Kazs - I wouldn't so much say that Microsoft is trying to keep people from buying PS3s, as it is that they're trying to flesh out their lineup(s), and try to coerce the core gamers to buy X360s.
Merely because most of these core gamers are probably feeling alienated from the current Sony lineup - last generation, the PS2 was easily the best system to get for the best lineup.
Now the waters are muddier than ever. And Microsoft is stirring up the pond again.
When consumers - the 130 million-odd systems and their owners last gen, that haven't been sold yet, start to goto the new systems, what will they chose?
The PS3 is definately not "the" choice it was for the past 10 years. There are no major "must have" games that you must buy a PS3 for anymore. If MS can convince those owners that the must-have games that sold so well in the West last gen, are on the X360 now, they'll switch.
And adding more and more JRPGs are part of that solution - you need to remember, the big RPGs such as Tales games, Final Fantasies, and such didn't sell their bulk in Japan - more than 60% of sales were from the West, and Europe even plays a big part in that. Look at European sales charts - Even on the X360, some of the biggest debuts in their worst markets were JRPGs. Blue Dragon, which died quickly in solidly X360-centric areas (such as the UK, US) wound up debuting strongly in Spain, and France to some point. The X360 needs more market presence in those mainland countries, and JRPGs can provide some of that well-rounded gameplay.
Merely because European consumers care about Sports, Racers, and RPGs for the most part. The X360 already has racers down pat, doing decent on sports, and viying for the RPG market, both East and Western developers.
Is there any coincidence that RPG makers from both cultures are flocking to the X360? It's a certain strategy that games like Oblivion, The Witcher, Sacred, Kingdom Under Fire, Blue Dragon, and various other RPGs are coming to the X360.
Does anyone realize that in 1 and 1/2 years, the Xbox 360 had more RPGs made on it - both east and west, than the Xbox had in the entirety of it's life?
As a RPG fan that owned a X360, we had, in 4+ years:
KOTOR 1/2
Fable
Morrowind
Sukedi
Jade Empire
X-Men Legends 1/2
and maybe 1-2 others that I can't think of.
From Nov 05 to Nov 07 (2 years) we've had:
Enchanted Arms
Oblivion
Spectral Force 3
Far East of Eden Zira
Dario Reverse Moon Legend
Phantasy Star Universe
Operation: Darkness
Marvel: Ultimate Alliance
Blue Dragon
Trusty Bell
Lost Odyssey
Two Worlds
Mass Effect
And probably atleast 2-3 I'm not thinking of, and more from Japan.
Quite a difference, eh?
Back from the dead, I'm afraid.
