Microsoft may be boasting about great Xbox One sales, but there is at least one country where it won’t be able to claim that as according to reports Takashi Sensui, Xbox Japan head, has resigned from his post owing to weak Xbox One sales in the country.
According to a report on Famitsu [Japanese], Sensui has resigned as Xbox Head and instead will serve as General Manager for the Interactive Entertainment Business from Microsoft’s US headquarters and support Xbox Japan.
The report also claims that Yoshinami Takahashi, general manager of the Consumer and Partner Group, and Nobuyoshi Yokoi, boss of the Consumer and Partner Group Retail Business will jointly perform the role of Xbox Head Japan.
Xbox One Japan sales numbers
Xbox One hit Japanese store shelves in September this year and managed to ship 23,562 units during the first week of its launch – a good enough start. However, the console couldn’t keep the momentum going and till date has managed to ship just 38,461 units – a paltry 15,000 additional units between September 8th and now.
If we compare PlayStation 4 sales, the console sold over 322,000 units in its first two days of its launch in Japan.
Microsoft hasn’t been too vocal about Xbox One’s failure in Japan; however, an October comment from Sensui does indicate that the company hasn’t been satisfied with console’s performance in the country. “It’s not as though we’re satisfied with the current sales state,” Sensui had said at the time, while also adding that they “hoped to do their best” as far as their position in Japan is concerned.
This ‘hope for the best’ attitude does indicate that Redmond hasn’t managed to chalk out concrete plans to revive Xbox One sales in Japan, but chances are that it may do so just in time for Christmas.
