GamerBraves
  • News
    • All
    • 3DS
    • All
    • Android
    • Anime
    • AR
    • Battle Royale
    • Beta
    • BlackBerry
    • Closed Beta
    • Concert
    • Console
    • Cookbook
    • Demo
    • Desktops
    • DLC
    • Dota 2
    • Early Access
    • Epic Games Store
    • esports
    • Event
    • Exclusive
    • Feature
    • Film
    • First Impressions
    • Gadgets
    • Gaming Laptop
    • Giveaway
    • Guides
    • Industry
    • Interview
    • iOS
    • Laptops
    • Launched
    • Linux
    • Mac
    • Malaysia
    • Manga
    • Merchandise
    • Mobile Games
    • Mobile Phone
    • Movie
    • Music
    • New Games
    • News
    • Newsletter
    • Nintendo Switch
    • Nintendo Switch (Platform)
    • NSFW
    • Open Beta
    • Opinion
    • Origin
    • PC
    • pin to top
    • PlayStation VR
    • Podcast
    • Pre-registration
    • PS4
    • PS4 (Platform)
    • PS5
    • PS5 (Platform)
    • PSVita
    • Reviews
    • Rumour
    • Shut down
    • Soft Launch
    • Sponsored
    • Stadia
    • Steam
    • Streaming Series
    • System Update
    • Tablet
    • Tabletop Gaming
    • Tech
    • Television
    • Theme
    • Tournament
    • Unboxing
    • Uncategorized
    • Update
    • VR
    • VTuber
    • Windows
    • Windows Phone
    • Xbox One
    • XBox One (Platform)
    • Xbox Series X
    • XBox Series X (Platform)
    she-hulk cgi

    Marvel Fans Upset Over The Rough CGI on She-Hulk, Many Comparing Her to Shrek

    super robot 30 expansion

    Super Robot Wars 30 Expansion Pack Review: Getter Robo Gets OP

    ROG yoodo esports

    ROG And Yoodo Announce ESports Partnership and Tournament

    d_cide traumerei

    D_CIDE TRAUMEREI transfers operations for mobile game

    Granado Espada M characters shown in new key art

    Granado Espada M characters shown in new key art

    The Brave Room Episode 53 – Moses: Let My People Rip!

    The Brave Room Episode 53 – Moses: Let My People Rip!

    next@acer May 2022: New Chromebooks, Monitors, Laptops unveiled

    [email protected] May 2022: New Chromebooks, Monitors, Laptops unveiled

    Cosplay Guns

    Cops Remind Con Goers That Brandishing Cosplay Guns In Public Is Still Off-Limits

    rick and morty anime

    Rick and Morty Anime Spin-Off Announced For Adult Swim

  • Reviews
    • All
    • 3DS
    • All
    • Android
    • Anime
    • AR
    • Battle Royale
    • Beta
    • BlackBerry
    • Closed Beta
    • Concert
    • Console
    • Cookbook
    • Demo
    • Desktops
    • DLC
    • Dota 2
    • Early Access
    • Epic Games Store
    • esports
    • Event
    • Exclusive
    • Feature
    • Film
    • First Impressions
    • Gadgets
    • Gaming Laptop
    • Giveaway
    • Guides
    • Industry
    • Interview
    • iOS
    • Laptops
    • Launched
    • Linux
    • Mac
    • Malaysia
    • Manga
    • Merchandise
    • Mobile Games
    • Mobile Phone
    • Movie
    • Music
    • New Games
    • News
    • Newsletter
    • Nintendo Switch
    • Nintendo Switch (Platform)
    • NSFW
    • Open Beta
    • Opinion
    • Origin
    • PC
    • pin to top
    • PlayStation VR
    • Podcast
    • Pre-registration
    • PS4
    • PS4 (Platform)
    • PS5
    • PS5 (Platform)
    • PSVita
    • Reviews
    • Rumour
    • Shut down
    • Soft Launch
    • Sponsored
    • Stadia
    • Steam
    • Streaming Series
    • System Update
    • Tablet
    • Tabletop Gaming
    • Tech
    • Television
    • Theme
    • Tournament
    • Unboxing
    • Uncategorized
    • Update
    • VR
    • VTuber
    • Windows
    • Windows Phone
    • Xbox One
    • XBox One (Platform)
    • Xbox Series X
    • XBox Series X (Platform)
    she-hulk cgi

