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- oGMo, on 10/12/2007, -18/+103No, this just goes to prove the theory that you need games to sell a console in Japan, and the 360 doesn't have any.
- Klisk, on 10/12/2007, -10/+60Well it IS a cultural difference.
The Gamecube flopped in the US because of "kiddie games" and it being "gay".
The Gamecube is a hit in Japan because it has Nintendo characters, it's cute, simple, and fun. Something the Japanese market loves.
The US market hates it, though, because the US is a country of insecure people trying so desperately to seem more and more mature and "grown up".
The Japanese market, on the other hand, embraces youth and would rather retain some child-like wonderment.
Is it a surprise? Not really. But America could learn a lot from Japan, in my opinion. - Charlotte_Web, on 10/12/2007, -6/+53Gamecube = $99
XBox 360 = $300
Gamecube = released in 2001, has tons of games available
XBox 360 = released late last year, has a limited selection of games available
Is this such a shocker? - chris9902, on 10/12/2007, -4/+46it's a culture thing. If you look at what sells in Japan (not just games) you will see the Xbox is way off the mark.
for example, I don't think Japan really cares about NFL games but they sell millions over here. It's just how it is and the bad thing for Mircosoft is all the best Jap devs work for Nintendo or Sony. - Raian, on 10/12/2007, -19/+48@cambrown99
Yeah because you know how much those Japanese like Jesus.... - interiot, on 10/12/2007, -2/+25@oGMo: PRECISELY. I mean, it's hard compare 360 games to GameCube games. But if you're a Japanese gamer, there's really very little available on the 360 for you. It's sort of a chicken-and-the-egg thing, but PS2 and GameCube are still cranking out japaense-style RPG's, so even if PS3 bombs (which it won't in Japan), the 360 still has a very tough road ahead in Japan.
- Philodox, on 10/12/2007, -4/+22I believe the article was talking about for all of 2006, not just one week.
- Rayonic, on 10/12/2007, -8/+25You can't deny that there is some cultural phenomenon at play. It is within the realm of possibility for a culture to be more introverted. To think that all cultures are the same is arrogant.
Foreign brands have success when there is no viable Japanese alternative. - DoctorNo, on 10/12/2007, -1/+17Being that American products like iPod, Windows, etc. dominate the Japanese market place, and Levis, KFC, 7Eleven, McDonalds litter the Japanese landscape, its not because its Microsoft or America.
Japanese gamers don't like FPS, Madden, GTA-sytle games, etc. The Xbox/360 would be popular if they could bag a big name exclusive title like Final Fantasy XIII, Winning Eleven, Dragon Quest 9 that appealed to Japanese gamers.
Seriously, how popular do you think Nintendo and Sony would be in the US if they only released RPGs, Soccer-games, and Mahjong titles that only Japanese gamers would like.
MS has failed to adjust the Japanese market plain and simple. MS is trying with Sakaguchi/Toriyama's Blue Dragon, we'll have to see how popular the new franchise is in getting Japanese gamers, but one or two titles aren't going necassarly equal success. - Aharoni, on 10/12/2007, -4/+20The question is how successful the Xbox 360 relative to the "success" of the original Xbox in Japan...
- Klisk, on 10/12/2007, -5/+21@quiltmaster - Oh no, of course both Sony and Microsoft *want* a profit, but you have to remember that playing the market and winning a market sometimes requires taking a big loss. Investments, you understand.
Microsoft could afford that loss, and they took that loss. Why? Because now that they succeeded in building an Xbox fanbase in the US -- A franchise, if you will -- They can turn around and make a profit on their future consoles and efforts. That was part of their strategy. That is how you can consider the Xbox a success, at least in the states -- It may not have made a profit, but it's in a damn lot of homes. Which means it will help push future products.
The Nintendo franchise never needed to do this because they were a unique case, being one of the first successful gaming companies, and having a die hard fanbase always with them. They're at the point in their life where they can *always* make a profit.
But the Gamecube didn't turn anyone into a Nintendo fanboy.
The first Xbox did create Xbox fanboys.
