Xbox Gets Japanese Dress-Up, Rumored Price Cut, Giveaway

Thanks to 1UP for their article showing off special new case artwork for the Xbox in Japan, as "a few lucky winners will be able to snag these art pieces by signing up on Microsoft's Japanese webpage" - hip artists enlisted include T-shirt designer Nigo and Moshino Katsura. Elsewhere, GI.biz recently relayed unconfirmed rumors of an Xbox price drop in Japan, claiming "a new Xbox bundle for Project Gotham Racing 2 which will feature a console, a DVD playback kit, two months free on Xbox Live and copies of PGR2 and Halo for 19,800 Yen [$181]." Finally, GamePro have noted that Microsoft are giving away their Xbox Music Mixer karaoke/mixing software, "most likely... as a cover-mounted CD", in the January 2004 issue of popular Japanese magazine, Famitsu, further showing the company is "aggressively vying for a solid foothold against the PS2, which has been dominating the console market in Japan."

Comments

Case modding your X-box

[Dancin_Santa]

This couldn't possibly be the dumbest idea ever to come out of Redmond, but I'm sure it's up there.

The top of the XBox is painted? Isn't that usually covered up by game cases and controllers?

Re:Case modding your X-box

[Absurd Monkey]

Apparently the behemoth size wasn't enough. It needs to stick out more in a Japanese living room. So, they paint it up more than somekind of crazy mime/prostitute, that way, there is no denying that it's American.

What!?!?!

[pecosdave]

What do you mean no Domo-kun?

At least they don't have a Hello Kitty version. Seems there's a Hello Kitty Everything.

Idiots..

[Anonymous Coward]

..if you want to be big in japan you need to make games that are big in japan. (Yes, I'm speaking of japanese style RPGs)

is it just me?

[Zed2K]

Or does anyone else feel that this generation console war is over. I'm no longer interested in getting an xbox or many games for the gamecube or PS2. I'm just looking forward to new hardware.

Re:is it just me?

[bigman2003]

I disagree.

I think that a lot of GREAT games are coming out for all of the consoles right now. This is the time when the software is getting really good- now that we are all done getting excited about the hardware.

Simpsons Hit and Run is great (all platforms) far better than any other Simpsons game.

For the Xbox I just got Crimson Skies and Top Spin- both are excellent games. Now I feel like they are really starting to use the hardware by creating great games- not just making games to sell to people who bought the hardware and are looking for something to make it make sense.

Re:is it just me?

[AvantLegion]

In Japan, yes. Here, not really.

The PS2 is REALLY starting to look long in the tooth. Comparatively, both the Xbox and GameCube look a lot fresher. Xbox is the place to be for online console games (and Halo 2 and Counterstrike will only further that), and Nintendo is getting some of their big franchise guns out (the latest Zelda ain't that old, and the new Mario Kart will be a mover and shaker).

The PS2 still has some great stuff coming (SOCOM II and Gran Turismo 4 will likely be wonderful), but don't be surprised to see the other two systems make up some of that ground. Everyone and their mother owns a PS2 now, but that's not the only way to measure success (or even the best way at this point). The PS2 will still ultimately be the "winner" for this generation, but it is in the twilight of its career, while the Xbox and Cube are just hitting their peaks. And that's what happens when one console comes out before the others. I have no major bias between the 3 (I own them each), but my PS2 is definitely getting into the "play the old games that I missed the first time around" mode, while my Xbox and GC are the ones I'm getting new releases for.

Re:is it just me?

[Kris_J]

I feel that computer games have stagnated significantly in the last six month to a year if that's what you're saying. I've pretty much come to the end of my love affair with Diablo II and now that I'm looking for a new obsession, I'm finding the market rather lacking, be it console or PC.

Xbox Music Mixer info

[Anonymous Coward]

--Snip--
Xbox Music Mixer
Get ready to freestyle with Xbox Music Mixer, the ultimate audio/visual experience for the 21st century. Bust out the microphone and Karaoke to on-screen lyrics or strip out the vocals from nearly any song in your collection and lay down your own rhythm and rhyme. Once you've perfected your jam, record it to the Xbox hard drive for play back anytime. Add even more power to your party with on-screen image effects, PC to Xbox media sharing, and customized soundtracks.

Features

Karaoke - Grab the included microphone and showcase your vocal talents (or lack thereof) by singing along with more than a dozen Karaoke hits from a wide variety of artists. Or, take it to the next level with a little freeform action. With digital vocal stripping technology, you can remove the vocals from your favorite CDs and audio files-making nearly any Karaoke request possible! Once you get it right, record your performances for playback anytime.
The Xbox Music Mixer comes packed with more than a dozen different Karaoke tunes that appeal to different musical tastes. But unlike other Karaoke titles, you can add more at any time. How? Well, there's a few ways:

Download new songs via Xbox Live.
Purchase songs from www.xboxkaraoke.com, the internet's only source for karaoke songs for Xbox Music Mixer. You'll find music across all styles and genres from a library of over 20,000 high quality karaoke songs. Download them directly or have them shipped to you on CD.
Employ the vocal stripping technology and rock out to your favorite songs. You'll be able to jam with your favorite tunes but the lyrics won't display like a Karoke-enabled track. But remember... it's your favorite song so you should know the words already, right?!

