Bloomberg] This PlayStation Veteran Is Helping Make the Xbox Relevant in Japan

[Gamernyc78]

Bloomberg - Are you a robot?

www.bloomberg.com

Kato helped build Sony Group Corp.'s console into a dominant presence in the games industry over two decades with PlayStation. Since July, she's taken on a far more daunting task: selling the Xbox to studios who swear by Sony and Nintendo Co. She's counting on her dealmaking skill, Microsoft's global reach and her own local connections to finally make the Xbox a relevant player.

"Japanese publishers will definitely need us in expanding their business," Kato said in an interview. "It would be difficult to do that just with the PlayStation."

The Xbox unit, led by Phil Spencer, has been stepping up its foray into the world's third-largest economy, with the executive in September saying players can expect top-tier Japanese titles as Xbox exclusives in the future. His company has lagged mainstays Sony and Nintendo, but Kato brings the local experience and connections that it has long coveted. The executive said she was approached by Microsoft several times before she finally agreed to join.
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Kato doesn't expect negotiations with partners to be easy and anticipates there'll be plenty of adaptation required for Microsoft to increase its relevance in Japan's games industry.

"We face a challenge and that means there are still a lot of things we can and should change," she said.

"Microsoft offers huge scalability to Japanese publishers as there's virtually no country without Windows PCs," UBS Securities analyst Kenji Fukuyama said. "When it comes to access to game fans in emerging countries, Sony and Nintendo just can't compete with Xbox."

 

[Luffy123]

LMAO this absolute hack

Was in charge of Japan Studio for years and fucked up like crazy

Microsoft PR is too funny

 

[Johnic]

lol

Xbox is dead in the U.S. let alone Japan.

 

[Gamernyc78]

You know guys I post it for the laughs

 

[AshHunter216]

That Phil comment about getting more Japanese exclusives is concerning but the argument that Japanese devs can't expand without Xbox is laughable given how poorly things sell on that platform.

 

[Bryank75]

Takashi Mochizuki article... ugh

 

[Dabaus]

Takashi Mochizuki article... ugh

Consider the source.

 

[Gods&Monsters]

That woman is a traitor. Working for a company that wants to kill the console business of both Sony and Nintendo. They will use their awful position to acquire devs and studios and take away franchises.

 

[AshHunter216]

Takashi Mochizuki article... ugh

Well, that explains A LOT with this article then, lol. Was wondering when he would pop up again to puff up Xbox and put down PlayStation.

 

[voke]

One person will step in and change EVERYTHING you'll see!

 

[AshHunter216]

Xbox diehards complain about an 'Xbox Tax' but have guys like Takashi, Paul Tassi and Tom Warren running around posting nonsense for them, lol.