An in-depth look at Microsoft’s failed Xbox attempts in Japan

Both the Xbox and Xbox 360 have famously failed to make a dent in the Japanese gaming market, but why? Eurogamer has put together a comprehensive report that looks at the challenges that Microsoft faced when it tried to carve out a place in the Japanese industry. The two largest issues included the perception of the console — Japanese gamers believed it was designed purely for Western-style games — along with Microsoft’s difficulties in adapting to the unfamiliar customs of the country. The Xbox 360 failed to turn around poor sales too despite a slew of games created specifically by Japanese studios. Microsoft will have yet another chance at success in Japan — as well as another opportunity to avoid the same mistakes — now that the next generation of consoles are just around the corner.