http://xbox360.ign.com/articles/651/651026p1.htmlTGS 2005: Xbox 360 Launch Date
The information you've been waiting for.
by Douglass C. Perry
September 14, 2005 - Microsoft stormed into Tokyo, Japan this week rearing to kick off the Japanese cornerstone of the Xbox 360 launch. The company that Gates built revealed the last significant piece of launch news by announcing Xbox 360 will hit retail store shelves Tuesday, November 22 in North America, Friday, December 2 in Europe, and Saturday, December 10 in Japan.
While X360 launches globally this holiday in North America, Europe, and Japan, the launch unfortunately doesn't include all world territories. In calendar year 2006, X360 will launch in Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, Hong Kong, Korea, Taiwan, Mexico and Colombia. Microsoft would not clarify what quarter, month, or date "calender year '06" was.
This announcement marks the first time a console manufacturer is crazy enough to try and launch a console in three territories in the same time period. Crazy though it may be, using Germany as its platform to announce the pricing tiers, and now Japan to announce launch dates, Microsoft today has shown us it truly intends to go global with its marketing and its games.
Microsoft also unveiled that global Xbox 360 manufacturing is under way, with several manufacturing facilities producing 360 units in all parts of the world. Microsoft did not say how many units it expects to ship this fall season, but analysts have speculated that North American sales could reach 1.5 to 2 million units sold-through.
"This holiday season, gamers in Japan, Europe and North America pining to experience jaw-dropping high-definition graphics, unmatched online play and compelling digital entertainment features of Xbox 360 will finally have the chance," said Robbie Bach, chief Xbox officer for Microsoft. "Renowned development studios around the world are busy putting the finishing touches on their Xbox 360 games. We expect a strong portfolio of titles on launch day and through the holidays that will appeal to fans of every genre and gamers in every region, and with more than 200 games currently in development, continuous new additions to the library are on the way."
Unlike its first console, in which Japanese developers ran away screaming from the big, serious aggressive Microsoft and its lack of understanding for the rather inbred gaming world, for Xbox 360, Microsoft has gathered more than 40 publishers from the Japanese community. These include Bandai Co. Ltd., Capcom Co. Ltd., Koei Co. Ltd., Konami Corp., Namco Ltd., Sega Corp., Square Enix Co. Ltd. and Tecmo Ltd. These companies will deliver games such as Dead or Alive 4, Ridge Racer 6, NINETY-NINE NIGHTS Dead Rising and FINAL FANTASY XI.
The 2005 Tokyo Game Show marks the first time that consumers will be able to experience the power of Xbox 360 firsthand. Key titles to appear on display at the Xbox 360 booth:
Bomberman Act Zero (Hudson Soft Co. Ltd.)
Call of Duty 2 (Activision Inc.)
CHROMEHOUNDS (Sega)
Dead Rising (Capcom)
Dynasty Warriors 5 Special (Koei Co. Ltd.)
(eM)-eNCHANT-arM (FromSoftware Inc.)
Everyparty (Microsoft Game Studios)
Far East of Eden Ziria (Hudson Soft)
FINAL FANTASY XI (Square Enix Co. Ltd.)
Frame City Killer (Namco)
Gears of War (Microsoft Game Studios)
Kameo: Elements of Power (Microsoft Game Studios)
Mobile Suit Gundam (tentative title) (Bandai Co. Ltd.)
Need for Speed Most Wanted (Electronic Arts)
NINETY-NINE NIGHTS (Microsoft Game Studios)
The Outfit (THQ)
Project Gotham Racing 3 (Microsoft Game Studios)
Resident Evil 5 (Capcom)
Ridge Racer 6 (Namco)
Rumble Roses XX (tentative title) (Konami)
Saint's Row (THQ)
Shutoku Battle (tentative title) (Genki Co. Ltd.)
Sonic the Hedgehog (Sega)
Test Drive Unlimited (Atari Inc.)
Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter (Ubisoft Entertainment)
World Air Force (tentative title) (Taito Corp.)
Wrestle Kingdom (Yuke's Co. Ltd.)
Microsoft also announced Japanese pricing of Xbox 360 at 37,900 yen. This package includes 20GB detachable Xbox 360 Hard Drive, an Xbox 360 wireless controller, an Xbox 360 media remote control, an Xbox 360 headset, a component HD-AV Cable, an Ethernet cable, and batteries.
