AfterDawn: News

Microsoft aims for 1M Xbox 360 sales in Japan

By next summer Microsoft hopes to have sold one million Xbox 360 consoles in Japan. This is a pretty high target when you consider that the first Xbox console has not yet even sold half a million units in Japan. Japanese gamers also seem to be more interested in Sony's upcoming PlayStation 3 (PS3) console than the Xbox 360. Japanese Xbox business manager Yoshihiro Maruyama, revealed this target to one-time publication Dengeki Xbox 360.

"It's only a target," Maruyama said, "but the one million mark is a figure we'd like to reach by next summer. And then, we'd like to go to 1.5 million, then 2 million in next year's end of year sales rush. We believe the one million mark to be an important figure. If we cross one million, it will be easier for developers to do business, so we'd of course like to reach it quickly."



In the U.S. and Europe, the Xbox 360 console is selling out fast. Along with other popular gadgets like Apple's iPod music players, the console is on many Christmas lists. However, with shortages, many people will have to wait until the new year to get their hands on one.

Source:
IGN

Written by: James Delahunty @ 4 Dec 2005 7:36

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• 8 comments

• ZeroTech

  Highly unlikely, unless some good RPGs come out like that Dragon one by Sakaguchi.

  4.12.2005 16:31 #1

• p4_tt

  A million does not seem that much for a population of 127,417,244

  5.12.2005 00:10 #2

• Lethal_B

  Considering they sold 27000000 before, I wouldn't put this past them..

  5.12.2005 00:24 #3

• p4_tt

  They can't have sold that many in Japan as M$ have only shipped something like 22 million consoles worldwide, 13.5 million of which was in North America.
  
  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xbox#Market_share
  
  

  5.12.2005 00:39 #4

• ZeroTech

  No. The XBOX has not even sold half a million and that's been out for a while, in Japan, did you guys even read the article?

  5.12.2005 00:50 #5

• ZeroTech

  No. The XBOX has not even sold half a million and that's been out for a while, in Japan, did you guys even read the article?

  5.12.2005 00:53 #6

• Lethal_B

  Quote:No. The XBOX has not even sold half a million and that's been out for a while, in Japan, did you guys even read the article?Oh do me a favour... I may be one or two million off, but they definetely sold 20-odd million worldwide
  
  I know the article is on Japan. But that's not what I said.. Was comparing previous worldwide sales to probability of sucess in Japan this time around.. Did you read my post??

  5.12.2005 01:15 #7

• p4_tt

  wikipedia says 22 million but they do also say that's only retail as in game shops so your about right saying 27 wrold wide because i don't think they included online sellers, i thought you meant just Japan. Anyways if the Xbox 360 is to do well in Japan they will need RPGs like ZeroTech said because i know that's why the Ps2 did so well, the Japanese love a good RPG :) And any RPG if its good should help there success and since they have Xbox live they could do a MMORPG which are big in Asia which will differently help.

  5.12.2005 01:30 #8