There's different values of success and failure. Businesses plan for the future. - RoninBic, on 10/12/2007, -0/+16On a more depressing note this does nothing to prove my theory that Germans love David Hasslehoff
- quiltmaster, on 10/12/2007, -6/+21@Klisk
Are you trying to convince us that succeeding for Sony and Microsoft doesn't mean turning out a profit? - oblivinated, on 10/12/2007, -3/+14@EatingPie
Thank you for stating the obvious~ Since now we're stating the obvious, the DS Lite is selling more than everything combined! - Klisk, on 10/12/2007, -0/+11@ revthwack - But what you're saying essentially supports my argument.
Microsoft has the money. So they're not making profit on the 360? That doesn't matter to them. They, eventually, WILL make a profit, be it from future consoles or games/accessories. In the US, their "Xbox" name is out there -- That is their success. :) - tidu, on 10/12/2007, -7/+17wow, not one xbox sold ;) Don't get me wrong, I own an xbox. It's just too funny.
- slaystench, on 10/12/2007, -5/+15Ummm, nice argument... re tarted?
Either way, I wish people would stop bringing up that loyalty BS, is it hard for people to grasp the concept of people having different tastes in gaming? Who in their right mind buys games they don't enjoy because of loyalty? That is re tarted. - aywwts4, on 10/12/2007, -0/+8I'm betting the ps2 outsells the ps3 on all days other than the launch week.
- bking, on 10/12/2007, -0/+790% of the things on Digg are just as trivial. If you want important, hard-hitting news, go to CNN.
- Splitt3rxx, on 10/12/2007, -10/+17I blame canada!
- Shinta, on 10/12/2007, -3/+10No Japanese buyers, no Japanese 3rd party support.
- froz3ntear, on 10/12/2007, -0/+6I wish I was as smart as you. You is a genius.
- bash, on 10/12/2007, -1/+7No. It's not because of nationalism. It's not because buying the Gamecube supports fellow Japanese. And it's not because of close mindedness.
It's because the Xbox 360 has nothing to interest Japanese gamers in terms of GAMES.
See that word right there? That one? In all caps? You don't have that, you don't have *****.
So ***** circle-jerking over nationalism as an excuse for the Xbox 360 bombing. No games? No sales. - inactive, on 10/12/2007, -2/+7This is also why Sony is only releasing 100,000 units of PS3 on launch in Japan and 400,000 in the US. They know that the Xbox 360 is a huge competitor in America, so they're dumping as many of their systems as they can on America to try to fight MS for marketshare. Meanwhile, with Japan, they know that they really have no competition so they have nothing to lose by releasing a tiny little trickle of the consoles there.
- Klisk, on 10/12/2007, -15/+20@Brantano - Success isn't always making a profit, y'know. Success is getting people hooked on your console, your brand, your games.
Gamecube didn't do this, for the most part, even though they made a profit. That's a social and market flop.
Meanwhile the Xbox did do this, even though they made a big loss. That is a marketing/social success.
You can't always look at money to determine how well something is doing. - bking, on 10/12/2007, -1/+5I think you're thinking about PS2 sales.
- bking, on 10/12/2007, -1/+5That would be a valid analogy if BMW and Honda were two of three car manufacturers in the world.
...and it were a 2000 civic vs. a 2005 bmw - JackHallows, on 10/12/2007, -2/+6If anyone else complains that a Gamecube is a "kiddie" console, I'll be forced to rip off your face with a Resident Evil 4 chainsaw controller. :|
- pokemogu, on 10/12/2007, -1/+4Note that GTA3 sold 350,000 copies and GTA VC sold 410,000 copies in Japan.
Those are doing quite well. - beta1, on 10/12/2007, -1/+3Prolly cuz there are more fun games for GC than 360.
- GolfDude, on 10/12/2007, -1/+3nintendo owns the handheld market.. psp lovers need to take a hike and pack it in..
- gwolf, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2This makes no sense to me; do we say a 1998 Ford Fiesta is outselling 2006 BMW 320I’s so the Beemer must be a terrible car. The Ford is a fraction of the price of the BMW and while they perform exactly the same function, I doubt the experience compares.
There is a world outside of Japan that buys games the Japanese wouldn’t necessarily like. I am not that sure it matters what Japanese gamers are doing when you look at the big picture.
