Xbox One
Gamers in the West have been barking orders at and toppling Titans on their Xbox One consoles for the best part of a year now, but today marks the first time Japanese consumers can purchase Microsoft’s newest console without importing.
Industry pundits have long speculated that Xbox One may struggle to gain a foothold in Japan due to the comparatively poor sales of its predecessors and Nintendo and Sony’s hold on the territory. We’d like to believe that this new generation of hardware might help shake things up a little, but if the distinct lack of people waiting in line outside Akihabara’s stores early this morning is any indication, the sceptics could well be right.
While there are no doubt plenty of Xbox One owners who are still glad they scrambled to preorder a “Day One Edition” of the console at launch last year, there are probably a few who now feel that it perhaps wasn’t worth breaking a sweat for. Shipping in slightly sleeker packaging than usual, Day One versions came bundled with a controller embossed with the words “Day One 2013” and a card to activate an achievement on their owner’s online profile; plenty of bragging rights for the hardest of hardcore Xbox fans, certainly, but that’s about it.
According to the Japanese Xbox One site, though, day-one adopters in the Land of the Rising Sun will be getting a markedly better deal.
Despite underwhelming sales of its previous games consoles in Japan, Microsoft Corporation has remained true to its promise of bringing Xbox One to the Land of the Rising Sun, and has today announced an official release date and price point.
That’s right ladies and gents, despite its predecessor’s somewhat dismal performance in the Land of the Rising Sun, Microsoft’s games console-cum-media hub Xbox One is coming to Japanese shores after all. But it won’t be for a while yet…
With its new home console, Microsoft is hoping to make Kinect – the motion-sensing camera that comes bundled in the box – one of the main features of the Xbox One experience. Far superior to the original Kinect camera released in 2010, the new unit is noticeably more accurate and can be used in almost complete darkness, also boasting a field of vision 60 percent wider than the original.
But for many Japanese gamers, Kinect simply isn’t a device that works for them. Compared to Western residences, Japanese homes are much smaller, in closer proximity to others, and in some cases with walls so thin that you might wonder whether you could punch through them during moments of nerd rage.
Can Kinect for Xbox One offer the same exciting, controller-free experience in Japan that it does in America and Europe? Our man went hands-on.
That’s right video game fans, as of this week, we now finally have a full crop of next (or should that be “current?”) generation games consoles to play with, bringing with them a whole new era of video game magic! Nintendo’s Wii U has been with us for a while now, PlayStation 4 showed its sleek little face over 10 days ago, and we now finally have an Xbox One to tinker with!
The media centre approach Microsoft has taken with its newest home console may not appeal to all gamers, but even if you’d rather play focus on games than flick between live shows and Dead Rising, there’s no denying that Xbox One has one big advantage over its competitors – its ability to receive, rather than simply output, a signal from another device. Microsoft ideally wants us to use this feature to hook up our cable boxes and make the console our living room hub, but being the gaming nerds that we are and already owning every other console, we decided to do something a little different: play PlayStation 4 and Wii U games on our Xbox One. And it works like a charm.
After months of speculation as to when the Xbox One will become available to gamers, Microsoft has just announced the release date of the much-anticipated console. Finally.
The console war between the Xbox 360 and the PS3 was fairly vicious, with Sony just edging out Microsoft in terms of total global sales.
This time, though, Sony seems to have no intention of letting things run that close. In the United States, Sony has, as you probably know, set the PlayStation 4 price a full $100 lower than the Xbox One. Microsoft, of course, argues that the Kinect more than makes up for the difference, though that’s up to consumers to decide.
But in Mexico, the pricing war has gotten even fiercer. How much fiercer?
In a move that has at once shocked and thrilled gamers across the globe, Microsoft announced earlier today that it is to scrap controversial plans to inhibit the trading and sharing of games for its upcoming home system, Xbox One. The company also assures consumers that they will no longer be required to connect their console to the internet every 24 hours to validate their software.
As I’m sure the vast majority of our gamer crowd is aware, it’s almost time to wrap up this year’s annual industry-oriented trade fair, E3 (Electronic Entertainment Expo). RocketNews24 has already covered the big announcements for Sony and Microsoft’s upcoming consoles, the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One, but it’s time now to take a trip through the exhibition booths, where game producers showcase their upcoming titles. Most provide game demos and release brand new trailers to introduce curious attendees to the game’s plot and basic game play. Capcom, however, took a different approach for their booth promoting the all new Dead Rising 3. It’s different in that the booth could barely be approached at all!
Warning: this article contains graphic images that some may find disturbing.
Microsoft’s forthcoming Xbox One console will not be released in Asia until late 2014, despite the fact that it will launch in the West in November this year, it was revealed last night.
Japan’s answer to YouTube, NicoNico Video, will be showing live coverage of the Electronics Entertainment Expo (E3) in both Japanese and English!