    Marvel Fans Upset Over The Rough CGI on She-Hulk, Many Comparing Her to Shrek

    super robot 30 expansion

    Super Robot Wars 30 Expansion Pack Review: Getter Robo Gets OP

    ROG yoodo esports

    ROG And Yoodo Announce ESports Partnership and Tournament

    d_cide traumerei

    D_CIDE TRAUMEREI transfers operations for mobile game

    Granado Espada M characters shown in new key art

    Granado Espada M characters shown in new key art

    The Brave Room Episode 53 – Moses: Let My People Rip!

    The Brave Room Episode 53 – Moses: Let My People Rip!

    next@acer May 2022: New Chromebooks, Monitors, Laptops unveiled

    [email protected] May 2022: New Chromebooks, Monitors, Laptops unveiled

    Cosplay Guns

    Cops Remind Con Goers That Brandishing Cosplay Guns In Public Is Still Off-Limits

    rick and morty anime

    Rick and Morty Anime Spin-Off Announced For Adult Swim

  • Interviews
    Saints Row 2022 Interview – The Essence of Saints Row Roundtable and Deep Dive with Volition

    Saints Row 2022 Interview – The Essence of Saints Row Roundtable and Deep Dive with Volition

    Among the trolls

    Everything You Need to Know About Finnish Survival Game ‘Among The Trolls’, According to Its Developers

    persona 4 ultimax

    Persona 4 Arena Ultimax Producer Kazuhisa Wada Talks “Pioneering” Auto Combos In New Interview

    Apex Legends Mobile with Jordan Patz and Myke Hoff – The essence of the game at your fingertips

    Apex Legends Mobile with Jordan Patz and Myke Hoff – The essence of the game at your fingertips

    warcraft arclight rumble

    Everything You Need to Know About Warcraft Arclight Rumble, According to it’s Developers

    DnD Spelljammer

    Chris Perkins Talks About His Star Trek-Inspired Spelljammer D&D Campaign He Ran As A Kid

    D&D Starter Set Interview

    Dragons of Stormwreck Isle Features A Nod To The Saturday Morning Cartoon And More- D&D Interview With Natalie Egan and Shelley Mazzanoble

    sega delisting sonic

    Sega is Delisting The Classic Sonic Games Ahead of Sonic Origins Release

    How A Small Community Is Keeping Pokken Alive – Interview With RTG Organizers Rigz and Chepe

    How A Small Community Is Keeping Pokken Alive – Interview With RTG Organizers Rigz and Chepe

    Trending Tags

    • CareerBraves
    • Media Partners
      • Wanuxi
      • Gamer Santai
      • GamerWK
    No Result
    View All Result
    • News
      • All
      • 3DS
      • All
      • Android
      • Anime
      • AR
      • Battle Royale
      • Beta
      • BlackBerry
      • Closed Beta
      • Concert
      • Console
      • Cookbook
      • Demo
      • Desktops
      • DLC
      • Dota 2
      • Early Access
      • Epic Games Store
      • esports
      • Event
      • Exclusive
      • Feature
      • Film
      • First Impressions
      • Gadgets
      • Gaming Laptop
      • Giveaway
      • Guides
      • Industry
      • Interview
      • iOS
      • Laptops
      • Launched
      • Linux
      • Mac
      • Malaysia
      • Manga
      • Merchandise
      • Mobile Games
      • Mobile Phone
      • Movie
      • Music
      • New Games
      • News
      • Newsletter
      • Nintendo Switch
      • Nintendo Switch (Platform)
      • NSFW
      • Open Beta
      • Opinion
      • Origin
      • PC
      • pin to top
      • PlayStation VR
      • Podcast
      • Pre-registration
      • PS4
      • PS4 (Platform)
      • PS5
      • PS5 (Platform)
      • PSVita
      • Reviews
      • Rumour
      • Shut down
      • Soft Launch
      • Sponsored
      • Stadia
      • Steam
      • Streaming Series
      • System Update
      • Tablet
      • Tabletop Gaming
      • Tech
      • Television
      • Theme
      • Tournament
      • Unboxing
      • Uncategorized
      • Update
      • VR
      • VTuber
      • Windows
      • Windows Phone
      • Xbox One
      • XBox One (Platform)
      • Xbox Series X
      • XBox Series X (Platform)
      she-hulk cgi

