KEY POINTS

  • Sony and Microsoft are set to release their respective next-generation gaming consoles in November
  • Xbox recently made a move in PlayStation's teritorry
  • Pre-order for Xbox Series X and Xbox Series  in Japan starts September 25

With the release date of next-generation gaming consoles fast approaching, Microsoft made a strategic move in Sony’s turf.

A new report from Japanese site Famitsu revealed that Microsoft had cut the price of the Xbox Series S in Japan a few days after the disc-less all-digital gaming console was announced. Xbox slashed the price of the Series S by 3,000 JPY or around $29, excluding tax. Meanwhile, the price of the Xbox Series X remains the same in the region.

Microsoft’s latest move came after the launch announcements of the PS5. Xbox made it very clear about its intention of improving its position in the Japanese market. The global launch of the Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S is a massive improvement on the part of Microsoft. When the Redmond-based tech giant launched the Xbox One, it arrived in Japan almost one year after its Western launch.

Xbox Series X
The Xbox Series X. Microsoft/Official

Xbox Boss Phil Spencer mentioned earlier that he felt that the market position of the console in Japan is not acceptable. The executive promised to do a much better job with the launch of Xbox Series X in the region. Spencer also said before that he wanted to include a Japanese developer to the first-party studio line up of Xbox.

Through this, Xbox could offer content that has a better appeal to the Japanese audience. In his interview with Jeux Video, the Xbox boss mentioned that the Xbox Japan team has been working so hard to build relationships with developers in the area. Marketing Research Company IDC revealed that Xbox One only made 0.3 percent of worldwide sales in Japan.

In 2018, Famitsu’s annual sales report revealed that only 15,339 units of Xbox One were sold in the region for the whole year. This is in contrast to the whopping 1.7 million PS4 units and 3.5 million Nintendo Switch units sold for that particular year. Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S are now available for pre-order.

Microsoft is scheduled to hold a live stream presentation at the Tokyo Game Show. Pre-order for Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S opens September 25 in Japan.

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