I don't even understand why devs still bother the 360 in Japan. Therefore I hope the Tales of Vesperia release will be a PS3 version as said and NOT a 360 version. Unless they wish to have another bombed game on the list

Like kber81 says... it will move about a 1000 more consoles but if MS thinks they have a hit with this package in Japan, they've got another thing coming, like a slap in the face from Sony.

:( Why does MS do this? It's so sad. It's like a really ugly guy likes a really hot girl, but she'll never go out with him, and he wastes his time doing nice things for her when she will still say no. It's so sad. But I guess MS hasn't learned yet.

"Microsoft does not need to sell good in Japan, they just need too slowdown PS3 sales by taking Japanese exclusives."

??? Please explain. I don't get the crazyness about exclusives in this forum. Players don't care about them. They want to play games and if one console has a game and the other has not its an advantage for the first.
But since nobody buys 360 consoles in Japan anyway it is pretty much irrelevant if a game is PS3 exclusive or PS3/360.

That is true, I'd never given it much thought. But I guess that is another incentive for Microsoft to keep at it in Japan. Taking third party exclusives definitely limits Sony to an extent. Even strong first-party JRPG's like BD, LO and Cry On distract the hardcore base from the purchase of a PS3, if only for a little while.

Looks have very little to do with getting with a hot woman. It's persistence. I spent a year learning about women from a friendgirl - and doggone, I had a completely different view on women. Did you guys know women have 10-15 different ways to say 'I like that dress?' And I will bet you that an ugly guy, if the woman he is doing things for is nice to him, has a very awesome chance of landing her. It's about knowing your limitations. I know I am not as handsome as David Beckam, but I know how to use words and have confidence through the roof. I know that I can't swim in the deep end of the pool so I don't even try.

I have a formula - if you can get the person you want to be with, regardless of how hot they are, to speak to you and be nice, you can win them over. The question is - are you willing to go the distance to do it? Microsoft knows how to dominate, and they will go the distance.

It's about understanding - and Microsoft wants to win over Japanese gamers. Yeah, they want to crush Sony - but just like cornering the PC market, they'll find a way.

Way to derail the thread, Sony Defense Force. Way to go.

Weren't you the same group saying that it was great that Sony was releasing the DMC bundle, since they're trying to win more marketshare in Japan?

MS is doing the same thing.

It could move a few units. How many; who knows. Nevertheless, atleast it makes the hardware sales of the X360 atleast competitive vs. the PS3 since they both have bundles. Before this was announced, I was worried that the X360 would move no hardware vs. a Japanese bundle. But now atleast there is some competitiveness from Microsoft.

Could move 5,000-10,000 extra units that week, ala Trusty Bell.

@mrstickball

You know more than anyone that any game that comes out on the ps3 as well sells only on the ps3. Eternal sonata was the only title that managed to move some 10k more, imagine the ps3 version

That and the fact that MS has > $100 b in cash reserves... even if they fritter away $10 m in Japan, it's like a drop of water in the ocean.  And if their effort puts a 5% dent in PS3 sales in Japan, then MS probably feels it was worth it.

I'm not sure the Xbox line will ever be a strong contender in Japan... they're nationalistic to an unbelievable level.  I remember watching a program where someone was interviewing Japanese consumers in an electronics shop, and trying to figure out why the shoppers were picking almost exclusively domestic electronics and ignoring Korean (Samsung, LG) products, even though the latter were well made, just as feature laden, and much cheaper than their Japanese counterparts.  The translations of the reasons all pretty much went, "They're not made in Japan... they might break" or "They're not Japanese made, they're not as good."  Yeah, right.

I'm not sure how a European or American company can contend with that sort of consumer mentality.  Even if the 360 was more reliable and more advanced than the PS3, I doubt that most Japanese consumers would purchase it because it would be "bad" for Japan.  So much for a console brand competing on its merits.