Granted, it's only one week but I still can't help but think that Xbox is steadily gaining more momentum in Japan when compared to PlayStation. Affordability with Series S and accessibility with Game Pass are surely the primary reasons why a person in Japan would choose an Xbox over a PlayStation, especially when considering that Microsoft is doing a decent job of including Japanese games in the service.
It's also worth mentioning that these are only hardware numbers. It would be more interesting to see how many people are subscribed to Game Pass in Japan.
@LtSarge Very interesting, indeed. More than the media noticing that PS5 are more expensive @KilloWertz 😲 but the pricing getting included in the equation is meaningful because it's usually about the "exclusives" and how better PS exclusives supposedly are. I've read articles that say "PS have the exclusives. Xbox has Game Pass" What do they mean? That you can buy Xbox games on PC or that Xbox don't have exclusives? Or that only PS exclusives matter?!
It's amazing seeing Xbox performing so well in Japan. I honestly didn't expect it.
While I'm here though, I would take it that they mean that Xbox doesn't have the exclusives. In a sense, I would agree with them, although that narrative will have to change within a few years at most. Things are finally getting back to the way they were way back in the day.
PSN ID/Xbox Live Gamertag: KilloWertz
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@BlueOcean The thing is that the PS exclusives that Sony is known for aren't really that popular in Japan. Games like Horizon Zero Dawn, God of War, The Last of Us, Uncharted, Spider-Man and so on appeal more to a Western audience. Even a game like Ghost of Tsushima, which takes place in Japan, has still that western feel to it. If anything, it's Nintendo exclusives that the Japanese people want more. That's why Microsoft has to approach the Japanese market cautiously so that they won't push their "Western titles" on them. And honestly, I think their current approach with Game Pass is going great so far but there's still a long way to go. More Japanese offerings need to be added to the service and I personally think it would be awesome if Microsoft could acquire at least one publisher in Japan in order to make that happen. I've mentioned this before but I would love for Square Enix to be part of Xbox Game Studios. I don't think Microsoft needs more than them. After all, they have Final Fantasy, Dragon Quest, Kingdom Hearts, Star Ocean, the Chrono series, the Mana series, SaGa and those are only the JRPG franchises. Add to that Tomb Raider, Deus Ex, Just Cause and Life is Strange and you got some series that will appeal to a Western audience as well.
I truly believe that if Microsoft acquired Square Enix that it would be an absolute force to be reckoned with in the Japanese gaming market. The Japanese people already love playing their games on smart devices. Now imagine if you could access any Square Enix games on your smart devices with Project xCloud. Since Japan has a great online infrastructure, that would make Game Pass Ultimate such an appealing service for them.
@LtSarge Xbox is selling much better than previous gen but I would not read that Xbox is very close to ps5 in demand atm. I believe is more a case of Sony ignoring Japan and not providing systems.
@BlueOcean to be fair PlayStation is trying to do the same thing as Nintendo in terms of exclusives. Why would they lower the peixes if the games keep selling regardless. I would even add that one reason games like FF vii or guardians of the Galaxy underperformed is because people know games for third parties lower their preciso ratter quickly.
Also the biggest markets factor of PlayStation is their exclusives and of Xbox is game pass. I don't see nothing strange about that (gamepass was the reason I bought a Xbox and not a ps5 for instance)
@BlueOcean to be fair PlayStation is trying to do the same thing as Nintendo in terms of exclusives. Why would they lower the peixes if the games keep selling regardless. I would even add that one reason games like FF vii or guardians of the Galaxy underperformed is because people know games for third parties lower their preciso ratter quickly.
Also the biggest markets factor of PlayStation is their exclusives and of Xbox is game pass. I don't see nothing strange about that (gamepass was the reason I bought a Xbox and not a ps5 for instance)
I agree, Sony is becoming like Nintendo in that sense, they're making their exclusives more expensive than ever and first-party sales are being restricted. They used to be 50% off and now they are 33% off. They also said that people have to buy the PS5 version of PS4 games separately but, because of the backlash, they backtracked. Nintendo is the worst with their overpriced ports and their A and AA games priced as AAA games, though.
@LtSarge That would have a great impact on the Japanese market, indeed. I have considered smaller companies like Koei Tecmo.
@Balta666 The fact that it has already surpassed Xbox One even if that means that is selling "more than nothing" is meaningful.
I partially agree as Xbox one is not an example as it sold only about 100000 units... Xbox 360 sold around 1.6M and that is something a new system from Microsoft should target imo to be consider successful in the market
@Balta666 If Series X/S sell more than 1.6M in Japan that would be a resounding success because we have to consider the fact that Cloud didn't exist until now.
