's see more!

@i_p_daily said:

@SolidGame_basic said:

@i_p_daily said:

@SolidGame_basic said:

@i_p_daily: Pfft, Xbox gets like 25% of what's out there. No Persona, no Dragon Quest, no Tales, no Ys, no Trails of Cold Steel, no Disgaea. The list goes on and on.

Moving the goal posts I see, you said "get quality Japanese games" and they do, which makes your post a fallacy.

Could they get more yes, but lets not act like they get none like you are pretending.

Also the 360 didn't sell well in Japan and it got a LOT of Japanese support because of its worldwide sales, so this its needs to sell well in Japan to get quality games is a fallacy.

I didn't say it had none.

@Archangel3371 said:

@SolidGame_basic: Actually Tales of Vesperia Definitive Edition is on the Xbox One and the upcoming Tales of Arise is going to be on the system as well. Y’s Origins is on the Xbox One. Hopefully this will pave the way for some of the other games too.

Tales of Berseria, Tales of Zestiria did not come to Xbox. Ys 8 did not come to Xbox.

You said "get quality Japanese games" which implies there is none, don't try and change the narrative/move goal posts, that's what you said, and you knew what you were saying to put shade on the Xbox which is fine, but when you get caught out at least own your own shit.

And as arch said there is some of those games and yet you choose to ignore those and fixate on the ones not on Xbox to push the fallacy that you have started and can't own up to, that's sad.

And Archangel don't worry about him, we know why he said what he did, just to make the Xbox bad lol. and yeah he can't own his own shit.

Me and arch 1 unsolid 0, take the L and move on man

You seem to take offense to any post about MS. My OP said I would love to see MS compete in Japan and get quality titles. That's it. You're the one that's reading into it. There's no conspiracy here lol. You brought up that Xbox already gets Japanese titles. I'm saying I would love to see them compete for Japanese games at the same level as Sony and Nintendo. There are a lot of Japanese games that never csme to Xbox this gen.

I don't take offense, I just call bullshit when I see it, and I saw it with your post and so did archangel, its why we called you on it.

@neogeo2k2:

You do know Japan loves the iPhone right? What they dont love is the shitty xbox,which support is a joke MS simply doesn't understand the Japanese market.

Save the whole trump like crap here,we play consoles here not countries.

@i_p_daily:

No that's a lie actually you get butthurt and tearful when anything bad about the xbox is say or good about Sony I may add.😂

Nah you are the one who gets butthurt and has threads saved from 2003 onwards LMFAO.