Can Xbox solve its problem in Japan? It is possible that they already have

This is a secret for the community of players in Japan and the broader Asian market, Xbox did not have a taste of the success they got elsewhere. While the Xbox has had difficulty over the last decade in relation to its performance with the exit of the Xbox 360 in the late 2000s, consoles still hold a respectable market share in the United States. However, when reviewing sales data in Japan, it is clear that Xbox still has trouble finding its way to household shelves beyond those bought by collectors and niche enthusiasts. The why and the how of Microsoft s struggles are slightly complex, and their strategy should move forward, even more.

Before the release of the Xbox, Microsoft attempted to display his commitment to the Japanese game of the game while flying in the great man himself, Mr. Bill Gates. After the massive success of Windows in the 1990s, the strategy of putting Gates facing major promotional events for the Xbox in Japan was in theory an excellent idea. Unfortunately, all the hype and the press that a Fortune 500 company could collect have not quite successful. Bad press conferences and clumsy marketing campaigns (like Bill Gates holding a cheeseburger with hands that are not at all those of Bill Gates) have dug a larger hole for Microsoft than they were.

Outgoing behind the PS2 and Gamecube, Microsoft was shocking negative public relations centered on the size of the appropriately cumbersome controller and their aggressive foreign marketing strategies. In addition, Microsoft was essentially playing the role of the third player in the consoles industry behind Sony and Nintendo. This place was previously held by Sega, which led to collaboration between the two companies. Despite the scoring of 11 exclusive SEGA titles for the original Xbox, such as Panzer Dragoon Orta and the beloved Jet Set Radio Future, Xbox could not shake their narrow link with PC Gaming, which was not popular among Japanese players at the time.

The exit of Sega of the material market, in theory, would have been a perfect opportunity for Microsoft to fill the void, but unfortunately for Xbox, this allowed Sony to grow exponentially while leaving the Xbox sales to a minimum. However, to their credit, the American giant continued and started to find its best success in the performance of the Xbox 360.

Although they continued to release the stocks marketed from the Japanese during the 7th generation, such as Blue Dragon and Lost Odyssey, internal motivation to hunt the East market began to decline, according to the old framework. Ed Fries. The continued reputation of the Xbox 360 as a Shooter Box pushed many disinterested players to look for a plethora of JRPG that Sony had almost monopolized.

While the 360 ​​has experienced respected sales, although not competitive, in Japan, the launch of the Xbox One has neutralized momentum in the future. Already alienated to be too American, Don Mattrick and his focus on the Xbox as an entertainment center that was strength associated with Kinect had virtually no echo from Japanese players. In addition, the only major Japanese title planned for exclusive Xbox One, Hideki Kamiya s Scalebound, was inevitably canceled, with the disappointment of many players (including this author).

While Xbox was at the edge of the death of his brand, Phil Spencer spent the last half of the decade to rebuild the confidence of the players and the credibility of the Xbox. However, during these years, the Japanese market has moved further away, but with the exit of the X | S series and the success of GamePass, the Xbox soon began to make a way in Japanese homes.

While Xbox firmly secures a place at the Western market table, all eyes turned to Japan for the future of Xbox. With the problems that have tormented Xbox abroad in the past, is recovery even possible? Less than a year after launch, the Xbox Series S | X has exceeded sales of Xbox One from 4 to 1, exceeding almost the previous generation in total sales. Although it has sold only 1 / 10th of what PS5 has, market growth is market growth, and although Xbox may never reach Sony or Nintendo in Japan, this does not mean not that she can not find success.

The Xbox Series S is an excellent entry point for foreign markets with an affordable price and a compact design. Associated with GamePass, Japanese consumers have a low barrier console to satisfy all curious pallets of Western versions. However, the problem remains that Xbox simply does not have many Japanese exclusives to compete with Sony. With the recent acquisition of Bethesda, and by Tango Gameworks, Xbox now has at least one Japanese developer under his aegis, but it will take a long time before seeing an exclusivity on their part. Ghost Wire Tokyo of Tango Gameworks, like Deathloop, will honor past output commitments so that players see it on PS5 before Xbox.

With the previous preceding press and Sony flawless success, it is unlikely that Microsoft concludes exclusive agreements with Japanese developers with Japanese developers. Even with the amount of funding that Xbox has behind him, give money to Japanese developers does not create good will, according to the former director of relations with the thirds of Xbox, Kevin Baccus. On the basis of an interview with EuroGamer in 2012, Baccus said that any agreement with Japanese developers should be concluded through intensive relationships, which will require a very long time for Microsoft, which essentially abandoned the market.

Many Xbox fans want to see Microsoft make a purchase of the size of Bethesda abroad. Publishers with somewhat stagnant outings like Sega or Konami or widespread favorites, but this can be a bad choice of strategy based on what we know. The Xbox marketing campaign is considered too aggressive and American so that the original Xbox receives support, the pure and simple purchase of a foreign studio can be of bad taste. To gain the support and confidence of the Japanese, Microsoft must seem a fragile line between the establishment of relationships and financial support.

GamePass is a service that can be used to maneuver this delicate environment. Secure the day and date of release of Asian Games on GamePass allows developers a freedom of development. It establishes a positive relationship while simultaneously encouraging Japanese players to plunge their toes in GamePass, which exposes them to Western securities. While the problem of exclusivity persists, Japanese players can recognize the value proposition found in the service. This strategy is simple and guarantees that Microsoft is not considered the abuser.

While many Xbox subsidiaries have been bought purely and simply, a handful of studios have been created from scratch to develop Xbox flagship titles such as 343i, The Coalition, Turn 10, Playground Games and The Initiative. With an appropriate strategy created by those who are familiar with the market, Microsoft could prove its commitment to Japanese players by creating one or two studios from Japan. The feasibility of this is debatable and the risk is important, but it is a half-step that saves face between the purchase of a studio and obtaining the exclusivity of a third party.

The unfortunate fact of the question is that even though Xbox makes all the good decisions, it is still inevitably a difficult battle that will never stop. For foreign companies in Japan, patience and adaptability are vital. Phil Spencer has done a great job by rising the Xbox brand in America and Europe, but succeeding in the country of the rising sun is a different beast. The positive side is that Xbox does not need to try to equal the success of Sony and Nintendo in Japan; It would be stupid, but instead, all that it has to do is find a reliable consumer base and, above all, to listen to their needs and desires. Can Xbox solve its problem in Japan? Maybe not, but it can undoubtedly increase its market share, one player at a time.

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