Xbox 360 Being Phased Out By Retailers In Japan

whoelse 70 Comments

It appears to be the beginning of the end for the Xbox 360 in Japan. According to Edge, Japanese retailers are scaling back their stock of Xbox products, with the console disappearing from some stores altogether.

The console has had a hard time in Japan. Despite strong sales in Europe and North America, the Xbox 360 has only recently surpassed 1.5 million sales. In fact so far in 2011, it’s estimated that only around 72,000 consoles have been sold in the country, a drop of 46.7 per cent compared to the same period last year, compared to around 735,000 PS3s.

Edge has been told that Geo, Japan’s largest specialist retailer is drastically reducing its Xbox 360 business. Meanwhile Yamada Denki is clearing stock of Xbox 360 hardware and software from the majority of its stores nationwide through heavy discounts.

Smaller retailers in Tokyo are also slashing the prices of consoles and games, with titles going as low as ¥100 (£0.79/$1.31/€0.91) and one store selling a Halo: Reach hardware bundle for only ¥9,980 (£79/$130/€91).

With Microsoft struggling to make an impact in Japan with both the original Xbox and Xbox 360, the company may struggle to convince retailers to make an effort for their next console when that releases sometime in the future.

Update: To clarify, Microsoft aren’t formally pulling out of Japan (nobody is suggesting that). We’re just hearing reports that retailers are clearing stock and pruning shelf space. Retailers are cutting back, if reports are to be believed. We fully expect Microsoft to provide reasons for Japanese retail to keep promoting their products at this year’s TGS. We thought that the story above was clear but it seems some people needed more clarity. [PC]

Source: Edge, via CVG

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70 Comments

  1. Well what is there to say? 360 never got on too well overall in Japan, which is a shame for anyone in Japan who’s a fan of the console. On the plus side, 360 games for a quid = Bargain!

    • Err shitty TSA “journalism” alert!!!!!

      http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2011-08-18-ms-responds-to-xbox-360-in-japan-concern

      MS state they ARE NOT pulling out of Japan and are intact announcing more Japanese oriented stuff at Tokyo Game Show. God if TSA spent half their time RESEARCHING we wouldn’t have shitty articles like this.

      • That’s what MS says sure, but what do the retailers say? MS isn’t pulling out, the retailers are just buying less stock.

      • If you read the article, it doesn’t say anywhere that they’re pulling out, it says shops are selling less. That is the shops choice, not Microsoft’s. Also, that article is just PR nonsense. “Japan remains important to us. We’re very committed to that market. The development community there is very important” bla bla heard it a million times.

        If you don’t like the reporting style then I might suggest you just stick to eurogamer ?

      • What is it about the post that you’re refering to?

        The posts says that stores are phasing 360’s out.

        The link you provided says that MS is responding to that issue. No where in the post above does it say that MS are pulling out of Japan.

        God, if users spent half their time READING we wouldn’t have shitty comments like this.

      • Shoddy reading.

      • *facepalm*

      • I sometimes wonder if you are just here to try and accuse TSA of shoddy journalism every chance you get, ive seen you say it so many times now with no visible reason. However, like others have pointed out, I think it is shoddy reading from yourself in this case.

        But anyway, sera sera whatever will be.

      • Err shitty “reading” alert!!!!!

      • Jaffa, I want to ask you two simple questions;

        1. Where in the article does it say Mircosoft are pulling out of Japan?

        2. Why do you think it’s socially acceptable to speak (or type in this case)in that tone, when it can easily negate your argument with people?

      • If you don’t like the articles, don’t read them. But please don’t accuse TSA of shoddy journalism. I don’t see any mention of MS pulling out on the article. Maybe you should research before posting.;)

      • Thanks for the input Jaffa.

        good night you seedless fruit,

      • Microsoft may not be pulling out but STORES ARE.

        Stores that buy stock are no longer buying it basically because there’s no point in them wasting money on 360 when no on wants it.

      • Okay guys, we get it. Jaffa-the-Cake didn’t read the article, just the title, it seems. So stop telling him that, you’re all just repeating what the last person said…

      • He insulted TSA, we can’t allow that ;)

      • He insulted TSA, we can’t allow that.

      • Yeah screw TSA for making a behavior detection thing???

      • “God if TSA spent half their time RESEARCHING we wouldn’t have shitty articles like this.”

        We’re too busy baking cake, sorry.

      • Can I have some cake too?

      • I love Jaffa-the-cake, veh amusing. Can I keep him Peter? I promise I’ll keep him quiet in the my cave at the back of the office.

      • Microsoft says lots of things, very rare are they true or the full story…

    • Is that because the 360 really is a bag of sh**?

      • See, it’s comments like this and Jaffa’s that are the reason that i don’t visit this site like i used too. there was a time when this place felt like a community. Now it’s full of fanboys that jump at the chance to scream that xbox it shit and assholes that have unfounded complaints about the content that people take the time to put up. If they’re not bitching about a review score they’re bitching about whatever Jaffa was bitching about (it still doesn’t make sense).

