Tech: Xbox still trying Japan; launches '1 million hours' campaign

Pluto

Microsoft tries to make Xbox 360 big in Japan through 1 million hours campaign

Quote:

While Microsoft’s Xbox 360 has been the leading video game console in the US, their sales in Japan have been so low that some stores have stopped selling the console and its games. As a push to get more Japanese interested in the Xbox (and become loyal to the brand as well), they are launching the 1 Million Hours campaign.

The campaign intends to challenge Japanese gamers to play more Xbox games and for every landmark hours collectively reached, they will be giving complimentary Microsoft Points (MSP) for Xbox Live members, both the free and Gold subscribers. For example, if all the gamers log in 300,000 hours each member receives 100 MSP and if they reach 500,000 hours they receive twice the MSPs. But the ultimate target is to reach 1 million hours and the reward is 400 MSP for gold or paying subscribers while free Xbox Live users get 30 points. But you can’t just play any game just to reach those targets. Microsoft has identified 20 specific games which will log in the hours played by the gamers.

Analyst Jesse Divnich of video game research firm EEDAR said that this is quite an extraordinary move for Microsoft to do just to win over the Japanese market. And since they cannot adjust their software and hardware prices, they need to increase their marketing and retail strategies. This promotion may increase Xbox 360 engagement but may not make a large dent in sales anytime soon. Their main competitor and Japan’s number one game console, Sony’s Playstation 3, has a five-times lead over the Xbox 360.

Microsoft wants so desperately to break the Xbox in Japan, but will this latest scheme work?
Or will the land of rising sun pay Xbox dust again?
Discuss.

I Am Music

They are so desperate give it up, Japan will never be interested especially this late in its life cycle.

Eaten By Lions

That's a cool idea. What to MSP do again?

I Am Music

This idea would work here in the states but 400 points isn't much considering how many hours they want players to do. Why would japanese players who barely care for it want to clock in so many hours on xbox?

MSP are for DLC/game purchases i used to use XBL 400 isn't much for all the hours they are asking for.

30 points will get you nothing,100 points is not much either and 400 will get you some DLC maybe an episode for a show.
This will flop

Pluto

Quote:

Originally posted by I Am Music

They are so desperate give it up, Japan will never be interested especially this late in its life cycle.

You never know.
Who could have predicted PSP its comeback (

),
or Wii Unused's flopage?
anything is possible.

I Am Music

Quote:

Originally posted by Pluto

You never know.
Who could have predicted PSP its comeback (

),
or Wii Unused's flopage?
anything is possible.

The shade

This kind of campaign would work for western countries for more points
Japan was never here for xbox ever since its debut and the 360 gets paid dust as well
This is a total waste of time and need to focus on the new xbox

ViTiLiGO

Biblebox doesn't need Japan.

Jack. Bauer

Death at y'all acting liking the XBOX failing in Japan is news. It's always struggled in the east.

Brite Lites ☆

Quote:

Originally posted by ViTiLiGO

Biblebox doesn't need Japan.

It's not like japan knows what a dumpsterbox is.

I Am Music

This is the list of games they want them to play

Battlefield 3
Forza Motorsport 4
Forza Horizon
Halo 4
Dance Central 2
Skyrim
Gears of War Judgment
Crysis 3
Far Cry 3
Call of Duty: Black Ops 2
BioShock Infinite
Borderlands 2
Tomb Raider
Resident Evil: Revelations
Resident Evil 6
Ninja Gaiden 3: Razor’s Edge
Caladrius
Dodonpachi: Saidaioujou
Child of Eden
Monster Hunter Frontier G or Monster Hunter Frontier
http://www.ign.com/articles/2013/04/...ayers-in-japan

The only games i see players using are the ones on the end of the list

This comment says it all

Quote:

two problems i have with Microsoft and this promo.
1. Your offering points that cant buy anything. For non live members 30 points cant get them anything. Even with 400 points you get nothing, but they want you to play games that arent even popular in that market.
2. You are offering this to Japan but nothing to the US market, the market that is keeping you in business.