Most Japanese 360 owners are also PS3 owners.  And you can get the PS3 version for $5 in the used bargain bins now.

The 360 is no where near mainstream level, but it's acheived a niche status.  The Original Xbox never even did that.  MS will probably release the Xbox 720 there, but won't try so hard like they did with the 360 and getting the jRPG (timed) exclusives.

Honestly they can be considered racist in at least the first definition provided here :

rac·ism

   [rey-siz-uhm]  Show IPA

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Just read this :

http://factsanddetails.com/japan.php?itemid=632&catid=18

fighter said: Chibi.V.29 said: sad.man.loves.vgc said: Chibi.V.29 said: sad.man.loves.vgc said: Inb4 ps3 is dead in USA Inb4 Japan is racist Inb4 shitstorm Already posted btw. Reported >_> Im partly Japanese so i dont appreciated being called a racists -.- oh, you misunderstood! I didn't mean that at all but we had multiple threads before calling Japan biased and racists and I was expecting a post about that soon. Japan is games <3 Inb4 ban Aah ok i thought you where implying Japanese where racist ^^ Ill ask one of the mods to ignore the report. Sorry :/ people just seem to say it alot on forums >_> Honestly they can be considered racist in at least the first definition provided here : rac·ism     [rey-siz-uhm]  Show IPA –noun 1. a belief or doctrine that inherent differences among thevarious human races determine cultural or individualachievement, usually involving the idea that one's own raceis superior and has the right to rule others. 2. a policy, system of government, etc., based upon orfostering such a doctrine; discrimination. 3. hatred or intolerance of another race or other races. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Just read this : http://factsanddetails.com/japan.php?itemid=632&catid=18

you actually linked some kind of a "blog" written by someone somewhere..........

I was about to post the exact same thing as you!

But I was also going to use Tales of Vesperia specifically as a prime example.

And it's also laughable at some who thought FF XIII would actually do anything to boost X360 during it's release week...

Yep, it is just done. Unless kinect can get some legs out there, I really don't know what they need to do to get japan.

Don't forget the fact that the final boss is fucking ages away from the nearest save point.  At least an hour and a half if I remember correctly.

They need to get exclusives Japan wants more often. For example, the 360 has seen significant boosts when a major exclusive are released.

The PS3 and Wii get them regularly while the 360 does not.

I was always the first one to call the Japanese xenophobic when it came to video games created outside of Japan. After reading up a few threads at NeoGAF on why Microsoft has failed in Japan compared to say...Apple, I know it is not at all about xenophobia.

It has to do with Microsoft not really caring about the Japanese market. If you look at the support building of Sony in foreign markets and emerging markets, what you will see is an honest effort in trying to push  brand awareness from the ground up catering to regional tastes and culture.

In contrast, Microsoft is more or less about multi-million dollar ad campaigns created by Microsoft and localized in another language. Compared to Sony, there is not an honest effort to build brand awareness from the ground up and more importantly, Microsoft could give a damn about catering to Japanese tastes and culture.

Finally, from what I read online Microsoft is viewed as the Otaku machine in Japan. Basically, Otaku are Japanese social rejects who have obssessive interests in manga, anime and video games, while their adult age peers are more concerned with hand-held games that allow time for work and family. For one reason or another, Otaku and Microsoft Xbox have become attached in Japan. I think it may have to do with Microsoft not delving into the hand-held gaming market.

While it may be cool to have an obssessive interest in anime, manga and video games outside of Japan. From the NeoGAF thread, if you cannot save face and look like a normal, respectable member of Japanese working society, then you are branded as an Otaku who eschews a meaningful, socially acceptable life in favor of narrow interests.

Please, please correct me if I am wrong in my interpretation of Otaku in contemporary Japanese society.

Source: "Can Microsoft ever achieve success in Japan with the Xbox brand/gaming in general?" http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=415488

P.S. Castor Krieg and Tmac in the thread offer good answers as to why Microsoft video games have failed in Japan.

No, that's not the problem. Even timed exclusivity boost hardware sales and I assume its significantly cheaper than complete exclusivity.

If MS got timed exclusivity on popular Japanese games regularly I guarantee console sales would rise significantly.But Japan is a relatively small market for home consoles so focusing on them is pointless.

Japan gets so much attention on this forum, but in the grand scheme its not a big market for home consoles. It only accounts for about 13% of PS3 hardware sales.