320°

Team Ninja Says Xbox Has a 'Bigger Presence' in Japan, But Nintendo Dominates Japan

Microsoft has seen the sales of the Xbox grow since the release of the Xbox Series X|S as the latest generation consoles have already sold nearly three times that of the Xbox One. But it is currently tracking behind the Xbox 360 in the country.

The director and president of Team Ninja Fumihiko Yasuda said Xbox has seen growth in Japan due to help from Game Pass. However, he says Nintendo continues to dominate the console market.

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blackblades591d ago

Bigger presence then before which should have been said in the title considering the obvious

XiNatsuDragnel590d ago

That's good but nothing compared to 360 days tbh imo.

-Foxtrot590d ago

Nintendo is an ocean

Microsoft is a tear drop in comparison

LOGICWINS590d ago

At the moment, you would be correct. But we can speculate that Microsoft and Nintendo are working on some sort of partnership that will give them an edge in Japan.

Remember when that Kojima Luden's statue was on Phil's shelf and ponies tried to convince everyone that it meant nothing? What happened a year later? Death Stranding on PC Game Pass.

Well, there was a Switch on that shelf as well....

Nitrowolf2590d ago (Edited 590d ago )

Why would Nintendo work w h Microsoft in order for them to lose ground in their own territory??????

The partnership, if there is one, would be beneficial to Nintendo more than anything if it was a matter of hardware sales.

590d ago
gold_drake590d ago (Edited 590d ago )

yea.
no.

death strandings exclusive contract ran out, its as simple as that.
lets not make it anything else than it actually is.

japan is not a fan of xbox, its as simple as that. theres absolutely nothing wrong with that and has nothing to do with anything other than it not being popular there.

1Victor590d ago

@LOGIC
Logic do you really have to be HIGHLY INAPPROPRIATE and derail the conversation from the good of Xbox doing way better in Japan TO a ATTACK ON SONY FANS.

Back on track I hope Microsoft get a actual foothold in Japan the more FAIR COMPETITION there is the harder the other companies have to work for our money

rob-GP589d ago

"But we can speculate that Microsoft and Nintendo are working on some sort of partnership" - why? Why would Nintendo partner with Xbox for anything? They don't need their help or support. There's literally no proof or indication that either are working together.

589d ago
+ Show (3) more repliesLast reply 589d ago
MadLad590d ago (Edited 590d ago )

Yet they're not even trying and gaining traction; thus they're looking to push and expand there.

Nintendo obviously owns the market, and we have Sony who doesn't even care for it anymore.

Gamingsince1981589d ago

Sony doesn't care yet they are beating xbox who are trying by a large margin

LoveSpuds589d ago (Edited 589d ago )

More unsubstantiated drivel Madlad, Phil has been making noise about courting the Japanese market forever, so you don't get to say that MS isn't even trying to get a foothold.

The reality is, Japanese consumers don't like Xbox, never have. Xbox are 4 generations in and still can't gain any traction and saying they have sold more than they did last gen is so desperate its laughable, when you consider how dismal last gen was for xbox in Japan.

Lightning77590d ago

https://www.purexbox.com/ne...

N4G avoided to report it for some reason but Xbox is doing better over there. I think it has something to do with JRPG gamepass drops after the TGS show and PS5 just being more expensive.

Obviously Series doing better isn't too surprising considering how terrible they did last gen over there. Anything is better than last gen for Xbox.

Team Ninja isn't off base here.

Nitrowolf2590d ago (Edited 590d ago )

That’s more to do with stock. Look at the weeks when the stock gets full refreshed, it’s 2-4:1 ratio usually and dwindles down after. That’s been the trend for the last few months

Regardless, Xbox is def getting some more ground there, but honestly even with the PS5 sales, Nintendo is a different beast there

Orchard590d ago

Agreed that Nintendo dominates Japan. PlayStation and Xbox have basically been wiped out there.

mkis007590d ago

Theres more of a gap between ps and xbox than nintendo and ps. Its interesting how you lump them in the same boat.

Silly gameAr590d ago

That was the point of that comment and this article. They think Sony and MS are on equal footing in Japan. xbox guys tend to ignore reality and create their own.

septemberindecember590d ago

There is a larger gap between Switch and PS5 than PS5 and XSX. Switch is at almost 27M there. PS5 is at almost 2M. XS is at 350k.

