Does Japan really matter to Microsoft?

After looking at the world wide numbers of gaming sales around the world USA 14,348,000,000 1
Japan 4,155,000,000 2
UK 2,684,000,000 3
Germany 2,648,000,000 4
Canada 1,724,000,000 5
South Korea 1,724,000,000 5
Italy 990,000,000 6
France 639,000,000 7
Australia 219,000,000 8
Sweden 113,000,000 9

I noticed that Japan maybe the second largest gaming country but it pales in comparison to the US so i wonder does Microsoft really need that much sales in Japan. I know it obviously needs some sales there but because its doubling the ps3 sales. http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2007/06...console_sales/ In US would they really need that much sales in japan.Its also beating the Ps3 in UK the third biggest http://www.gamesindustry.biz/content_page.php?aid=27672 So my question is does Japan really matter that are is it just Sony's way of saying the 360 is a Failure?

[webshark]

if you look close at that link that everyone is getting those numbers from.....the sales are from 2000, thats before the xbox and GCN launched and it may even be before the ps2 launched.......thats hardly reliable numbers nowadays.

and the fact is that MS DOES need japan. they will never get good sales there, but they NEED the dev support for their console. Japan is just to important to ignore.

Originally Posted by webshark

if you look close at that link that everyone is getting those numbers from.....the sales are from 2000, thats before the xbox and GCN launched and it may even be before the ps2 launched.......thats hardly reliable numbers nowadays.

and the fact is that MS DOES need japan. they will never get good sales there, but they NEED the dev support for their console. Japan is just to important to ignore.

Yah i know that they definitely need Japan but people make out to be like the only country that consoles need to win this war

[cyclone87]

Japan is an important region for gaming, Microsoft don't necessarily need it but there is no way they will beat Sony or Nintendo without at least trying to tap into that market.

[Carnage]

We're tied with South Korea? That's bullshit!

Originally Posted by cyclone87

Japan is an important region for gaming, Microsoft don't necessarily need it but there is no way they will beat Sony or Nintendo without at least trying to tap into that market.

Yah but I still think that people are making it out to be the god of all countries for gaming and people also say that because the 360 isn't doing that well that its doomed also i think i named the thread badly it should does Japan really matter that much to Microsoft

[E6600]

69% of the world's best devs are in Japan! 69% of all my fav games are Japanese.
The XBox success is crucial if MS ever needs to get a hold on a bunch of Japanese games for its console.

[X51]

Microsoft doesn't need Japan to be profitable, which is all they need to worry about this generation. As long as they become profitable, they survive in this business.

[User Name?]

Originally Posted by spatch

After looking at the world wide numbers of gaming sales around the world USA 14,348,000,000 1

14 BILLION?????!!!!!

[X51]

Originally Posted by User Name?

14 BILLION?????!!!!!

We eat games, along with fast food.