Head of Xbox Phil Spencer has mentioned on a number of occasions how the company would like to bolster its Japanese video game offerings, and the subject was briefly raised again during Xbox's Tokyo Game Show livestream.
During a chat with Shinji Mikami - the found of Japanese studio Tango Gameworks (a developer acquired in the Bethesda deal), Phil used the moment as an opportunity to remind fans how Xbox is working with publishers in this location "every day" to help increase the system's Japanese games line-up:
Here's his comment in full, courtesy of IGN:
"We're working with Japanese publishers every single day to increase our line-up of Japanese games on Xbox. We know it's really important to fans and customers on Xbox."
Back in June, Xbox revealed how this same region was also the "fastest-growing market" for the company. According to Spencer, there have been over 100 Japanese titles on Game Pass, and 200 titles from this country that have been part of the ID@Xbox program.
Phil's also gone on record noting how Xbox also wants to actively assist in bringing more Japanese-made games to other parts of the world:
"We're excited by the growth of the Japanese gaming market, and we want not only to participate, but to help bring Japanese games around the world."
During its TGS broadcast yesterday, Xbox surprised Game Pass members with the release of Scarlet Nexus.
What are your thoughts about Xbox's ongoing commitment to Japan? Have you been playing the Japanese developed games on Game Pass? Let us know in the comments.
[source ign.com]
Comments 17
To increase the library of Japanese games — to attract Japanese developers — Microsoft needs to increase the number of Japanese consumers on the Xbox. And they can do that easily enough by offering developers some kind of service or assistance with translating their games to Japanese.
Well, that's my $0.02.
They are improving but still a long way to go.
They need to ensure they get not only day and date future games, but also work of getting older games.
I'd say 70% of my money and time spent on gaming is towards JRPG's on playstation and nintendo, but, I would gladly take more coming to gamepass and saving me money.
At least, Microsoft is trying. Sony does nothing but empty promising about the Japanese market.
Enjoying ff7r on ps5 at the minute, not the biggest Japanese game fan but love a good jrpg every now and then. Hopefully intergrade comes to xbox soon as im stuck on the free ps+ ps4 version and refuse to upgrade to ps5 as it all feels a bit dirty to me with the upgrade path
Yesterday was huge bringing xcloud to that region. Scarlet Nexus wss dope surprise. Will start it today. The boldest move yet, is partnering up with mistwalker again, and other devs. As difficult as it is, a Japanese publisher is needed to gain a serious foothold. Sega is always my dream wish
@Lando_ yeah Sony have really dropped the ball with JRPG’s and the Japanese market in general, that’s what happens when you move to California and focus on western cinematic experiences and maximising profits.
Switch has done well to become a home for Japanese titles for us in the west, anything not exclusive to that seems to be multi platform now so Sony no longer hold an advantage in that area. Tales of Arise did exceptionally well on PC, the market is there for JRPG’s.
It’s good that MS keep trying but I always feel the Japanese market will never fully embrace the Xbox brand, it’s a bit of a losing battle. Still the more Japanese games MS can bring to the west the better.
Not really interested in Japanese games myself personally
@101Force I think the announcement of Xbox Cloud gaming in Japan could be HUGE at helping this. The Japanese market has been moving further and further from tv based consoles since the PS2.
Being playable on a mobile, laptop or tablet, with or without a controller and without the cost of a console is a GREAT deal and better fits into the way many Japanese play.
Now they just have to win over hearts and minds and convince them of Game Pass.
I don't think third party exclusives win over people as much as Sony or MS seem to think. They are short term gains.
Personally, think MS should invest in building their own Japanese based publisher and funding and supporting the local devs that way. Even if it means bringing their initial games out on Switch (and maybe PS) as well, and building the talent and brand strength of that publisher before moving it to xbox exclusive.
Xbox itself is too much of an outsider to really build momentum, but a native publisher with its own native identity would fair much better.
Hell, spin off Tango to be that publisher.
I'm really glad to hear this. One of my biggest issues with Xbox and always has been is the lack of Japanese game support, it's one of the major reasons I've always preferred PlayStation over Xbox. Xbox is slowly improving with the Japanese game support but they still just don't quite get them all, there's still a lot of Japanese games that don't quite make it onto Xbox.
It would be great to get all the Project Zero/Fatal Frame and Silent Hill games.
They've clearly developed a good relationship with Bandai Namco, with Code Vein, Scarlet Nexus, and Tales of Arise. Hopefully they can build similar relationships with other studios and publishers moving forward.
Ugh… Wouldn’t there time/money be better spent working on awesome exclusives?
@Mamabear In what regard? because Game Studios is vastly different than the division that handles third party relations.
Keep in mind Liam or Fraser, Xbox will hit 100k consoles sold in the country by the end of this month should beat the Neogeo Pocket at least!
@Richnj depends on the 3rd party exclusive. PlayStation has the Persona games which are big movers, as are Falcolm games which has a very loyal fan base.
If Xbox got say Dragon Quest XII then that would be a massive jolt for Xbox on Japan. That's a series people will buy a console for.
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