Fri, Jun 13, 2008 | 06:42 BST
Shane Kim: Japan is a “longer-term effort”
Microsoft’s Shane Kim, hot on the heels of the announcement of his promotion to corporate VP for the firm’s Interactive Entertainment business, reckons there’s still hope for Xbox 360 in Japan.
“We’ve been very realistic about our near-to-mid term opportunities in Japan, specifically with respect to the current console generation,” he told GI. “Obviously it’s a challenging market with well entrenched competitors.
“I’m excited to see developments such as the new RPGs from Japanese developers – I think that’s a recognition in the developer-publisher community that the Xbox 360 is a great platform, and we’ve got a great installed base in the rest of the world.
“From a business perspective I think they all know that they need to take the platform seriously, and my hope is that through that process we’ll start to see more Japanese content that will stimulate greater demand in Japan and start to turn our fortunes around.
“I think that’s a longer-term effort, to be frank.”
More through the link.
6 comments
#1
ecu
12/06/08, 11:04 pm
Neeeeever gonna happen.
#2
Spiral
12/06/08, 11:19 pm
Keep on fighting that tide Microsoft!
#3
mortiferus
12/06/08, 11:31 pm
We are not in the nintendo 80′s nor the ps1 dominated 90′s. Japan is no longer that magical source of games. It’s importance has diminished tremendously.It’s chief export the Wii is a sales leader but not a market defining platform. Japan is now home to sequels and quirky non evolving RPGs. Microsoft should pass.
#4
SticKboy
13/06/08, 12:05 am
As opposed to sequels and gimmicky non-evolving fps/sports games?
#5
ecu
13/06/08, 12:07 am
Japan is still a massively important market. The most original games are still coming from there IMO. The West is still obsessed with creating identical UE3 FPS’s.
#6
Truk
13/06/08, 12:13 am
“It’s chief export the Wii is a sales leader but not a market defining platform.”
It amuses me that you appear to think the latter more important than the former. Or that the Wii is not market defining. Ho ho ho!