Microsoft Xbox 360 debuts in Japanese market

Microsoft Xbox 360 debuts in Japanese market

World’s largest software maker Microsoft has finally launched their next generation gaming console Xbox 360 in the Sony’s home market of Japan. Xbox 360 debuted in Japan today and would be taking on the upcoming Sony Playstation 3 gaming console expected to be launched in a couple of months.

The console has already been launched in the home market of Microsoft USA and Europe. And the next launches would come in some other markets of Asia. Microsoft aims to cover all their world markets within a period of six months and expects to benefit from the early bird advantage as it aims to beat Sony in becoming the largest player in the videogame console market.

Microsoft would have more competition in the coming months from Nintendo, which are due to launch their innovative Nintendo Revolution gaming console. Both Nintendo and Sony managed to dominate the Microsoft till now as the original Xbox failed to make a dent in their sales. The company is hoping that the Japanese gamers would will take to its Xbox Live online game service that enables players to chat, compete, and try game demos and shop.

Interestingly, Microsoft is only selling the premium version of their Xbox 360 console here in Japan, which comes with an external hard drive along with some more devices to make it a complete entertainment machine. Japanese customers are said to be more interested in the fully featured products rather than a budget buy and the premium Xbox 360 is designed to be just that.

Microsoft has priced their Xbox 360 at 37,900 yen for the Japanese customers and plans to do better than what they managed to achieved with the original Xbox, which sold just around 500,000 units.