With Xbox being the only console manufacturer of the Big 3 to not originate from Japan, Microsoft has struggled in the past to gain any ground within the region. That said, Head of Xbox Phil Spencer has made a point of targeting the Japanese market – now revealing that PC Game Pass users in Japan have quadrupled.
In an interview conducted by Japanese magazine Famitsu (and translated by Tweaktown), Xbox gaming CEO Phil Spencer spoke on the growing presence of Xbox in Japan – at least on the PC side, saying:
“Xbox Game Pass has an important meaning on Xbox. In particular, the growth of PC Game Pass is remarkable. The size of the Japanese PC game market has roughly doubled in the past three years, but the number of PC Game Pass users has quadrupled. Game Pass is growing faster than the market, which is great for the Xbox brand as a whole.”
As mentioned, both Sony and Nintendo have always performed much better in Japan compared to Xbox, with one of the core reasons being the fact that both companies originated in Japan. That said, Xbox as a brand have historically shied away from the market – until recently with Phil Spencer’s renewed focus on the region.
It will be interesting to see how Game Pass continues to grow in Japan, and whether the console manufacturer will ever have a true presence in the market.
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KitGuru says: What do you think of Xbox’s focus on Japan? Is it a futile strategy? Let us know your thoughts down below.