Important question

[chunkypuff31]

Is it possible to transfer an American XBL account onto a Japanese Xbox? With the upcoming release of Force, I'm thinking I might need to get a Japanese system if it isn't released stateside.

[MentholMoose]

I want to know, too.

[wraith88]

Wow red! Like what you've done with the place MM!
I was able to migrate my American gamertag to a PAL-region console I got here in Europe and it worked just fine…until I got hit with the RROD. Again. I took it as a sign the universe wanted me to concentrate on med school…

But to answer the question specifically:
http://www.xbox360achievements.org/foru ... p?t=146292

Post #11 confirms you can use your American gamertag on a Japanese console. Later posts also confirm if you make up a Japanese gamertag on the same console and get Japanese downloadable content, your American gamertag can also access this content.

[DeepInTheHops]

I thought I'd add this:

Guide to owning a Japanese 360 from Shmups Forum.

Skimming over that, I wonder about DLC. If VOF doesn't come to the US and you have to import it, the DLC (if there is any) will probably be unavailable from the US marketplace. I'd be pissed if they made some of the VRs downloadable... but if it's a full price retail release, I'd hope not.

[MentholMoose]

Thanks for the links! I'm still on the fence about whether or not to go through with this. As seen by my GamerCard (see sig), I have nothing beyond VOOT invested in my US 360, and apparently I could transfer that to a JP 360. Also, the net cost of switching wouldn't be that high since I could sell my US 360 for a decent price (it's mint, the disk drive has never been used, and I even have the box), and I could reuse all my peripherals (basically just the HDD and headset, oh and Twin Sticks).

But, I am not sure if I would even play VO Force if there is no US release. It would be like VOOT was in US arcades... a few hard core players, and almost nobody else, which is bad enough for a 1v1 fighter, but exceptionally bad for a team game. Yeah there will be a ton of Japanese players, but teaming up with a Japanese player will be impossible other than with some random team mode, if such a thing was implemented, and people actually used it, and it didn't suck.