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Peter Moore says that the PS3 is "failing" in Japan

When it comes to the current generation of gaming consoles, Microsoft's Xbox 360 is currently in the lead with the most units sold. Microsoft's lead can be attributed to the fact that the Xbox 360 was released a year ahead of its two Japanese rivals.

Microsoft's lead may not last long if the strong performance from Nintendo's Wii is any indication. The Wii has consistently outsold both the Xbox 360 and the PS3 in North America. The console's low price of entry and innovative control scheme has won over many gamers both young and old.

If current sales trends are any indication, the Xbox 360 could soon find itself in a strong second place position worldwide with the Wii taking over the top spot in total units sold. In Japan, however, the Xbox 360 is having a hard time finding an audience.

Microsoft Corporate VP of Interactive Entertainment Peter Moore was asked about the performance of the Xbox 360 in Japan -- where only 122,565 units were sold through the first six months of 2007. Instead of talking about the Xbox 360's weakness in Japan, Moore threw the ball in Sony's court.

"That's probably a better question for Sony who's getting outsold by what, 6-to-1? You can bet that Sony built a long-term business plan about being successful in Japan and that business plan is crumbling," Moore told GameDaily.biz. "I built a business plan [for Japan], but I don't think my expectations in Japan were anything close to what Sony's expectations are. They are failing. They're missing their plan by much more than I'm missing my plan."

Peter Moore is right that the Wii has dominated the PS3 in Japan, but the Xbox 360 hasn’t exactly set hearts ablaze, either. Microsoft has always countered, however, that their sales expectations in Japan have always been set rather low whereas Sony was expecting the PS3 to dominate the sales charts from the beginning.

That being said, Microsoft still has a few tricks up its sleeve to boost sales performance of the Xbox 360 – at least in the United States. The company announced a new HDMI-enabled, Halo 3-themed Xbox 360 at E3 along with new accessories. Microsoft’s Shane Kim has also hinted at price cuts for the Xbox 360 in the coming months. Wedbush Morgan Securities analyst Michael Pachter projected that the prices would fall to $399, $349 and $249 respectively for the Xbox 360 Elite, Premium and Core.

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Japan's Preferences
By SRoode on 7/17/2007 10:44:08 AM , Rating: 5
Japan has always seemed to favor systems that originated from their own country. Seeing the PS3/Wii sales dominate over the 360 should not surprise anyone. I think France is the only other country where the 360 is not in the lead for total sales.




RE: Japan's Preferences
By dome1234 on 7/17/2007 10:54:52 AM , Rating: 5
the current bestest game on 360 is gears and the upcoming big ones is halo3, bioshock, mass effect are all shooters. Japan actually saw sale spikes when blue dragon was released.

different region enjoys different genre. Why don't you try to sell madden to europe?


RE: Japan's Preferences
By FITCamaro on 7/17/07, Rating: 0
RE: Japan's Preferences
By Aikouka on 7/17/2007 11:07:11 AM , Rating: 1
Blue Dragon was released in Japan on December 7, 2006 ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blue_Dragon ).


RE: Japan's Preferences
By christojojo on 7/17/2007 12:29:00 PM , Rating: 2
Blue Dragon is too kiddie for me in the graphics department. I'm 43 years old and playing as a kid just seems.... wrong. It 's a shame since I love the old turn based games, Baldur's Gate, NWN, and my favorite series Fallout. For me the demo made me feel like I was a 43 year old pretending I'm a 5yo trying to be a teenager who is pretending to be an adult, (YUCK).


RE: Japan's Preferences
By aikend on 7/17/2007 1:25:34 PM , Rating: 2
Wow. So you would play the game if it looked different, but at 43 years old the idea of sitting around playing video games that *look* young bothers you?

Me, I say play it if it's fun. But if you really are compelled to live up to some internal perception of what a 43 year old "should" do... doesn't playing video games at all cause guilt and awkwardness?


RE: Japan's Preferences
By christojojo on 7/17/2007 11:46:40 PM , Rating: 2
First, let me apologize for giving my personal opinion.

