The Xbox Series X Should Go All-in on the Japanese Market
Xbox could actually make some headway into the Japanese market this time, if they play their cards right. | Source: Christian Petersen / Getty Images / AFP. Image Edited by CCN.com.
- During the Tokyo Game Show, Xbox showed a more Japanese-centric side of the upcoming consoles.
- The reel features mostly gameplay, lots of genres that are popular in Japan, and was advertised using an anime-style character.
- Xbox has the best chance of success in the Japanese market they’ve had for years, but a new Japanese developer under their employ would help a lot.
The Tokyo Game Show is underway, and the Xbox Series X made a big showing .
Everything that Xbox showed off was geared towards a Japanese audience. That even extends to the advertising for the event that featured an anime-style waifu character .
Xbox is chasing the Japanese market, but are they chasing it hard enough?
The Xbox Brand Hasn’t Done Well in Japan Historically
It’s a well-known fact that Xbox doesn’t do so well in Japan. Some gamers claim it’s because the Japanese hate Microsoft or because of the size of the hardware.
The truth is that there is just a big cultural difference between Japan and the US . Microsoft appears to be trying to bridge that gap with the Xbox Series X.
The presentation featured a lot of Japan-centric content, such as the Japan update for MS Flight Simulator . There’s also a more significant focus on GamePlay rather than cinematics, which is essential when you’re trying to sell to a Japanese gamer market.
You can take a look at the TGS 2020 Xbox Showcase in the video below.
Will The Xbox Series X Succeed?
Microsoft is hoping to use its massive collection of games to turn the tide in the gaming marketplace. Right now, the Xbox Series X will come with 100s of games built-in for anyone subscribed to Game Pass. Because of Game Pass, Microsoft doesn’t really care if people buy Series S or Series X.
In Japan, Microsoft has even dropped the price of the Xbox Series S, bringing it down to the same price as a Nintendo Switch. That means that come launch, Japanese gamers will be able to purchase a next-gen console for the same price as a console that has been out since 2017.
The only other thing that Microsoft could be doing better for the Xbox Series X would be to get even more Japanese games on Game Pass. With Xbox’s recent acquisition of ZeniMax media, they have access to plenty of RPGs, but buying a Japanese studio would go a long way towards appealing to Japanese gamers.
Microsoft is probably hoping that its new waifu character and the Japanese-centric content will garner more of a market share in Japan. If that tactic doesn’t work, Microsoft might have to dip into those deep pockets once again.
Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect the views of CCN.com.
