Microsoft Xbox Japanese release shelved until 2002, U.S. release remains Nov. 8

by Alan Sheckter, Smart TV & Sound news editor

Microsoft announced August 27 that it is delaying the Japanese rollout of its highly anticipated Xbox video game console. The company said, however, that it remains on-track to release between 600,000 and 800,000 consoles in North America, Nov. 8.

Aside from serving as a game machine, Xbox, like its competitors, offers other high-tech features. The company says Xbox will have an Intel 733MHz processor, an 8GB hard drive, four USB ports and built-in Ethernet networking for cable, DSL or broadband connections.

While a company spokesman said that Microsoft wanted to focus all its attention and resources on the U.S., one analyst called the Japanese delay a black eye for Microsoft, and another said that the software giant was trying to counter criticism that Japanese software developers’ support for Xbox was lukewarm.

Still, as they declared the delay, Microsoft also announced that Namco, a Japanese game developing company, agreed to create four new Xbox-compatible games. So, when they release Xbox in Japan, now set for Feb. 22, 2002, new games may add to Xbox excitement and marketability.

In the U.S., expect an onslaught of Xbox promotions and advertising, courtesy a $500 million marketing budget, in the next several months.

Microsoft’s announcement comes a few days after Nintendo stated that it was pushing back the U.S. release date of the GameCube, from Nov. 5 to Nov. 18.