How do you get thousands of japanese people to buy a 360?

[Juganawt]

Make Virtua Fighter 5, After Burner Climax, Phantasy Star Universe, and a new Square Enix title exclusive to the xbox 360

http://bbs.manmi.com/UploadFile/2006-3/2006330122116242.jpg

yummy virtua fighter 5. I'll probably never play another game online once that baby gets released.

[Sylentwulf]

Actually, this probably would have been a better idea:
From Cheapassgamer.com



Japan-Only Special Edition Xbox 360 Announced
Posted by CheapyD

[Panty 360 - Japan Only Special Editon]
Discuss
The Xbox 360 has not being selling well in Japan, so it is not surprising that Microsoft is willing to try anything to make the 360 a hit in that region. Today, Microsoft announced a new Special Edition Xbox 360 to be released exclusively in Japan. The Panty 360 will include a special panty faceplate as well as a certificate of authenticity which guarantees the panties have been worn by a 16 year old school girl.

The Panty 360 is priced at 10,000¥ (about $85). Microsoft VP Peter Moore will personally visit each Japanese customer's home to setup their Panty 360 system.

[Hammy]

virtua fighter went crap after 3, so i don't see why japanese would go mad over it!

afterburner looks pretty sweet, but still, chances are it's not enough, same with phantasy star.

the rest will end up on the other systems anyway.

[MarkMan]

Virtua Fighter is actually one of the most popular if not most popular arcade fighting games in Japan. It makes a TON of cash and there is a HUGE scene for it. Sega really supports it with VFNet. Virtua Fighter 5 is looking amazing too and they're adding a ton of new stuff to VFNet(aside from the already available replays/player ranking/player stats).

It never went downhill there.

Just in America.

Where arcades are the suck.

[Juganawt]

virtua fighter went crap after 3, so i don't see why japanese would go mad over it!

afterburner looks pretty sweet, but still, chances are it's not enough, same with phantasy star.

the rest will end up on the other systems anyway.

VF3 was a little ropey with it's escape features not fully optimised, but VF4 totally redeemed the series, and became the best 3D fighting game in existence.

Forget the crappy Tekken series, forget the button mashtastic Soul Calibur, even forget the pretty damn good DOA4, Virtua Fighter is the king of the fighters and nothing else even comes close to touching it. I bought a PS2 to play VF4, and I was going to buy a PS3 purely for VF5, now I don't have to... GREAT news.

[nik]

pulling all stops.... didn't they bag Dragon Warrior 9 as well?

[googlefest1]

whats phantasy star universe ? MMORPG ?

[Joker T]

Virtua Fighter 4 was amazing, it's only second to Virtua Fighter 2 which is even more amazing.

[slip81]

I doubt this will really help the 360 in Japan, since it's very likely all of those games will be released on the PS2/3 as well (we already know PSU is slated for a PS2 release).

I see the 360 over there much like the GCN here, a gaming comminuty let down by one system will obviously be skeptical of the second.

I think the only way to save the system there is to release less "American" games, meaning more sims, RPG's, rythm games, fighters etc.

The Xbox seems to want to be the system to close the gap between Japan and the US, when I think that shouldn't be the case. The two countries vary quite differently in their taste for games and the gaming culture, so Microsoft should probably cater to the market, instead of tying to make one system that the world can love.

[le geek]

Hmmm, what day is it??? :P

[cyberfluxor]

Hmmm, what day is it??? :P

:)
If it's real or not, I guess some of the Xbox360 fans can dream.

[njiska]

Ah don't forget Chromehounds. Those Japs love their giant penial replacements.

[Push Upstairs]

Actually, this probably would have been a better idea:
From Cheapassgamer.com



Japan-Only Special Edition Xbox 360 Announced
Posted by CheapyD

[Panty 360 - Japan Only Special Editon]
Discuss
The Xbox 360 has not being selling well in Japan, so it is not surprising that ENCOM is willing to try anything to make the 360 a hit in that region. Today, ENCOM announced a new Special Edition Xbox 360 to be released exclusively in Japan. The Panty 360 will include a special panty faceplate as well as a certificate of authenticity which guarantees the panties have been worn by a 16 year old school girl.

The Panty 360 is priced at 10,000¥ (about $85). ENCOM VP Peter Moore will personally visit each Japanese customer's home to setup their Panty 360 system.


