360 Relaunch in Japan? [Archive]

MrMeatshake

03-31-2006, 09:04 AM

According to some Japanese wholesalers, there will be an announcement of a relaunch of the XBox 360 in the next week. In this story (http://gamesindustry.biz/news.php?aid=15791) on gi.biz (www.gamesindustry.biz) (originally from GameFront (http://www.gamefront.de/)) they speculate that the relaunch could see the console's pricing or bundles being changed, or a new marketing campaign focused on the locally relevant software available for the system, but don't know what form the relaunch will take.

I hope Microsoft have something real special up thier sleeves if they're going to make the third time (including the first xbox's launch) the charm. Like giving away 360s with each purchase of a DS ;)

bapenguin

03-31-2006, 09:42 AM

Stop....just.....stop.

Heretic Machine

03-31-2006, 09:46 AM

That's right, waste more 360's, real smart.

Royal Fool

03-31-2006, 10:00 AM

Yep. Cleverestestest business move evar.

JediSanf

03-31-2006, 10:03 AM

I can't come up with a witty aside that makes this in any way a good idea.

Hellstorm

03-31-2006, 10:10 AM

Itagaki am cry.

Morratut

03-31-2006, 10:12 AM

I just can't see them doing any better with a relaunch. It'll just be embarrassing. MS better have something <!B.I.G!> up their sleeve.

MS just needs to bring out more games which cater for Japanese taste.

drakkarim

03-31-2006, 10:17 AM

relaunch? is that what they're calling it now that they finally sold their initial shipment of 1000 from november?

easi

03-31-2006, 10:17 AM

I'm licking my lips in anticipation of all the (new) shots of empty pavements. We'll get them on the front page this time for sure.

Rakael

03-31-2006, 10:28 AM

*smacks forehead*

How do companies that are apparently this dumb wind up with billions of dollars?

screwtape

03-31-2006, 10:38 AM

Yeah, well, just wait for the N-Gage's relaunch. Gonna be shit hot, here and overseas.

Come on, Microsoft. Cut your losses and move on. Or better yet, cut a huge exclusivity check to Square-Enix.

Chalex

03-31-2006, 10:40 AM

I bet they re-launch with Oblivion, because everyone know the Japanese love RPGs.

/sarcasm

Megalith

03-31-2006, 10:47 AM

They're relaunching with an advertising campaign starring 6-year old girls.

silv

03-31-2006, 10:49 AM

FTFA:

June 29th is fingered as the date of the relaunch, which coincides with the changed release date for a number of major titles - Sega's Chrome Hounds, Idea Factory's Spectral Force 3: Innocent Rage, AQ Interactive's Bullet Witch, and Ubisoft's Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter.

Looks like they know they launched with crap in Japan, and are trying to re-do it.

zangster

03-31-2006, 10:52 AM

Maybe re-launch isn't the best word to use, maybe it's just going to be a big marketing push to bring it to the forefront of people's minds. "Get it now and look at all these great games you might not know about!"

Dr Quincy

03-31-2006, 11:08 AM

Japan is too good for this nonsense. Give the Xbox to the Americans.

Magnanimous Gnome

03-31-2006, 11:11 AM

So they want to make it clear (again) to everyone that they can't sell consoles in Japan? What's the point of this?

Heretic Machine

03-31-2006, 11:14 AM

Borys

03-31-2006, 11:20 AM

How can one relaunch a console or other piece of electronics for that matter?

Shouldn't you take all present stock back to the warehouses first?

Or maybe play dumb and make up some BS story about critical failure in those units that will be replaced with the new, "relaunched" wave?

However you slice it - it's just an open admittance of defeat and a silly idea overall.

Watership

03-31-2006, 11:22 AM

You guys don't expect Micorsoft to just say.. "hahah ohwell. I guess we better just stop selling 360s" do you? There are big name Japanese directed games coming soon. There is also some unannonced RPG being revealed soon.

This is a marketting push. It's not completely foolhearty.

Dag-Sabot

03-31-2006, 11:22 AM

The only way this [launch]will succeed is if they bundle it with an ipod and waive the recycling fee for the 360.

