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Has The Xbox Failed In Japan?
Thanks to GameSpy for its article interviewing Microsoft executives about the Xbox's popularity in Japan. According to the article, 400,000 is the 'magic number': "...the number of Xbox consoles Microsoft has sold in Japan since launching the system in February, 2002. It is roughly the number of copies of Grand Theft Auto that Capcom has sold into the Japanese market. And, historically speaking, it is the approximate number of 3DO consoles in Japan as well." Apparently, "'That is the yogei-acceptable number in Japan'. [The term "yogei" refers to foreign or Western.]" However, Mike Fischer of Microsoft suggests that "game developers are tired of Sony's dominance in the market, and that that more Japanese-appropriate hardware will lead to better sales in Japan which will lead support from companies like Square/Enix which will then lead even greater acceptance in Japan."
A demon pops out from the ceiling. Man's elevator falls through the floor. This makes me interested in a system's online capabilities, how?
I dunno, is this demon maybe raping the same scantily clad woman with its tentacles? Cuz I hear that goes over well in Japan.
Seriously though, have you seen Japanese shows? Whose to say that commercial isn't funny in some stupid Japanese way. I mean, the Iron Chef eats a big pepper at the beginning of his show. Not to mention the recipes: "Oh yes, today the Iron Chef has made a lovely shark fin salad, shark fin soup topped off with Broiled shark fin and shark fin Jell-O topped off with whipped shark fin pudding and a fine shark fin daiquiri." That doesn't translate well in the US.
Another reason why you should never ask yes or no questions in slashdot headlines.