Xbox 360 Selling Above Expectations in Japan; Namco Bandai, Square Enix Increase Support

Thu, Oct 9, 2008

Japan loves the Xbox 360. Just a short while after sales had been extremely sluggish in Nintendo and Sony's home turf, Microsoft is now claiming that sales are exceeding projections. "We've done better than we forecast. We are finding that we have a shortage of hardware," said Microsoft's John Schappert in a Reuters report this morning. As a result, Microsoft plans to increase shipments of the console to Japan, in hopes of further capitalizing on the enthusiasm generated by recent price drops and more Japan-friendly RPG titles.

To that end, a number of top Japanese developers are also shifting their blockbuster titles to the 360, including a number of franchises which had previously been Sony exclusives. Square Enix's Infinite Undiscovery and Namco Bandai's Tales of Vesperia have already been leading the charge, but at today's Tokyo Games Show, Microsoft announced a slew of new titles which would help push console sales both at home and abroad -- including a new Halo standalone expansion, and, for the first time in the series' history, a Tekken game outside of a PlayStation console.

In a press release including six high-profile releases and seven XBLA titles, Microsoft laid out their plans for massively increased Japanese support on the American console. Among the first category were Halo 3: Recon, a standalone prequel to Halo 3 where you don't play as Master Chief; Two Square Enix RPGs: The Last Remnant and Star Ocean: The Last Hope; Ninety-Nine Nights II from Q Entertainment; Resident Evil 5, of course, from Capcom; and the surprising announcement of Tekken 6 from Namco Bandai.

On the XBLA side, gamers can look forward to more Japanese titles as well, including Arkanoid Live! and Space Invaders Extreme from Taito, The King of Fighters '98 Ultimate Match and Metal Slug 7 from SNK, Meteos Wars from Q Entertainment, Tenchu: Shadow Assault from, well, From Software, and R-Type Dimensions from Microsoft themselves.

Bungie and Namco and Square, oh my. The full press release follows.

TOKYO, Oct. 9 -- Against the backdrop of one of the world's largest video games events, Tokyo Game Show 2008, Microsoft Corp. today unveiled a blockbuster portfolio of games for Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system from many of the world's most renowned developers. The lineup, which features a variety of high-profile titles coming this holiday season as well as in 2009 and beyond, was headlined by "Halo 3: Recon," an exciting new chapter in the legendary "Halo" franchise from acclaimed developer Bungie, as well as the announcement of "TEKKEN 6" coming to Xbox 360, which brings the "TEKKEN" franchise from Namco Bandai Games to Xbox 360 for the first time in history.

During his keynote address, John Schappert, Microsoft's corporate vice president of LIVE, Software and Studios showcased the best blockbusters Japan has to offer from the most popular genres. Cementing the reputation of Xbox 360 as the premier home for great storytelling and the industry's best role-playing games (RPGs), Schappert provided an exclusive look at the widely anticipated "Star Ocean(R): THE LAST HOPE(TM)" and "THE LAST REMNANT(TM)" from developer Square Enix. Action-adventure fans were also given a new look at the latest trailer for "RESIDENT EVIL 5," slated to launch on Xbox 360 in March 2009. Finally, Schappert thrilled the capacity crowd by announcing that fighting franchise "TEKKEN 6" would be launching on Xbox 360 for the first time, releasing worldwide in 2009.

"Xbox 360 continues to be the destination of choice for the best and broadest games from the world's biggest and best developers," Schappert said. "With the latest incarnations of the 'Halo' universe, as well as global hits like 'TEKKEN 6,' we continue to deliver on our commitment to provide the caliber of entertainment and games that capture the imagination of people across the globe."

A New Look at the "Halo" Universe

To the delight of devoted fans across the world, Microsoft debuted "Halo 3: Recon," developed exclusively for Xbox 360 by acclaimed developer Bungie. "Halo 3: Recon" is a new chapter in the "Halo" saga that lets gamers experience events leading up to the epic story told in "Halo 3" through the eyes of a new hero in the "Halo" universe. The stand-alone expansion, set to release in fall 2009, extends the award-winning "Halo 3" experience with hours of new campaign excursions and multiplayer gameplay. In addition, attendees were given an all-new glimpse of the Xbox 360 exclusive strategy game "Halo Wars" from Ensemble Studios. By showing campaign mode for the first time, the live demo provided viewers with a thrilling taste of the revolutionary gameplay and new perspective of the "Halo" universe. Players will be able to enjoy the full experience when "Halo Wars" hits retailers in early 2009.

Japanese Developers Gain Worldwide Momentum

By partnering with the best and brightest Japanese developers and publishers, Microsoft is committed not only to providing an unparalleled gaming experience on Xbox 360 to Japan, but also to helping Japanese games reach new audiences worldwide. During his keynote address, Schappert announced that Xbox 360 has the most top-selling, third-party Japanese titles among all other current games platforms. He also noted that Japanese publishers have sold more than $800 million worth of games thus far on Xbox 360 and are on track to see lifetime revenue of more than $1 billion by the end of this holiday.

