Microsoft’s focus for 2008: Europe, Japan

Microsoft has given out a few details on their plans for next year. Perhaps the two biggest announcements they made involve their expectations regarding sales of their console in Japan, and what they believe will be a key battleground in the next-gen console wars.

Microsoft’s head of global marketing for games Jeff Bell spoke about this. Read full article to find out more about this.

Microsoft‘s head of global marketing for games Jeff Bell said that they expect to sell more consoles in Japan next year, pointing out that games from popular Japanese video game developers will help them achieve this.

In addition to this, the company also plans on furthering their efforts in gaining a stronger following in Europe. This is not surprising considering the location is home to a booming US$ 30 billion video game industry.

Bell pointed out that their biggest hurdle in gaining the support of the majority of gamers in the region is Sony‘s brand name. He said that “The biggest challenge is that Sony as a brand has had greater staying power than in other areas. Not just PlayStation 3, but Sony as a brand.”

With regards to the current market leader, Nintendo and their Wii console, Bell seemed unconcerned. He said that the ongoing Wii shortage is working to their advantage. He added that, “Clearly, we have a competitor where they win and no one else wins. That is not sustainable, it’s never been sustainable.”

It seems that Microsoft already has a battleplan set for next year. We can expect that Microsoft will be more aggressive in both Japan and Europe.

Via Reuters