Japanese gamers not too concerned about pricing, according to poll

Ever wondered what the gaming mindset is for people halfway across the planet? Do you ask yourself what factors drive the Japanese when they choose their titles and consoles? A recent survey conducted by a Japanese website will shed some light into that. Check out the full article and get a feel of the Japanese gaming pulse.

A recent survey conducted by Japanese website kakaku.com revealed a bit about the Japanese gaming mindset. Pricing seems to be a very small factor when deciding which console to get.

In a poll that involved 3,422 gaming respondents, 49.2 percent said they chose their game consoles “because it’s compatible with the games they absolutely want to play.” The same lot reflected that 43 percent of them choose their platforms because it’s frequently talked about by most of their peers.

A mere 6.1 percent of all the respondents said that their main concern is the pricing of the system. This survey may be considered as another proof that it’s really the games that will make or break a system.

The Nintendo Wii still holds the top spot in the Japanese market’s game spending list with  around 3.63 million units sold last year. Sony‘s high-end PlayStation 3 is in second place with 1.21 million units sold in the same year and country.

Things may be looking up for Sony though. According to the poll, 27 percent of the respondents said that it’s the console they’re planning to get next. The Wii is very slightly ahead with 28 percent of the gamers saying they’re planning to take it home soon.

Microsoft‘s Xbox 360, on the other hand, continues its struggles to break the market open. The machine has been successful in the U.S. and in Europe, but has sold only 260,000 units in Japan since its 2005 debut. Handhelds PlayStation Portable and Nintendo DS are both doing well in the country.

Via CNN