Tacoboto590d ago

Article: "Team Ninja Fumihiko Yasuda said Xbox has seen growth in Japan"

Silly: "That was the point of... this article. They think Sony and MS are on equal footing in Japan"

The heck kind of reality do you live in?

Silly gameAr590d ago (Edited 590d ago )

@Tacoboto
Well, I don't live in the reality where Sony doesn't exist. In the article itself, they don't mention Sony until the last sentence of the last paragraph, but we all know that before MS can touch NIntendo, they have to get past Sony first. VGC left Sony out of the convo for a reason.

Acting like the playstation doesn't exist doesn't pit MS against NIntendo in Japan. So, I guess I live in the real world.

mkis007590d ago

Sept
Oh really? Isnt that obvious based on price and launch dates? I was refering to the ps4 and xb1 which are fully saturated.

Orchard590d ago

Famitsu’s latest sales figures showed that around 98.5% of hardware sales in the region were Nintendo products, and 9 of the top 10 software sales were on Switch.

So yes, they’re in the same bucket - both are being dominated by Nintendo.

Silly gameAr590d ago (Edited 590d ago )

Well, maybe if MS makes a couple dozen more trips to japan, they'll be able to get a quarter of PS's lifetime sales in Japan.

Both Nintendo and Sony are dominating xbox, so what's your point? It's the same thing worldwide, despite wishful thinking.

Tacoboto590d ago (Edited 590d ago )

An article about Xbox doesn't mention PlayStation. Except in one reference to sales figures. On a sales tracking website. That shows Playstation with 6x the sales lead.

Again what reality are you choosing to live in?

Orchard590d ago

@Silly I wouldn’t consider the current PS5 vs XSX sales as “dominating”. It’s close, far closer than last gen.

Nintendo on the other hand is dominating PS and Xbox with ease. Regularly outselling them by 2-5x.

+ Show (6) more repliesLast reply 590d ago
CaptainHenry916590d ago (Edited 590d ago )

"PlayStation and Xbox have basically been wiped out there."

Even though playstation hasn't been doing so well there, Xbox has completely been wiped out there they can't even get to a million sales. I don't even know why they even try.

LOGICWINS590d ago

"I don't even know why they even try.

Because Phil likely has a long-term plan to acquire multiple major Japanese publishers....hence his several trips to the region. The goal isn't necessarily to sell consoles, it's to sell Game Pass. You sell Game Pass in Japan with Japanese content.

Unfortunately when it comes to discussions regarding Xbox, there's still people (not referring to you specifically) who are stuck in 2013.

Tacoboto590d ago

Xbox One in Japan, nearly 9 years later:
115,000

Xbox Series, less than 2 years later:
350,000

Reason: basic math that takes next to no time to calculate. But since you've refused to do so [for months; Logic totally should refer to you specifically]: It's tripled sales of the previous gen in less than 25% of the time.

CaptainHenry916590d ago

"Phil likely has a long-term plan to acquire multiple major Japanese publishers..."

You can't buy those who don't want to be bought and many Japanese companies wouldn't want to be bought by an American company. Japanese companies are very resistant to overseas acquisitions

https://www.realmicentral.c...

camel_toad590d ago

Japan likes mobile gaming and The Switch is the only one of The Big Three that does it.

Maybe someone already knows but how did Sony's handheld fare over there?

septemberindecember590d ago

PSP sold over 20M and PS Vita sold about 5M.

MadLad590d ago (Edited 590d ago )

Terribly.

The PSP did well, but the moment they realized the 3DS was going to win over the Vita and that people didn't want to buy their overly expensive proprietary storage, they basically dropped it then and there.

Show all comments (59)
60°

Helldivers II sales top 12 million

Gematsu writes: "Cooperative third-person shooter Helldivers II has sold 12 million units as of May 5, publisher Sony Interactive Entertainment and developer Arrowhead Game Studios announced."

shadowT11m ago

Congratulations Arrowhead Game Studios!

Hofstaderman11m ago(Edited 5m ago)

And well-deserved. I'm having a ball of a time so far. Just need to change out my heavy armour, it's a murder on my stamina and sprinting.

330°

Square Enix Preparing for Layoffs in U.S. and Europe Amid Heavy Restructuring

In a town hall that took place on Monday, Square Enix president Takashi Kiryu reportedly confirmed imminent layoffs in the U.S. and Europe.