      Marvel Fans Upset Over The Rough CGI on She-Hulk, Many Comparing Her to Shrek

      super robot 30 expansion

      Super Robot Wars 30 Expansion Pack Review: Getter Robo Gets OP

      ROG yoodo esports

      ROG And Yoodo Announce ESports Partnership and Tournament

      d_cide traumerei

      D_CIDE TRAUMEREI transfers operations for mobile game

      Granado Espada M characters shown in new key art

      Granado Espada M characters shown in new key art

      The Brave Room Episode 53 – Moses: Let My People Rip!

      The Brave Room Episode 53 – Moses: Let My People Rip!

      next@acer May 2022: New Chromebooks, Monitors, Laptops unveiled

      [email protected] May 2022: New Chromebooks, Monitors, Laptops unveiled

      Cosplay Guns

      Cops Remind Con Goers That Brandishing Cosplay Guns In Public Is Still Off-Limits

      rick and morty anime

      Rick and Morty Anime Spin-Off Announced For Adult Swim

    • Reviews
      • All
      • 3DS
      • All
      • Android
      • Anime
      • AR
      • Battle Royale
      • Beta
      • BlackBerry
      • Closed Beta
      • Concert
      • Console
      • Cookbook
      • Demo
      • Desktops
      • DLC
      • Dota 2
      • Early Access
      • Epic Games Store
      • esports
      • Event
      • Exclusive
      • Feature
      • Film
      • First Impressions
      • Gadgets
      • Gaming Laptop
      • Giveaway
      • Guides
      • Industry
      • Interview
      • iOS
      • Laptops
      • Launched
      • Linux
      • Mac
      • Malaysia
      • Manga
      • Merchandise
      • Mobile Games
      • Mobile Phone
      • Movie
      • Music
      • New Games
      • News
      • Newsletter
      • Nintendo Switch
      • Nintendo Switch (Platform)
      • NSFW
      • Open Beta
      • Opinion
      • Origin
      • PC
      • pin to top
      • PlayStation VR
      • Podcast
      • Pre-registration
      • PS4
      • PS4 (Platform)
      • PS5
      • PS5 (Platform)
      • PSVita
      • Reviews
      • Rumour
      • Shut down
      • Soft Launch
      • Sponsored
      • Stadia
      • Steam
      • Streaming Series
      • System Update
      • Tablet
      • Tabletop Gaming
      • Tech
      • Television
      • Theme
      • Tournament
      • Unboxing
      • Uncategorized
      • Update
      • VR
      • VTuber
      • Windows
      • Windows Phone
      • Xbox One
      • XBox One (Platform)
      • Xbox Series X
      • XBox Series X (Platform)
      she-hulk cgi

      Marvel Fans Upset Over The Rough CGI on She-Hulk, Many Comparing Her to Shrek

      super robot 30 expansion

      Super Robot Wars 30 Expansion Pack Review: Getter Robo Gets OP

      ROG yoodo esports

      ROG And Yoodo Announce ESports Partnership and Tournament

      d_cide traumerei

      D_CIDE TRAUMEREI transfers operations for mobile game

      Granado Espada M characters shown in new key art

      Granado Espada M characters shown in new key art

      The Brave Room Episode 53 – Moses: Let My People Rip!

