Before xmas 2009.

Yea, its possible and it will. Microsoft has done an awesome job this generation on making it known to the public in Japan that they are serious business and want their product to sell.

The original Xbox had 0% and I mean goose egg zero percent Japanese support.

Now that the Xbox 360 has been released, Microsoft has done nice talks with various Japanese publishers to release key franchises on their platform to help bring the Xbox name positive.

It will get there eventually

It should get there in Mid-2009. I remain positive that the next batch of X360 games (ToV, IU, TLR, and others) should give the X360 a decent boost.

At the rate the X360 is selling, and the lifespan it's had, we should expect around 1.2m-1.5m units before it's totally DOA in the marketplace. However, it could sell more if it achieves some sort of JRPG critical mass, and begins to truely track better YOY than it has.

I'm going to agree with Montana on this one, it certainly will reach one million sales in Japan by generation end, maybe 1.5 million, but, really, after the amount of money that Microsoft has sunk into that region, it hasn't helped much.

What I can say, though, is that this puts the next Xbox in a much better position at launch in Japan than what the 360 had.

For the record, it would have been wiser of Microsoft to have spent that money in PAL, as that is where Sony is strongest on the whole, but the more 360-centric regions (The UK and Aus) would have pretty much dumped the PS3 alltogether. And let's face it, with it being the largest market in Europe in sales, and even larger in revenue and profit, and the ease of releasing games in the UK (as there is no need for localisation), getting the UK, in a lot of publishers eyes, would be seen as getting PAL.

Just my thoughts on the matter.

hellz yea

yes it will, and i agree with mid 2009 for that mark.

I think it will considering it's well over halfway there.

I think it will take just one more Square exclusive announcement and the Japanese will gain faith in the 360. Other than that, it's going to be a slow climb up that hill.

Yes, sadly.

And every 360 owner will act like it's the second-coming of Christ, rather than a modest accomplishment.