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[sonycowboy]

http://www.1up.com/do/newsStory?cId=3143775

The launch list will be the litmus test.

by Jane Pinckard, 09/15/2005
19 of 24 users recommend this story.
In a room full of Japanese and international press, Yoshihiro Maruyama, the General Manager of Xbox Division, stressed that Japan was a key geographic area to the strategic marketing of the Xbox 360. The plan, as outlined, echoed the familiar three pillars of Xbox global marketing: "Hi-Def" gaming, "Always On" entertainment, and customizability. The concept of "always on" is fairly well covered by Xbox Live, but customizability seemed half-baked, resting mainly on the detachable faceplates. In a video, Microsoft showed off a slew of jauntily-colored covers for the 360, adding that matching screensavers would be available for download, too.

"Hi-Def" gaming was not exactly defined, except by trailers that showed off Gears of War, Ninety-Nine Nights, Project Gotham Racing 3, Sonic the Hedgehog, Kameo: Elements of Power, Frame City Killer and many others. It was clear from the conference that the linchpin of Microsoft's strategy is the games, and they were at the forefront. The visuals were almost universally impressive, featuring extremely high levels of detail, motion blur and lighting bloom effects, and depth-of-field effects.

Maruyama exuded confidence as he pointed out that there are over 100 games in development scheduled to launch by the end of January 2006. The list includes many games from top-echelon Japanese developers like Lost Odyssey, Blue Dragon, Ridge Racer 6, to name a few.

Another concern, and a lesson learned from the last launch, was that Japanese gamers at the were hesitant to buy into a new, wholly unfamiliar console. This time Microsoft hopes to entice gamers by opening a 360 lounge in the fashionable Aoyama area a full month before the launch date. The lounge will be a hip, comfortable place where gamers can play demos of 360 games before they buy them.

In the question and answer session, many members of the press expressed skepticism. One man from an analyst firm asked exactly how Japan was important to Microsoft global strategy, but didn't get a clear answer. At least three other reporters expressed some dismay at the high price point and asked if consumers would really accept the console at that price, and whether a second, cheaper SKU without the harddrive would be offered at some point. Maruyama was confident that the price made sense, and said that while a second, cheaper SKU in the future was not out of the question, the launch would feature only the one with the harddrive, mainly to support the beta launch of Final Fantasy XI on Xbox 360 this winter.

Another reporter noted that that the much-vaunted launch list this time was not materially different from the current Xbox launch games. Another asked, but was denied, projected numbers of 360 sales in Japan: "Do you hope to sell 100 million?" An editor from the UK publication GamesTM asked flat-out whether 360 would really be able to be a success, and asked if they had a plan B in case the launch was a failure. Maruyama answered that failure was not part of the plan.

At the Tokyo Game Show tomorrow we'll be able to play many 360 games, some, like Ninety Nine Nights, for the first time. Stay tuned for our coverage.

 

[PhatSaqs]

Sounds like some GAF members were in attendance :lol

 

[ManaByte]

the launch would feature only the one with the harddrive, mainly to support the beta launch of Final Fantasy XI on Xbox 360 this winter.

Paging Dopeyfish...paging Dopeyfish...

 

[TheJollyCorner]

MEN! PREPARE THE TRENCHES!!

 

[DopeyFish]

Paging Dopeyfish...paging Dopeyfish...

um, you did read what i said a couple days later, right? no, of course not.

 

[dark10x]

360 lounge in the fashionable Aoyama area

Out of curiousity, where exactly would this be? I believe Aoyama is somewhere in Tokyo, but where exactly? I wouldn't mind checking that out just for shits.

 

[OptimusPrime]

Yup really grilled

"Hi-Def" gaming was not exactly defined, except by trailers that showed off Gears of War, Ninety-Nine Nights, Project Gotham Racing 3, Sonic the Hedgehog, Kameo: Elements of Power, Frame City Killer and many others. It was clear from the conference that the linchpin of Microsoft's strategy is the games, and they were at the forefront. The visuals were almost universally impressive, featuring extremely high levels of detail, motion blur and lighting bloom effects, and depth-of-field effects.

