XB1 launch in Japan a bust

[Dat Matt]

But if they turn 360 degrees they'll be walking right at it again.

[Psychotic]

Wii.

Oh sorry, wrong thread.

[Sephex]

If you were to put the console on the torso of a manikin in Japan, the XBox One would still be a bust.

[Bolivar]

To be fair, the PS4 is bombing pretty hard in Japan as well, hence why Sony has third parties porting their upcoming Vita games to the console as well.

But Microsoft's problem isn't just Japan. The Xbox One is practically nonexistent in continental Europe, literally so for the countries it hasn't even launched in yet. That Eurogamer article about Japan is interesting in that it also tracks their international decline. You can trace the trajectory of them falling off the globe to the erosion of their first party studios, console exclusive PC ports, indie programs, and Japanese partners. Over the last few years, those resources noticeably shifted to Call of Duty co-marketing, Kinect, and the now-infamous Xbox One entertainment push. That's not a great way to sell a console overseas and Microsoft has only been able to mask this decline by how hard they dominated the US and UK charts throughout the entirety of the generation. It doesn't bode well for the health of the industry if Sony is the only viable console manufacturer, although when I compare last generation to its predecessor, the whole "competition is good" argument becomes less and less convincing when it comes to gaming.

On a funny side note, someone photoshopped the empty Japan launch locales with the cardboard cutout audience from Forza Motorsport 5, tweeting it at Microsoft execs who didn't realize it was a joke.

[Mirage]

I don't think anyone in Japan really thinks it's going to be sold out like ever, so even if they planned on getting one, they wouldn't be standing in line for it.

[Nate]

To be fair, the PS4 is bombing pretty hard in Japan as well, hence why Sony has third parties porting their upcoming Vita games to the console as well.

But Microsoft's problem isn't just Japan. The Xbox One is practically nonexistent in continental Europe, literally so for the countries it hasn't even launched in yet. That Eurogamer article about Japan is interesting in that it also tracks their international decline. You can trace the trajectory of them falling off the globe to the erosion of their first party studios, console exclusive PC ports, indie programs, and Japanese partners. Over the last few years, those resources noticeably shifted to Call of Duty co-marketing, Kinect, and the now-infamous Xbox One entertainment push. That's not a great way to sell a console overseas and Microsoft has only been able to mask this decline by how hard they dominated the US and UK charts throughout the entirety of the generation. It doesn't bode well for the health of the industry if Sony is the only viable console manufacturer, although when I compare last generation to its predecessor, the whole "competition is good" argument becomes less and less convincing when it comes to gaming.

On a funny side note, someone photoshopped the empty Japan launch locales with the cardboard cutout audience from Forza Motorsport 5, tweeting it at Microsoft execs who didn't realize it was a joke.

Dude, that is funny as hell. I played Forza at the MS Store, and wondered what the heck they were thinking on the crowds. It reminded me of something from the PSX generation. I suppose too much focus on the main visuals.

Either way, the XBONE was never going to be big in Japan. There's always been a little home nation bias when it comes to the Xbox there, and with all the bad press and lack of games that appeal to the Japanese crowd, at present, I wouldn't buy one there either.

[Dat Matt]

But Microsoft's problem isn't just Japan. The Xbox One is practically nonexistent in continental Europe, literally so for the countries it hasn't even launched in yet

I recall reading an article that the Xbox one wasn't even at 90K in Germany a few months ago, A small portion of these sales were from the Scandinavian and neighbouring countries that didn't have the system available for retail yet so the staggered release didn't even work. This staggered release didn't help sales and goes to show that Microsoft don't care about the market outside of the US and the UK to a smaller extent. Unless there is a game that I need an Xbox One to play I don't think I'll ever get one.

I will get a PS4, but only after Tales of Zestriria, FFXV and KH3 come out.

[Psychotic]

I know a few people who own both XB1 and PS4 and people who own XB1s. It's interesting because they all rate the XB1 really highly and those that own both have said they prefer the XB1. Yet the PS4 is absolutely stomping it. I wonder what led to that. Theories?

I also wonder if that's just a unique phenomenon I've encountered or whether there is a lot of good word of mouth about the XB1 everywhere. If it's the latter, there could be a fightback. Certainly in my own case I was all aboard the PS4 train and on balance I think I'm still going to go that way, but it's less of a sure thing for me than it was and I'm content to sit back and wait and see.

[Shauna]

Microsoft made a lot of bad decisions on the lead up to release. It wasn't that long ago that all this was happening (and I suppose it continues to be, since they're still reversing their "completely necessary" policies), so there's probably just a lot of stigma still attached to it. It may be a sleeper hit, and once it's released in all like 30 countries or whatever, it might do better.

[Dr Unne]

I know a few people who own both XB1 and PS4 and people who own XB1s. It's interesting because they all rate the XB1 really highly and those that own both have said they prefer the XB1. Yet the PS4 is absolutely stomping it. I wonder what led to that. Theories?

People like different stuff

[Dat Matt]

I know a few people who own both XB1 and PS4 and people who own XB1s. It's interesting because they all rate the XB1 really highly and those that own both have said they prefer the XB1. Yet the PS4 is absolutely stomping it. I wonder what led to that. Theories?

Depends on the person. XB1 is definitely catered to 2 specific crowds, Americans and "Not so hard core gamers". A friend of mine bought the Xbox One and launch and so far has only used it for Fifa. Will probably continue to use it only for Fifa with #15 comes out at the end of the month. Swears it's the best thing ever, but he probably only spends an hour a week playing it.

It might also be as a result of the Kinect actually working. People say it's cool to walk into the living room and just yell at the TV and it'll do stuff. Livin in the future.