I suspect that Sony is doing everything in its power to keep Japanese developers away from its competitors. But the Japanese developers have to pay their bills just like the rest of us and Sony can’t keep that up forever. - ChildeRoland420, on 10/12/2007, -1/+3That's not a good analogy at all. BMW and Honda both make profits on their cars. Microsoft is selling their units below cost and losing a lot of money in order to gain marketshare, yet they are still LOSING market share (and money) to a console that is much older and less advanced.
- buckynekkid, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2But if the trend of waning Japanese interest continues into the X720 cycle, then it will only become harder and harder for MS to turn a profit.
"In the US, their "Xbox" name is out there -- That is their success."
If this is true then they need to cut their Japanese-losses next cycle and stop selling each console at a loss to make some money. Problem is Nintendo already fills the 'not cutting-edge but still fun' niche. - davidhildreth, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1yea, this story is about sales for the whole year
- thatsmyaibo, on 10/12/2007, -1/+2@Ronin
Does this help your theory?
http://digg.com/videos_music/David_Hasselhoff_Hooked_on_a_Feeling_2
As for the 360 not doing well in Japan, it is because of lack of popular type games in Japan. RPGs hold some of this biggest markets there and the 360 isn't very accommodating of that. Enchanted Arms was the first true RPG to hit the console and was supposed to be a launch title which hurt the launch of the system there when it got pushed back. If they want success in Japan they need to develop for the market. - Ipag, on 10/12/2007, -2/+3Is this seriously news? Gamecube outsold 360 by 1,287 units. How many were replacements for old Gamecubes that bit the dust?
- kendra, on 10/12/2007, -17/+18Is it really compariable suggesting that the Gamecube is outselling the Xbox 360 when the prices are drastically different?
- fugazi, on 10/12/2007, -4/+5I'm damn sure microsoft will keep buying the support so dont worry about that.
- zorplex, on 10/12/2007, -1/+2@Raian and ALL the people who dugg him up and dugg down cambrown99
Coming from a self-proclaimed "otaku": JAPAN HAS A CHRISTMAS! They don't celebrate it as a religious holiday however. They usually celebrate on Christmas Eve by giving gifts to one another and whatnot. They have a "Santa Claus" and many Japanese families now use "Christmas trees". It is even becoming more common for them to put up lights on the outside of their houses.
Check it out for yourselves:
http://www.japaneselifestyle.com.au/culture/christmas.html
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=christmas+in+japan - inactive, on 10/12/2007, -1/+2Just wait till Emergence Day...
- ChildeRoland420, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1Yet, when you look at Gamecube vs 360 profits, only one of them is in the black. Which is more important, highest revenue or highest profit (and marketshare)?
- 10scott10, on 10/12/2007, -1/+2I'm a nintendo fanboy, and even i don't care about this figure. hell the GBA micro could be outselling it for all i care;. it is because there is another generation of the X-box out already. when the GC is outselling the X-box and 360 combined, then i will interested
- deadbaby, on 10/12/2007, -2/+3Yes, I do actually.
- bking, on 10/12/2007, -1/+2Someone needs to take an economics lesson.
- millixaw, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1So is it a bad thing that the MistWalker RPGs are going to be exclusive to Xbox 360??
- BugMeNot2, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1Philodox,
http://www.joystiq.com/2006/09/08/japanese-hardware-sales-28-august-3-september-major-megaton/
"Japanese hardware sales, 28 August - 3 September:"
6 days. - MM005, on 10/12/2007, -4/+5Has anyone took into consideration that the GameCube and PS2 are dirt cheap in comparison to the 360 as a reason for them selling so well? I mean seriously, there are alot of ppl out there who want a next-gen console but can't afford it or (In japan's case) were waiting for the PS3 and realized they had to sell a kidney to get one so instead just went out and got a cheap console to hold them over until they could afford one, since the 360 don't have any games that have men that look like women in them it's not very popular right now!
- nrighton, on 10/12/2007, -4/+4And they sold more Honda Civics than BMWs, oo oo BMW should worry....NOT
- inactive, on 10/12/2007, -1/+1so... 75k xbox 360 and 77k gamecube? xbox : $ 22,500,000 gamecube : $7,700,000 which means that xbox still sold "more" ( prices . gc = 100 x360 = 300 )
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