Sat, Jun 14, 2008 | 09:30 BST
360 sees slow week-on-week rise in Japan
Yes, it’s Saturday. Anyway, the astute among you might have noticed a marked increase in Xbox 360 sales the last few weeks in Japan.
Yesterday, Microsoft clocked up a whopping 2,280 sales which was a 14% increase on the previous week’s tally of 1,959 units sold. Surprisingly, this was 25% increase on sales two weeks prior which stood at 1474 units sold.
Microsoft has had a good few weeks in Japan, holding a Xbox 360 RPG Premiere in Tokyo and seeing Ninja Gaiden 2 break in to the top 10.
Radar blip or upturn in fortunes?
By Mike Bowden
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Posted in: Japan, Microsoft, Xbox 360
Tags: media create, ninja gaiden 2, XBox 360 RPG Premiere
12 comments
#1
Blerk
16/06/08, 8:29 am
You mentalist!
#2
patlike
16/06/08, 8:40 am
#3
morriss
16/06/08, 8:45 am
Those percentages took me ages!
#4
Blerk
16/06/08, 8:46 am
The sales do occasionally go up for a few weeks, but when they come down again the fall further than they fell the last time. If you see what I mean. I think Microsoft has finally reached critical mass in Japan – all the foreign journalists and Western-o-philes already have one now.
#5
morriss
16/06/08, 8:57 am
You reckon a Star Ocean exclusive and the other JRPGs announced will make any kind of dent?
#6
Blerk
16/06/08, 8:59 am
No. None of the other ‘exclusives’ have ever raised the weekly sales above about 12,000. And they only stay at that level for a single week.
Star Ocean stands a good chance of making a little dent, but a little dent is all it will be. Which is a bit of a shame, because tri-Ace are great. And if they announce a PS3 version before release then the 360 version will most likely sink without trace.
#7
morriss
16/06/08, 9:06 am
Right. You have read the “no plans for Star OCean 4 on PS3 at this time” comment have you not?
Or am I dreaming they said that?
#8
Blerk
16/06/08, 9:11 am
Yes, I’ve read the ‘no plans for Star Ocean 4 on PS3 at this time” comment that someone who doesn’t work for Yahoo or Square Enix posted on a public Yahoo forum. Yes.
The only time Square Enix have officially commented on the PS3 version was at the post-announcement conference, flanked by Microsoft people, where they were hardly likely to say “sure, there’ll be a PS3 version too”.
It may well be that there won’t be a PS3 version, but it doesn’t seem very likely given the lack of “exclusive!!!” crowing at the announcement. I’m expecting both Star Ocean and Vesperia to make it to the PS3 in due course.
#9
morriss
16/06/08, 9:18 am
Oh right, didn’t know the statement was dodgy.
You don’t have to rub it in!
#10
Blerk
16/06/08, 9:29 am
Of course I do!
I find it terribly amusing that pretty much all of the internet news sites reported that as ‘fact’ despite it just being a post on a forum.
#11
morriss
16/06/08, 9:39 am
We didn’t!
Good job Pat’s in charge, eh? :p
#12
patlike
16/06/08, 9:59 am
The “statement” was in Japanese, so I couldn’t work out if it was official or not, to be honest. Crosses wires, obviously.