Who else is expecting the 360 to outsell the PS3 at least 2-1 in Japan next week?

Well, realistically, JRPGs doesn't always mean high sales or system movers. It's a common mistake that some people think just because a console has JRPGs, the japanese masses will buy it. Take away the big brand names (Pokemon, DQ, KH and FF) and you'll only have a bunch of decent selling software... that happened to sell on the PS2... which ATM has 37 times the install base as the 360. Still, compared to the Japanese PS3 lineup, Microsoft is making Sony look like a bunch of cocky pricks and hopefully the Japanese starts noticing.

What I'm taking issue with is that you're faulting MS for trying to make money with their console.  That IS their current agenda.  It's the same as Sony's current agenda and Nintendo's current agenda.  They are focused on the PS3 because they know they are not going to beat Nintendo.  And Sony is focused on the 360 because they know they're not going to beat Nintendo.  Sony is copying Nintendo and MS and MS is copying Sony and Nintendo. 

Of COURSE they want to take their competition down a notch.  That's what EVERY company wants to do.  That's how business WORKS!!  And I guarantee you that MS has no illusions that they'll eventually buy out Sony.  And MS backed HD DVD because BluRay was an unproven, Sony-owned technology.  They backed HD-DVD but likely had no intention of ever using it for games anyway.  HD-DVD died, MS didn't have to worry about losses on their console, and that was that.  MS is now able to lower prices, and Sony is not.  Which CONSOLE really won that particular war?

I also expect ToV to be the best selling 360 title in Japan until maybe SO4.

So if this works out, all they need to do is release a game on par with Tales of Vesperia every couple of weeks.

Seriously what about 30 billion in losses aren't you getting haha. Is this just flying over your head or are you simply avoiding the truth on purpose.

30k?  i just spit my pop out my nose.  That would be shocking.

The demo of this looked kinda decent but I couldn't figure out the combat system to save my life.  I gave up.  I'll like pass on this and get Infinite Undiscovery instead.  if I have more than one of these at a time, my head will explode trying to keep it all straight.

I'm not talking about that, because that has nothing to do with current profitability per console.  I'm talking about the fact that MS is now making a profit on every piece of hardware they sell and every piece of software that sells for it.  They also have a machine on the market that's more successful than its predecessor in every category.  With the Jasper revision coming up, they will be able to lower their prices even more and still make money per console.  PS3 is not at that stage yet, and that's bad for Sony with regards to this precious console war that everyone wants to win.

Every company loses money at the beginning of a console cycle.  MS lost more than they normally would have with the RRoD issues.  But Sony has also so far lost money in the billions on the PS3 and it's still not a profitable machine for them.  If MS comes out ahead of Sony this gen, which I'm not ruling out, the market share and mind share they will have gained will be much more important than the money they lost on hardware replacements.  It could very well be that their "get to the market first" strategy could work.  Maybe it will, maybe it won't. 

I don't care who wins.  I just care that there's competition.  Sony single handedly destroyed the Gamecube and the Dreamcast and pretty much destroyed the original Xbox in the end.  I want to be able to buy a box that's not Sony.  I have not had a good history with Sony products, and I don't think their business strategies are any less devious than MS.

@Zucas: lets be fair MS didnt truley back HD-DVD, yes they got in the HD-DVD camp but they had no commitment to the format. Had they put a HD-DVD drive in the 360 then that would have been a different story altogether.

Its great that finally some 360 games are getting OK sales in Japan. I love JRPG's and am just gutted that we in the EU have to wait until next year to play this game (what is that all about? surely all the work will have been done once the US version is released?!).

MS are putting in a lot of effort in Japan and deserve some reward.

It looks like the 360 will hit the 1 million mark now in 2009 its just a case of how soon. Momentum is a funny thing, if the 360 gathers some momentum then there is no reason it cannot sell 10k + regularly.

Well I agree effort deserves sales but unfortunately this is never how it happens.  Saddening eh.  But I do think this will push 360 over a million in Japan and well deserved.  But I need to get going.  Nice debating with ya.

Zucas out