Advertisement
Microsoft slashes price of 360 in Japan News
Xbox 360 News by Robert Purchese
Microsoft has slashed the price of Xbox 360 in Japan by 30 per cent.
The Arcade unit will drop by around GBP 40 to become the cheapest console at JPY 19,800 (GBP 102), according to The Nikkei.
This compares favourably to the Nintendo Wii, retailing for JPY 25,000 (GBP 129), and the PlayStation 3 - which sells at JPY 39,800 (GBP 205).
Microsoft plans to knock similar amounts off the price of Premium and Elite Xbox 360 models, apparently.
The Xbox 360 has struggled to penetrate the Japanese market, with just 684,695 units sold across the region. That figure pales when stacked against 2.32 million PS3 sales and 6.67 million Wii sales, according to Enterbrain data.
Still, the future brightened recently after Tales of Vesperia helped Xbox 360 sell more than the PS3 for a week in Japan - although the Wii still managed to double Microsoft's efforts.
Advertisement
Want to comment on this article? Log in, or register!
Poster
|
0
As a business move it's smart what with the number of timed exclusive JRPGs on the horizon. Having said that with the limited success of Tales of Verspia only time will tell whether Microsoft's spending gamble will pay off. (Let's not pretend SquareEnix thought making their games timed exclusive on a poorly performing console was a good business move.)
|
|
Triggerhappytel
01/09/08 @ 10:52
0
I'll buy one if you drop the price over here by £40 each.
"There must a price point that will convince the Japanese to at least try the 360. Not sure why they keep trying so hard in Japan. With the 360 doing well in the USA they would be better off concentrating on Europe." Yeah, I know Japan is a big potential market, but what about if they all but cut their losses there and plough the resources into Europe/China/South America? |
|
mcmonkeyplc
01/09/08 @ 10:57
0
£40! Fucking hell they cant even give it away if they dont shift at that price.
I think I may import a few at that price! |
|
crazyhorse174
01/09/08 @ 11:16
0
£40! Fucking hell they cant even give it away if they dont shift at that price.
I think I may import a few at that price! Did you actually read the article? Its been dropped BY £40. |
|
IneptPercy
01/09/08 @ 11:18
0
They really do want into that market, does make you wonder why it is doing so badly they really are getting some goods games over there.
Much like the Xbox was over here, it wasn't ment to lead it was just ment to spread the word, it seemed to work as the 360 is doing very well here, now the 360 has the job of breaking into japan to roll the carpet out for the next xbox. |
|
crazyhorse174
01/09/08 @ 11:40
0
By the time you add on a HDD and a wireless adapter it's still not really cheap though is it?
In most peoples eyes it will probably just signal that it's one step away from joining the original Xbox in xbox heaven... Yes, but you don't NEED either to be able to play games on it and if you want to be able to save, then just buy a gamecard. Why do people keep making the same, irrelevant arguments? |
|
Doctor_What
01/09/08 @ 12:03
0
@ Umberty : spot on. The bits you really do need to get the basic kit working properly mean that it's not any cheaper than even the PS3, but it looks good when they can say 'from £100' in shop windows.
|
|
callum9999
01/09/08 @ 12:09
0
Do they not sell the PS2 in Japan then if the xbox is now the cheapest console (or is it just ridiculously overpriced?)
|
|
farticusmaximus
01/09/08 @ 12:38
0
Nothing to do with price. 360 is now the cheapest console.
Nothing to do with capability. 360 is still easily the best games platform. Nothing to do with content. Plenty of Japanese games and JRPG's available for it. Nothing to do with styling. 360 was designed for a japanese audience, and is a damn site less fugly than the foreman grill. IT. IS. AMERICAN. Japan will not adopt an American console. End of story. |
|
Kenshin001
01/09/08 @ 13:13
0
"Japan will not adopt an American console. End of story."
Especially when it does not have MGS4, FFXIII or GT5. |
|
SeesThroughAll
01/09/08 @ 13:59
0
IT. IS. AMERICAN.
Same reason it sells so much in America. I'm glad some countries resist economical takeover by the US, anyway. /awaits storm. |
|
farticusmaximus
01/09/08 @ 14:30
0
"the japanese simply do not think the 360 is a superior gaming machine."
Their loss then, because it IS a superior games machine,with easily the best games available. |
|
farticusmaximus
01/09/08 @ 14:56
0
Technical standards of a console are not a matter of perspective. 360 is a better gaming platform than PS3.
|
|
farticusmaximus
01/09/08 @ 15:41
0
"There are plenty of games (both released and unreleased) that look every bit as good, and some arguably better, than those on the 360 for the PS3."
Sorry mate, with that shitty RSX struggling away it just isnt going to happen. |
|
patchbox360
01/09/08 @ 17:45
0
the highest rated and most games in every genre
the highest rated and most games in every genre the highest rated and most games in every genre = xbox360 |
|
0
Hideo Kojima said MGS4 didn't really appeal to people in Japan (or it was an exception that they liked it, or something) because of the old characters in the game.
Look at all the game characters in 360 games - Marcus Fenix, Master Chief, John Shepard etc. I was in a conversation with some Korean (just over the pond) teenagers the other day and they didn't like Orlando Bloom because he was too old... ffs how does that work? Some also didn't like the new Hulk because he was "dirty". Microsoft could benefit from more games with squeaky clean crazy-haired teenager characters, I think. |
|
IneptPercy
01/09/08 @ 21:29
0
I wish people really would give up with the 360 add on argument, My younger cousin has an xbox arcade, he doesn't have a hi def TV and it isn't online and his consoles does him just fine.
Don't get me wrong I won't say this is the case for everybody and I wouldn't consider it for myself as mine is online, but even then any sensible online gamer will wire the internet connection anyway. I can honestly say that when I buy a PS3 I will wire that too. As for games lineups I would have said the 360 was far better for a good while, now its very close and down to just what exclusives they have, if I didn't own any of the 2 right now i would have to think about it, but already owning a 360 now means the PS3 needs to do more, basically the later you join the race the better you have to be. |
|
0
@Hedbog: maybe the price drop move will cause some people to buy it as a 2nd console for the American/European games. They've certainly put in some effort with the JRPGs but 360 is still lacking a must buy JRPG. I was hoping Mistwalker would produce one but so far their output disappoints me.
Edited 1 times,
most recently on 01/09/08 @ 23:26
|
|
onyx_elite
02/09/08 @ 07:25
0
It's not about price though is it? You can't market a console to the japanese by flooding them with sports games and FPSs. They don't like that stuff. If they released a game where you had to nurture a small red ball until it turned into a big blue cube that'd sell like hot cakes.
|
|
farticusmaximus
02/09/08 @ 08:21
0
"Yes, I guess that also explains why Sony's Walkman dominates the Japanese MP3 player market and Apple can't even give iPods away for free in Japan.
Oh wait... " Is the Ipod a games console? No, it isnt. Moron. |
|
FrankCannon
02/09/08 @ 12:02
0
XBox360 = best price point, best game exclusives, worst reliability, worst noise. Hopefully HDD install should help but as you have to buy a Microsoft HDD for an arm and a leg it's not an appealling thought.
PS3 = better design/build quality, more subtle front end, quiet but needs better software quickly. It's fantastic that you can fit a bog standard hard drive without invalidating your warranty and considering that it's MS that are championing downloadable games and films they should be worried about this. Anyone who types Micro$oft should also type Son¥. |
|
farticusmaximus
02/09/08 @ 12:15
0
".. or when you say "every genre" you mean "as long as it's an fps"? "
Your ignorance does you no favours. |
Want to comment on this article? Log in, or register!