Oddly enough, i'm sure this actually would drive up sales.

Kinda sad really.

[diskoboy]

If they wanna sell more 360's in Japan... Get N3 (Ninety-Nine Nights) and some Mistwalker games out a little quicker.

After Burner Climax is gonna be sweet, being a huge fan of the original.... I just hope it makes it over here... Screw Japan.

[Haoie]

Making XBOX popular there is a physical impossibility.

[SNKFan75]

I could see VF 5 help selling tons of 360's in Japan. I know this may be the deciding factor for me when buying one.


SNKFan75

[diskoboy]

I could see VF 5 help selling tons of 360's in Japan. I know this may be the deciding factor for me when buying one.


SNKFan75

I said the exact same thing in the 'Naka to quit Sega' thread a while back. VF5 would be a mammoth launch title on any system in Japan. Ecxept I would've sworn it would've gone over to the PS3, since VF4 was a PS2 exclusive.

[segagamer4life]

Make Virtua Fighter 5, After Burner Climax, Phantasy Star Universe, and a new Square Enix title exclusive to the xbox 360

http://bbs.manmi.com/UploadFile/2006-3/2006330122116242.jpg

yummy virtua fighter 5. I'll probably never play another game online once that baby gets released.

I can't wait for VF5.... oh hell yeah, I hope thats on the 360 baby!!!

[CYRiX]

It makes a TON of cash and there is a HUGE scene for it.
Don't YOU find it ANNOYING when other people CAPITALIZE key words?

[Neo Rasa]

I don't know WHAT you're TALKING about!

Virtua Fighter 5 will be awesome, I'm so glad that's getting a port. Afterburner trailer looked amazing when I first saw but that teaser was all I saw.

So, uh, Sega, how about throwing Planet Harriers onto the Live Arcade?

[Jasoco]

It makes a TON of cash and there is a HUGE scene for it.
Don't YOU find it ANNOYING when other people CAPITALIZE key words?What's YOUR problem? It's how SOME people use emphasis. It's easier than italicizing the word. So screw you. I'll CAPITALIZE whatever the hell I want! :P

[GaijinPunch]

Okay, a few points. Not to sound like a meanie, but:

1: Any of Sega's new arcade hardware on the 360 is pure speculation by people at the last E3--based on one video that was vaugue at best. Afterburner? Maybe. VF5? Dream on.

2a: Virtua Fighter is probably Sega's biggest cash cow. Where else can you see people who have spent $5,000 - 10,000 (I'm not joking. 1 loss = roughly $.85) on one arcade game over 2-3 years? They will not release it as an exlusive on a machine that nobody has. It will be on the PS3. Bet your house on it.

2b: VF5 will not be online friendly. If Sega does make the huge mistake of making it an online game, it will be a watered down version. The whole system of "frames" cannot work on current internet standards. The latency is not good enough -- even with Japanese broadband standards (100Mb/10Mb) it would be tough. In short, there's 24 frames per second. So 1 frame = about 4 milliseconds. Some characteristics of moves are only 3-4 frames. Means you need information to travel somewhere AND BACK within 16 milliseconds if you're not counting required processing time. You might be able to play against someone in your dorm, but that's about it. With that in mind, it will not help prepare people for arcade competition, which is what the majority of Japanese buyers buy the game for. Sega doesn't care about the western market in this case, b/c they know the series doesn't have enough T&A to sell huge. No VF has really sold gangbusters in the west for ages. Even EVO only retailed for $19.99 in the US, no?

If anyone wants to see VF5 in action, I have some videos in Japan Winter Report (http://www.gamengai.com/bn_inf.php?type=article&id=1390). Links are on the last page. It is, in a word, absolutely stunning. 720p goodness. Also, it "feels" like a simple upgrade, not a massive overhaul, so easy to go from VF4:FT to VF5.

3: Even the jpg itself here says that all the information below is speculative and rumors. The meeting isn't even for another few days. The source of the rumors looks to be a Chinese site -- hardly known for inside information.

[Juganawt]

2a: Virtua Fighter is probably Sega's biggest cash cow. Where else can you see people who have spent $5,000 - 10,000 (I'm not joking. 1 loss = roughly $.85) on one arcade game over 2-3 years? They will not release it as an exlusive on a machine that nobody has. It will be on the PS3. Bet your house on it.

It's well known that Sega and Sony are 2 companies that loathe each other's business practices.

