12-07-2005, 11:39 AM
[img]December 7, 2005 - A major thrust of Microsoft's global strategy for the Xbox 360 involves gaining a significantly larger market share in Japan than was achieved with the original Xbox. By adopting a "first-mover" tactic with a global launch, the Redmond, Washington based company hoped to be able to secure enough of a foothold in Japan to effectively challenge industry leader Sony on its home turf. However, that strategy may not pan out as planned if the predictions of Japanese industry analysts as stated in this report at Forbes.com prove to be accurate.
According to Nobuyuki Kawamata, an analyst at Tokai Tokyo Research Center, "no one -- consumers or software makers -- has been talking about the Xbox 360 lately." Kawamata went on to state that the Microsoft console was not a "must-buy" console in the Land of the Rising Sun because of the "inferiority" of its basic functions to those of Sony's upcoming PlayStation 3. Kawamata also cited a lack of newly-developed titles for the Japanese launch as a reason for consumer apathy for the Xbox 360.
Mitsubishi UFJ Securities's Hirotoshi Murakami echoed these sentiments by stating that despite initial positive prospects for the Xbox 360's launch in Japan, these sentiments had subsided due to the console's "limited attractiveness of its titles and its lukewarm functions."
Yuichi Kobayashi of Shinko Securities sounded even more downcast on the chance of large-scale success for Microsoft's next-generation offering by stating that "it would be almost impossible for Microsoft to overtake Sony or even Nintendo" due to declining enthusiasm."
While these are certainly not the sentiments that Microsoft wants to hear, they are still only opinions and whether these opinions will prove prophetic will only be seen once the Xbox 360 makes its Japanese debut in a few days time. [/img]
Source IGN
According to Nobuyuki Kawamata, an analyst at Tokai Tokyo Research Center, "no one -- consumers or software makers -- has been talking about the Xbox 360 lately." Kawamata went on to state that the Microsoft console was not a "must-buy" console in the Land of the Rising Sun because of the "inferiority" of its basic functions to those of Sony's upcoming PlayStation 3. Kawamata also cited a lack of newly-developed titles for the Japanese launch as a reason for consumer apathy for the Xbox 360.
Mitsubishi UFJ Securities's Hirotoshi Murakami echoed these sentiments by stating that despite initial positive prospects for the Xbox 360's launch in Japan, these sentiments had subsided due to the console's "limited attractiveness of its titles and its lukewarm functions."
Yuichi Kobayashi of Shinko Securities sounded even more downcast on the chance of large-scale success for Microsoft's next-generation offering by stating that "it would be almost impossible for Microsoft to overtake Sony or even Nintendo" due to declining enthusiasm."
While these are certainly not the sentiments that Microsoft wants to hear, they are still only opinions and whether these opinions will prove prophetic will only be seen once the Xbox 360 makes its Japanese debut in a few days time. [/img]
Source IGN