Microsoft On Japan Xbox Woes, Sega Non-Merger

Thanks to GamePro.com for their article discussing Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer's recent comments on the Xbox, as given to an investment-related business conference in Washington. In particular, Ballmer "..admitted that the Xbox is 'having trouble' in Japan but expressed confidence that the system's fortunes would turn around by the time its successor, the so-called Xbox 2, is launched in the year 2006." There was also an opportunity to ask about the often-rumored Microsoft buyout of Sega, and Ballmer was fairly confident that it remains a rumor: "'There are no plans for that,' the Kyodo news service quoted him as saying at the conference. 'I don't think that will happen.'"

Comments

Re:Xenophobia

[T-Bear]

"whereas North American companies still do not know how to market to the japanese"

I think the problem is that North American companies feel the need to manufacture controllers larger than the average car in Japan...

Sticks and Stones

[beders]

...the so-called Xbox 2...

Think they will use such a risky name?

A query...

[Iscariot_]

Why is it necessary to penetrate both US and Japaneese markets? There are some products that simply don't work in both markets, and they do fine.

Example. Hamburgers do not sell well in India. Also, you'll not find many restaurants selling cat here in the states.

Is it simply not possible to make money hyper-focusing on one market instead of two? Am I missing something? It seems that Microsoft has been awfully amitious in penetrating the US market, much less going for the Japaneese market as well. Perhaps they should consider the Xbox 1 as a US only device, and stop waisting time and money on the Japaneese market...