      The Brave Room Episode 53 – Moses: Let My People Rip!

      next@acer May 2022: New Chromebooks, Monitors, Laptops unveiled

      [email protected] May 2022: New Chromebooks, Monitors, Laptops unveiled

      Cosplay Guns

      Cops Remind Con Goers That Brandishing Cosplay Guns In Public Is Still Off-Limits

      rick and morty anime

      Rick and Morty Anime Spin-Off Announced For Adult Swim

    • Interviews
      Saints Row 2022 Interview – The Essence of Saints Row Roundtable and Deep Dive with Volition

      Saints Row 2022 Interview – The Essence of Saints Row Roundtable and Deep Dive with Volition

      Among the trolls

      Everything You Need to Know About Finnish Survival Game ‘Among The Trolls’, According to Its Developers

      persona 4 ultimax

      Persona 4 Arena Ultimax Producer Kazuhisa Wada Talks “Pioneering” Auto Combos In New Interview

      Apex Legends Mobile with Jordan Patz and Myke Hoff – The essence of the game at your fingertips

      Apex Legends Mobile with Jordan Patz and Myke Hoff – The essence of the game at your fingertips

      warcraft arclight rumble

      Everything You Need to Know About Warcraft Arclight Rumble, According to it’s Developers

      DnD Spelljammer

      Chris Perkins Talks About His Star Trek-Inspired Spelljammer D&D Campaign He Ran As A Kid

      D&D Starter Set Interview

      Dragons of Stormwreck Isle Features A Nod To The Saturday Morning Cartoon And More- D&D Interview With Natalie Egan and Shelley Mazzanoble

      sega delisting sonic

      Sega is Delisting The Classic Sonic Games Ahead of Sonic Origins Release

      How A Small Community Is Keeping Pokken Alive – Interview With RTG Organizers Rigz and Chepe

      How A Small Community Is Keeping Pokken Alive – Interview With RTG Organizers Rigz and Chepe

      Trending Tags

      • CareerBraves
      • Media Partners
        • Wanuxi
        • Gamer Santai
        • GamerWK
      No Result
      View All Result
      GamerBraves
      No Result
      View All Result

      Why Xbox Doesn’t Sell Well in Southeast Asia

      Is Xbox Lost at SEA?

      Alex Daud Briggs by Alex Daud Briggs
      7 months ago
      in All, Console, Exclusive, Feature, Industry, News, Opinion, Tech, Xbox One, XBox One (Platform), Xbox Series X, XBox Series X (Platform)
      Reading Time: 5 mins read
      Xbox Southeast Asia
      Share on FacebookShare on TwitterShare on TelegramShare on Whatsapp

      This Article on Xbox on Southeast Asia was available earlier as part of the GamerBraves Newsletter. Sign up for free to gain access to more articles about news and trends in the gaming industry and community.

      Microsoft has certainly been making waves in the video game world over the past year or so with the launch of the Xbox Series X, most notably the launch of the Xbox GamePass and the acquisition of Bethesda. The turnaround from being formerly perceived as the laughingstock of the big three console manufacturers in the previous generation certainly brought new respect for the Green Giant of consoles.

      Related Posts

      MSI Evangelion PC Components Coming To Malaysia

      Marvel Fans Upset Over The Rough CGI on She-Hulk, Some Comparing Her to Shrek

      Despite this, in Southeast Asia, the sales of the Xbox Series X haven’t made too big of a dent. While we don’t have the exact numbers, figures from iPrice show that they pale in comparison to the PlayStation consoles, the Switch, and mobile gaming. Why is that though? A company as big as Microsoft should surely be able to make a bigger impact. Well, there are several reasons.

      Xbox Southeast Asia
      The most popular consoles in SEA. Xbox doesn’t even have its own legend.

      Lack of Retail Support

      First, there’s the practical reason. The Xbox hasn’t even officially launched in Southeast Asia with Singapore being the only country in the region where Xbox consoles, games, and accessories are distributed (which had actually closed down but was re-open in preparation for the Series X). This means that retailers in other SEA countries must acquire the products by sourcing them through overseas wholesalers. 


      Follow @GamerBraves

      This not only makes acquiring Xbox products more cumbersome and expensive but it also means that the products will lack a fixed retail price or warranty. With the money required to import the Xbox, retailers may be incentivized to raise their prices.

