Size, we are told is not everything, but when you are selling things to Japanese who live in tiny apartments, keeping the size down counts a lot towards success.
That seemed to be the message from hundreds of hardcore Japan-ese gamers who had their first chance to put long-awaited Microsoft Corp's Xbox through its paces over the weekend at the Tokyo Game Show 2001 before it goes on sale here next February.
PHOTO: AFP
Many of those of the estimated 150,000 visitors over the three day event which ended yesterday who queued up to try out the new video console gave it high marks for graphics and its feel, while voicing reservations over its large size and the complexity of the controls.
"The machine is a little big, so I have nowhere to put it," said Yuzuru Hosono, 22, who is typical of the core market for computer games -- young urban males living alone in a single room or with a small bedroom in the family home.
The Xbox is the largest of the latest high-tech home gaming systems, about 30cm wide, 30cm deep and 10cm high.
Arch rival Sony Corp's PlayStation 2 is about two-thirds the size, and can be stood on one end, while Nintendo Co's recently released GameCube is less than half as bulky as the Xbox.
Midori Takahashi, PR specialist with Microsoft's Xbox division, said the size of the machine was unavoidable, given the hard disk and broadband adaptor contained inside, something the other companies are selling as options.
Just like PlayStation 2, the Xbox controller has two joysticks and a direction pad, but has six action buttons on top of the controller, while PlayStation 2 only has four.
"I couldn't tell which button to use for what," said Yusuke Tomaru, 21, as he finished ushering a mouse character around a giant house in the game "Nezmix."
"This controller is more difficult to use than the PlayStation 2," he said.
Soichiro Yamamoto, 14, said the placement of the buttons threw him off, but he still enjoyed the sword-slashing game, "Genma Onimusha."
"It's just good to see that there are a lot of new systems coming out," he said.
One gamer said he was happy to see unique games being built for the Xbox and that had convinced him to buy the machine.
"I've always wanted to drive off the road in the middle of a town in a game, but until now, I wasn't able to," said Junya Matsumoto, 24, after smashing through a cityscape in the Xbox game "Double S.T.E.A.L."
"Even if it's more expensive [than PlayStation 2] I'm definitely going to buy it," said Matsumoto, who already owns a Sega Dreamcast and PS 2 consoles.
The Xbox is to retail in the US at its debut on Nov. 15 for US$299.99, the same price as PlayStation 2. The price in Japan will likely be announced before the end of the year, said spokesman Takahashi.
PlayStation 2 -- which, like the Xbox can play DVD movies -- retails for ?35,000(US$290) in Japan, while the GameCube, without DVD capability, sells for ?25,000.
But, among those interviewed, just as important as the system itself were the games that would be developed.
"I'll see how it goes before buying it right away," said Sakae Sato, 32. "I'll see how many software titles come out before I decide."
Microsoft displayed seven Xbox games at the show, and expects to have 12 to 20 ready by next February.
Two titles for GameCube were released along with its Japan launch on Sept. 14, with 11 expected before year-end, while Sony's PlayStation 2 has some 295 titles in Japan and North America.
On Friday, Hirohisa Oura, the managing director of Microsoft Japan said that the firm's foray into gaming was the biggest challenge for Microsoft in the 21st century, but it was confident of success in Japan's highly competitive market.
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