Worldcrafter

03-31-2006, 11:23 AM

Hahaha, I get it now!
Shouldn't this be moved to the April fools thread?
Right?
Guys?
Oh, well that's lame...

danhoo

03-31-2006, 11:41 AM

This does seem rather idiotic. Maybe they fired everyone in marketing involved with the first launch and think the new kids can do better.

TrackZero

03-31-2006, 11:46 AM

That's right, waste more 360's, real smart.

Well, it's obvious this is stock that's been sitting around and is already made for Japan. They can't sell it in the states, it's all region coded (not to mention the language).

I don't see any reason for them to not do this. It's essentially a discount sale to help move units, as well as getting the word out that they have some Japan-designed-specific games out there in the market now (that weren't available at launch). This is a obvious/logical move, so I can't understand why anyone would complain about this.

Edit: Actually, I can understand why someone would complain. It's because they're just haters. ;)

Magnanimous Gnome

03-31-2006, 12:07 PM

Wait, I figured it out! They are going to announce Blinx 3 and include it with the 360 at this relaunch. It'll move 5's, even 10's of units for sure! ;)

Odwalla

03-31-2006, 12:43 PM

The only way this [launch]will succeed is if they bundle it with an ipod and waive the recycling fee for the 360.

Scott Adams writes it in a Dilbert strip on a Thursday and you regurgitate it the very next day. How witty of you.

Dag-Sabot

03-31-2006, 01:20 PM

Uh scott adams..yeah. I was referring to the fact that ipods sell like hotcakes in japan as compared to xbox 360 which sell like cold dogshit. Dilbert, huh? I ll have to check it out perhaps its funny now.

Delenda

03-31-2006, 01:34 PM

http://img409.imageshack.us/img409/1599/dilbert20060488513314tr.gif (http://imageshack.us)

That's pretty uncanny!

Dr Quincy

03-31-2006, 04:11 PM

Turns out it is actually quite equisitely funny.

bboy

03-31-2006, 04:36 PM

I just bought my DS Lite yesterday (finally)....and the XB360's are still rotting on the shelves here in Tokyo. Relaunch?....no one in Japan is remotely interested.

If they are going to relaunch they better wait until they have their killer apps out...otherwise they will have to 'relaunch' again. It's like starting and old car...so sad.

Lon Lon Rabbit

03-31-2006, 05:53 PM

I don't think it's as pointless as everyone is making it out to be.
The focussing on "the locally relevant software available for the system" is a lot more important than you might think.

It launched over there with pretty much NO "locally relevant software", Enchant Arm and DOA4 didn't make launch like they were sposed to, so now those two games and a decent number of other titles made by japanese developers are out there, they actually have something to advertise that will pull some interest.

They couldn't get any interest in the first place because advertising Call of Duty 2 and Perfect Dark is virtually pointless.

I'm not saying this is suddenly going to make the 360 a rousing success over there, but it'll help sales more than most people here are giving it credit for.

KamaItachi

03-31-2006, 05:56 PM

Oh, Christ, MS, you did this countless times with the original system. New bundles aren't going to sell the fucking system if they're just games consumers have been passing over in the first place.

I could understand if this came along with the launch of Blue Dragon, but you're just repeating your damn mistakes from last generation. Nothing shifts units like limited edition versions of consoles, right? How about you do that next time... again.

Pumped'Up

03-31-2006, 06:22 PM

LOL, unbelievable....RELAUNCH HAHA...

Megalith

03-31-2006, 06:31 PM

They just need to bundle one of those Kasumi pillows.

Pumped'Up

03-31-2006, 08:58 PM

or bundled with a token to get 1 free used school girl underwear from a vending machine...

Heretic Machine

04-01-2006, 12:58 AM

Edit: Actually, I can understand why someone would complain. It's because they're just haters.

If I'm a 'hater' then Microsoft made me one.

MrMeatshake

04-02-2006, 06:54 AM

I bet they re-launch with Oblivion, because everyone know the Japanese love RPGs.

heh. my friend works as a german translator for JagX (games company) - he said the german translation of oblivion is absolutely appalling. basically they tried to save money on localisation. so i agree with your sarchastic comment - i hope MS doesn't expect that particular RPG to sell any units over there!