U.S. Game Makers Target Japanese Market

The Japanese game market is the second largest after the U.S.

U.S. game makers, and probably every other game designer, want to make inroads in the Japanese market.

Electronic Arts Inc. has developed a new version of Sims life simulation game series and it will be released in Japan for Nintendo Co.'s Wii Console and DS hand-held.

Characters are Japanese-anime-style instead of realistic characters.

EA is the global leader in game software…but…sales in Japan are less than 10% of its total.  EA ranks 11th in terms of

number of titles sold in Japan.

Microsoft Corp is teaming up with Namco Bandai Games Inc and bundling its Xbox 360 console with Trusty Bell, another role playing game. Microsoft has also asked the creator of Final Fantasy games to develop its Lost Odyssey for Japan.

Japanese game makers will release for Xbox 360 the same game titles that were developed for Sony's PS3.

It seems to me that EA is on the best track…at least for now. Nintendo is having a hard time doing anything wrong.