To underscore that point, Schappert unveiled dramatic new titles from Japan, including "NINETY-NINE NIGHTS II" produced by Q Entertainment and developed by Feelplus. The title will join the "Ninja Gaiden" franchise and the just-announced "Ninja Blade" in making Xbox 360 the best place for Japanese action games. Schappert also declared that the release of "Star Ocean: THE LAST HOPE" and "THE LAST REMNANT" are further proof that Xbox 360 is the best console for RPGs, citing a rich portfolio of global blockbusters including "Infinite Undiscovery," "Fable II" and "Fallout 3." Additional Japanese-developed blockbusters debuting this holiday and 2009 include the following:

"THE LAST REMNANT" (Square Enix). "THE LAST REMNANT" is a new role-playing game crafted using the finest artistry and technology Square Enix has to offer. Set in a fantasy world, war-torn and scarred by years of conflict, gameplay revolves around mysterious artifacts -- Remnants -- that possess magic powers. Groundbreaking graphics possible only on Xbox 360 bring the intensity to a whole new level. "THE LAST REMNANT" is launching worldwide on Nov. 20 and will be available only on Xbox 360.

"NINETY-NINE NIGHTS II" (Q Entertainment). Set amid a dramatic, epic backdrop of a warring world, "NINETY-NINE NIGHTS II" blends strategy and action, allowing players to take control of massive armies to defeat thousands of enemies in massive-scaled battles never before seen on Xbox 360.

"RESIDENT EVIL 5" (Capcom Entertainment Inc.). Destined to bring new fans to the series, "RESIDENT EVIL 5" is the sequel to one of the
highest-rated video games in history (according to Metacritic.com and GameRankings.com). Promising to revolutionize the series by delivering an unbelievable level of detail, realism and control, "RESIDENT EVIL 5" unleashes an unprecedented level of fear for the next generation. New technology developed specifically for the game, as well as incredible changes to both the gameplay and the "RESIDENT EVIL" world, will make this a must-have game for gamers across the globe.

"Star Ocean: THE LAST HOPE" (Square Enix). "Star Ocean: THE LAST HOPE" is the long-awaited continuation of the celebrated science fiction and fantasy role-playing game series. Slated for release on Xbox 360 in spring 2009 and published by Square Enix, this prequel set during the aftermath of World War III combines science fiction and fantasy elements spanning multiple planets and the vastness of space itself to recount the origins of the "Star Ocean" universe. Exhilarating combat expands upon the franchise's famous real-time battle system, introducing the amazing graphics and visual effects possible only on Xbox 360.

"TEKKEN 6" (Namco Bandai Games). The latest chapter in one of the most popular fighting franchises in the world, "TEKKEN," a series that has sold 33 million units worldwide, is coming for the first time to Xbox 360. "TEKKEN 6" is the newest addition to the 3-D fighting series "TEKKEN," popular for its immersive storyline with characters featuring distinctive personalities as they fight it out at incredible speeds. Starting with the launch of the arcade version in 1994, "TEKKEN" has evolved into a highly acclaimed worldwide franchise, and "TEKKEN 6," appearing on Xbox 360, is the first multiplatform title in the "TEKKEN" series.

Xbox LIVE Arcade Debuts New Lineup

Xbox LIVE Arcade continued momentum built during the summer of arcade as Microsoft announced seven new titles to the already robust lineup of classics and original titles. With the power of Xbox LIVE Arcade, a new generation of gamers can now experience some of the most beloved games of all time from Japan's most legendary developers. Classic titles showcased at Tokyo Game Show include the following:

"ARKANOID(TM) Live!" (TAITO). First appearing in the 1980s as a block-breaking game, the next evolution will now be available on Xbox LIVE Arcade. Gamers can enjoy "Arkanoid" in high definition with beautifully choreographed background movies and background music. "Arkanoid" is loaded with 120 stages and colorful cooperative and versus modes.

"The King of Fighters '98 Ultimate Match" (SNK PLAYMORE). The original "dream match" comes to Xbox LIVE Arcade with new features,
characters and game modes. Gamers can face their favorite "The King of Fighters" characters to determine the ultimate champion.

"Metal Slug 7" (SNK PLAYMORE). Gamers can join Marco, Tarma, Eri, Fiolina, Clark and Ralph as they prepare to take on Modern's Forces across seven new missions. "Metal Slug 7" will also feature new weapons, colossal new bosses, new gameplay modes and new Slugs to pilot.

"Meteos Wars" (Q ENTERTAINMENT). Gamers can take a ride through this intergalactic journey where they slide, stack and ignite their blocks to blast away the world-ending meteors to stop them from falling and crushing the planet. Gamers master the combo links and power-ups to challenge their friends in intense multiplayer sessions.

"R-Type Dimensions(TM)" (Microsoft). "R-Type Dimensions" combines the genre-defining coin-op classics "R-Type" and "R-Type II," with a twist. For the first time ever, "R-Type Dimensions" allows multiplayer co-op play locally or over Xbox LIVE for up to two players. Gamers fight through all 14 Bydo-infested stages in the original 2-D or all-new 3-D graphics, and can swap between the two seamlessly.

"SPACE INVADERS EXTREME(TM)" (TAITO). Gamers can experience "Space Invaders" in fully immersive sound and vivid high definition on the next-generation system, with visuals that will excite their senses.

"Tenchu: Shadow Assault" (FROMSOFTWARE). Tenchu, the world-famous ninja action game, is now on Xbox LIVE Arcade. Gamers can control their favorite characters as they use a variety of ninja weapons to defeat their enemies and complete their missions. They can use traps in multiplayer mode to kill their friends for massive points.