It seems Microsoft is courting a good chunk of Japanese devs. They note that more Xbox dev kits are out there with studios than ever before.
Knowing that the Japan market is their weakest, Microsoft is trying to court Japanese devs harder. According to an Asian exec, their extra attention to the Japanese indie dev market results into more Xbox dev kits out in the wild.
Microsoft values Japanese indie dev connections
In an interview with IGN Japan, Jeremy Hinton talked about how Microsoft views Japanese indie devs. Hinton is the Xbox business lead for Asia and considering their precarious position in the region.
Xbox is known for having a booth at BitSummit. This expo is mostly targeted towards Japanese indie devs looking to get further backing. This comes in one of the world’s most competitive video game markets.
“Recently, our connections with Japanese indie developers has increased, and I have never had a Japanese indie developer who has our development kit before,” said Hinton, as translated via Google Translate. “The indie scene in Japan is growing so much that I am paying close attention to it.”
He further notes that there is a growing demand for the Xbox in the region. Hinton hints that Japan “can’t be ignored.”
“The demand for Xbox in Japan has increased significantly, and data shows that the number of users who did not have an Xbox in the past has increased significantly, and that users who bought the Xbox 360 are returning.
“I’m very happy that the Xbox 360 was a successful generation in Japan. It’s clear that Japan is a market that can’t be ignored, as Xbox looks at not only successful markets, but also growing ones. Japan is currently the fastest-growing market in the world, with particularly strong growth in the last 12 months.”
Xbox gaining ground in traditionally hostile Japanese market
Xbox dev kits going to more indie studios in Japan is a positive outlook for the brand. Throughout its history, Xbox lagged behind its competitors in the Japanese market. It doesn’t help that Sony and Nintendo are homegrown brands.
Hinton also noted that while they having nothing to report for the Tokyo Game Show at the moment. Even then, they are still in talks with the organizers of the event. He also notes that when it comes to Japanese studios, not everything is about acquisition.
When asked about the rumors about Xbox trying to acquire Japanese studios, Hinton notes contracting with a third party is also important. The growth in number of Xbox dev kits with Japanese devs is a cool hint that Microsoft is likely gaining ground in Japan.
Featured image courtesy of Tokyo Game Show/Youtube Screenshot