There's been a little bit of disgruntlement over the past few years about Xbox's presence in certain markets across the globe, and head of Xbox Phil Spencer has confirmed this is a big area of focus for the team right now.
Speaking during the IGN Unlocked 500 podcast, Spencer acknowledged that Xbox has traditionally been pretty strong in the likes of North America and the UK, but the goal is to "become a strong global brand in all markets."
He mentioned that Microsoft is willing to invest to make this happen, and the team is "going through a transformation right now" to do more localisation work and "build more community and social leaders" in those markets.
This is set to take place over the next year-or-two according to Spencer, who reiterated that "this is a real focus for us right now." Xbox has already got off to a great start over the past year in Japan, which is now the brand's fastest-growing market worldwide, and stock of the Xbox Series X and S has been selling out in the country "within minutes".
Happy to hear this news? Give us your thoughts down in the comments section below.
[source youtube.com]
Comments 13
Both hardware & services are still missing in my country unlike Sony.
I'll believe it when I see it.
Getting games like this will help in places like Japan. Hope we get more Spike Chunsoft games!
https://twitter.com/wario64/status/1410389028449316866?s=21
Watch the boy at the end https://kotaku.com/ps4-or-xbox-one-we-poll-the-tokyo-game-show-1360719713
Microsoft has A LOT of work to do in Japan for Xbox.
I hope the game will be translated and released properly.
Sega Japan recently abandoned the Xbox.
Sonic Colors and Two Point Hospital will be released on non-Xbox platforms.
Psychonauts 2 is also not in Japanese.
Please help improve this situation!
Not especially confident they'll succeed, but I guess it's worth trying.
@Oval_Griffin that was 8 years ago man. probably not the best example.
As console sales were mentioned.
The UK needs more series x stock.
Been very slow the last two weeks in June
stock wise.
Hopefully July will see a better supply.
There is so much to take advantage of selling the series x right now, a good opportunity and we can’t get stock.
We have official PlayStation services & hardware in Ukraine, but nothing Xbox.
For now, all our gamers are buying unofficially imported hardware (mostly from Poland) and we have to pretend being "located" in either Poland, Russia, Argentina, whatever...
C'mon Microsoft, we're all waiting for the miracle to happen!
@Nalverus I have seen no proof anything has changed except this https://www.purexbox.com/news/2021/06/japan_is_now_xboxs_fastest_growing_market_worldwide_confirms_exec
Fastest growing doesn't necessarily mean children in Japan today generally know what a Xbox is. Something can be growing fast, yet still be small.
MS's localization efforts have never been particularly great. Do we remember the Internet Explorer Waifu? At least that ended better than Samsung Sam. Sometimes nobody caring about your mascot is a good thing.
But if they manage to really get it right this time, that should really be what is needed to kick Sony into gear finally. Their complacency rests on knowing they're untouchable in most markets.
@skaarj217 That's especially funny considering 4A was one of the headlining studios in the E3 presentation.
@Oval_Griffin well, growing fast tends to help getting bigger
@Vepra It is only noted as growing fast there relative to other countries.
It has not been noted to be growing fast in an absolute sense.
@Oval_Griffin Apparently some do.
https://youtu.be/GC47mocX-Rs
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