Will 360 sink or swim in Japan?

Post by **Verence** » Tue May 31, 2005 12:18 pm

A recent Famitsu poll isn't the final word on the matter, since the consoles haven't even launched yet, but here ya' go...

Most Interested Next Generation Console
1. Nintendo Revolution - 42.2%
2. Sony PlayStation 3 - 39.8%
3. Microsoft Xbox 360 - 18.0%

Why do you like Revolution?
- Compact design, typical Nintendo style
- Able to download Famicom (NES), SFC (SNES) and Nintendo 64 games
- Possible innovative / new designs in Revolution
- Confidence in the hardware

Why do you like PlayStation 3?
- Outstanding technical specifications, standout against other next generation consoles
- Downward compatibility with PSone and PlayStation 2
- Cell processor and Bluray support are unique to the console
- Like the design of the console (but the controller design is crazy)

Why do you like Xbox 360?
- Developer support is splendid, especial people like Akira Toriyama and Sakaguchi.
- Square Enix supports the console
- Positive console design, color, technical specs and software lineup
- Console can stand vertically

I thought the 360 was going to be a lot more popular than the Xbox, and it still may be, but these early indications aren't good.

Cable · Post by **Cable** » Tue May 31, 2005 2:06 pm

i think 18% is much higher than the first one isn't it? I don't understand how the majority could put their faith in nintendo though concidering the lack of information compared to the other two...but maybe they know somethign i don't.

Prog39 · Post by **Prog39** » Thu Jun 02, 2005 1:18 am

Whoever gets the best games for the Japanese is what they will buy...BOTTOM LINE. Nothing else matters.

Post by **Richie** » Thu Jun 02, 2005 9:23 pm

Cable wrote:i think 18% is much higher than the first one isn't it? I don't understand how the majority could put their faith in nintendo though concidering the lack of information compared to the other two...but maybe they know somethign i don't.

That's what really interets me: Why do the Japanese have more faith in Revolution, when Americans let it slip from their mind in the midst of all the 360/PS3 hype? Are we just a bunch of pop-driven mindless automatons?

Wait, I know the answer to that.

Post by **BreakmanX** » Thu Jun 02, 2005 10:08 pm

Well, the Japanese culture is riddled with pop culture as well. Look at J-pop and anime for example. Many Japanese people our age are obsessed with Linkin Park because they are American, even though it is pop here. It's all about seeing it locally in action. All cultures have it, but it only irritates those that have to deal with it constantly.

As far as the consoles go, we'll just have to wait for the games to come. I have some hope Nintendo will do well.

Post by **Verence** » Tue Jun 07, 2005 3:24 pm

I find it odd that the large majority of the people polled were most excited about the Revolution.

I find it by far the least exciting, though that has largely to do with the fact that Nintendo hasn't released any information about it's hardware or controller or games.

Mothergoat · Post by **Mothergoat** » Tue Jun 07, 2005 3:42 pm

Verence wrote:Will 360 sink or swim in Japan?

I'm gonna go with tread water, Alex.

Post by **Verence** » Tue Jun 07, 2005 3:45 pm

Probably.

I'm guessing it'll do better than the Xbox, but not nearly as well as PS3 or Rev.

Jack Burton · Post by **Jack Burton** » Wed Jun 08, 2005 5:49 pm

18% of Japanese gamers actually looking forward to the x360 is a major boost for the system. I think it'll do alright this time around. Now, I don't think it's going to beat the PS3 and Revolution into submission, or probably even get close (at least to the PS3), but I think it will have a solid showing in Japan. But once again, it all depends on the games.

-Jack

Typheus · Post by **Typheus** » Wed Jun 08, 2005 10:54 pm

Sony and Nintendo are Japanese companies right? And Microsoft is American? Im still correct in this?

Post by **Verence** » Tue Jun 14, 2005 1:38 pm

Correct.

Typheus · Post by **Typheus** » Tue Jun 14, 2005 8:42 pm

Well I think ive figured one factor in this...

(If you still dont get it maybe Japanese people like stuff made by Japanese..)

Post by **BreakmanX** » Tue Jun 14, 2005 10:48 pm

Or.. they like the games better on the other systems. The Japanese, in many cases, are quite fascinated with the west and things from the US are instantly deemed cool. I do think that racism plays a role in market share, but I think it is exaggerated as the cause for Xbox's failure there.

Post by **Verence** » Wed Jun 15, 2005 12:25 pm

American stuff in general does seem to be deemed cool in Japan, but it seems to me that games originating from the west never do as well in Japan as native games. The reason most Japanese gamers bought Xbox was DOA and Ninja Gaiden. Partly this is due to the fact that the two biggest games on Xbox (Halo and Halo 2, of course) are FPS, a genre which has never done well in Japan due to many Japanese gamers being susceptible to motion sickness. Hideo Kojima himself said that one of the reasons he had not gone with a fully moveable camera for the MGS series sooner was that he became nauseous easily when using that kind of camera.

Post by **BreakmanX** » Wed Jun 15, 2005 10:00 pm

I think its more about style and less about the size of the eyes of the creator, though. I guess that because I like Japanese games better that they are just better and that's why they do well, but that's just my opinion.