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360 Gains In Japan a Mirage

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Japan - In the same week that the Wii has crossed 7 million units sold, the 360 is once again playing as a potential spoiler against Sony's PS3.
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PantherLotus - contributor
Published: 396 days 3 hours ago | Article | PlayStation 3 | Xbox 360 | Wii | Gaming | Industry News
 
 

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Death - 396 days 10 hours ago
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1 - I hate saying numbers lie, but
they can be twisted to look like something they are not. This time last year the PS3 was averaging around 50,000 a week in Japan. The Xbox 360 was somewhere around 7500. Obviously today it's a different story since they are both selling about the same. What is different this year? Well, first off Sony didn't just introduce the 40 gig at a lower price in Japan. That is what caused the spike in sales last year. Prior to that, the PS3 was selling relatively poorly.

The Xbox 360 hasn't done well for the year. We all know this so it's not much of a shock to say it. What they have done though is found a way to increase sales in a region that they were believed to be dead in. These last few months we have seen Microsoft lower the price and introduce some exclusives that Japanese gamers actually want. This has resulted in year over year sales being slightly ahead while Nintendo and Sony are slightly behind. Who honestly thought they could say that this year in Japan? Sony is still over 1.5 million units ahead of Microsoft and the Wii is a solid 6 million ahead, so it's not like anyone is claiming Microsoft to be the new leader in Japan. What people in Microsoft's camp are excited about is they are atleast going forward instead of backwards.

-Death
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Steven Colbert - 396 days 2 hours ago
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1.1 -
Well said

-Colbert
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OnslaughtX - 396 days 2 hours ago
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1.2 -
Very true. Hopefully trends like this will spur on all companies to not sit on their asses because they "own" one region.
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XXXCouture - 396 days ago
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1.3 -
youre wiser than yoda
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CrazzyMan - 396 days ago
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1.4 - don`t worry, PS3 will increase in sales during Christmas to those 50k.
BUT come on, EVEN Wii is doing worse, then year ago.
Just look forward to Japan Christmas sales, PES 2009 bundle released, which in first day(Nov 27th) did around 100k,
and then later expect boost by White Knight Cronicles. =)

And Wii, most games on Wii just bomb in Japan, even with 7 mln. userbase, because it`s casuals bought the system, and they don`t buy normal games usually.
Wii is NOT a competitor to HD consoles, because they are different.
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PimpHandHappy - 396 days 2 hours ago
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2 -
agree

cheaper then a wii

-PimpHand
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bomboclaat_gamer - 396 days 2 hours ago
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2.1 - correction
cheaper THAN a wii

know your English
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TheMART at Xboxkings - 396 days 1 hour ago
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2.2 -
So do you know my language that well also? Not everyone in the world has English as their native language dude.
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Zeevious - 395 days 20 hours ago
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2.3 - B'Claat --This is News 4 Gamers . . .
NOT News 4 Grammar.

.

Thanks Mart & PimpHand for your comments!
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Perjoss - 395 days 13 hours ago
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2.4 -
confirmed:
bomboclaat_gamer is undercover grammar police officer, watch out!
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infamousXX87XX - 396 days 1 hour ago
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3 -
Its a very simple thing......the ps3 is too expensive right now. Whenever they drop the price, sales will increase big time. It hasnt hit the mainstream price point yet.

With that said, it shows just how weak the 360 is in japan when the ps3 is still outselling them, even though its like half the price as the ps3
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evrfighter - 396 days 1 hour ago
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3.1 -
Not really. Your argument was valid when they tried selling regular xbox's in japan. It never caught on with japanese gamers because they are a very very loyal consumer. For microsoft to do that well in the japanese market is almost a milestone with these numbers.

I'm strictly a pc gamer (who thinks bill gates is the devil) and its cheap hardware that drives my video card/cpu purchases. I'm strictly calling it as I see it. Microsoft news usually carries over into tech forums I frequent and over the years the trend has always been "xbox's don't sell in Japan period." I'm honestly surprised they are selling as much as ps3's. Even with the cheap price. Japanese gamers I've met online ALL seem to hate microsoft and windows.
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4 Agent VX | 396 days 1 hour ago - User only got 1 bubble - Show
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PantherLotus - 396 days ago
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4.1 -
It's hard to say much about the PS3 that isn't already known:

1. Wow @ that price. "If it comes down it will suddenly sell like gangbusters."

2. Wait until... (insert big PS2 franchise here).

3. It's more than just a "toy." ("the Wii is just a kid's toy so it doesn't really count").

So beyond that the article does briefly note that PS3 sales have flat-lined, but doesn't go into that further because it has been discussed to death. Rather than beat a dead horse, the article addresses the misconception that the 360 has really stolen the show from Sony.

Basically, the gains (for the 360 against its competitors) are short term and directly related to a series of above average RPGs. Those events are happening concurrently with year-end market increases and conclusions about market position should not be made.
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KingDizzi - 396 days ago
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5 -
The problem with PS3 in Japan is a simple one - lack of software. f you want proof of that, just look at what happened to PSP sales when Monster Hunter 2G released in Japan, sold huge amounts of PSP's for the rest of the year.

All Sony need to do is pump out the software, for one PSP is set to keep selling huge numbers thanks to Dissidia, Agito, another Monster Hunter releasing, Kingdon Hearts, GT protable etc. PS3 is also set now, WKC, PES 09 this week, FFXIII, Versus and you get the picture here.
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Danja - 396 days ago
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6 -
Lack of JRPG's on the PS3 is what is hurting it's sales...there isn't much compelling software that Japanese gamers want at the moment where as the 360 has alot of JRPG's they may not be that good..but they exist..plus the 360 is dirt cheap compared to the PS3 and even the Wii..

The PS3 is doing great for a console that still considered too expensive..
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Firstkn1ghT - 395 days 23 hours ago
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7 -
All these JRPG's might get crappy reviews here in the states but they always get high reviews from Famitsu. Japanese are slowly starting to jump in.
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Tony600 - 395 days 22 hours ago
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8 - Good.
Each console derserve his "mirage" all over the world.Sorry,but some fanboys/girls are really pathetic and stupid.I own two PS3(40GB)and now the xbox 360 is gaining some mirage in japan,get over it!I feel ashamed to own a ps3 but not because of the console,its because of the fanboys.Little emos who cry the whole day and bash other consoles for their homo***** needs.Some Xbox 360 fanboys arent much better.Really sad.
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Britney Spears - 395 days 20 hours ago
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9 - gain?
There is no gain. The reason it sold 15k is because of a last remnant bundle. Expect the numbers to drop next week. Also a bundle from a square game plus being cheaper and it still didn't outsell ps3 this past week.
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PantherLotus - 395 days 16 hours ago
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9.1 -
I agree but the significance is that the 360, which was selling 2k-5k for numerous consecutive weeks this year, has zero business being in the conversation with the PS3 or the Wii in Japan.

The past 6-8 weeks, it HAS been in the conversation. The point of the article is that it is more of an indictment of the ineptitude of PS3 rather than a validation of Microsoft strategy...
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