Microsoft Points 'damaging' for Japanese XBLA devs

January 24th, 2013, 21:56 Posted By: wraggster

Studios losing out due to Microsoft paying out revenues based on US dollar instead of the Yen

Japanese developers are losing out on XBLA revenue due to the Microsoft Points conversion rates policy, the president of arcade shooter studio G-Rev has claimed.
Taking to Twitter, as translated by XBLAFans, Hiroyuki Maruyama said that the strong yen and weak dollar was proving a problem for developers in Japan as XBLA and DLC were regarded as export products.

“A strong yen and a weak dollar is very damaging to us because XBLA and DLC are ‘export products,’” he said.
“That’s why Japanese developers avoid making games for Xbox 360. When we released Strania on XBLA, the rate was 80 yen per dollar. If Japanese people buy our game in MSP, we receive in dollars!”
At the time of making the statement, the 80 yen was worth roughly one dollar (Although this has gone up to approximately 89.5 yen per dollar at the time of writing). This meant that while 1,600 Microsoft Points would be worth $19.99 in the US, it would cost Japanese consumers just under $25 when converted.

http://www.develop-online.net/news/4...nese-XBLA-devs

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