      By comparison, Sony has a Southeast Asia division and while Nintendo doesn’t, they do officially distribute their games through local company Maxsoft. This means it’s less expensive for retailers to sell PS or Switch products and it shows. Within Most local game stores here in Malaysia, you’ll see walls covered in PlayStation and Nintendo merchandise and maybe a sad stack of a few Xbox games in a corner somewhere. 

      Xbox Southeast Asia
      Gamers Hideout at i-City Mall, Malaysia, with a huge cutout advertising the Switch, but a small cutout for Xbox Series X | S giveaway.

      Lack of Online Support

      This lack of Southeast Asia support also applies to The Xbox Gamepass Subscription Service. If you want Gamepass, you have to have a credit card from a foreign country which many local gamers won’t have or won’t’ see the effort in getting. Considering that Gamepass is currently the Xbox’s biggest selling point, without it there is little incentive for people to turn to the console. Even if people want to play games on PC, which Gamepass is available on, they’re more likely to game over on Steam. 

      The Xbox’s Online in general has a problem with payment gateways. The rules and regulations for purchasing online goods differ between each country so that money can be safely transferred from the merchant to the bank. Since Xbox Live isn’t available in these areas, players can’t use their own currency, making digital goods widely unavailable.

      This lack of service also extends to publishers as well. Third-party developers often rely on the console manufacturer to provide aspects like marketing. For example, Bandai Namco Entertainment in Southeast Asia may work with Playstation to advertise the latest major release like Tales of Arise locally. Developers however get zero support from Xbox due to it technically not being sold in the region. 

      Granted, a reason for only setting up a regional division in Singapore is likely because English is an official language of the country. Microsoft may consider it not worth the return investment to release the Xbox in other SouthEast Asian countries since they speak a multitude of different languages that would take time and resources to translate. 

      Although, with the exception of Thailand, Playstation gets around this by simply releasing most of its content in English. This is because many countries in Southeast Asia like Malaysia and The Philippines have fairly large markets that speak English as a second language. They also often release games with a Chinese language option due to the high Chinese diaspora in many Southeast Asian countries. Xbox could probably do the same. 

      Culturally Different

      There are also cultural reasons as well. Southeast Asia’s gaming tastes tend to follow along with the more dominant trends in Japan and China, the big gaming powerhouses in the region. This means that popular games include JRPGs, Gacha games, and more niche anime visual novel hybrid games, a lot of which simply don’t appear on Xbox consoles in the same capacity they do on their competitors.

      Xbox Southeast Asia
      The Halo Machine

      Games more Niche Japanese publishers like Atlus, NIS, Arc System Works, and Spike Chunsoft tend to stay on the local Japanese consoles. Even bigger companies like Square Enix and Capcom while having multiplatform games, have offered up more timed exclusives to Sony or Nintendo and have even produced games for both PlayStation and Switch that have skipped the Xbox like Ace Attorney Chronicles or Neo: The World Ends with You. 

      An old nickname for the console has been ‘The Halo Machine’ which has since established the Xbox’s reputation for western FPS and action games. Now, this isn’t to say that Halo or FPS games are unpopular in Asia, they very much are, however, this perception has led to the Xbox being perceived as not having a large enough market for these more Japanese-style games and lacking in variety compared to the competition. This has always been a large problem with the Xbox’s attempts to get into the Japanese and overall Asian markets.

      Potential for change

      There are signs that things might change for the Xbox brand.  Earlier this year, Xbox Singapore changed its name to Xbox Southeast Asia. Unfortunately, an Xbox spokesperson later said that this was more to support their PC gaming business in the region than to release Xbox consoles or services.

      In more a general sense Xbox seems to be trying to throw off the ‘Halo machine’ reputation with greater attempts to court Japanese developers with deals to get series like Yakuza and Final Fantasy on to Xbox Gamepass. Microsoft even made a deal with anime distributor Funimation (who are ironically owned by Sony) to get 2 months of free premium membership for Gamepass owners.

      Not to mention, the Xbox Twitter account really likes tweeting about anime.

