Xbox 360 chances look a Wii bit Slim in Japan

Sept. 15, 2009 - PRLog -- Source:
http://www.gameyeeeah.com

Microsoft Corp.'s Xbox 360 has never been a mass market hit in Japan, however high sales for Sony Corp.'s Playstation 3 Slim hardware and year-over-year stability of Nintendo Co.'s Wii leaves little room for the 360 to succeed in Japan.

Last week, the PS3 Slim pummeled the competition selling more than 151,700 units in first-week sales in Japan. During the period, Wii sales held steady at 21,000 units from hits like Capcom Co.'s Monster Hunter 3 and the first-party title Wii Sports Resort.

The Xbox 360 was sent firmly to the fifth place rank, selling 6,800 units for the week.

The company's Sept. 1 price cut the Xbox 360 Elite in Japan by 25 percent to 29,800 yen ($322) U.S.

Recent average sales of 6,000 units per week were quite good for the 360 in Japan, particularly when the hardware was accustomed to moving about 2,000 units per week months prior.

The 360 even outsold the PS3 7-to-1 in the first week of Sept. when PS3 dipped to an all-time low due to anticipation for the Slim.

Now that the PS3 Slim is a launch hit, the 360 looks unlikely to regain sales momentum past Sony or Nintendo in the region.

Non region-centric games are still the culprit for lackluster interest in the 360.

Titles like Forza Motorsport 3 and Halo 3: ODST are on the radar, however Xbox 360 RPG titles have fizzled after initial launch sales, including Square Enix Co.'s The Last Remnant and Star Ocean 4: The Last Hope.

Microsoft's Blue Dragon holds as the best-selling title sold in Japan, moving 203,740 copies.

Last week, the only 360 title in the top 50 was D3 Publishers Ltd.'s Dream C Club, a dating simulation title for adult males.

Microsoft's Project Natal could inject life into the 360 with motion-sensitive titles in 2010.

If not, the 360 will be known in the region as hardware that dug deeper than its predecessor, just not enough to make a sufficient dent.