360 Outsells PS3 2.5 to 1 in Japan (for a week)

[bapenguin]

Well, the end is near. It was nice knowing everyone. If the super collider (http://www.evilavatar.com/forums/showthread.php?t=59936&highlight=collider) doesn't get us, then this surely means something else is coming. According to Edge Online (http://www.edge-online.com/news/japan-xbox-360-outsells-ps3-25-1), the Xbox 360 has outsold the PS3 last week in Japan almost 3 to 1. Xbox 360 - 24,962
PlayStation 3 - 9,673

How could this have happened? Most likely this is due to a little game called Tales of Vesperia from Namco Bandai.

What's even more insane? The largest electronics retail store in Japan is SOLD OUT (http://www.cheapassgamer.com/forums/blog.php?b=2391) of XBox 360's.

So long and thanks for all the fish.

[TrackZero]

Beaten to the punch (http://www.evilavatar.com/forums/showthread.php?t=60867).

But again, I suppose this says something about RPG exclusives actually mattering to the Japanese hardcore.

[Gorvi]

Yep, that'd be the Tales effect. It'll be back to normal next week, I'd bet. Still, that's good for MS.

[Evil_SPanKY]

haha, good end of the world reference BAP!

[Zero]

Yodobashi Camera Akihabara sold both of their 360s?! Holy crap.

[Metal Khaos]

Good to see for MS. First thing they need to do is get those boxes in those homes.

[Cyrillus]

So long and thanks for all the fish.

Damn, that's the first thing I thought when I read the headline!

[Texas Speed]

Yodobashi Camera Akihabara sold both of their 360s?! Holy crap.

Hey, I was going to make that joke!

[bean19]

Okay, so you have a hit series in Japan and it moves 25K systems. . . woot?

This is actually kind of sad. You know that they probably paid several millions for exclusivity on Tales of Vesparia. Their money would have been better spent simply doing tons of promotions in Japan where they give away Xbox 360s. Blue Dragon moved well over 100K units (there were 100K special promotion Blue Dragon Xbox 360's and then more sold at regular price for people who wanted the game but couldn't get the sold out special edition). They should have made that special addition Blue Dragon one their main SKU. They've only sold about 700K so far in Japan, so that one promotion was 1/7 of their sales.

[Exodus]

Okay, so you have a hit series in Japan and it moves 25K systems. . . woot?

This is actually kind of sad. You know that they probably paid several millions for exclusivity on Tales of Vesparia. Their money would have been better spent simply doing tons of promotions in Japan where they give away Xbox 360s. Blue Dragon moved well over 100K units (there were 100K special promotion Blue Dragon Xbox 360's and then more sold at regular price for people who wanted the game but couldn't get the sold out special edition). They should have made that special addition Blue Dragon one their main SKU. They've only sold about 700K so far in Japan, so that one promotion was 1/7 of their sales.

Haha, you got baited. Well at least if someone was going to bite at least it was you. Very level headed.
Thanks for all the fish indeed. :D

[RUSKULL]

I wonder if MS even knows why this happened. More importantly, do they care? Well of course they "care", but when they constantly show how they'd rather give 100% effort in the US, and 50% to the rest of the world, I have a feeling little will be done to repeat something like this on their end.

[cool8man]

Cool. It's nice to see 360 get a little love in Japan finally. Hopefully with all the JRPGs coming out for the system this won't just be a little blip on the radar.

I'm still baffled as to why it seems like the Japanese have no love for PS3. With the success of PS2 you'd think PS3 on brand alone would be doing more than 10K a week.

[Fudjo]

I'm still baffled as to why it seems like the Japanese have no love for PS3.

How many JRPGs exist for the PS3?

[Froggy]

Uh oh. People are arguing about which system is better. *hide*

[menage]

How many JRPGs exist for the PS3?

They only need one. Still don't understand why the fuckers won't just give them their FFVII remake, make millions and be done with it.

[gojira]

I'm still baffled as to why it seems like the Japanese have no love for PS3. With the success of PS2 you'd think PS3 on brand alone would be doing more than 10K a week.