        So congratulations internet, you’ve managed to destroy yet another beautiful thing.

        Feel free to edit, censor or delete my comment and ban me. I’m out!

        Hey, i’m just one person right. No big loss. Good luck Nofi and the rest of the team. Don’t know if your game has released on the app store yet, but when i see it i’ll buy it. Peace.

      • aphex187 – Unless this is a joke, it’s a pathetic comment at best. The 360 is a wonderful console, along with the PS3 and the Wii. Sure, the Wii isn’t for me but seriously… TSA readership is better than that.

        Microsoft have fought hard and lost in Japan – with both consoles! The Japanese are ferociously loyal to their own companies (Sony, Nintendo, etc) and there’s barely a chance for Microsoft to make inroads.

      • I think you are being a tad extreme there, Juelz. There is very little fanboyism or cross-eyed conspiratorial ranting on this site, and when it does raise it’s ugly head the majority of the members are quick to jump up and down on it until it is dead.

        Short of the mods ninja-editing out every silly comment, you will always get some ridiculous ones made. What is nice about this site though is people are quick to recognise the really ignorant ones and generally respond without lowering themselves to the same dribbling level.

        Would be a shame to see you go over such a minor thing!

      • @aphex187 That comment really sucks. Dissapointed to see such a petty and ill-thought out comment dude :(.

        @Juelz345 These type of comments are rare, hence the big reaction to them. Generally the community self moderates itself as members are quick to point out how stupid a fanboy or flame bait comment is. Obviously we have to watch it doesn’t turn into a witch hunt, but it is very rare that members comments are censored or edited or members banned. Don’t let it get to you dude, people are quick to notice here how daft such comments are :)

      • @Juelz345: Your community is what you make of it. Also never underestimate the power the TSA community has to convert fanboys/trolls into worthwhile contributors ;)

      • Every console is a bag of poo once it fails what did you expect? even worse is the data and games that could be lost…

        SO to me this gen may have been overshadowed by shoddy design, shoddy journalism, shoddy ports, shoddy fans and shoddy governments, bankers etc etc, but none is a bag of poo.. each have there own games ([i]even though the pc as more and better games *runs*[/i])

      • Oh shoddy BB coding, ballax (<_<)

      • “Is that because the 360 really is a bag of sh**?”

        Must be, aye. Great skills.

      • Lol! ya ding dong’s ;)

    • Haha! A 360 game for a quid, damn right it’s a bargain! xD

    • It’s also being phased out in Europe too. Many games shops have the Xbox stuff at the back of the shop, with the Wii and PS3 stuff outfront and in the window displays.

      I think the only real strong-hold for Microsoft is America, which is why you keep seeing Microsoft crowing on about US Xbox sales, whilst conveniently forgetting to mention it’s being vastly outsold by the PS3 on a global basis.

  2. Wow, I knew they were having a hard time in the Japanese market, but had no idea it was that bad.

  3. Dont think its helped that the 360 doesnt have the best line up of exclusive role players either, the Japanese lap those up and rightfully so :)

    • for a while it did though, ms were paying for rpg exclusives left right and centre while the ps3 hardly had any.

      and when they launched they did increase sales for a bit, but it still wasn’t enough.

      • Thats true they did have a few exclusives The Last Remnant, Lost Odyessy and Infinite Undescovery were all pretty good and they had a bunch of big name exclusives too like Tales of Vesperia and Star Ocean The Last Hope but they both were later released on PS3 with added content taking away any advantage of owning a 360.

  4. They responded earlier this morning saying that it was bs. http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2011-08-18-ms-responds-to-xbox-360-in-japan-concern

    They aren’t pulling out or being phased out and they are apparently using TGS next month to really push the Xbox.

    • Probably marketing spiel, but it might be worth updating the article mate :)

    • They had the keynote last year at TGS and that didn’t help. Nothing big is going to happen for the 360 next month in Japan, he is just saying that because he has to.

    • But that’s MS, this article is about the retailers. Whatever MS says, it isn’t their decision. The retailers make their own mind up whether they can afford to keep selling it.

  5. Wow, ok.

  6. 91c a game?
    Are the boxes in English?
    Could be worth buying a bunch and trading them in over here!

    • you could always ebay them.

      • when did ebay become a verb?

      • A few years after google and a few years before skype. :-)

    • 360 is region locked, you probably wouldn’t be able to play them :(

      • not all 360 games are region locked, some are and some aren’t.
        the trouble is you’d never know which ones are without trying them.
        there was a website that listed which ones worked where but i forget what it was.

  7. i wish i had friends in japan who could pick up a load of ultra cheap games for me, i’d risk them being region locked for those kind of prices. ^_^

  8. Could I have some of those bundles and games please?!

  9. If the 360 is region free (I seem to recall it isn’t but I don’t know) it could be worth picking one up for those prices, though I expect shipping and import duties take the edge off the savings…

    • I think its slightly Region free

  10. If they pull out or not, their sales are pathetic. They may as well call it quits till the next gen console come out.

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