Japanese Devs Sound Off On Why Japan Dislikes Xbox 360

Japanese devs explain that Japan is looking for Japan-created content on the console: simple, fun games and/or RPGs need only apply

Neither the Xbox nor Xbox 360 has seen success in the Land of the Rising Sun. It's caused not only gamers, but likely Microsoft themselves to question why the console can't leave a mark in the country -- despite having an extensive and diverse library of software. Whom do you turn to when you want answers regarding Japanese gamers? Japanese developers, of course. A few developers have commented on why the Xbox 360 can't reach the mass market in Japan, and what prevents them from doing so.

Soul Calibur IV's lead programmer Masaaki Hoshino said that, "In order to succeed in Japan, [Microsoft] needs Japan-created content, not just a lot of foreign games that have been localized."

An anonymous Ace Combat 6 dev explained, "Japanese players don't want challenging, stressful, difficult games. Japanese players would rather have role-playing games with a slow tempo, where they are led and shown what to do. So, maybe games like Blue Dragon will start to change things. When more of those kind of games come on to the market, then I think more Japanese players will accept the 360."

This is very logical; as the Japanese have always had a soft-spot for RPGs (Pokemon, Dragon Quest and Final Fantasy releases are near national phenomenon's over there). Also, pointing to the success Nintendo has had with their sundry "Training" titles in the Touch Generation series.

"People think [foreign games] are difficult and there's no guidance on how to clear the objectives. Now that has changed, and they are much easier to play, but this bias remains among Japanese gamers," said an anonymous designer.

One of the title's that could be referenced back to what Masaaki Hoshino said earlier is Infinite Undiscovery, which is a prime example of Japan-created content. The title is being published by Square Enix in Japan, and will be developed by Tri-Ace, the studio behind the Star Ocean and Valkyrie Profile.

Infinite Undiscovery director Hiroshi Ogawa commented, "I think in the previous generation that when it was the Xbox versus the PlayStation 2, Microsoft was unable to put out many RPGs. They weren't able to put out the type of games Japanese players really play. And the resistance to 360 may be some holdover from that."

Will we ever see the Japanese embrace the Xbox 360? Or, will it only be reserved for the hardcore gamers and Otaku of Japan?

Source

Forget about that aren't you happy about the recent news?

http://www.gamespot.com/pages/forums/show_msgs.php?topic_id=25967216

So.. your not going to get the first post commenting on the topic?user_nat

:lol:

Forget about that aren't you happy about the recent news?

http://www.gamespot.com/pages/forums/show_msgs.php?topic_id=25967216

Yellow_Rose

:lol:

in real news, yeah I agree japanese gamers only like metro sexual men looking to get laid but cant so they go through a long winding story and in the end they die without getting laid. while US gamers love dude in kick ass armor that go about killing aliens and shooting stuff, then go online and shoot more stuff.

Not true, the reason why xbox 360 isn't selling well in japan, is because the xbox 360 doesn't have any big franchises there. Nintendo has exclusively the mario franchise, while ps3 has exclusive the ff, gt, and everybody golf franchises. Both franchises for some reason sell tons of consoles.numba1234

So you're a Japanese developer too, are you ? :roll:

Forget about that aren't you happy about the recent news?

http://www.gamespot.com/pages/forums/show_msgs.php?topic_id=25967216

Yellow_Rose

in two weeks i want you to post console sale numbers from vgcharts. :D

So.. your not going to get the first post commenting on the topic?user_nat

i didn't feel the need to comment on this.

It's like buying american cars. Compared to the Japanese alternatives; it's crap.
That's why it doesn't sell in Japan. Sadly Americans are the ones who shop price first and value second. No I'm not in Japan. I live in the land of Walmart shoppers.

*yawn* how many times must we go over this?Elektrik-Blu

probebly until lemmings start screaming "OKY WE DONT NEED JAPAN, TAKE IT FFS, TAKE IT"

[QUOTE="user_nat"]So.. your not going to get the first post commenting on the topic?-Renegade

i didn't feel the need to comment on this.

Oh ok.. doesn't feel like a Renegade thread without it.

Anyhow, just so you know, Gamespot did a very similar article to this the other day:

Spot On: Japanese devs' spin on 360

[QUOTE="user_nat"]So.. your not going to get the first post commenting on the topic?BioShockOwnz

:lol:

[QUOTE="Yellow_Rose"]

Forget about that aren't you happy about the recent news?

http://www.gamespot.com/pages/forums/show_msgs.php?topic_id=25967216

amorbis1001

:lol:

in real news, yeah I agree japanese gamers only like metro sexual men looking to get laid but cant so they go through a long winding story and in the end they die without getting laid. while US gamers love dude in kick ass armor that go about killing aliens and shooting stuff, then go online and shoot more stuff.

