Microsoft Reveals New Xbox Strategy in Japan

[Shadow20002]

CVG reveals that a spokeswoman for the Japanese branch of Microsoft refused to confirm an earlier report from Jiji News Agency that Microsoft might lower the price of Xbox by around 5,000 yen - about £27.00. The console currently retails for 24,800 yen, about £135.00.

Earlier this week Sony announced plans to cut the price of the PS2 by around 20 percent in a bid to boost sales, while Nintendo lowered the price of GameCube in the region last month.

[Quidditch_King]

i really think that in order to boost sales in japan, microsoft had take a better look now at what is selling (games) in japan....

Blizzard Entertainment absolutely dominates the gaming market in Japan. The company decided to beta test World of Warcraft (there new MMRPG) in Japan and wait till they brought it over the states...very disappointing. Anyways, getting good with a company like them, and im not saying that they arnt with such games like Starcraft: Ghost coming out, Microsoft is going to make a killing. In addition, taking games online, being able to compete against others is going to be very vital to the gaming industrty from now on.

Bottom Line: make contract with blizzard, they are gold no matter where they go Keeping pumping out games with xbox live capability. With those two things, lowering the price of the console, i think, wont be that necessary.

[Sodacider]

Blizzard doesn't touch the Japanese market, it hits on the South Korean market. They are two highly dissimilar markets and it's not safe to lump them like that.