@BlueOcean is hard for me to agree that Nintendo is worst than Sony in this regard when the prices on the US went up 10$ but in europe, canada, Australia, etc went up double than that in most cases. It is kind of ridiculous
@BlueOcean indeed, but we are talking about a market that sells over 100k units weekly. I believe it can sell those 360 numbers if they keep pushing gamepass and japanese deals
@Balta666 I have a PS4, not a PS5 and one of the many reasons is that Sony's prices went through the roof. I don't like Nintendo's pricing on Switch, especially for individual ports but I guess PS5 is worse, overall. They used to be good deals on PS4 like The Nathan Drake Collection and Wipeout Omega Collection. Even The Last of Us Remastered was slightly cheaper than a new game but on PS5 there aren't any good deals and everything is more expensive than ever before.
@BlueOcean I think Sony saw the success of Wii U ports on the Switch and chose to copy it. They've already admitted to closely monitoring how well the Switch OLED does:
Microsoft is continuing to market Game Pass in Japan:
Another VTuber was playing Ori and the Blind Forest yesterday. It feels like they've improved their marketing since Ori and Forza definitely fit those two streamers, especially the latter since she likes racing games. Really cool to see her play Forza Horizon 5 and the stream even got over 200k views! Pretty cool stuff, hopefully Microsoft will keep this up and maybe even acquire a Japanese publisher in the future. Japan is a good market for them in terms of Game Pass.
When do we think the expansions for FH5 will release? I'm leaning towards June for the first expansion as Microsoft has previously revealed FH expansions at big events (e.g. Fortune Island was at X018, Lego Speed Champions was at E3 2019).
I believe that Game Pass is the primary Platform for MS which has a 'knock-on' benefit to their Console and PC platforms. As we know, all of MS's first party games and 3rd Party Deals are all coming to Game Pass which means that those more 'traditional' PC/Console gamers also get 'exclusives' to purchase on Day 1 too.
The Primary Focus on Game Pass is perhaps a big reason that MS are seeing success in Japan. You don't 'need' a console as Game Pass is on PC and Mobile too but could lead to hardware sales - either as an extra option to an existing Subscriber or as the 'primary' platform to get a Game Pass Subscription. What I mean by that is say a person Subscribes on Mobile but then wants to carry on playing games on TV, maybe then pick up a Series S/X or alternatively see the Series S/X as their way in to Game Pass (All-Access for example).
This is why MS don't feel like Sony are in the 'same' competition as they are and why I don't think Sony's revision of PS+/PSNow will 'compete' with Game Pass. Sony's Primary Platform is their Console and as such, need people to buy their hardware and lock them into their 'ecosystem'. Their 'new' Exclusives are made to make people want to buy their Hardware and particularly Games at their most 'premium' price (ie in the first 'month' or so of release). That also means Sony have much more 'interest' in Sales figures and why they won't want to put 'new games' into a Subscription service.
With MS's focus on 'Game Pass' as their Primary focus, that takes away the 'focus' on hardware, sales and commercial viability of Gaming projects. Of course they still make the Console and still want to offer the 'best' hardware for those who still prefer the more 'traditional' console experience. Those Games they are making primarily for 'Game Pass' will still be 'sold' as a traditional Console exclusive, but whether they are the 'best' selling games or not is not important, how many played is. A great example of the 'difference' is hearing how the companies talk now - Sony are still on about how many sales of their Console, how many sales of their Games (R&C over 1.1m sales and around 10% of owners having a copy and Returnal 560k sales after a few months etc) and MS don't talk about Console Sales (not important to them - as long as they are 'selling' but GP Subscriber numbers are more important) and how many people played (25m+ played Sea of Thieves, over 10m played Forza Horizon 5). Lets be honest, if Sea of Thieves 'wasn't' on Game Pass, who'd have put money on it selling more than 5m? You wouldn't get 'devs' coming out and saying their 'planned' sequel didn't get 'green-lit' because the first didn't sell 'well enough' for their Publisher - like Sony Bend and 'Days Gone' or teams being 'forced' to work on their publishers 'money' makers - like all the developers pushed into supporting 'Call of Duty' at Activision...
As I said, it also takes away that 'commercial' risk element when it comes to what games they are willing to green-light. For example, a sequel, license or 'on trend' game is more likely to be 'green-lit' than a brand new IP - especially a more 'experimental' new IP because the commercial 'risk' is significantly reduced. A 'new' Assassins Creed game is less risk than a new IP about Pirates/Vikings etc, making a new IP in the 'Marvel, DC, Harry Potter etc' License is less risk than making the 'same' game without that licence. The game is 'paid for' by the 'Subscribers' during development so its not 'reliant' on having to sell 5m to recuperate costs - and then its 'sold' on Day 1 as well - but 'sales' are not as important as Player engagement and that data is more important to MS. As we know, 'bad/broken' games can still sell well (Cyberpunk 2077) but really don't tell the whole truth. I wonder how many of those who bought CP2077 actually played more than a couple of hours. Player engagement and average time spent in those games is a more important metric - especially if your Primary platform is 'Game Pass' and wanting people not 'just' to spend 'money', but actually their time in your ecosystem.
