The Xbox360 failed to live up to the expectations of Microsoft across Japan. Not only Microsoft, but Japanese gamers have also to pay for the console’s low-retailing metaphor as Tohru Murayama - the lead designer at Sega-AM2, has quoted that Japanese release of its multiplatform fighter genre Virtua Fighter 5 on Xbox360 is tentative. It’s console’s low installed base that makes launch of VF5 across the region ambiguous.
Talking to GamesIndustry.biz, the designer said:
We haven’t decided if we’ll release Virtua Fighter 5 in Japan because of that. But if we can only release the game for the US or EU markets, we just hope Virtua Fighter 5 will be a key title which encourages people to buy Xbox360s.
However, PS3 version of the game has seen a successful launch in Japan, Europe and US, and is inclined to make its launch on Xbox360 across Europe and US this October. Originally, in order to meet launch schedule, online functionality was not included, but now the title allows up to 2 players to battle simultaneously in online multiplayer mode.
The sales of Xbox360 (just 400k units sold) across Japan has been widely eclipsed by the PS3 and Wii sales as PS3 has sold around 1 million and Wii around 3 million across the country.
Undoubtedly, a bad news for the Japanese Xbox360 loyalists, but its sales figures that has made Microsoft to adopt a biased approach.
Via: Aeropause
