Let the price cuts begin

[JamesD]

Price cuts for the 360 in Japan on Sept 11.

http://news.cnet.com/8301-17938_105-100298...&subj=Crave

[Tempest]

I'm buying one as soon as the price cuts happen here on the 7th.

 

Tempest

[+Lynxer2007]

I don't understand why it's performing terribly over there. I guess they just hate foreign game consoles.

[Tempest]

I don't understand why it's performing terribly over there. I guess they just hate foreign game consoles.

I did a marketing class project on this subject (that was fun). Basically Microsoft doesn't understand what the Japanese consumer wants in a console. It was too big, lacked many of the types of genres that Japanese gamers look for (such as dating sims), and at the time was too expensive. Of course there's a little 'non-Japanese console' bias going on, but that's only a small part of it.

 

Tempest

[moycon]

It was too big, at the time was too expensive

 

Apparently Sony doesn't know either then. The PS3 was more expensive and is so big and dense it can be used as one of those drive on car jacks.

 

I agree it's a combination of things, including the poor reliability and the noise, but the 360 sold like crap from day one.

I think it has a lot more to do with the fact that it's an American made console than any other factor though.

Before the 360 was even released polls were done. Here's one...

 

"News agency C-News surveyed 1,000 Japanese consumers, ranging in age from 10 to 59, and found that only two percent were interested in buying the Xbox 360."

 

http://kotaku.com/gaming/xbox-2/japan-hate...-360-112397.php

 

This was before the thing was even released. What exactly did consumers have to go on at that point except the fact it was a videogame console and made in the US??

Edited September 3, 2008 by moycon

[Cobra Kai]

I don't understand why it's performing terribly over there. I guess they just hate foreign game consoles.

I did a marketing class project on this subject (that was fun). Basically Microsoft doesn't understand what the Japanese consumer wants in a console. It was too big, lacked many of the types of genres that Japanese gamers look for (such as dating sims), and at the time was too expensive. Of course there's a little 'non-Japanese console' bias going on, but that's only a small part of it.

 

Tempest

 

Gimme a break, the jingoism is ALL of it. The Japanese rejection of genres like the FPS is an extension of that ideal. If Japan had originated and produced all the great FPS games, it is a no-brainer that the FPS genre would have been huge there too.

 

I didn't think it was some big mystery, it's been well known that Japan by and large rejects non-Japanese originated games out of hand. Jingoism is the only thing that explains this, not game selection. The success of the PS3 basically shoots holes in every point you talk about being a negative for the 360, like Size and Price, don't you think?

 

I think the Japanese are foolish for the way they treat non-Japanese gaming products because they are missing out on just some damn fine games and experiences. I think you could say the exact opposite about the US gamers, we'll play and try anything gaming wise and tend to reject alot of the Japanese pure crap like Mr. Mosquito for example, but we'll try it.

[Tempest]

The success of the PS3 basically shoots holes in every point you talk about being a negative for the 360, like Size and Price, don't you think.

Err the PS3 didn't exactly sell well either until recently. Better than the 360, but not at all well. The PS3 promised FF as an exclusive along with several other high anticipated games which the 360 didn't have (did you ever take a look at the 360's Japanese launch titles? Ugh!). I'm also sure the Japanese didn't have a very good taste in their mouths from the original Xbox disaster which probably didn't help matters. In the end, who are you going to go with? Two companies with a history of making game systems that cater to your tastes and just happen to be headquartered in your country, or a foreign company that already had one failed system in your country and caters to western tastes? Gee, I wonder why it failed?

 

Jingoism is the only thing that explains this? Hardly...

 

 

Tempest

[Cobra Kai]

How big of a success was Atari in Japan at any stage of their life? There is no Western and Eastern tastes, there is only good games and bad games. The success of Japanese games and systems in the United States proves this, we will play anything and welcome with open arms Sim games, JRPGs, and readily import titles with regularity.

 

You cannot explain the failure of Doom or Half Life in Japan as anything other than shortsighted jingoism. No gamer could honestly say those are bad games, as they've succeeded everywhere else in the world, except Japan. Why is that?

