For fans that want Japanese role-playing games on the Xbox One, keep asking. That is according to head of Microsoft’s Xbox division Phil Spencer.
Spencer answers questions directed to him on Twitter from time to time. A fan recently asked him if gamers will see more JRPGs on the Xbox One, and Spencer responded accordingly. He also stated, “keep asking until we show you something you like. I can’t share specific plans now, sorry.”
JRPGs sell well in the Japanese market, however the Xbox One has had a poor showing in Japan. According to Famitsu, the console only sold 23,562 units on its launch day in Japan. This puts the console in dead last compared to its competition.
Microsoft has also tried to sell JRPGs in the past. In the early days of the Xbox 360, Microsoft flooded the market with the genre. Notable games included Lost Odyssey, Tales of Vesperia, and Blue Dragon. The problem here was that the games were not selling well on the console, which isn’t surprising considering the 360 didn’t do too great in Japan either.
Despite the lack of sales, JRPGs on the Xbox One are imminent. It’s not a matter of if, but a matter of when. In 2014, Phil Spencer announced on twitter that JRPGs are coming to the Xbox One. This is great news for fans of the genre, knowing that Microsoft has not given up on it.
As for upcoming titles, Microsoft will get to test the waters in the coming weeks at the Electronic Entertainment Expo. Last year at E3, they unveiled a brand new intellectual property known as Scalebound. While Scalebound is not a JRPG, it is being developed by Platinum Games, an independent Japanese studio. This is a good first step for Microsoft, and hopefully a great way to venture back into the realm of JRPGs.
Should this genre be given a second chance? Did you play any of the JRPGs on the Xbox 360? Let us know in the comments section below.
