Why Xbox Is Continuing To Fail In Japan

This video takes a look at recent comments made by Xbox CEO Phil Spencer about Xbox's struggles in Japan.

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[juninamura]

It's pretty bad that those companies just don't understand how the japanese market works. If it's not made for them in mind they really won't support such services. You can't expect for things to operate well there just because it works in other countries.

[jurgen-ps]

Xbox as a brand is actually relatively well known in Japan, at least within people who have an interest in video games. They just have no reason to buy the thing since there already is a machine that plays all the games they want, plus Nintendo.

One major thing really hurting here in Japan now is the lack of retail presence, it's seriously close to zero. Seems also like MS is very focused on stuff like cloud service, subscriptions and whatnot which are less interesting to most consumers here.

Great video, it sums up the situation will without a lot of nonsense, just facts.

[NTBXP]

Playstation had their Senran Kagura 7Even. Xbox had their chance with Galgun. And they blew it up by asking for censorship at very short time before launch. Galgun may not be a great game but it may have been a way to show "we are not moral busybody that want to impose morality with videogames". Now people have to go for nintendo.

[daviddamasceno]

Worst part is that Xbox has had plenty of oportunities to grow in Japan and they blew it every time. They want the Japanese market but refuse to give Japanese gamers what they want. So no, I don't think Xbox will ever be big in Japan.

[AngelLee]

It's not just Japan, Xbox is just not popular in Asia in general. In my country (SEA) you can find PS and Nintendo consoles, games, accessories all over the store and then there's that one shelf in the corner with Xbox. Tho Xbox 360 was super popular because it can play pirated games.

[LuigiTheMetal]

Sony and Microsoft will censor stuff. Nintendo are pretty much heavenly kings in Japan. Keeping Japanese content as Japanese content is how money and love is earned. Not everything is going to be for everybody. Saying otherwise is like saying Metallica and Ed Sheeran should change their music to bring in Pokémon fans.

[zycane]

Xbox could easily become popular in Japan, if they wanted to.
But they chose to censor Japanese anime games, and with that they chose to never get a foothold in Japan.
I find it baffling how a simple, "When in Rome..." can be such a hard concept for modern western companies to understand, when interacting with Japanese culture markets.
It is almost as if they have incompetent people at the helm, supposed to understand the fan culture and its marketing, and instead chose to attempt to force their own morals onto another country's culture.

[penelopeichihime]

Both Xbox and Playstation are pursuing the western market while pushing double standards views on Japanese anime style games.

Nintendo has been successful in the field due to how the brand is far more recognized in Japan and that it is handheld (due to Japan's workaholic nature, most people prefer to play outside with either a Switch or a mobile at hand).

[NintendanGX]

The issue is less to do with Xbox facing hostile anti-business practices in Japan, and more that they're just as guilty for censoring or outright banning Japanese games. When you also consider every modern Xbox exclusive is already available on PC, it's a no-brainer why nobody in Japan wants to buy their overpriced console. Xbox are getting exactly what they deserve. They could've succeeded where PlayStation failed (and continue to fail to this day), but they've got nothing going for them right now, other than Gamepass (which, AGAIN, isn't exclusive to Xbox).

Right now, all you need is a Switch and a PC, and you're all set. Phone as well, since they're popular in Japan.

[jackduggan]

I'm just glad to see CG back making videos like this!
Hope all is well mate. 🙏

[TwilightWolf]

The problem with the Xbox brand is that it screams AMERICA!!!, both in its design, UI and games available for the system.
I never had any Xbox throughout all my life because I have always been a Japanese-developed games guy, with my preferred games being JRPGs, Mario, Mega Man, Metal Gear, etc., and always stayed away from sports titles, FPSs and movie adaptations. I do play games like Borderlands from time to time, but it is very, very rare that will seek out those. So, why would I buy an Xbox if those are the majority of titles it possesses and there are very little JRPGs in its library?

If Microsoft wants to get into the Japanese market, they have to do the opposite of what Sony is doing and cater to the Japanese tastes, get input from Japanese developers in the development of their next console and try to get as many developers to port their games as they possibly can.

[RealKaiserRyu]

Square Enix is the only one still keeping a lot of their games off Xbox. Sega with Yakuza, Atlus, and more have since put there games on Xbox. As far as I’m concerned, the Yakuza games have done great for game pass.

[fattiger]

I think the reason is pretty simple for why it isn't doing well now. It's been 20 years and Xbox has never taken off in Japan. The brand has just become something to avoid for Japanese people. After 20 years, their reputation is set in stone.

As for why it didn't do well from the start, I think it's just because Japanese gamers got attached to Sony and Nintendo. And Japanese people actually like to support native companies. The only foreign tech product that Japan goes crazy for is Apple products and that was a miracle that the iphone was able to beat phones from Japanese firms.

[TBoneTony]

The only XBox system that had some real Japanese support was the XBox 360 between 2005 to 2009.
That was during the years of the PS3 struggling and other PS2 games still being made late into their generation.

[BrotherHood-xhsg]

I am suprised that despite all the censorship, Sony is still doing okay there.

[RaikaSTi]

Because there are hardly any anime-like games on it. It's all just first person shooters or weird western stuff

[cosmosofinfinity]

6:10 These charts are always hilarious... Series S is less than PS4! And just above the 2DS! I didn't know those were still even being sold... Of course there is record-breaking growth in Japan; if you sold to 1 customer, and then eventually sell to a second customer, you have DOUBLED your total sales! There is a lot more room TO grow

[IsekaiApostle]

If Nintendo put out a powerful console that could play Triple A titles at 4K 60FPS it would be over for both censoring Xbox and censoring PlayStation.

[GeneCreemers]

It’s cause they ban all the sexy Japanese girl games on Xbox, I wouldn’t buy it either no point

[inaba-sta]

I've never seen the advertise of Xbox on Japanese TV.
Casual Vs. Core. "Casual" gamers who likes Final Fantasy, Ring Fit Adventure, Legend of Zelda, Splatoon, purchase console. And "Core" gamers who likes overseas titles are already playing them on PC. There's no place for Xbox(I don't dislike Xbox). Balance between consoles and PCs is not equal as foreign countries.
I saw the comments on here. I think censorships doesn't matter on this problem. I'm feeling cultural difference as one Japanese gamer.
( I feel sorry my English is so messed up )