Japanese Eye 360 Rollout With Caution

Things are looking better for the Xbox 360, perhaps, but not much.

With this weekend's launch of the Xbox 360 in Japan, the next generation has officially kicked off in all three major games regions. But the reception in Japan was probably not as warm as Microsoft would have hoped.

The big launch party took place at the Tsutaya in Tokyo's world-famous (and rather trendy) Shibuya neighbourhood. The store handed out tickets so that people wouldn't have to line up in the cold, but that didn't stop hundreds of devoted Xbox fans from queuing anyway.

But while the Shibuya launch was an undeniable success, reports from around the city paint a bleaker picture. Several stores opened to just handfuls of people, where event staff and press often outnumbered patrons.

At least part of the reason for the poor turnout is the delay of key title Dead Or Alive 4, though Namco's Ridge Racer 6 did fly the flag for Japanese developers. Western games have traditionally not done well in Japan, where shooters are looked upon largely with disdain while RPGs are embraced.

A far greater obstacle is the ambivalence to Microsoft's console, following as it does on the woefully under supported Xbox, which sold less than half a million consoles during it's three-and-a-half year lifespan.

Microsoft has been shaking a lot of hands to make sure that Xbox 360 does better and has brought on top game designers to make 360-exclusive games. Time will tell whether this will be enough.

Alex Wollenschlaeger
Editor, Kikizo Games