Speaking to Famitsu at Kojima Productions’ recent “Beyond the Strand” event in Tokyo, Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer shared some insights about Xbox’s activities in Japan. According to Spencer, the company considers the Japanese market “truly special,” a sentiment it’s working on conveying to players through efforts like the recent Japan-themed DLCs for Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 and other first-party titles.
Of note, Spencer mentions that “total Xbox playtime in Japan has increased by around 20% in the past year.” This figure represents the whole Xbox ecosystem, including console, PC and cloud. While he doesn’t offer a detailed breakdown, Spencer says that the growth is well-balanced across all three platforms. “If I had to point out one thing, it seems to me that the importance of PC is increasingly growing for our Japanese players. Furthermore, the fact that console, PC, and cloud are all growing aligns with our strategy of wanting players to enjoy Xbox regardless of device.”
To further boost their market share in Japan, Microsoft plans to provide more content tailored for Japanese players. On the flip side, Spencer also mentions close collaboration with Japanese developers. “We have very unique relationships with companies like Capcom, Konami, Square Enix, Sega, and Bandai Namco Entertainment.” Following the release of Koei Tecmo and PlatinumGames’ Ninja Gaiden 4, Microsoft is also set to publish Kojima Productions’s OD. As for Japanese-developed titles beyond that, Spencer says the company is “in talks with various partners,” with announcements planned in due course.
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