:lol

The visuals were almost universally impressive, featuring extremely high levels of detail, motion blur and lighting bloom effects, and depth-of-field effects.

yup grilled NOT

 

[Nick]

Xbox 360 = Xbox

Good work at making the ugliest system this generation, Microsoft!

 

[Maleficent]

Sounds like some GAF members were in attendance :lol

Nintendo and Sony plants. Oh sorry it was just the G4 gang.

 

[bogg]

Another asked, but was denied, projected numbers of 360 sales in Japan: "Do you hope to sell 100 million?"

Haha I bet the ms guy was thinking "damn why the fuck did we say that??"

 

[TheJollyCorner]

Yup really grilled

"Hi-Def" gaming was not exactly defined, except by trailers that showed off Gears of War, Ninety-Nine Nights, Project Gotham Racing 3, Sonic the Hedgehog, Kameo: Elements of Power, Frame City Killer and many others. It was clear from the conference that the linchpin of Microsoft's strategy is the games, and they were at the forefront. The visuals were almost universally impressive, featuring extremely high levels of detail, motion blur and lighting bloom effects, and depth-of-field effects.

:lol

The visuals were almost universally impressive, featuring extremely high levels of detail, motion blur and lighting bloom effects, and depth-of-field effects.

yup grilled NOT

feel better now? Sleep easier?

 

[SantaC]

Maruyama answered that failure was not part of the plan.

Dephends what MS means by failure. Just doing a little better than Xbox did, or taking away 20-30% from Sony in Japan.

 

[Mrbob]

I hope MS is only shipping like 50,000 units to Japan at launch. This will be more than what they'll need for about 6 months. Divert all other consoles to North America and Europe where the system will sell.

 

[OptimusPrime]

Xbox 360 = Xbox

Good work at making the ugliest system this generation, Microsoft!

feel better now? Sleep easier?

 

[Razoric]

 

[Wax Free Vanilla]

Yup really grilled

"Hi-Def" gaming was not exactly defined, except by trailers that showed off Gears of War, Ninety-Nine Nights, Project Gotham Racing 3, Sonic the Hedgehog, Kameo: Elements of Power, Frame City Killer and many others. It was clear from the conference that the linchpin of Microsoft's strategy is the games, and they were at the forefront. The visuals were almost universally impressive, featuring extremely high levels of detail, motion blur and lighting bloom effects, and depth-of-field effects.

:lol

The visuals were almost universally impressive, featuring extremely high levels of detail, motion blur and lighting bloom effects, and depth-of-field effects.

yup grilled NOT

Soul2Soul? Yup, seems so... :lol

 

[Suikoguy]

Great Photoshop :lol :lol


or is it...

 

[Defensor]

:lol :lol

 

[sonycowboy]

Yup really grilled

blah, blah, blah

yup grilled NOT

Do you even know what grilled means?? As in "grilled by the media"? I'd assumed by bolding the appropriate text and assuming posters have at least a 5th grade vocabulary level would be sufficient, but I guess not.

 

[Tony HoTT]

Holy shit, Microsoft thinks Final Fantasy XI is so important that they are only offering one SKU in Japan for that reason ALONE?

Maybe it will work as a bridge for other SE games to come over but somehow I really doubt it.

 

[TheJollyCorner]

Do you even know what grilled means?? As in "grilled by the media"? I'd assumed by bolding the appropriate text and assuming posters have at least a 5th grade vocabulary level would be sufficient, but I guess not.

:lol

 

[chinch]

where is the grilling?

other than the good graphics feedback from 1up the press owned itself with utter stupidity

 

[Kintaro]

I'm seriously wondering why even bother with japan? Isn't EU and US markets enough?

 

[sonycowboy]

where is the grilling?

other than the good graphics feedback the press owned itself with stupidity

Read the bolded part.