I'm not saying MS is 'better/worse' than Sony because they have a different priority and therefore what 'metrics' are important to them. Its clear that the Series S/X is NOT their primary platform as there is no 'incentive' to buy - other than it suits the budget and preference of the Consumer. Its not like I 'need' a Series X to play any first party 'exclusive' and could even use my Mobile or 'last gen' hardware to stream those games to where as with Sony, you 'need' a PS5 to play their first party exclusives. The Series S/X are 'optional' platforms, albeit locked to MS for that 'traditional' console experience and benefit from Xbox Studio releases, but sales of both hardware and games are NOT important as Game Pass, their 'primary' platform, is available on other hardware and takes away from 'sales'.
I consider Game Pass Ultimate to be the 'ultimate' gaming Platform. It doesn't require any 'physical' platform or for you to buy any hardware as you probably already own something compatible already. With GPU, I could play on my mobile on the bus to work, carrying on playing on my PC (during Lunch break) and when I get home, carry on playing on my Console - no need to buy 3 different platform versions with no progression across them. Xbox Studio's are making 'exclusives' for Game Pass primarily to sell Subscriptions, not hardware. Since I joined Game Pass, I have accessed more games through that 'platform' than I have through the 'traditional' method - I didn't 'buy' FH5, H:I, B4B, Outriders, Medium, Artful Escape etc etc for my 'Xbox', I played these through Game Pass and not all through the console thanks to Streaming.
That means that PS5 probably will sell more units than Series S/X and have more 'weeks' at the top of the Software Sales Charts because the 'only' way to play those games on Day 1 is by buying the hardware and software. If you have a decent PC, you don't 'need' a Series X for the 'best' way to play on Day 1 and whilst it seems Sony are going to release their 'exclusives' to PC, they will be 'timed' exclusivity on Console - maybe a year or more.
Going back to Japan, Xbox Success isn't directly related to their Console sales - its much more directly linked to Game Pass. That may lead to more consoles sold as its a great platform for 'Game Pass' to download games to although they may prefer a PC or Mobile device but Game Pass 'growth' in Japan is more likely the Metric that MS will use to gauge their success. Like I said, it's likely to have a knock on effect as the Consoles do compliment Game Pass very well, but not the only option so the Success of Game Pass in places like Japan will see the popularity of hardware increase.
Both Sony and MS will still need 'Exclusives' to sell Hardware or Subscriptions but that's where the similarities end. Both have very different goals and metrics that are important to them and expecting MS to 'beat' Sony or at least 'Compete' with sales figures on 'hardware' is totally ridiculous. Game Pass is MS's primary Platform now and that has a negative impact on 'sales' in that you don't need 'specific' hardware and certainly impacts day1 software sales. Long term, it could 'benefit' sales as more people buy hardware because of Game Pass or because those games are released 'exclusively' and with many more people playing, they may end up buying that game eventually that wouldn't of before.
The TL:DR is that MS's primary platform is 'Game Pass' and that puts them in a 'different' position to Sony/Nintendo. They could sell only 100k Series Consoles in Japan a year but could have a much more 'competitive' user base and have more 'player engagement' than both of those as they could spend more time on Mobile/PC playing Game Pass games than playing on Switch/PS5. Japanese 'sales' figures would indicate that the 'hardware' and 'software' isn't selling anywhere near the numbers of their rivals, but doesn't tell the whole story of where Japanese Gamers are spending 'most' of their gaming time or the 'popularity' of Xbox Games. More people could have played Forza Horizon, Halo etc than Returnal, R&C, Deathloop etc in Japan because of Game Pass and the fact they don't 'need' a Series S/X to play on.
That isn't a 'criticism' of MS, Sony etc. Both have chosen their Path and what is 'important' to their 'success'. Sony is a more Traditional platform and perhaps is 'competing' with the Series X amongst those who prefer that type of experience. From a Consumer perspective, you may still look at the 'exclusives' and compare 'hardware specs' and how games 'look and run' on both to determine which 'platform' you want to invest in from that 'traditional' perspective. MS are 'competing' there too but its NOT their primary Platform and its 'benefiting' from MS focusing more on Game Pass as their 'Primary' platform as they need to offer 'Games' to make you want to subscribe which can be sold 'exclusively' on Console too. If the Console was their 'Primary' Platform, those games would be 'exclusive' to that hardware to make people buy it and release them later to PC/Game Pass to maximise reach.
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