Microsoft has been pushing hard to expand the Xbox ecosystem. This also extends to regions beyond the Western market. Microsoft’s rival brands have traditionally dominated the Asian market, and Japan, in particular, has been considered the home of PlayStation and Nintendo.

However, Microsoft has recently seen a newfound success in this region. Microsoft’s new strategies with Xbox Game Pass and the Xbox Series S have helped the company gain market share. Xbox continues to do well in the region, and Phil Spencer has also noted that first-time owners account for half of Xbox sales in Asia.

A new statement from Tokyo Games Show has also hinted at Microsoft’s plans for future expansion into the Japanese market. According to Sarah Bond (Head of Xbox Creator Experience), Xbox will continue to bring more Japanese games to the platform

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When one fan asked about the future of Japanese games on Xbox while referencing games like Lost Odyssey and Blue Dragon (Microsoft published & developed them exclusively for the Xbox 360). She revealed Microsoft’s current attempts at working with the Japanese gaming industry;

“We have over 250 developers in Japan developing games for Xbox right now.

150 have already shipped, 100 of them are on Game Pass, and we got to announce 15 titles made in Asia, 13 in Japan.”

Tokyo Games Show 2022 has revealed many exciting Japanese games for the Xbox platform. Many titles like Guilty Gear Strive will be headed to Xbox, joining the vast number of offerings on Xbox Game Pass. Renowned JRPGs like Persona 5 will also be released on the platform soon.

Microsoft has also started to utilize special discounts and offers alongside the Xbox Series S to go even further in the Japanese market. Xbox temporarily offers a 5000 Yen gift card on Xbox Series S purchases in Japan

While this might already be tempting for some fans, Sarah Bond’s reply also has promising implications for the future of Xbox in Japan. She further stated,

“There’s even more that is going to come in the future. I can’t wait to reveal it, as it starts coming out.”

Xbox Series X / S

Microsoft is now pursuing the goal of reaching as many audiences as possible. Japan has always been a significant part of the industry, and Microsoft’s new success in the region seems to have encouraged the company to further developments in its offering of games. 

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Avinash Jaisrani
[News Reporter] Avinash is currently pursuing a Business degree in Australia. For more than three years, he has been working as a gaming journalist, utilizing his writing skills and love for gaming to report on the latest updates in the industry. Avinash loves to play action games like Devil May Cry and has also been mentioned on highly regarded websites, such as IGN, GamesRadar, GameRant, Dualshockers, CBR, and Gamespot.