It’s no secret, Microsoft has always struggled to sell consoles in Japan. Microsoft being a western based company has a hard time understanding the culture of Japan that comes naturally to Nintendo and Sony. Despite the difference in cultures, games sell consoles and there was no shortage of Japanese targeted games announced by Sony at the Tokyo Game Show. If Microsoft wants to have any part of the Japanese market they will need to announce games that are targeted toward that audience. This is a list of five games Microsoft can announce that will help sell Xbox Ones in Japan. I’m leaving out the obvious games that are slim to none at being announced such as an exclusive Final Fantasy game or an exclusive Tekken game, these are games that could be announced.
5. Virtua Fighter 6
Virtua Fighter has always been a cult classic fighter that was popular back in the Saturn days. The last Virtua Fighter game was Virtua Fighter 5 back in 2006. The series has always been popular in Japan with its fast paced combat and intricate fighting system. Virtua Fighter would be a no brainer for Microsoft to make an exclusive for the Xbox One.
4. Phantasy Star
This has been beaten to death by fans every where, but I’m putting it here at number 4 anyway. Fans everywhere have been doing everything possible to keep the Phantasy Star franchise alive and have been begging Sega to release a new version of Phantasy Star. There is an online version that is being played currently online, but currently there is no updated version for the newer consoles. Microsoft would turn a lot of heads if they could not only bring Phantasy Star to the Xbox One, but also make it free to play online with a gold Xbox Live account.
3. Onimusha
This is a series that I personally think needs a revival. Onimusha has always been popular in Japan, but Capcom had reported that the series was slowly falling off after observing slowing sales with every new iteration released. Despite the slowing sales, if this franchised was revived and possibly rebooted with a new plot and characters, Microsoft could pull a series back from the dead.
2. Star Ocean
Star Ocean The Last Hope was one of the best selling games for the Xbox 360 in Japan. The game also managed to sell a bunch of 360 consoles during its first week on the market. A new Star Ocean being exclusive to the Xbox One, even if it’s a timed exclusive as the 360 Last Hope was, would move Xbox One systems. Star Ocean has been popular in Japan ever since it was released on the Super Famicom system. Not a lot of games have as much Japanese culture influencing its story like Star Ocean does.
1. Shenmue 3
If Shenmue 3 is announced as a Xbox One exclusive, there might be a riot in Japan. Of course the Shenmue series is beloved in Japan, and North America for that matter, but the Xbox One is not the most popular system in Japan. The exclusivity of a game that is so Japanese by nature would rub some the wrong way at first, but people would get over it an buy a Xbox One. This is the game that would move consoles in Japan no matter what system the game is on. Shenmue was the game that helped the Dreamcast sell well throughout the Christmas of 2000. The issue with the original Shenmue was the ridiculously high production costs doomed the game before it was even released. Sega said that in order to make back the money that went into making Shenmue, every Dreamcast owner would need to buy 2 copies. With the advancements in game production and the advancements in hardware Shenmue 3 would fit in well this generation and would definitely move a ton of Xbox One consoles.
Microsoft needs to announce games that would appeal to Japanese gamers. Right now Sony has a ton of games slated for next year that will have the PS4 increase its strangle hold in the east. Which games do you think Microsoft should announce?
http://gamingjudgement.com/five-games-microsoft-could-announce-to-sell-xbox-ones-in-japan/
