Microsoft had been encouraging the Japanese gaming companies in bringing some JRPGs love to the Xbox 360. And that was in order to make Xbox 360 a favorable machine to buy in the land of the rising sun. Not just for the Japanese audience, but to all JRPGs lovers, as most gamers knew that the original Xbox was lacking in this matter. So Microsoft strategy was to bring a good number of JRPGs, which will give them the opportunity to have a better share in the Japanese market plus to make Xbox 360 the perfect console in the eyes of JRPG lovers.
 
 

I was expecting Mistwalker to unveil their next project at TGS 09, but that was not the case. Also, I was expecting Microsoft to shock us by announcing the end of exclusivity for one of the biggest JRPGs for the PS3; like what they did with FF 13, but that was not the case either.
 

Now with the Tokyo Game Show had closed its doors and we already have seen what will come in the future for Xbox 360 from the Japanese developers, it’s obvious that Microsoft’s strategy is changing in Japan.

So, will Microsoft stop bringing more JRPGs to Xbox 360? No, I don’t think so. But I think they are shifting their strategy in Japan; from focusing on JRPGs to Natal. Microsoft has been capturing a lot of exclusive JRPGs for its console during the past few years, but was that worth it? Back in the days of last generation, Microsoft had managed to sell 470,000 Xboxes in Japan and that was without the effort in bringing a huge list of JRPG. In the other hand, you have Microsoft’s current console, Xbox 360, with 1.16 million console sold and that with the help of a great list of JRPGs such as Blue Dragon, Lost Odyssey, Tales of Vaseperia, The Last Remnant and much more. While I call this an improvement, it wasn’t the huge leap for Microsoft in Japan.
 
 

Microsoft had hosted a discussion panel during TGS 09 in an attempt to promote project Natal in Japan, and with all the compliments about Natal from legendary game makers such as Hideo Kojima and Inafune, it seems that Microsoft is on the right track. But to tell you the truth, one of the reasons why I had bought a Xbox 360 was and still to get my JRPG fix and I’m starting to feel that Microsoft will not support the JRPG genre on Xbox 360 as before.
 
 

The Japanese market has transformed during the last few years; JRPGs doesn’t sell as it used to be, the Handheld business and the casual games are taken over the market in Japan. Which is making a common sense for Microsoft to change their strategy in Japan.
 

with all of the changes in this ever evolving industry and the attempts to bring more consumers to game, will project Natal be the magical solution for Microsoft in Japan? We have to wait and see. But in the mean time, let us know your opinion by leaving a comment.