Xbox Live Expands Into New Asian Territories

Thanks to Gamesindustry.biz for its story discussing Microsoft's further expansion of their Xbox Live online service into Asia. The piece notes "plans to launch the... service in Taiwan, Hong Kong and Singapore this April... following last October's launch in South Korea", and points out: "These regions are among some of the most broadband-enabled in the world, and online gaming on the PC is already a hugely popular pastime, a fact which Microsoft hopes will play to its advantage and give it an edge over Sony's PS2 in the territories." It goes on to mention that "the launch of Xbox Live in South Korea... has not been the massive sales catalyst that Microsoft might have hoped for", and ends by reporting that Xbox managers intend to "work with game development studios in Korea and Taiwan who are creating content that is more relevant to their local markets."

American made games

[LordNimon]

One of the reasons I got an Xbox instead of a PS/2 is that I don't like Asian-made games. Too many of them feature child or child-like characters, which I can't stand. Sure there are exceptions, but I get the impression that Xbox games are more geared toward "older players" (i.e. close to age 30) than PS/2 games are.

I hope that trend continues. Fortunately, I just got my Xbox, so I have tons of games I can still buy.

Re:American made games

[StocDred]

but I get the impression that Xbox games are more geared toward "older players"

Congratulations, you've fallen for their marketing! Now go pick up a copy of Pac-Man World 2 or Blinx the TimeSweeper or Sneakers.

Re:American made games

[bigman2003]

Well, the marketing in this case is correct.

Xbox games usually are aimed more toward an older population, that is why I'm a big fan. And, they are usually aimed more towards Americans- another point for me.

The original poster was right- they games are marketed toward a particular group, which I am part of. I have no interest in Japanese RPGs, or anything with little kids with blue hair, and huge eyes.

You mentioned a few examples of games not marketed toward older gamers. You are right on some of those

Re:American made games

[bigman2003]

Well, we can look at this a couple of different ways.

First, my statement can be taken literally. Xbox has the smallest number of games marketed towards kids, because it has the smallest number of games total (comparing all 3 consoles). Gamecube has approx 400, while Xbox has 'over 300'. Playstation has many more than that, I do not know the number.

Second, once again really only comparing Xbox and Gamecube, you can look at the ESRB ratings of the games for each system.

Xbox list [xbox.com]

Gamecube list [nintendo.com]

I did

Re:American made games

[Acidic_Diarrhea]

"First, my statement can be taken literally. Xbox has the smallest number of games marketed towards kids, because it has the smallest number of games total (comparing all 3 consoles). Gamecube has approx 400, while Xbox has 'over 300'. Playstation has many more than that, I do not know the number."

Only an idiot would suggest we look at raw numbers. Obviously we want to discuss percentages. Why would you even suggest this?

"Second, once again really only comparing Xbox and Gamecube, you can look at the ESR

Re:American made games

[StocDred]

Great replies, AD. You've punctured the balloon of his pomposity.

What these guys should be saying is: "The Xbox doesn't have a lot of games featuring characters with blue hair and big eyes, and that appeals to me." But because they want to throw in a few jabs and prove they're on the winning team, they equate blue-hair-and-big-eyes to "non-adult" games, which is asinine. Whether or not you like games from Japan, or games with blue hair, or however you want to call it... that's a personal choice and has no

Re:American made games

[Anonymous Coward]

One of the reasons I got a Gamecube is because I can't stand games geared toward "adults". The way I see it, I grew out of Jackie Chan and boobie movies when I was a teenager. I'm also not interested in that same sort of stuff in my video games.

To each his own, I guess....

Re:American made games

[StocDred]

Rainbow Six 3 has over 100,000 people playing AT A TIME over Xbox Live.

Not according to this article [xboxsolution.com] citing Microsoft as a source.

"Microsoft celebrates its busiest weekend ever largely attributed to the consoles recently released Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six 3 videogame. Over the weekend a total of 24,478 gamers signed into go head to head in gun blasting covert ops action. Microsoft reports counting 6,731 people simultaneously playing the latest hit from developers Ubisoft at one point during the weekend.

Umm, smart move?

[irokitt]

It makes sense. Asia is a big market. But the thing I wonder about is whether Asia will really buy American-centric X-Box games. They're mostly a rts/rpg crowd from what I understand, and the X-Box is sold on the premise of "HALO RULES D00D!" So Microsoft will have to throw some energy into making Asia work for them.

Re:Umm, smart move?

[paulcammish]

So Microsoft will have to throw some energy into making Asia work for them.

Erm, I think you misspelled 'Money'.

Good!

[Mechanik]

I am sick to death of having to hear the usual 10 year old idiots swearing up a storm and calling everyone a faggot over the headset. Now I can hear them do it... in Cantonese!!!

Somebody eviscerate me with sharpened stick please...


Mechanik

More people does not equal more sales

[MMaestro]

I think major companies need to stop looking at China as "the untapped gold mine of the world" or something along those lines unless they sit down and seriously think about what they're going to do. The PS2 gets used mostly in Hong Kong because something like 99.9% of them are bootlegged, pre-mod chipped, and cost less than half the official one is, plus chances are they'll give you like 2 free games of your choice.

Modded Xbox means no Xbox Live so that means they pretty much alienate their entire audience