Xbox 360 Shortages Announced For Japan, Homeless Retailers Rejoice
02.28.06 - This week, Peter Moore announced that there will be shortages of Xbox 360s in Japan and Japanese retailers are delighted.
The constant stream of systems since release has become a sense of tension for some retailers. The lack of sales and the increase of Xbox 360s in space-conscious Japan, an epidemic has started with retailers, resorting some to abandoning their homes to find space for storage.
Jin Hiyuma, owner of FunTime ActionGame Go! Go! Go! Nippon Loves You, a video game retailer, has problems finding space for the unpopular console.
“There are just so many. I’ve become homeless. [The Xbox 360s] have driven me out of my store and home. My only shelter now has been a makeshift hut out of [Xbox 360s].”
Shin Katsuha, a store manager at McDonald's, a video game store-slash-McDonald's, is also feeling the pressure.
“It’s really hard to get rid of [Xbox 360s] we resorted to get one free with the purchase of any large drink.”
Moore stated, “I just want to make it clear that the Xbox 360 will be next to nonexistent in Japan. I think we underestimated the 'they’ll buy it' strategy that was used. I think in the next 4-6 weeks we’ll finally get a good hold of the market and we shouldn’t see anymore vagrant retailers.”