Second, there is a difference between say, playing football and hopscotch. If a person wants to play it by all means; but (get this) I feel foolish doing it. It doesn't appeal to me and frankly hopscotch hurts my knees.

If, I told you the original EA NHL Hockey was graphically pleasing to me. Would you say that I must be insane because the current state of graphics are so much better? I, still, enjoy that game; while the newer ones bore me. Nostalgia is powerful.

Listen, the graphics hurt the game for me, they are not enjoyable to ME.

Do you remember the old joke;

Patient: Doctor, Doctor it hurts when I tilt my head like this.
Doctor: Well, don't do it then.

All I am saying is that most of us avoid things that we dont like. If I can't state my opinion without getting gigged then gig away.


RE: Japan's Preferences
By bysmitty on 7/17/2007 12:38:38 PM , Rating: 2
Though what you say about different play styles is true, it should also be pointed out that the 360 actually has more RPGs on the market in Japan than both Wii and PS3 right now. I agree with what your saying but I don't think it is the primary factor in the 360s low sales numbers.

...bysmitty


RE: Japan's Preferences
By jconan on 7/17/07, Rating: -1
RE: Japan's Preferences
By jconan on 7/18/2007 8:54:10 PM , Rating: 2
I think one of the primary factors why 360s have low sales is that the games available on 360s are already available on the PC. 2nd everyone tends to generalize that Japanese tend to prefer Japanese but that's not the case. The preference is reliability, affordability, ease of use, and the looks/packaging as Japan is known for. For 1 thing the xbox 360 is not reliable if it breaks down continuously even shipping and handling adds up having to have it shipped to get repaired.

On a side note to the main topic "Peter Moore says that the PS3 is failing in Japan" according to Enterbrain Wii has outsold PS3 3:1 and 360 7:1. So PS3 seems to be holding on till they can get some good game releases out to the stores.


RE: Japan's Preferences
By stubeck on 7/17/2007 1:11:25 PM , Rating: 1
Madden is sold in Europe.


RE: Japan's Preferences
By Min Jia on 7/17/2007 10:13:15 PM , Rating: 2
Mass Effect is RPG not shooter, but then again, Japanese only love J-RPG.


RE: Japan's Preferences
By MrDiSante on 7/22/2007 3:32:57 PM , Rating: 2
J-RPG's are utter crap.


RE: Japan's Preferences
By afkrotch on 7/22/2007 11:11:36 PM , Rating: 2
The best RPGs are Japanese. Do you think Square Enix is American?

Square Co was a Japanese company. Enix Corporation was a Japanese company. Enix took over Square Co and now they are Square Enix. Still a Japanese company.

Most of the best RPGs on the market are made by a Japanese company. Course there are RPGs that are made by a Japanese company and only geared towards the Japanese market, but ppl outside of the market will import them to play them.

I've played Blue Dragon (came with my Blue Dragon Edition 360 - which, I bought to replace my other broken Xbox 360, which that one was bought to replace my other broken Xbox 360 Premium) and I disliked that game. I've played Trusty Bell demo and I enjoyed that game. I like enjoyed the battle system, unlike Blue Dragon's. I'm hoping the release of Trusty Bell in the states is region free. I'm sporting a Japanese 360.


RE: Japan's Preferences
By glenn8 on 7/17/2007 10:57:25 AM , Rating: 1
Yeah, I think the only way Microsoft will sell is if they set up a Japanese front or partner with an existing brand and sell a redesigned 360 under a new moniker.


RE: Japan's Preferences
By docmarke on 7/17/07, Rating: -1
RE: Japan's Preferences
By Parhel on 7/17/2007 12:06:02 PM , Rating: 5
No, that can't be true. If Microsoft was having hardware problems, don't you think we would have read about it on Dailytech? :)


RE: Japan's Preferences
By Piccoro on 7/17/07, Rating: 0
RE: Japan's Preferences
By novacthall on 7/17/2007 12:40:05 PM , Rating: 4
Man, that was all over the place. What's your point, exactly?


RE: Japan's Preferences
By wallijonn on 7/17/07, Rating: -1