Xbox 360 not a hit in Japan
{{date|December 11, 2005}}

[[Image:300px-X360 Logo.png|right]]
[[w:Microsoft|Microsoft]] has launched its much-hyped [[w:Xbox 360|Xbox 360]] console into Japan, but unlike the [[w:Europe|European]] and [[w:United States of America|American]] markets the Japanese are not rushing out to buy them.

When launched in the American and European markets, stores sold out early. In Japan, sales are much lower. One store-owner says that fewer than 50 units were sold in the first 2 hours of its release.

Many believe that in Japan it is difficult for any games console to be successful that isn't from a Japanese company, such as [[w:Sony|Sony]] or [[w:Nintendo|Nintendo]].  The first generation of Xbox consoles performed similarly possibly due to being released two years after the PlayStation 2. The large size of the console and the differing style of games was also said to have contributed.

There is still some hope for the Xbox 360, Takeshi Tajima, a BNP Paribas analyst, told Reuters news agency: "most people are going to wait and see."

== Sources ==
*{{source|url=http://www.pocket-lint.co.uk/news.php?newsId=2083
|title=Xbox 360 launches in Japan with lukewarm response
|author=Stewart Miles
|pub=Pocket-lint
|date=December 11, 2005}}

*{{source|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/4517362.stm
|title=Muted hello for Xbox 360 in Japan
|author=
|pub=BBC News Online
|date=December 11, 2005}}

*{{source|url=http://today.reuters.co.uk/News/NewsArticle.aspx?type=technologyNews&storyID=2005-12-10T024705Z_01_HAR010023_RTRIDST_0_TECH-MEDIA-XBOX-JAPAN-DC.XML|
title=Microsoft launches Xbox 360 in Japan
|author=Lisa Baertlein
|pub=Reuters|date=December 11, 2005}}
{{publish}}

 {{archive}}
[[Category:Japan]]
[[Category:Games]]
[[Category:Computing]]
[[Category:Economy and business]]
[[Category:Microsoft]]
right
Microsoft has launched its much-hyped Xbox 360 console into Japan, but unlike the European and American markets the Japanese are not rushing out to buy them.

When launched in the American and European markets, stores sold out early. In Japan, sales are much lower. One store-owner says that fewer than 50 units were sold in the first 2 hours of its release.

Many believe that in Japan it is difficult for any games console to be successful that isn't from a Japanese company, such as Sony or Nintendo.  The first generation of Xbox consoles performed similarly possibly due to being released two years after the PlayStation 2. The large size of the console and the differing style of games was also said to have contributed.

There is still some hope for the Xbox 360, Takeshi Tajima, a BNP Paribas analyst, told Reuters news agency: "most people are going to wait and see."

*

*
Japan Games Computing Economy and business Microsoft