Here is a quote from an interview that gameindustry.biz did with Neil Thompson. senior regional manager for the UK and Ireland at Microsoft's Entertainment and Devices division when he was asked about Asia:

http://www.gamesindustry.biz/content_page.php?aid=28915

"Having said that, the traditional things such as content and services will still be a pervasive force, especially in the gaming world. I know at TGS we announced some fantastic Japanese content, Ninja Gaiden 2 seemed to go down fairly well, and we're getting a lot more support now from the Japanese market, and Japanese publishers, than we ever have before.

Ok, we haven't been very successful in Japan so far, I think we've been fairly open about that. But we've also said that it's just something we're not going to give up on. Whether we can crack it in 12 months, 18 months, 24 months, 4 years, 6 years - it's just something we will keep going at because it is a point of learning for some of those other markets."

I'm not sure Cracking Japan opens points for all those markets. There are some similarities, but for Asia, Japan is pretty clean (I think. I may be wrong). Everywhere else, yarr, pirate country!

If you can be successful in China, Taiwan, Phillipenes, Korea, then you've got a lesson almost every digital media provider wants to learn.

But mayhaps an Xbox360 slim would help? Seems to be working for Nintendo and Sony.

I think they should not try to do it, just make games for the Western market, they would get more profit + more market share. (Sorry but I think some games really failed in my opinion). With a game like Blue Dragon you should have 2 million sales for sure.

6 years... hmm
May be if Xbox hits 50 million units, Microsoft will make an Xbox portable next time?
At the very least, sounds like they are planning on relaseing a new console. How do they crack Japan though...
How did Banjo-Kazooie on N64 do in Japan?

Thats good to know. If I was Microsoft I wouldn't give up neither. Its just Japanese are getting use to the Xbox brand. And I can expect the 360 to hit 700,000 units in its lifetime.

Now that would make me happy, cause they now have broken into the Japanese market.

BK did well, not a million seller though, but in the 360...50k is my bet. Viva Piñata sold like 20k I think.

Microsoft might keep trying to "break" into the Japanese market, but what'll be interesting is how long they can convince Japanese 3rd parties that this time, they won't ricochet off of Japan's barrier like a peashooter.

I think they can do it. They were willing to sink a lot of money into the first Xbox just to get some market share in a new industry, the 360 looks as if it will be profitable so it makes sense they should try and expand their market. If they do their research and commision a number of Japanese oriented games they could make some headway. If they manage that coupled with the lukewarm PS3 reception then perhaps the 360's successor would be better recieved over there.

I agree Shambolic.

well we will know how effective they can be when Lost Odyssey is released, if that game doesnt sell alot of consoles, then we know its probably not possible unless you make it really really cheap or free

hey thats it make it free then MS will win!