Besides, Didn't sega release VF3 as a launch title on Dreamcast to help shift consoles, just as they did VF1 on Saturn? Did they not also release an exclusive sequel to the top selling Jet Set Radio on the Xbox?

It's entirely possible that with a big enough cheque from Microsoft, Sega could jump ship to X360 and allow VF5 to be the game that makes Japanese players want one?

Look how many japanese players bought a 360 just for Ridge Racer and DOA4? a few hundred thousand early adopters for those games alone... just like Xbox 1 shifted on the sole credentials of DOA3.

It would be shrewd business sense to write out a cheque for a few million to make the VF franchise exclusive to help get a foot in the door of the asian markets...

I do agree with you on the online components though, it would be tough for a game like VF to work, but I have faith in sega. If they can cram VF4 Evo almost perfectly onto a machine as low specced as a PS2, they can pretty much do anything... if I remember rightly, didn't the japanese version of VF4 have online play if you had the hard drive addon?

Perhaps they'll release a standard flavour VF5 on Xbox 360 first, and then make a VF5 Evo ready for the PS3?

[dj898]

that's be easy...

paid to get it featured in hit drama and make sure it has very strong link to the main hero... (it'd be good the character dies at the end)... and then release LE with the hero's face on the console...

not sure of millions but at leaset a thousand of die hard fans will buy it... "p

[GaijinPunch]

It's well known that Sega and Sony are 2 companies that loathe each other's business practices.

Yet Sega continues to release the majority of it's games on the PS2.


Besides, Didn't sega release VF3 as a launch title on Dreamcast to help shift consoles

Wouldn't that make sense, since it was their console?


Did they not also release an exclusive sequel to the top selling Jet Set Radio on the Xbox?

And in an interview w/ the producer of the game, he said, "we chose to release JSRF on the Xbox b/c of it's popularity in the US". You're comparing two opposite ends of the spectrum. A financial success, compared to a failure.


It's entirely possible that with a big enough cheque from Microsoft, Sega could jump ship to X360 and allow VF5 to be the game that makes Japanese players want one?

It will not happen. Sega will count on about 500,000 units sold on the PS3. On the 360 -- 100,000 at best. That's gonna be a very big cheque.


It would be shrewd business sense to write out a cheque for a few million to make the VF franchise exclusive to help get a foot in the door of the asian markets...

I just don't think either will do it.


If they can cram VF4 Evo almost perfectly onto a machine as low specced as a PS2, they can pretty much do anything... if I remember rightly, didn't the japanese version of VF4 have online play if you had the hard drive addon?

Well, VF4 and Evo PS2 versions were both far from perfect (graphically). The systems were the same though, so it was good practice if you were playing in the arcade, although you had to make your own stick if you wanted to properly play. The Virtua Stick was awful. And no VF has had online capabilities since VF2 on the Saturn, which was a disaster from what I heard.


Perhaps they'll release a standard flavour VF5 on Xbox 360 first, and then make a VF5 Evo ready for the PS3?

You're forgetting. VF is first and foremost an arcade game. Unlike Soul Calibur, DOA, and other fighting games, for the foreseeable future, you'll never see anything on a home console that's not first been in the arcades for 7-12 months. I'd say the only way this will change is if Sega goes out of the arcade business (remember, they own very large arcades all over Japan. It is in there interest to have 5 versus cabs side by side being played 10 hours a day). Not only do they sell the boards for roughly $2k a pop, they get to sell their Lindbergh versus cabs for another $16k or whatever. After that, they sell the character cards for 500 yen each (for a flippin' card). Their arcades make money hand over fist. THEN, they worry about the home port.

My prediction is that VF5 will come out on whatever the most successful console in Japan is, which is going to be the PS3. Even if the Revolution outsells it, VF5 is a 720p game, which Revo reportedly won't support. I don't think it'll be online either.

Then again, Sega has done dumber things, so we'll see.

[briskbc]

It makes a TON of cash and there is a HUGE scene for it.
Don't YOU find it ANNOYING when other people CAPITALIZE key words?

Or every letter in their username except one.

[unwinddesign]

It makes a TON of cash and there is a HUGE scene for it.
Don't YOU find it ANNOYING when other people CAPITALIZE key words?

Or every letter in their username except one.

Check and mate.

[GaijinPunch]

Big shocker. Sega announces squat at the conference.