Probably for the same reasons that the rest of the world is cool to the PS3. It's expensive, doesn't have a lot of games, isn't living up to the (impossible) hype (remember kids, PS2 = Toy Story graphics) and also there are about eight billion SKUs to wade through.

Japanese consumers tend to be very finicky. If there are perceived problems with a product, they'll avoid it no matter what. Very few companies are able to consistently cater to the Japanese consumer's ideals of quality.

[Joestar]

Probably for the same reasons that the rest of the world is cool to the PS3. It's expensive, doesn't have a lot of games, isn't living up to the (impossible) hype (remember kids, PS2 = Toy Story graphics) and also there are about eight billion SKUs to wade through.

Japanese consumers tend to be very finicky. If there are perceived problems with a product, they'll avoid it no matter what. Very few companies are able to consistently cater to the Japanese consumer's ideals of quality.

Those fucking carts for the SNES and Genesis.

The need for some Playstations to be played while it's upside down.

The dvd drives that scratches the dvds of Playstation 2

Just a few examples. You're probably right about the average consumer, but I think the gamers are just like us, it's all about the games.

[oldjadedgamer]

Probably for the same reasons that the rest of the world is cool to the PS3. It's expensive, doesn't have a lot of games, isn't living up to the (impossible) hype (remember kids, PS2 = Toy Story graphics) and also there are about eight billion SKUs to wade through.

Japanese consumers tend to be very finicky. If there are perceived problems with a product, they'll avoid it no matter what. Very few companies are able to consistently cater to the Japanese consumer's ideals of quality.

First, Sony never stated the "Toy Story graphics" quote ever. That's a misconception and actually someone from the media said it about the PS2 but someone from MS stated it after the fact so there is a quote from him.

Second, that makes no sense at all considering how faulty the PS2 hardware was with Disc Read Errors even forcing Sony to settle a class action lawsuit over it.

Japan has always been a one game system region. This go around that one home system is the Wii. That's why the PS3 sells as poorly as it does over there... funny considering that the Japanese have the highest percentage of HDTV users.

Oh, and not only did the 360 outsell the PS3 in Japan this week but it also outsold the PS3 and PS2 combined.

[Wolvie]

Wait, WHAT??? The 360 outsold the PS3 in Japan? Fuck I gotta build a fallout shelter, and stock with food, cuz the end is nigh.

[TDub301]

Just a week? Oh, so Hell didn't freeze over, it just experienced a heavy cold front

[fitbabits]

Any soft of 'victory' for Microsoft in Japan is to be commended.

[TeeCakes]

Too bad FFXIII is only coming to 360 in N. America/European regions, they might've gotten some more good sales in Nippon from the JRPG elite.

[Variable Gear]

It's funny that it took an established franchise to cause this kind of sales jump, isn't it Mistwalker.

[ResistanceAddict]

The sky is falling.

[fitbabits]

The sky is falling.

...and I want my mommy!

[pomeroy]

...and I want my mommy!

I want your mommy too!

/bad joke

[Chris_D]

There's actually a new promotional booklet out for 360 that I imagine looks fairly nice to the layman. It starts out with a page on Vesperia, then Infinite Undiscovery, Last Remnant, and Star Ocean. Followed up by the rest of the 360 line up that's coming out in Japan (some older stuff like Mass Eff. finally being localised), Fable 2, Too Human. Also a pretty nice bit on live arcade. I dunno if anyone is picking up this book with their Vesperia purchase, but it may be swaying some.

[Your Good Twin]

Oh ROFL you guys, the 360 had a tiny boost in popularity in Japan as sometimes happens and you all made end of world references! My sides hurt so bad!

From all the laughing, see. All the laughing that I did.

[Wolvie]

Oh ROFL you guys, the 360 had a tiny boost in popularity in Japan as sometimes happens and you all made end of world references! My sides hurt so bad!

From all the laughing, see. All the laughing that I did.

Well I'm glad we could entertain you. :D