Microsoft boss: Japan is "a very kind of soulful place" for games

Japan is an important territory to gaming, according to Microsoft Game Studios vice president Phil Spencer, and that's why the platform holder keeps trying to make inroads.

"People ask why are we going to TGS. Obviously, Japan we've announced isn't one of our launch territories," Spencer said in a new podcast with Major Nelson, as transcribed by Gamespot.

"When I think about Japan and the history in video games, whether it's just games that I grew up playing or even looking today games that are so important to our industry, I think going to Tokyo, going to TGS, meeting with the developers there, seeing what the gamers are playing, seeing what the creators are making, I think it's just a very kind of soulful place for video games and something that's important for us to always stay in touch with, and going to TGS and seeing the excitement for new things and old things and the rebirth of things is just great."

Spancer said Microsoft is hoping to connect with independent developers at TGS, too, given the newly-launched ID@Xbox service.

Microsoft has traditionally had a difficult time gaining a foothold in Japan, where the Xbox 360 took a distant back seat to the PS3. The Tokyo Game Show runs September 19 through 22 in Chiba.

Thanks, Dragon246.