I'm not saying the press asked the best questions, I think it speaks more to the tone of the questions, than the questions themselves.

 

[Piddepa]

I'm seriously wondering why even bother with japan? Isn't EU and US markets enough?

Err, no?

 

[TheJollyCorner]

I thought Sony owned Europe as well?

So carrying on... "Isn't the US market enough?"

 

[Stinkles]

The problem wasn't the tone - the problem was the questions. Wasting everyone's time with a rude rhetorical question to which you already know the answer is retarded.


Asking questions you can google the answers to a month ago, is retarded. The press conference is not a reminder session for poorly informed reporters, but at least two western ones used it as such. It is also not a place to show off how tough you are. Tough questions are ones that haven't already been answered over and over again.

I was super annoyed until...


RETURN OF NINTENDO QUESTION GUY!!!!!


They guy who asked in crazy (but well pronounced) Japanese about the weight of the old Xbox. And everyone laughed at him.

 

[OptimusPrime]

Like I care if I am being owned?

I just post here for fun. It's not like I can have a normal conversation on these forums :lol

It's one of the most biased and fanboy seeded places I have ever posted.

And I laugh my ass off more than ones a day. Keep up the nice posts :lol

 

[Wax Free Vanilla]

Like I care if I am being owned?

I just post here for fun. It's not like I can have a normal conversation on these forums :lol

It's one of the most biased and fanboy seeded places I have ever posted.

And I laugh my ass off more than ones a day. Keep up the nice posts :lol

Go back to OA then, Soul2Soul. :lol

 

[TheJollyCorner]

Like I care if I am being owned?

Then why are you defending yourself with the following?

I just post here for fun. It's not like I can have a normal conversation on these forums :lol

No. I've never seen you contribute anything worth discussion or debate. You are correct, sir.

It's one of the most biased and fanboy seeded places I have ever posted.

You contribute to that, since literally every thing I've ever seen you post is regarding the glorification of MS and X360. Oops.

And I laugh my ass off more than ones a day. Keep up the nice posts :lol

Do you have a nervous condition?

 

[WrathOfOtaibah]

1up makes me cringe because its almost guaranteed what comes out of their mouths (or their minds) is almost sheer stupidity. I mean, who the fuck didn't know that X360 would be last place in Japan? Was this some super-special insight? For the prices, Microsoft dropped the price and threw in a shitload of software within weeks but it still didn't sell.

 

[_Angelus_]

Is the PS3 design suppose to change before launch. ? I'm curious to see what the Sony faithful in Japan will do if its the size of that console up above,or even the original Xbox. Will they point fingers and laugh,or form those long lines in the rain once again.:b

Poor Microsoft,they can't catch a break in Japan.

 

[Owzers]

"One man from an analyst firm asked exactly how Japan was important to Microsoft global strategy, but didn't get a clear answer. "

Is that supposed to be a serious question? Potential $$$$ + more Japanese developed titles.

grilled........

 

[∀ Narayan]

:lol

Gah, poor kid.

 

[radioheadrule83]

GamesTM will do a good write up. They might have been asking a harsh question, but its an honest realistic one. I'm sure they'll give the games a great write-up too.

 

[gofreak]

You can watch this on Gamespot yourselves you know:

http://www.gamespot.com/2005/tgs/index.html

 

[dark10x]

It's one of the most biased and fanboy seeded places I have ever posted.

It's really not, though. Between posts like yours, there is often very good discussion to be found. I've visited many other forums and almost feel sickened by the sheer stupidity of the majority of posters. They can barely form complete thoughts, let alone NOT use "LOL" and "LMAO" several times per post.

I'm curious to know which other forums you feel are somehow superior to the GAF in this regard, however. Mind naming them?

 

[Ghengis Cohen]

"One man from an analyst firm asked exactly how Japan was important to Microsoft global strategy, but didn't get a clear answer. "

Is that supposed to be a serious question? Potential $$$$ + more Japanese developed titles.

grilled........