[QUOTE="numba1234"]Not true, the reason why xbox 360 isn't selling well in japan, is because the xbox 360 doesn't have any big franchises there. Nintendo has exclusively the mario franchise, while ps3 has exclusive the ff, gt, and everybody golf franchises. Both franchises for some reason sell tons of consoles.BambooBanger

So you're a Japanese developer too, are you ? :roll:

Pokemon Red / Green / Blue

Pokemon Gold / Silver

Pokemon Diamond / Pearl

Pokemon Ruby / Sapphire

New Super Mario Bros

More Brain Training

Animal Crossing: Wild World

Tetris

Super Mario Land

Dragon Quest VII

Super Mario Kart

Brain Training

Final Fantasy VIII

Dragon Quest VIII

Super Mario World

Final Fantasy VII

Dragon Quest VI

Pokemon Fire Red / Leaf Green

Pokemon Yellow

Dragon Quest IV

Donkey Kong Country

Street Fighter II

Dragon Quest V

Final Fantasy IX

Final Fantasy X

Super Mario Land 2: 6 Golden Coins

Mario Kart DS

Final Fantasy VI

Gran Turismo

Final Fantasy V

Dragon Quest Monsters

Final Fantasy XII

Mario Kart 64

Donkey Kong Country 2

Yu-Gi-Oh: Duel Monsters IV

Everybodys Golf

Super Mario Allstars

Final Fantasy X-2

Street Fighter II Turbo

Pokemon Emerald

Chrono Trigger

Resident Evil 2

Dr Mario

Super Smash Bros

Derby Stallion

Super Mario 64

Gran Turismo 3 A-Spec

Yoshi Island

Here are top 50 best selling games in japan. Tell me which one of these games isn't a franchise?

[QUOTE="BambooBanger"]

[QUOTE="numba1234"]Not true, the reason why xbox 360 isn't selling well in japan, is because the xbox 360 doesn't have any big franchises there. Nintendo has exclusively the mario franchise, while ps3 has exclusive the ff, gt, and everybody golf franchises. Both franchises for some reason sell tons of consoles.numba1234

So you're a Japanese developer too, are you ? :roll:

Here are top 50 best selling games in japan. Tell me which one of these games isn't a franchise?

Does Tetris count?

That makes a lot of sense, actually.

[QUOTE="BambooBanger"]

[QUOTE="numba1234"]Not true, the reason why xbox 360 isn't selling well in japan, is because the xbox 360 doesn't have any big franchises there. Nintendo has exclusively the mario franchise, while ps3 has exclusive the ff, gt, and everybody golf franchises. Both franchises for some reason sell tons of consoles.numba1234

So you're a Japanese developer too, are you ? :roll:

Pokemon Red / Green / Blue

Pokemon Gold / Silver

Pokemon Diamond / Pearl

Pokemon Ruby / Sapphire

New Super Mario Bros

More Brain Training

Animal Crossing: Wild World

Tetris

Super Mario Land

Dragon Quest VII

Super Mario Kart

Brain Training

Final Fantasy VIII

Dragon Quest VIII

Super Mario World

Final Fantasy VII

Dragon Quest VI

Pokemon Fire Red / Leaf Green

Pokemon Yellow

Dragon Quest IV

Donkey Kong Country

Street Fighter II

Dragon Quest V

Final Fantasy IX

Final Fantasy X

Super Mario Land 2: 6 Golden Coins

Mario Kart DS

Final Fantasy VI

Gran Turismo

Final Fantasy V

Dragon Quest Monsters

Final Fantasy XII

Mario Kart 64

Donkey Kong Country 2

Yu-Gi-Oh: Duel Monsters IV

Everybodys Golf

Super Mario Allstars

Final Fantasy X-2

Street Fighter II Turbo

Pokemon Emerald

Chrono Trigger

Resident Evil 2

Dr Mario

Super Smash Bros

Derby Stallion

Super Mario 64

Gran Turismo 3 A-Spec

Yoshi Island

Here are top 50 best selling games in japan. Tell me which one of these games isn't a franchise?

A good 75-95 percent of those games were released when people only had one option for a console. y

They are all a decade old, thats why you dont see games selling like they use to

Its ridulous that almost an entire nation plays solely rpg's, no varity at all.Synthetic_NinJI

The same can be said for Americans. All shooter and violent games.

