A bit of an exaggeration, :P, but I seriously think that 360 would actually be pulling somewhat respectable numbers in Japan if Kinect had been released earlier. I mean, right now, 360's a hopeless case and the Japanese market has already pretty much given up on it. Back in 2006, there was still hope, and, as Kinect's current sales show, the Japanese market is willing to buy it. Back then, a new peripheral from MS would be treated with (more) interest and it still stood a chance of selling 360s as WiiS3 hadn't completely cannibalized the market.

i am glad to see this happen, hopefully it can achieve 300k plus lifetime in sales. :)

I think it could be a delayed hit, the original games imo are more to the western audience, the games need to sell it to MS base, then they can go for the other bases, England And the US are licking it up. Australia has taken it with open arms, in fact MS seems to be going all guns with Australia atm with the Foxtel alliance in australia now. A mate that I have been trying to convince to get the 360 is now finally thinking about it. Though Kinect didnt make him :-/ he wanted to wait for more games.

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.

Did someone really suggest that had Kinect been released on launch it would have made 360 neck to neck with PS3?

*Mind implodes*

No chance in hell. Those 360 sales are abysmal, not even if the Samurais themselves ceritifed the product it would sell like PS3 does now, or did before.

If Microsoft wanted to succed in Japan they should have kept releasing exclusive jRPG every three months like they dis in 2008.

Sales of x360 died after Vesperia and never rose back to 2008 levels.

I notice a lot of people tend to feel the 360 never got a fair shake in Japan. I think the blame lies on MS and their inability to fully grasp the likes of the Japanese market. It doesn't work like the US/UK where a few big exclusives can carry you for the year along with 3rd parties. You have to have something special to interest them and then keep their interest.

You hit it right on the head.  They needed to spend another 100 Million developing dozens of original games for japan.  They could have given most of these small releases here(US) in the $29-$39 price range to add to the library.  This might have only lost $40-50Million.  But could have tripled the sales til Kinect.   Thus giving Kinect a chance to be a game changer.