      Yes, we’ve been hit by anime beams. pic.twitter.com/uZizaKUve8

      — Xbox (@Xbox) September 30, 2020

      But as previously said, these are more general strategies to change general worldwide audiences’ perception of the brand, not really directed specifically at the problems of Southeast Asia.

      Xbox has a long way to go within the Southeast Asian region. Personally, I think if they put the time and resources into breaking into the market, they could find quite a lucrative audience. Many Southeast Asians really like the Netflix streaming model of only paying a small monthly fee for a wide selection of media. I could see Gamepass similarly taking off, however, this is only possible if it is available in countries outside of Singapore.

      Tags: MicrosoftSoutheast AsiaXboxXbox SEA
      ShareTweetShareSend
      Previous Post

      Monster Hunter Stories 2: Gold Rathian and Silver Rathalos Overview

      Next Post

      Tales of Luminaria announces launch date

      Alex Daud Briggs

      Alex Daud Briggs

      A gamer, movie buff and anime fan who enjoys seeking out obscure cult classics, and proceeding to find no one to to talk to about them. A big fan of JRPGs, Visuals Novels, and Nintendo games even if he has trouble affording them half of the time. Twitter: @Aleph_Daud.

      Related Posts

      MSI Evangelion PC Components Coming To Malaysia
      News

      MSI Evangelion PC Components Coming To Malaysia

      May 19, 2022
      she-hulk cgi
      News

      Marvel Fans Upset Over The Rough CGI on She-Hulk, Some Comparing Her to Shrek

      May 19, 2022
      super robot 30 expansion
      Guides

      Super Robot Wars 30 Expansion Pack Review: Getter Robo Gets OP

      May 19, 2022
      Next Post
      tales of luminaria

      Tales of Luminaria announces launch date

      Discussion about this post

      Follow us on Facebook

      Our Youtube Channel

      Our Twitter

      Tweets by GamerBraves

      GUIDES

      super robot 30 expansion

      Super Robot Wars 30 Expansion Pack Review: Getter Robo Gets OP

      by Alex Daud Briggs
      May 19, 2022
      0

      Uma Musume adds Ines Fujin: Should You Pull?

      Uma Musume adds Ines Fujin: Should You Pull?

      by Nigel C.
      May 11, 2022
      0

      Dislyte Reroll Tier List

      [Guide] Dislyte Reroll Tier List – How to Reroll and who to go for

      by Ben
      May 10, 2022
      0

      Wildberry cookie

      [ Guide ] Cookie Run Kingdom – Should You Use Wildberry Cookie

      by Alex Daud Briggs
      May 17, 2022
      0

      warcraft arclight rumble talents

      Warcraft Arclight Rumble – Monetization, Shop, Talents and Leaders

      by Alex Daud Briggs
      May 11, 2022
      0

      Slime Isekai Memories Tier List

      [ Guide ] Slime ISEKAI Memories Battle Characters Tier List (May 2022)

      by Ben
      May 5, 2022
      0

      Uma Musume adds Cheerleader Alts: Should You Pull?

      Uma Musume adds Cheerleader Alts: Should You Pull?

      by Nigel C.
      April 30, 2022
      0

      echoes of mana

      [ Guide ] Echoes of Mana Reroll Recommendations

      by Kit
      April 27, 2022
      0

      [Guide] Destroyer Phoenix Enforcer – What To Know About The Next Card Causing A Stir In Yugioh Master Duel Before It Releases

      [Guide] Destroyer Phoenix Enforcer – What To Know About The Next Card Causing A Stir In Yugioh Master Duel Before It Releases

      by W. Amirul Adlan
      April 27, 2022
      0

      vibro-crystal research

      [ Guide ] Genshin Impact: Vibro-Crystal Research Event

      by Kit
      April 26, 2022
      0

      • About GamerBraves
      • Contact Us
      • Privacy Policy

      © 2016 - 2022 Digital Braves Media Group Sdn Bhd

      No Result
      View All Result
      • News
      • Reviews
      • Interviews
      • CareerBraves
      • Media Partners
        • Wanuxi
        • Gamer Santai
        • GamerWK

      © 2016 - 2022 Digital Braves Media Group Sdn Bhd