[+Random Terrain]

You cannot explain the failure of Doom or Half Life in Japan as anything other than shortsighted jingoism. No gamer could honestly say those are bad games, as they've succeeded everywhere else in the world, except Japan. Why is that?

It's simple. The characters in those games don't have that crappy Anime look with huge eyes and big floppy mouths that look like Lancelot Link, Secret Chimp characters when they talk.

 

[Gregory DG]

It was too big

360 or Xbox 1? From what I understand MS made the 360 smaller as a response to the critics claiming the Xbox 1 was too big.

 

lacked many of the types of genres that Japanese gamers look for (such as dating sims)

Definitely true. Although they supposedly tried harder to get them more RPGs.

 

and at the time was too expensive.

Not as expensive as the PS3! Which sells better over there.

 

Of course there's a little 'non-Japanese console' bias going on, but that's only a small part of it.

I think it's more like 90% of it. When it comes to electronics they're extremely loyal to their own stuff. Shoot, when the PS3 came out they'd rather buy one of them for a higher price and fewer games!

 

BTW, can't wait to get a reduced priced 360 now.

Edited September 4, 2008 by Gregory DG

[FastRobPlus]

The 360 design tested very well in Japan. It was co-designed by a California and Japanese firm.

 

Are you sure there are no dating sims for the 360? I have not done a deep dive, but I can say I got a bunch of V1 Xbox games from Japan (30-40) and thye were mostly dating sims as turn based RPGs that have never been mentioned over here or even heard of... In fact, I think there were a dozen or more dating RPG sims.

[+remowilliams]

They need to slash the price and have some 'stalking/raping/child pr0n hentai' genre packin in Japan, that might do the trick.

[Tempest]

How big of a success was Atari in Japan at any stage of their life?

Atari failed miserably in Japan because it was released only a few months before the Famicom. Take a look at the 2600, then take a look at the Famicom. Which would YOU rather play (nostalgia aside).

 

Don't get me started on why the Jaguar failed in Japan. I'll give you a hint though, it's the same reason it failed here (rhymes with 'it mucked')

 

 

You cannot explain the failure of Doom or Half Life in Japan as anything other than shortsighted jingoism. No gamer could honestly say those are bad games, as they've succeeded everywhere else in the world, except Japan. Why is that?

Err maybe because Japan doesn't like American style FPS? I know I didn't care for either of those games myself.

 

If Japan hates everything and anything western, how do you explain the success of Wizardry? An American made RPG that is STILL getting games made in Japan, but not in the US.

 

Ever take a look at Apple in Japan? They're bigger fanboys than we are!

 

Tempest

[homerwannabee]

Yes, it has everything to do with their companies being Japanese. Sometimes I wish we as a country were jingoistic as the Japanese. If we were we would not see our national brands being bought off by foreign companies like Budweiser.

Edited September 4, 2008 by homerwannabee

[Tempest]

If we were we would not see our national brands being bought off by foreign companies like Budweiser.

Good riddence to that piss water. If the Belgians want it so bad, they can have it! I prefer to support local micro brewers like Sprechers that make decent beer rather than a giant corporation that recycles piss as beer. Can you tell I'm not much of a Bud fan?

 

Tempest

[ninjarabbit]

Another issue is that the letter X has a negative meaning in Japan. It's like when Chevy tried to market the Nova in Spanish speaking countries since Nova roughly translates as 'no go' or 'It doesn't go' in Spanish.

[Tempest]

Another issue is that the letter X has a negative meaning in Japan.

It's not just Japan. I thought X was the universal symbol for No or Bad.

 

Tempest

[Video]

I just read in the Daily oklahoman that the X-box was dropping in price, I think I may pick up a secondary since they are so cheap now, you know, just in case that red ring thing pops up (knockonwood)

 

As for X-box not doing good in Japan...well, it's american ain't it? Of course, like 90% of it is made in Japan anyways, right? Ok, mine said neatherlands I think, but still. Almost no american product is actually still made in america, so it's not a bias against the US spacifically, more like a Bias against all non Japanese stuff (wonder if their like that toward china?)