With just a few days to go until E3–one of the year’s biggest video game trade shows–opens its doors, we’re currently knee-deep in rumour, speculation and digital fancy. Although Nintendo has already broken millions of gamers’ hearts by stating that its presence at the event will be minimal, both Microsoft and Sony are set to show off their newest hardware, as well as give the gaming press a look at the titles we can expect to play in the near future.
According to a recent poll being hotly shared by Japanese gamers today, though, some press conferences are being looked forward to far more than others.












Unique inclined elevator in Japan leads to a town that inspired Studio Ghibli’s Spirited Away
Tokyo hotel lets you make your stay a Sanrio one with special My Melody and Kuromi rooms【Pics】
Beautiful vintage Japanese manhole covers being offered for sale by Aichi city【Photos】
This “mountain bandit” restaurant is one of the coolest places in Japan【Photos】
Secret-identity J-pop singer Ado to hold handshake event with surreal setup to hide her face
National Geographic names Yamagata Prefecture on its “Best of the World 2026” travel destinations
The deluxe disappointment and basic brilliance of Japan’s oldest standing soba noodle chain
Japanese military called in to deal with increasing bear attacks in rural prefectures
Japan’s mint chocolate season hits Family Mart with 14 new choco mint treats (and five superstars)
Hinamatsuri Pikachu kimono couple plushie on the way to celebrate Japan’s Doll Festival【Photos】
Sanrio and Sonic the Hedgehog characters become fast friends with new plushie collection
Totoro fountain figurine recreates the sights and sounds of one of anime’s most memorable scenes
Step into Japanese culture with Converse’s new Japan-exclusive shoes featuring gods, sushi style
Top Japanese baby names for 2025 feature flowers, colors, and a first-time-ever favorite for girls
Starbucks Japan releases new Christmas drink that can be topped with whipped cream
Studio Ghibli releases new Howl’s Moving Castle perpetual calendar
Beautiful Totoro bento box mixes classic and modern symbols of Japan
New Kyoto experience package lets you film epic samurai battles with your friends
Japan’s mini VHS anime home video replicas are the newest blast of capsule toy nostalgia【Pics】
Kagawa’s Udon Gummies are so hard to chew they come with warning labels
Human washing machine pods coming to Japanese hotels【Photos】
Studio Ghibli releases new “komorebi” plush toys to brighten your days
JR Hokkaido train driver in trouble for reading book about trains on stopped train
Studio Ghibli releases new anime tea and mugs in Japan
Japanese hotel chain’s new service: A bed and pajamas for otaku travelers’ plushies
Tokyo bento boxed lunch shop charges different prices depending on how heavy your laptop is
Studio Ghibli anime stoles are here to keep you warm with a range of famous characters
Japan has vending machines that put protective film on your phone for you — Here’s how to use them
Starbucks Japan unveils new Christmas Frappuccino and holiday drinks for 2025
Survey asks foreign tourists what bothered them in Japan, more than half gave same answer
Possessing Harry Potter’s Sword of Godric Gryffindor is now illegal in Japan
Japan’s deadliest food claims more victims, but why do people keep eating it for New Year’s?
We deeply regret going into this tunnel on our walk in the mountains of Japan
Studio Ghibli releases Kodama forest spirits from Princess Mononoke to light up your home
Major Japanese hotel chain says reservations via overseas booking sites may not be valid
Put sesame oil in your coffee? Japanese maker says it’s the best way to start your day【Taste test】
The top 10 annoying foreign tourist behaviors on trains, as chosen by Japanese people【Survey】
No more using real katana for tourism activities, Japan’s National Police Agency says
One of Japan’s most beautiful hot spring towns announces new limits on number of day trippers
National Geographic names Yamagata Prefecture on its “Best of the World 2026” travel destinations
The deluxe disappointment and basic brilliance of Japan’s oldest standing soba noodle chain
Japanese military called in to deal with increasing bear attacks in rural prefectures
Japan’s mint chocolate season hits Family Mart with 14 new choco mint treats (and five superstars)
Hinamatsuri Pikachu kimono couple plushie on the way to celebrate Japan’s Doll Festival【Photos】
Starbucks Japan unveils new Christmas goods, drinkware and candles for the 2025 holiday season
Huge new Ghibli chopstick series means you’ll always have company with your meals【Pics】
Tokyo all-you-can-eat senbei deal is perfect for newbies to the world of beloved Japanese snacks
Japan’s cat robot waiters meow when you pat them, and we find out why【Video】
Five Japanese sign language phrases with interesting reasoning behind them
Studio Ghibli serves up anime characters on new lacquered trays
Anime and video game backgrounds now free to download for video conference calls
Why does Japanese writing need three different sets of characters? (Part 2)