Speaking at Tokyo Game Show 2021, company boss Phil Spencer said that Xbox is working to increase their lineup of Japanese games, reportedly every day.
The interview kicked off between Spencer and Tango Gameworks founder Shinji Mikami, where Spencer was asked what Xbox’s commitment to Japan was like.
“It’s an honor to support and our Japanese partners,” Spencer said. “We’re working with Japanese publishers every single day to increase our line-up of Japanese games on Xbox. We know it’s really important to fans and customers on Xbox.”
Prior to this, Spencer mentioned a recent headline that Xbox touted Japan as their fastest-growing market worldwide, and that they were making real commitments to the market. Spencer went on to talk up the value in Xbox Game Pass.
“We’ve also had more than a hundred titles on Game Pass from partners in Japan. And it’s really helped the Xbox community find games they maybe they haven’t played in the past through an easy mechanism.”
Mikami and Spencer discussed Xbox’s commitment to Japanese developers, to which Spencer noted their external developer program has never been bigger.
“It’s not just about big developers. We now have more than 200 independent Japanese developers in our ID@XBOX program, which really highlights the most creative and independent games for broad audiences everywhere on the planet,” he said.
Spencer also addressed the ongoing shortage of current-generation game consoles.
“We’re also working to increase console supply, I know that’s a big issue,” Spencer said. “People want consoles, we’re constantly working to get more consoles into the market.”
He added, “But at the same time we’re introducing into the Japanese market Xbox Cloud Game streaming, which allows people to play their games whether they have a console or not.”
With that Spencer confirmed that Cloud Game Streaming is launching in Japan this coming week. The Xbox boss also made it clear that their focus isn’t just increasing the number of Xbox gamers, but also that Xbox is working to increase their lineup of Japanese games, by bringing them overseas.
“We’re excited by the growth of the Japanese gaming market, and we want not only to participate, but to help bring Japanese games to players around the world,” he said.
What do you think of Spencer’s comments on the Japanese market, and their commitment to growing their presence there? A recent rumor noted Microsoft is looking for another “Bethesda-level” acquisition, leading many to wildly speculate. Could it be a big Japanese studio? Sound off in the comments below!
