Could Xbox crack Japan? Or is it too Late?

In the world of gaming, we all know that there are two games consoles that stand head and shoulders about the rest; the PlayStation and the Xbox.

While there isn’t just one of each of these consoles, the two regularly release new consoles that go head-to-head with each other when it comes to market share. However, while both have their own fan base, it would appear that it’s a bit of a one horse race, with the PS4 holding 71% of the market share.

This is a worldwide figure, but when you delve into it, the picture for the Microsoft owned Xbox is a little bleaker. While the console has sold millions in North America and Europe, outside of these markets the console isn’t doing as well, especially when you look at the Japanese market. A key market for gaming, you only have to look at the Xbox 360 to see the trouble Microsoft have here. The console had only sold 1.5 million units in Japan between its launch in 2005 and 2011.

While everyone has their own preference, whether it’s because of the amount of games available for a console, the amount of NVRAM memory, or something completely different, let’s look at what went wrong for the Xbox in Japan, and how things could shape up in the future.

What Happened

Well, there isn’t just one reason as to why the Xbox failed to take off in the Japanese market, and many have wondered over the years about just what went wrong. While the Sony PlayStation is a Japanese made product, the Xbox is not, which is seen to be a bit of an issue as the Japanese market tend to stay loyal to ‘home-grown’ products. Let’s not forget that the original PlayStation was launched more than seven years before the first Xbox.

Then there was the issue of overheating and the ‘red ring of death’ experienced by the Xbox 360, which inevitably tarnished the brand. PlayStations on the other hand have been seen to last 10 years or more. Couple this with the difference in storytelling, with the role-playing nature of Japanese game making being different to Xbox’s first-person genre, and you can see why the console failed to launch.

Future

It’s hard to see where the Xbox could go in Japan. With more than 16 years there, they’ve yet to set the market alight.

However, there could be one way; the games themselves. As we mentioned, the difference in storytelling is a big issue, so, if Xbox were to work much closer with Japanese game developers to learn what’s needed and wanted – then surely, they’ll have more of a chance to crack the market fully.

But, in a market seemingly dominated by the Sony PlayStation, it may already be too late for the Xbox to not only capture Japan, but conquer the world’s gaming market – instead, living a life as a more niche games console.

This article does not necessarily reflect the opinions of the editors or management of EconoTimes