Somehow, the Japanese are becoming even more apathetic toward Microsoft’s Xbox brand.
The Xbox One’s first week of sales did not go well over there, with the console selling only 23,562 units according to Famitsu (via Joystiq). By comparison, Sony’s PlayStation 4 sold 322,000 units during its first week, and Nintendo’s Wii U moved 308,000 in its debut week (all numbers also from Joystiq).
Of course, the Xbox brand has never done well in Japan, but this is actually an all-time low. The Xbox 360 sold more in its first two days (62,135 units) than the Xbox One did in a week. The original Xbox moved 123,929 units in its first week in Japan way back in 2002.
So, why are the Japanese so hard on the Xbox? For one thing, Microsoft’s biggest games are typically shooters, like Halo and Gears of War. While those are very popular in the West, the Japanese aren’t as big into first-person, third-person, and competitive shooters. The Japanese also prefer to support home-grown companies like Sony and Nintendo instead of the U.S.-based Microsoft.
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Still, Microsoft likely wasn’t expecting much from a Japanese launch, so it’s probably not too devastated by this weak debut. Meanwhile, the Xbox One continues to sell well in the U.S., although it still trails behind the PlayStation 4.
