By using this site, you agree to our Privacy Policy and our Terms of Use. Close
Akvod on 16 September 2009
Edit Thread
Untamoi said:
S.T.A.G.E. said:

As much as I hate Kaz Hirai this is the nail in the coffin for 360 in Japan. When Sony bundles a hot third party title it usually sells extremely well in the region it is destined for. It happened this gen with MGS4 increasing PS3 sales 180% in 2008. Sony has already had a 200%+ increase in sales with the price cut. Microsoft needs to pull out of hostile territory...........................now.

It would be horrible decision to leave Japan for MS now. If MS would leave Japan, it would also hurt european ja US sales badly. If they would suddenly announce that they would leave Japan, it would seem to consumers that 360 is doing terribly and their support for it is soon going to be cut and 360 sales would drop like a stone everywhere, even in USA. Consumers don't know much about console sales so news like that would have devastating effect on sales. Statements about continuing support elsewhere would have no effect because few actually trusts MS. And Japanese developers support would also weaken a lot which would affect software support and it would also weaken sales elsewhere. They simply can't leave Japan anymore even if sales are terrible.

I think you really have a cool and interesting point with the public image. However the most tanglible and quantifiable thing in this situation is money and sales. How much money is MS putting into Japan? How much are they going to get out?

How much value does that public image drop (if it even will) have? Can they simply not make it public and quietly pull back?