Its ridulous that almost an entire nation plays solely rpg's, no varity at all.Synthetic_NinJI

I'm glad they've finally stopped w/ the lame fanyboy excuses like "the console is too large to fit in my livingroom", or "all american game have too many guns"

This will still be an ongoing problem though even as MS gets more japanese developers on board since most of the japanese developers will want to develop for a western audience.

[QUOTE="Synthetic_NinJI"]Its ridulous that almost an entire nation plays solely rpg's, no varity at all.Ramadear

The same can be said for Americans. All shooter and violent games.

You cant possibly believe that :|

I always thought because since there aren't any Western publishers in Japan the Western games don't get advertise therefore the Japanese gamers don't know about games like Call of Duty and others. Or possibly the fact that Microsoft only releases one big budget game for the region a year while releasing mulitple ones for the Western audience indicating that they don't give a damn about that region. Silly me.

I don't know why 360 fans complain about Japan not buying the 360's Western made games, because 360 fans don't buy the Japanese games released for it since none have broken the quarter million mark in North Amerca. I mean if you're going ridicule some people at least practice what you preach.

[QUOTE="Yellow_Rose"]

Forget about that aren't you happy about the recent news?

http://www.gamespot.com/pages/forums/show_msgs.php?topic_id=25967216

amorbis1001

:lol:

in real news, yeah I agree japanese gamers only like metro sexual men looking to get laid but cant so they go through a long winding story and in the end they die without getting laid. while US gamers love dude in kick ass armor that go about killing aliens and shooting stuff, then go online and shoot more stuff.

Wow just wow.

[QUOTE="Ramadear"]

[QUOTE="Synthetic_NinJI"]Its ridulous that almost an entire nation plays solely rpg's, no varity at all.Synthetic_NinJI

The same can be said for Americans. All shooter and violent games.

You cant possibly believe that :|

Well you were the one that said all they play are RPG's when in the latest media create chart there were only 3 RPG's on the list. :|

I always thought because since there aren't any Western publishers in Japan the Western games don't get advertise therefore the Japanese gamers don't know about games like Call of Duty and others. Silly me.

[QUOTE="amorbis1001"][QUOTE="Yellow_Rose"]

Forget about that aren't you happy about the recent news?

http://www.gamespot.com/pages/forums/show_msgs.php?topic_id=25967216

Gunraidan

:lol:

in real news, yeah I agree japanese gamers only like metro sexual men looking to get laid but cant so they go through a long winding story and in the end they die without getting laid. while US gamers love dude in kick ass armor that go about killing aliens and shooting stuff, then go online and shoot more stuff.

Wow just wow.

[QUOTE="Ramadear"]

[QUOTE="Synthetic_NinJI"]Its ridulous that almost an entire nation plays solely rpg's, no varity at all.Synthetic_NinJI

The same can be said for Americans. All shooter and violent games.

You cant possibly believe that :|

Well you were the one that said all they play are RPG's when in teh latest media create chart there were only 3 RPG's on the list. :|

The developer himself said that they were a "national phenomanon".

I remember reading a link about a two years ago saying that they actually have to plan to take days off from school whenever a Dragon Quest is released.

So I refute, that is ridiculous

The developer himself said that they were a "national phenomanon".

I remember reading link about a two years ago saying that they actually have to plan to days off from school whenever a Dragon Quest is released.

So I refute, that is ridiculous

Synthetic_NinJI

What? You stated that all Japanese game players play are RPG's, then I told you that there were few that made it to the charts.

And now you're talking about Dragon Quest something that is completly off-topic to the conversation?

This goes beyond the phrase "Damage Control" if you ask me.

[QUOTE="BambooBanger"]

[QUOTE="numba1234"]Not true, the reason why xbox 360 isn't selling well in japan, is because the xbox 360 doesn't have any big franchises there. Nintendo has exclusively the mario franchise, while ps3 has exclusive the ff, gt, and everybody golf franchises. Both franchises for some reason sell tons of consoles.numba1234

So you're a Japanese developer too, are you ? :roll:

Pokemon Red / Green / Blue

Pokemon Gold / Silver

Pokemon Diamond / Pearl

Pokemon Ruby / Sapphire

New Super Mario Bros

More Brain Training

Animal Crossing: Wild World

Tetris

Super Mario Land

Dragon Quest VII

Super Mario Kart

Brain Training

Final Fantasy VIII

Dragon Quest VIII

Super Mario World

Final Fantasy VII

Dragon Quest VI

Pokemon Fire Red / Leaf Green

Pokemon Yellow

Dragon Quest IV

Donkey Kong Country

Street Fighter II

Dragon Quest V

Final Fantasy IX

Final Fantasy X

Super Mario Land 2: 6 Golden Coins

Mario Kart DS

Final Fantasy VI

Gran Turismo

Final Fantasy V

Dragon Quest Monsters

Final Fantasy XII

Mario Kart 64

Donkey Kong Country 2

Yu-Gi-Oh: Duel Monsters IV

Everybodys Golf

Super Mario Allstars

Final Fantasy X-2

Street Fighter II Turbo

Pokemon Emerald

Chrono Trigger

Resident Evil 2

Dr Mario

Super Smash Bros

Derby Stallion

Super Mario 64

Gran Turismo 3 A-Spec

Yoshi Island

Here are top 50 best selling games in japan. Tell me which one of these games isn't a franchise?

