Kinect reaches 100k in Japan according to VGChartz

[Reasonable]

Seece said:

Reasonable said:

Immortal said:

This has been the biggest surprise for me over the holidays. I can't believe how big Kinect is (relatively) in Japan.

I'm willing to bet that, had Kinect released in 2006, PS3 and 360 would be neck and neck in LTD sales in Japan right now.

Nah, I don't see it.  I really think - as I noted earlier in the thread - Kinect is selling well but to the existing install base.  Therefore I'm pretty sure if Kinect had released earlier it would actually have sold worse, as there would have been a smaller install base to appeal to.

There's just no sign of actual console sales picking up in any way as a result of Kinect in Japan, which means it's either selling to the existing base or PC hackers for the dubious uses already mentioned in the thread.

I still think all things considered Kinect is doing okay in Japan as at least it is selling, but it's really nothing to get excited about.  The LTD of 360 is still low all compared to other consoles, the LTD of Kinect in Japan is still very low compared to other territories.

The bottom line is I think the 360 peaked earlier in Japan with the timed exclusives and I don't think anything is going to reverse it's current state of selling steadily at a very low rate.

I agree with most of this, but I do think a spat of Japanese core games could give it a short term (1-2 month boost)

Didn't we see a similar uprising with PSP, and it started to do reallly well in Japan? Although it was never doing bad there in the first place.

NOTHING, will make 360 sell like a normal console there, I don't know anyone that expects that .. even lifetime FF franchise exclusives there wouldn't help it out past a few boosts around game releases.

Yeah, if Kinect could get a killer app for Japan, then it might have a chance of taking off.  I think the device - space concerns aside - would appeal in principle if it had a great game to drive it.  That's really what I think it's missing.  The current crop feel a bit too "Wii too" as it where and I don't think that works in Japan with the big Wii install base.  Similarly other titles are too Western - and we know such titles often don't appeal locally.

Something like Pokemon or a special FF only using gestures - imagine a Pokemon areana combat game where you throw the ball thing (sorry don't know much about Pokemon beyond the basics) then instruct your monster how to fight with guestures.  Something local and different enough to seperate Kinect from the Wii titles.

Like you I do tend to think there really is nothing that would truly change 360's fortunes in Japan, but I agree that the right titles can make a difference.  Look at the spikes 360 saw with the timed JRPG exclusives.  Clearly the right title will generate some demand locally - look at PSP once it had a few titles click locally.

I just think that Kinect doesn't have any titles capable of clicking like that specifically in Japan at the moment, and I'm not sure it will as the focus - which is understandable - seems to be on titles sure to appeal in US/Europe rather than Japan.