Xbox 360 and japan

[greg]

As for the original XBOX-well, look at the size of the darn thing! Most Japanese don't have a whole lot of living space, AFIK, so a console that size wouldn't be popular. Also look at the controllers; I hated the original XBOX controller and I have big hands, which most Japanese don't.

Dave, that's silly. I really don't think any Japanese person ever said, "Hey, I just got an Xbox, so it looks like I'll have to start sleeping on my balcony." However, their reaction was probably the same as the rest of us: "With technology today, why the heck did they have to make this thing so big?" However, there is a general distaste of any game that is not made in Japan. On the other side of the coin, I always see Japanese games getting bashed on shows like X-Play that cater to mainstream American gamers. That's why message boards like this one are an exception to the rule.

[zukan]

I think some of these japanese players only get the 360 to play arcade games in HD. Checking the leaderboard on Triggerheart for example reveals top japanese players who only play shmups, it is not rare to find someone who doesn't own a single disc game.

[The n00b]

As for the original XBOX-well, look at the size of the darn thing! Most Japanese don't have a whole lot of living space, AFIK, so a console that size wouldn't be popular. Also look at the controllers; I hated the original XBOX controller and I have big hands, which most Japanese don't.

Dave, that's silly. I really don't think any Japanese person ever said, "Hey, I just got an Xbox, so it looks like I'll have to start sleeping on my balcony." However, their reaction was probably the same as the rest of us: "With technology today, why the heck did they have to make this thing so big?" However, there is a general distaste of any game that is not made in Japan. On the other side of the coin, I always see Japanese games getting bashed on shows like X-Play that cater to mainstream American gamers. That's why message boards like this one are an exception to the rule.

A lot of American reviews also won't hesitate to slam the "madden" effect when it happens in Japan. I'm the same way. I like shmups and I like the occasional jrpg but I won't buy just anything that involves shmupping and effeminate Japanese men. I also won't buy just anything that has Gundam in the title.

However shit like this hits the top of the charts in japan and stays there just like the umpteenth edition of john madden football....

Oh yeah nice stereotypes there Dave lol.

[Erinu]

I think some of these japanese players only get the 360 to play arcade games in HD. Checking the leaderboard on Triggerheart for example reveals top japanese players who only play shmups, it is not rare to find someone who doesn't own a single disc game.

Or they could just have a separate account for different games. Or they're using a friends 360, or something like that. Comparing VGA DC vs. VGA 360, Triggerheart and Ikaruga look alike.

I didn't think Japanese people would care for quality.

[dave4shmups]

As for the original XBOX-well, look at the size of the darn thing! Most Japanese don't have a whole lot of living space, AFIK, so a console that size wouldn't be popular. Also look at the controllers; I hated the original XBOX controller and I have big hands, which most Japanese don't.

Dave, that's silly. I really don't think any Japanese person ever said, "Hey, I just got an Xbox, so it looks like I'll have to start sleeping on my balcony." However, their reaction was probably the same as the rest of us: "With technology today, why the heck did they have to make this thing so big?" However, there is a general distaste of any game that is not made in Japan. On the other side of the coin, I always see Japanese games getting bashed on shows like X-Play that cater to mainstream American gamers. That's why message boards like this one are an exception to the rule.

A lot of American reviews also won't hesitate to slam the "madden" effect when it happens in Japan. I'm the same way. I like shmups and I like the occasional jrpg but I won't buy just anything that involves shmupping and effeminate Japanese men. I also won't buy just anything that has Gundam in the title.

However shit like this hits the top of the charts in japan and stays there just like the umpteenth edition of john madden football....

Oh yeah nice stereotypes there Dave lol.

Hey, I'm sorry I offended everyone . Greg lived in Japan for a while, and I have heard that Japanese don't like American made products, so that's probably the bigger issue. But even if it was Japanese made, I doubt they'd put up with all the technical issues-I could be wrong, though.

I wonder when the PS3's going to pick up some steam in Japan? AFIK, the Wii's still ahead of it.

[The n00b]

The Japanese had no problem accepting the ps2 back when it had all it's technical problems.

I'm not accepting that they merely won't buy American products either. If your product is good enough it can break through any amount of xenophobia.

[dave4shmups]

The Japanese had no problem accepting the ps2 back when it had all it's technical problems.

I'm not accepting that they merely won't buy American products either. If your product is good enough it can break through any amount of xenophobia.

Yeah, but the PS2 issues were largely resolved in a few years; the 360's been out for 2 and 1/2 years, and people are still getting the 3-red lights. MS won't comment on the defect rate either, and if all of this bothers some American consumers, I'm sure it bothers some Japanese consumers. Although I agree with you that if a product is good enough, it will sell anywhere.

[Daigohji]

Yeah, but the PS2 issues were largely resolved in a few years; the 360's been out for over 4, and people are still getting the 3-red lights.

While I agree that the 360's failure rate is horrifying, 22nd Nov 2005 to 19th April 2008 is 2 1/2 years, not over 4.

On the Halo issue, I enjoy many FPS titles, own 17 Xbox 360 games, and have almost zero interest in Halo 3. I'm not a big fan of multiplayer FPS since all that frantic skittering around has played almost identically since Doom, so that draw doesn't hook me. I find what I know of Master Chief about as interesting as the Tofu Survivor from Resident Evil 2 (less, in fact, since that mofo took on the hordes of undead with a knife). The PC demo I played of the first game bored me. Like Smash Brothers, it's just one of those insanely popular franchises that does nothing for me.

[dave4shmups]

Yeah, but the PS2 issues were largely resolved in a few years; the 360's been out for over 4, and people are still getting the 3-red lights.

While I agree that the 360's failure rate is horrifying, 22nd Nov 2005 to 19th April 2008 is 2 1/2 years, not over 4.

On the Halo issue, I enjoy many FPS titles, own 17 Xbox 360 games, and have almost zero interest in Halo 3. I'm not a big fan of multiplayer FPS since all that frantic skittering around has played almost identically since Doom, so that draw doesn't hook me. I find what I know of Master Chief about as interesting as the Tofu Survivor from Resident Evil 2 (less, in fact, since that mofo took on the hordes of undead with a knife). The PC demo I played of the first game bored me. Like Smash Brothers, it's just one of those insanely popular franchises that does nothing for me.

Corrected, thanks! I like Master Chief, simply because anyone can "be" Master Chief, and I think that's why they chose such a name and gave him so little background.

[it290]

I'm sure Halo 3 wasn't marketed as heavily over there, either, although undoubtedly it got a hefty plugging. I think it's probably owned by a good percentage of casual Japanese 360 owners (however many tens of those there are), but probably most of the hardcore shmup players couldn't give a rat's ass about it. I haven't played a Halo since the first one, but all the other gamers I know have.

[Ed Oscuro]

I like Master Chief, simply because anyone can "be" Master Chief, and I think that's why they chose such a name and gave him so little background.

There are a few novels with incredible amounts of irrelevant information about him. Nasty stuff really. I had a coworker who liked them tell me aallll about it a few years ago...