He was probably reffering to the question "If microsoft fails to win over Japan will it fail from a financial perspective" It is a very important question in the business sense given that it is Microsoft's goal this generation to make money.

 

[SuperPac]

An editor from the UK publication GamesTM asked flat-out whether 360 would really be able to be a success, and asked if they had a plan B in case the launch was a failure. Maruyama answered that failure was not part of the plan.

I remember asking the exact same question to MS Japan around the time of the Xbox 1 launch and the answer was the same -- failure wasn't part of the plan. You'd think they would want to plan for something that likely, but... c'est la vie.

 

[fortified_concept]

Yup really grilled

"Hi-Def" gaming was not exactly defined, except by trailers that showed off Gears of War, Ninety-Nine Nights, Project Gotham Racing 3, Sonic the Hedgehog, Kameo: Elements of Power, Frame City Killer and many others. It was clear from the conference that the linchpin of Microsoft's strategy is the games, and they were at the forefront. The visuals were almost universally impressive, featuring extremely high levels of detail, motion blur and lighting bloom effects, and depth-of-field effects.

:lol

The visuals were almost universally impressive, featuring extremely high levels of detail, motion blur and lighting bloom effects, and depth-of-field effects.

yup grilled NOT

I own myself with each post.

I have nothing else to add.

 

[fortified_concept]

Like I care if I am being owned?

I just post here for fun. It's not like I can have a normal conversation on these forums :lol

It's one of the most biased and fanboy seeded places I have ever posted.

And I laugh my ass off more than ones a day. Keep up the nice posts :lol

Can you mention a couple of non-fanboy seeded forums?

 

[GhaleonEB]

Can you mention a couple of non-fanboy seeded forums?

Gamefaqs, TeamXBox, IGN...

ahem

 

[Culex]

Gamefaqs, TeamXBox, IGN...

ahem

You brought a tear to my eye

 

[MidgarBlowedUp]

I really don't see MS selling any units in Japan.
PS2 sold well in Japan because it offered the cheapest DVD player you could buy in Japan.
Many people wanted a DVD player yet could not afford one until the PS2 came out.

So, unless MS does launch in Japan with HD or Blue Ray, I can't see any reason why the Japanese won't just wait for PS3 and buy the cheapest Blue Ray/DVD player on the market.
It just happens to play PS1/PS2/PS3 games as an added bonus.

I hope MS does fairly well personally.
Competition is great for gamers.
We always win by getting great games.

 

[Amir0x]

Gamefaqs, TeamXBox, IGN...

ahem

Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahah

 

[Blimblim]

The Q&A session at the end of the conference was really awkward and must have seemed really long for the MS guy answering the almost universally negative questions from the press. There was one very funny question by a strange japanese guy who was wondering why the japanese Xbox did weigh more than the US one. He ranted a bit about it until he was told it was the same everywhere...
MS'd better have a great booth at the TGS itself...

 

[HokieJoe]

I'm seriously wondering why even bother with japan? Isn't EU and US markets enough?

I posed the same question, err, bit of conjecture in another thread. Honestly, the only reason I can think of is that want to make Sony bleed in Japan. I just don't see that happening if no one is forgoing PS3 purchases in favor of your console though. :lol

 

[GhaleonEB]

There was one very funny question by a strange japanese guy who was wondering why the japanese Xbox did weigh more than the US one. He ranted a bit about it until he was told it was the same everywhere...
MS'd better have a great booth at the TGS itself...

That's funny. You know MS has a ways to go when the Japanese market feels negative about your product that misconceptions like that are going around.

Like Blim said, the booth better rock.

 

[Monk]

Maruyama answered that failure was not part of the plan.

MS really needs a better pr guy there. I mean seriously, why would a pr guy even hint at a possibility of failing? Should have been something like "failure is something thats not going top happen".

 

[pestul]

Wow, they complained about the price.. they're gonna really love that $450US equiv. PS3 pricepoint then. I know, talking out of my ass, but it's definately gonna be at least $350US equiv.