Want to sing a duet? Well, the Xbox Music Mixer will support 2 microphones. Just plug the microphone that ships with the Music Mixer plugs in to a controller expansion slot. Don't have another mic? The Xbox Communicator headset serves as another microphone. Use them both and form a new super group! If you don't have The Xbox Communicator but want to get another microphone, the microphone itself will be on sale via MadCatz at retail.

Xbox Media Player - Bring the club experience home with the interactive media player. Build your own soundtracks for hours of audio entertainment. Customize soundtracks to set the mood for any situation...from creating the right tone for an off-the-hook house party, to orchestrating the perfect atmosphere for a romantic dinner.

The Xbox Music Mixer includes a massive music database. So, when you pop in a new CD all of the album information (i.e. song names, album, artist) is populated. When you "burn" the track to the hard drive all the song details will be added. No more "Track 1", "Track 2," and the need to manually enter in the song information through a controller! Sweet.

PC to Xbox Music/Photo Sharing and Xbox Support - Take the multimedia experience from the den to the living room. Easily transfer MP3s, audio files, and digital photos from your PC to your Xbox, creating the ultimate music and video library.

In order to transfer tracks you will need to:

Download a free transfer utility made available on xbox.com. Visit http://www.xbox.com/en-us/musicmixer/default.htm for more information.
Be running Windows XP on your PC.

Connecting your Xbox to your PC is a snap. You can either connect the PC and the Xbox via an Xbox System Link cable, or connect your Xbox to the same home network on which your PC resides.

Photo Album Viewer - Are your photographs really doing you any good stored away in the closet or buried on your computer? Use the enhanced photo viewer to create the ultimate slide show by transferring photos from your PC to the Xbox-all of which can then be synched to customized soundtracks and special visual effects.

Rave Mode - Enhance your audio with scores of cool 2-D and 3-D visualizers by adding real time video and audio effects to create incredible sensory experiences. Music is no longer a solo sensory experience so feel free to turn on the microphone and be the emcee at your next party or simply give a controller to a friend to share the fun.

MS still doesn't get it

[M3wThr33]

You aren't going to increase sales by offering American-made games and cheezy pack-ins. Japanese consumers want Japanese games! Christ! Look at the sales for DOA:XBV and Dino Crisis 3 if you need any indication! Stop bundling stuff the Japanese doesn't want and start pimping out Sega and Tecmo again!

Re:MS still doesn't get it

[PainKilleR-CE]

Is that why GTA is doing so well? Is that why Halo just won an award?

Right, anyway, I think that's why Microsoft's been working on getting more Japanese developed titles on the box, but of course they're still fighting a much more uphill battle in Japan than they have had anywhere else. Their hope at this point is to gain enough traction and prove themselves for the XBox 2.

Similarly, I think Nintendo's coming on pretty strong for the last leg of this generation to try to bring third parties into the fold for their next console, along with more US and European market share for the current one (which helps with the developers, of course).

Both the XBox and the Cube have some pretty impressive titles on the 'coming soon' or 'new release' lists, so the next year should be very interesting, and good for those of us that have all 3 consoles ;)

Re:MS still doesn't get it

[Anonymous Coward]

The limited number of Japanese consumers who own an Xbox have made it quite clear, unless it jiggles, they will not buy it.

The only success that Microsoft has had over there is with the DOA series, Capcom's latest Dino Crisis 3 sold less than 1/10th that of the previous title.

I think it's just getting started

[swat_r2]

The innovation and quality titles out there don't make me wish for better things, yet. I think another 1-2 years and I'll be begging for new hardware but I'm loving every second of the current gen gaming.

Keep looking to the future and you'll never enjoy the present

So the tables have turned

[Anonymous Coward]

So what were those anti-Nintendo trolls saying before? A big price cut means you've already lost? I guess it means that Xbox has now lost in Europe Australia AND Japan.

Anime styled case?

[MMaestro]

I know the Xbox doesn't have an official mascot yet (although the Master Chief from Halo seems to be the -unofficial- one) but I think they need to adopt one and plaster it onto their system.

Although to be fair, the Playstation (1 and 2) never had a mascot although they didn't need one with FF7 selling the system almost single-handedly.

aggressively vying for a solid foothold...

[Anonymous Coward]

against the PS2... which outsold it 43:1 last week... or even the Gamecube, which outsold it 20:1.

X-Box is dead in Japan, and a fancy case ain't gonna save it.

Of course, given X-Box's relative success in America, this means the game markets between the two countries will become further divided, and as a game developer who dislikes American game design theory, that scares me.

Re:aggressively vying for a solid foothold...

[Acidic_Diarrhea]

But XBox 2 is coming. MS wants to make as much of an inroad as possible in Japan in order to be more successful in the next round. A fancy case isn't going to move XBox into first place BUT it could move a few boxes.

On the other hand

[Rayonic]

Doesn't that mean that the Xbox has a rather unique library in Japan? Variety is the spice of life, and all that rot.

Bigger hard drives?

[WoTG]

I wonder how many more 10GB drives are kicking around in warehouses... wouldn't it be CHEAPER for MS to move to something a little bit bigger? I've always assumed that XBoxes used off the shelf hard drives, well, 10GB drives (smaller in some machines) haven't been on shelves for quite a while...