15h ago
lelo2play14h ago(Edited 14h ago)

Square should ask Sony for more money...

Outside_ofthe_Box9h ago

Square should ask Microsoft to buy them out...

FinalFantasyFanatic7h ago

@Outside_ofthe_Box,
So that Microsoft can close down the studio after doing nothing with them? Right...

gleepot13h ago

Sad but true. It's the consequence of a shift in player habits, massive overhead, and out of control budgets across the industry.

blackblades15h ago(Edited 15h ago)

What did NA and EU did anyways? Just translate or something? I would say it might help them get back to there roots but DK.

Hofstaderman14h ago(Edited 14h ago)

Actually, you are correct they play a hand in localization especially in Europe with the many languages. That and marketing.

Show all comments (56)
260°

Xbox Gives Incoherent Explanation For ‘Hi-Fi Rush’ Studio Closure

The gaming world is still reeling from the announcement that Microsoft is shuttering Tango Gameworks, the studio behind last year’s big Xbox hit, Hi-Fi Rush.

Reaper22_10h ago(Edited 10h ago)

They have a reason but they don't need to give a explanation. Gamers nowadays think they have a say so in telling people how to run their company. It's not the end of the world, fanboys. Microsoft is gonna due what benefits them the most. It's never been about you. Same with sony. Some of you need to get a grip. The crazy part is that some of the ones complaining don't even own an xbox.

enkiduxiv10h ago

I don’t own an Xbox and I have no real interest in HiFi Rush. I just hate to see a talented group of people lose their jobs when they did everything that was asked of them. You know… the decent, normal reaction to have when something like this happens.

Relientk771d 13h ago

There's no logical or good reason to give for closing Tango Gameworks. They make great games consistently and Hi-Fi Rush was the highest rated Xbox game in literal YEARS. Closing the studio was just plain stupid and nonsensical.

notachance17h ago

It’s quite strange to not see Phil Spencer in any talkshow or podcast… usually the dude would talk almost daily when there’s even a bit of news from xbox.

Hofstaderman16h ago

Muzzled and/or in on it from the very beginning. You have to be a very stupid person not to anticipate that your division is going to be under scrutiny from shareholders after 80 Billion Dollars worth of acquisitions

Aloymetal16h ago

The beauty of being a CEO here in America is that when your company does well, you get extra money as a reward...
And when your company does badly, you get extra money to encourage you to stick around and lead it through the storm...And at some point, you get to bow out and float toward retirement on your golden parachute, which means and you guessed it, MORE MONEY!! What a deal for snake oil man Phil!!

15h ago
15h ago
-Foxtrot12h ago(Edited 12h ago)

Oh god no

You see when shit like this happens he throws Sarah Bond to the wolves

Seriously I only hear from her when it’s the yearly big Xbox showcase or when it’s super bad.

When the whole multiplatform release came out earlier this year he put her front and centre…kept his mouth shut for most of it

Michiel19892h ago

weird huh for a president of a division to say thing about said division?

purple10117h ago

Perhaps they think they can sweep this one under the rug, gamers will forget about it,

We will not

They made a good game and you put the whole studio in the bin, this couldn’t be clearer, ms don’t care, everyone suspected it, but now we KNOW it

Amplitude16h ago(Edited 16h ago)

She's kinda got the verbal communication of 3-years-ago Biden trying to say something he knows nothing about.
What she meant to say is: "We wasted our budget for the next couple years buying Call of Duty, and we're moving all our chips to that one series"

It's starting to seem quite obvious that XBox is going to be shutting down most of their studios or selling them off, then focusing on some sort of PC/Console hybrid OS for the next XBox where they can collect royalties Valve style.

esherwood14h ago

To be fair I don’t think there is a good answer, I’d rather her been honest but that probably would have pissed more people of then the word salad route.

Silly Mammo12h ago

Amp- Do you ever get tired of trying to make everything political?

1Victor12h ago

@amp please leave your political red ruby sleepers at the door this is a gaming site or go back to truthfoxnewsmax to comment over there.
BACK ON TRACK
It’s obvious that Microsoft is moving on the money now direction guided by their investors watching all the failures from the 3rd quarter of the 360 gen to this generation I wouldn’t be surprised if they have a plan to replace Phil with Bobby as he proved for years he kept making money for activision.

shinoff21839h ago

Bobby jeez that would be an interesting turn of events and they'd certainly go 3rd party

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