[QUOTE="Synthetic_NinJI"]

The developer himself said that they were a "national phenomanon".

I remember reading link about a two years ago saying that they actually have to plan to days off from school whenever a Dragon Quest is released.

So I refute, that is ridiculous

Gunraidan

What? You stated that all Japanese game players play are RPG's, then I told you that there were few that made it to the charts.

And now you're talking about Dragon Quest something that is completly off-topic to the conversation?

This goes beyond the phrase "Damage Control" if you ask me.

Few made it to the charts :|

Dur, look at the list again guy, 75 percent of those games are RPGS.

"And now you're talking about Dragon Quest something that is completly off-topic to the conversation?"

The article is mostly talking about rpgs like Dragon Quest and FF.

"As the japanese has always had a soft spot for RPGS (Pokemon, Dragon Quest, and Final Fantasy)"

Obviously you have a hard time following the topic.

So refute (again), so most of them obviously play RPGS.

[QUOTE="Yellow_Rose"]

Forget about that aren't you happy about the recent news?

http://www.gamespot.com/pages/forums/show_msgs.php?topic_id=25967216

amorbis1001

:lol:

in real news, yeah I agree japanese gamers only like metro sexual men looking to get laid but cant so they go through a long winding story and in the end they die without getting laid. while US gamers love dude in kick ass armor that go about killing aliens and shooting stuff, then go online and shoot more stuff.

This tells me japanese mostlydon't care about high qualitygraphics and physics and realismand violence.real45

[QUOTE="Synthetic_NinJI"]Its ridulous that almost an entire nation plays solely rpg's, no varity at all.Ramadear

The same can be said for Americans. All shooter and violent games.

[QUOTE="Gunraidan"][QUOTE="Synthetic_NinJI"]

The developer himself said that they were a "national phenomanon".

I remember reading link about a two years ago saying that they actually have to plan to days off from school whenever a Dragon Quest is released.

So I refute, that is ridiculous

Synthetic_NinJI

What? You stated that all Japanese game players play are RPG's, then I told you that there were few that made it to the charts.

And now you're talking about Dragon Quest something that is completly off-topic to the conversation?

This goes beyond the phrase "Damage Control" if you ask me.

Few made it to the charts :|

Dur, look at the list again guy, 75 percent of those games are RPGS.

It is more like 50% than 75%, if you take the time to count.

[QUOTE="Synthetic_NinJI"][QUOTE="Gunraidan"][QUOTE="Synthetic_NinJI"]

The developer himself said that they were a "national phenomanon".

I remember reading link about a two years ago saying that they actually have to plan to days off from school whenever a Dragon Quest is released.

So I refute, that is ridiculous

ghostofzabis

What? You stated that all Japanese game players play are RPG's, then I told you that there were few that made it to the charts.

And now you're talking about Dragon Quest something that is completly off-topic to the conversation?

This goes beyond the phrase "Damage Control" if you ask me.

Few made it to the charts :|

Dur, look at the list again guy, 75 percent of those games are RPGS.

It is more like 50% than 75%, if you take the time to count.

The majority of those games are Rpgs.

Few made it to the charts :|

Dur, look at the list again guy, 75 percent of those games are RPGS.

"And now you're talking about Dragon Quest something that is completly off-topic to the conversation?"

The article is mostly talking about rpgs like Dragon Quest and FF.

"As the japanese has always had a soft spot for RPGS (Pokemon, Dragon Quest, and Final Fantasy)"

Obviously you have a hard time following the topic.

So refute (again), so most of them obviously play RPGS.

Synthetic_NinJI

Look at the chart again and see how old those games are, most of them top 10 years.

Actually let me show you the latest Mediacreate charts.

And he said soft spot not that it's all they play.

Americans have a soft spot for shooters does that mean all that sells in America are shooters?

The majority of those games are Rpgs.

Synthetic_NinJI

The majority of the games on there are at least 10 years old....no I'm not kidding. :|