 

When the 360 FF comes out though, wounder what will happen then, it's not exculsuive, but X-box tends to get the better online support for well...everything over the PS3

 

Oh yeah...is it just my imagination, or does this price drop put the X-box (core) at a LOWER price than the Gamecube? Heck, the 60GB one's within $50 (to be fair, the Game ube does have a game packed in so..., about he same price actually)

[JamesD]

If anyone thinks the price cuts aren't a big deal, I've seen 360s sold out at a Circuit City and down to 1 machine at a couple other stores.

[Lord Helmet]

Oh yeah...is it just my imagination, or does this price drop put the X-box (core) at a LOWER price than the Gamecube? Heck, the 60GB one's within $50 (to be fair, the Game ube does have a game packed in so..., about he same price actually)

 

I dunno about the GCN, but it does put it at a lower price point than the Wii.

[Video]

Der, yeah, that's what I meant, Wii

[Seob]

It all has to do with taste. Ever watch japanese shows??? Try and you'll see that they have a whole different culture that isn't comparable to the west.

They really like a different kind of games. Nothing more nothing less.

Don't know how they do with online gaming, but i personally never would like to pay to play a game online. I rather play some strange game online on my pc for free then paying to be able to play online. Maybe the japanese think this way as well.

And since the first released xbox360 where plagued with failures, that didn't help the japanese market as well. Since they have a high standard as it comes to quality. Don't know how american cars compare to japanese cars, but in europe the top 10 of cars with the least failures is filled with japanese cars.

Don't say that the us public at least try other consoles, since there weren't a lot console company left in the west after the crash.

 

Read this and there are somethings explained: Japanese gaming

Closing out the panel was a Q&A session with Koushi Kondou. Despitie several lost-in-translation moments, Kondou did lend interesting insight into why many Western games don't achieve the same magnitude of success in Japan. Referring specifically to Rockstar's Grand Theft Auto series, Kondou noted that these types of games are simply too dark for a Japanese audience. Kondou noted that even in the most violent Japanese games, there is typically always a moment where the two opposite sides stop beating on each other and receive a peaceful resolution. The problem, he said, was the lack of a peaceful resolution or a lightening of the mood. "Someone needs to apologize at the end," he said.

 

artikel on Game spot

Edited September 10, 2008 by Seob

[vdub_bobby]

It's like when Chevy tried to market the Nova in Spanish speaking countries since Nova roughly translates as 'no go' or 'It doesn't go' in Spanish.

This is a complete myth.

 

Verify with Snopes, always, before repeating some BS you read/heard somewhere. Always.

First of all, the phrase "no va" (literally "doesn't go") and the word "nova" are distinct entities with different pronunciations in Spanish: the former is two words and is pronounced with the accent on the second word; the latter is one word with the accent on the first syllable. Assuming that Spanish speakers would naturally see the word "nova" as equivalent to the phrase "no va" and think "Hey, this car doesn't go!" is akin to assuming that English speakers woud spurn a dinette set sold under the name Notable because nobody wants a dinette set that doesn't include a table.

...

Pemex (the Mexican government-owned oil monopoly) sold (and still sells) gasoline in Mexico under the name "Nova." If Mexicans were going to associate anything with the Chevrolet Nova based on its name, it would probably be this gasoline. In any case, if Mexicans had no compunctions about filling the tanks of their cars with a type of gasoline whose name advertised that it "didn't go," why would they reject a similarly-named automobile?

...

The truth is that the Chevrolet Nova's name didn't significantly affect its sales: it sold well in both its primary Spanish-language markets, Mexico and Venezuela.

http://www.snopes.com/business/misxlate/nova.asp

Edited September 10, 2008 by vdub_bobby

[+Random Terrain]

Verify with Snopes, always, before repeating some BS you read/heard somewhere. Always.

But Snopes doesn't want you to:

 

http://www.snopes.com/lost/false.asp

 

You're supposed to check 20 web sites first and we all know the average person has the time, patience, and desire to do that for every B.S. story they run into.