Japanese Gamer

[cHawKso]

Well we've all experienced the hype machine associated with the PS2. That's something Sony are very good at - marketing their product. Why should it be the consumer's job to go and investigate what they're buying - they are the customer, therefore companies should be bending over backwards to tell them how great their product is. Not saying "find out yourself".

[eastyy]

Well for me and i am sure many other people do the same its the games that decide what i shall buy.

Ps2 i thought the launch games were not that good so i waited a while before i got that

xbox had two great launch games but i did not see much planned after. Again i waited a while

Gamecube i saw the games were good but just so short that was probably the last console i bought

Of course its console exclusive games that really make the system and the Ps2 certainly had this from third party developers as well as there own.
Xbox had a few games like from tecmo and sega (if they want to succed in japan they really need to get the developers on there side) and of course microsoft released some good games.
Gamecube well nintendo do there own good games but third party i felt was limited.In japan there seemed to quite a few but pal and usa released there was not a huge amount compared to the Ps2

[Kotatsu Neko]

Well we've all experienced the hype machine associated with the PS2. That's something Sony are very good at - marketing their product. Why should it be the consumer's job to go and investigate what they're buying - they are the customer, therefore companies should be bending over backwards to tell them how great their product is. Not saying "find out yourself".

Frankly anyone who goes out and spends hundreds on a product without researching it first is not terribly smart.

It's no wonder there's so much crap out there, people just keep buying it.

[Ginger Tosser]

It's no wonder there's so much crap out there, people just keep buying it.

I'd blame the T3, Stuff gadget wank fest mags? for promoting most of the bull**** around console releases. As for me personally, i'll buy a next-gen console when i actually see one running.

[eastyy]

Does anyone remember how much hype there was for the 3do and the atari jaguar?

[cHawKso]

Frankly anyone who goes out and spends hundreds on a product without researching it first is not terribly smart.

It's no wonder there's so much crap out there, people just keep buying it.

Go to Dixons anyday of the week and witness it for yourself - some people don't research what they buy and go on what the manufacturer's say.

[Ginger Tosser]

Does anyone remember how much hype there was for the 3do and the atari jaguar?

Yes, but they were ****. The jaguar even had a toilet add-on

Go to Dixons anyday of the week and witness it for yourself - some people don't research what they buy and go on what the manufacturer's say.

Even worse they go on what dixons staff tell them.

[cHawKso]

Even worse they go on what dixons staff tell them.

*shudder*

[Castor Krieg]

Wow, thanks for all the feedback guys. Sure, I'm accustomed to companies throwing you their products in the face, we've seen it on E3 Conferences - biggest pile of **** I have ever seen, my ****-detector went nuts. But at the same time I thought hardcore gamers (non-casual ones), and especially Japanese gamers should not fall for the cheap tricks like that.

[cHawKso]

Well I'd like to think that people like us who are the 'hardcore' will make informed choices and ignore the hype - but I think the majority of the market is not made up of people like us. Just like here, I'd say the majority of the market in Japan is casual - it's just that videogames are more deeply integrated into their society and a more varied demographic play them. Hell, even my grandma there watches me playing Katamari and Initial D.

This time round at least the machine looks nicer (if a little bland) and I think the changeable fascias are a good idea as it allows people to express their individuality a little. The test for Microsoft will be creating games that appeal to local tastes. For example, the total lack of JRPGs this generation needs to be rectified in the next.

[Mofoman]

Yeah I agre with you 100 percent chawkso, I think that they need to market the machine with more cute games as well though in Jpan such as Minna no Golf like golf title's instead of concetrating on bringing the game's over from the West so muc, they should concentrate on making development team's that are specifically for the region.