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You're tasked with saving Xbox in Japan. What do you do?
- Thread starter MysticGon
- Start date
They did on the 360, it didn't exactly work out. :P Edit: Well they made a LOT of 360 exclusives with MS, not manufacture the hardware, but would that even make sense?
The two fastest growing platforms in Japan are PC and mobile. I'd get even more aggressive with getting big name developers on board with game pass, chase some of the more elusive publishers, seek out studios with more risky or niche projects awaiting funding, and offer a platform for the steadily growing indie scene over there. Xbox hardware will never sell well over there, especially in light of home consoles declining in popularity. But get xcloud onto mobile and a more robust game pass for pc, and the Xbox brand still has a shot.
I do nothing except pay for Xbox one ports of Japanese games, because it's not worth doing anything more than that because the Xbox will never be a success in Japan.
Jump off the window? Drink a lot of alcohol? Become addicted to pachinko? Buy Nintendo? Maybe a combination of all of those...
The only way is to go full scum. Sign billion dollar exclusivity deals for Dragon Quest and Monster Hunter.
Probably spend a few months vacationing in Japan and rubbing elbows with any big devs who'd take a meeting, and then when corporate asks me why I'm not getting any results tell them, "Cultural differences" and tender my resignation.
Partner with a Japanese consulting company that knows the market and culture better than my American ass. The only things I personally think are musts are make sure it's at launch in Japan and get some decent Japanese support at launch. If Xbox wants a presence in Japan they need to make a decent footing immediately before the PS5 automatically takes the market.
Edit: Honestly I'd also probably abandon the Xbox name there entirely in favor of something that isn't impossible to say in Japanese. Not like there's much attachment to the brand there outside of a hardcore niche that'll know it's still the same product.
Edit: Honestly I'd also probably abandon the Xbox name there entirely in favor of something that isn't impossible to say in Japanese. Not like there's much attachment to the brand there outside of a hardcore niche that'll know it's still the same product.
Make a lifesize Xbox Series X Gundam and promote that shit in Shounen Jump
You think I'm fucking joking
You think I'm fucking joking
Close up shop in Japan, move everything to India, leverage their giant, under-utilised tech workforce to make a "China Hero" style project, making games by Indians for Indians. Sachin Tendulkar Cricket 20XX, Dynasty Warriors style game with Krishna and the Hindu pantheon, Bollywood tie-ins. Start printing rupees.
Fold. The X360 was designed with Japan in mind and failed. That ship has sailed and so has the gaming industry there.
Pull out. They don't really care, why should you? Double down on core markets (EU, NA, Aus) instead. Let Sony and Nintendo have JP, focus on making Xbox the largest overall gaming platform instead
A Nintendo and Xbox merger isn't too far fetched though
A Nintendo and Xbox merger isn't too far fetched though
Ask for a guaranteed salary with contract provisions on a buyout.
if it's an at-will position and not being forced to do it, thank him for the opportunity but politely decline then start my job search elsewhere
if an at-will position and being told to do it, thank him for the opportunity and then start my job search elsewhere
I wouldn't necessarily want to just go the portable route, even though I think that'd be "safer" in a sense, as I'd prefer to have a unified experience from region to region. I think it's important for Xbox to continue to compete in terms of power with PlayStation, but I'd take a different approach with the system UI to make it seem more personal. I think it'd be interesting to build in some sort of A.I. that you could interact with on a system level to encourage users to show the system more attention more often. Maybe even have an avatar of sorts represent the system itself, and its mood would change based on how often you were playing and what sorts of accomplishments you made in games. You could maybe even earn in-game rewards to give your avatar as "gifts" or whatever. I think this sort of approach could even work really well outside of Japan, and the system avatar could be anything from a person to an animal, maybe even characters from certain games.
It's not really that important. They seem to do fine without it.
No matter what they do (3rd party money hat exclusive route, buying studios, giving shit out for free) its always painted into a negative light.
No matter what they do (3rd party money hat exclusive route, buying studios, giving shit out for free) its always painted into a negative light.
I wish i can tell my director that sales failed because of nationalism.
Port everything you can to Switch and pretend it's a weird-looking Xbox.
Making a product they care about.
The same way you convince them to buy Iphones I guess.
Making a product they care about.
Vita is still big in japan
wouldn't change a thing. Namco would probably lose its fanbase before Xbox making a dent
I agree. The PC bang market is huge there. I'd like to see some korean game developers on the level of the korean movie industry.
Actually, Samsung is probably better suited to make a games console than google is.
Buy PlatinumGames for a start. Then one other major developer. Produce console exclusives geared toward that market, even if it has less international appeal.
Hire a new marketing team with proven track record in the region and find ways to incentivise people to switch to Xbox. I feel it needs a specific approach with laser focused campaigns. Sony and Nintendo just have so much brand loyalty and I feel that's something you buy over decades not just a few years. And they haven't shown that commitment. They profess to where possible but there is not enough commitment.
Hire a new marketing team with proven track record in the region and find ways to incentivise people to switch to Xbox. I feel it needs a specific approach with laser focused campaigns. Sony and Nintendo just have so much brand loyalty and I feel that's something you buy over decades not just a few years. And they haven't shown that commitment. They profess to where possible but there is not enough commitment.
Build a JRPG studio, and a series that goes more than 20 years with every new games evolved & improved, bringing new fans & more sales.
If those above finally realized, rub it in SIEJA's face too.
If those above finally realized, rub it in SIEJA's face too.
Whilst I don't think it was wrong attempt to gain a foothold in the Japanese market I think it was a big mistake by MS to focus on Japan over the EU. The 360 made good strides into the EU compared to the original Xbox but MS have let this slip.
The irony is I think they probably would have earned themselves better Japanese support had they focused more on the EU because it seems like most of the big Japanese games are targeting the West now anyway.
To answer your question at this point I'm really not sure. I think it would take a significant investment which I just can't believe wouldn't be better spent elsewhere.
The irony is I think they probably would have earned themselves better Japanese support had they focused more on the EU because it seems like most of the big Japanese games are targeting the West now anyway.
To answer your question at this point I'm really not sure. I think it would take a significant investment which I just can't believe wouldn't be better spent elsewhere.
Make a portable Xbox or market Xbox as prebuilt gaming PC?
Well then please explain why iPhone sold much better than Sony's phone in Japan. In fact I think Sony's phone is pretty much dead.
You mean free Toto toilet for each Xbox?
Does MS have enough money to buy all of Japan? If so, buy Japan. Once that's done, outlaw all consoles except Xbox. If that doesn't work then institute law making Xbox ownership and Game Pass subscription mandatory. If that doesn't work then I steal as much money from MS as I can and disappear into the night and start a new life as ftpviv.
Pimp out the visual and audio of the system while opening it up to a media/modders/tweakers dream and make it smaller and cheaper well after launch with miniaturisation, so many PS3s sold because of that Blu-ray baby. Bankroll Japanese devs/indies and open Xbox arcades with wacky and fun games that require the weirdest peripherals for home console consumption. Localisation of games development and talent with focused releases. Basically hybrid what Sony and Nintendo have success with some plus physical presence all under the Xbox brand.
Hell an Xbox games arcade/café with regular characters and mini shows, invite devs/fans to events. Xbox turning Japanese.
Hell an Xbox games arcade/café with regular characters and mini shows, invite devs/fans to events. Xbox turning Japanese.
