| ***************************** PRESS
RELEASE: MARCH 30, 2001 ***************************** Bill
Gates Outlines Strategic Plan for Xbox in Japan Keynote
at Tokyo Game Show Reveals Major Xbox Details, Including Support From Sega and
Vision for Broadband Online Gaming on Xbox TOKYO
– March 30, 2001 – In his keynote address today at 2001 Spring Tokyo Game
Show, Microsoft Corp. Chairman and Chief Software Architect Bill Gates
revealed the company’s plans to bring the Xbox™ video game system to Japan.
During the keynote, Gates underscored Microsoft’s commitment to the Japanese
market and announced that more than 70 Japanese game companies, including Sega
Corp., have declared their support for Microsoft® Xbox. "With
Xbox, our goal is to create the future of video gaming, and our work in Japan
will play a key role in achieving that," Gates said. "We’re
extremely excited to be working with Japanese games artists on Xbox to pioneer
new dimensions of creativity in video games." Microsoft
and Sega Team Up on Xbox Gates
revealed that Microsoft and Sega have struck a long-term, strategic alliance
to bring future versions of great Sega® games to Xbox. Sega will premiere 11
of its future titles on Xbox, including "Jet Grind Radio Future(tm)"
(tentative title), the latest version of "Panzer Dragoon(tm),"
"GUNVALKYRIE(tm)" and the latest version of "Sega GT(tm)."
Sega will also explore opportunities to harness the Ethernet port and hard
disk drive inside every Xbox console to create new online game experiences. Xbox
Games Without Frontiers On
the heels of Microsoft’s announcement yesterday of a strategic alliance with
NTT Communications Corp. to build a broadband online gaming service for Japan,
Gates also outlined a vision for online video games, in which Xbox gamers can
connect to a high-speed, high-bandwidth, always-on game network. "Broadband
online video gaming is on the verge of becoming as revolutionary as 3-D gaming
was just a few years ago," Gates said. "The broadband connection in
every Xbox is the key that unlocks new worlds of play, where friends and
opponents are everywhere." Gates
discussed many scenarios for Xbox online gameplay in the future, including
these:
Boundless gaming. Xbox video game players will have the potential to instantly
connect with online gaming communities to compete in social environments.
Another scenario Gates discussed was one in which Xbox video game players will
be able to participate in episodic and dynamic games that extend their game
experiences beyond what comes on the game DVD.
Simple, fast and predictable experiences. Online video gaming will be made
easy on Xbox because of the broadband connection on the console.
Microsoft
Announces Xbox Japan Division Microsoft
today also announced details on its Xbox Japan Division in Tokyo. The division
is responsible for managing third-party relationships with Japanese games
companies, and for managing Xbox operations, marketing, research, sales and
support in Japan. The division also houses the Xbox Games Production Group,
dedicated to developing and publishing exclusive Xbox games under the
Microsoft label. Toshiyuki
Miyata, senior group manager of the Xbox Games Production Group, formerly
managed the Development Department at Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. (SCEI)
in Tokyo, where he directed the creation of Sony’s PlayStation games. During
the keynote, Miyata demonstrated his team’s latest creation, currently
code-named "Project K-X," an Xbox fighting game. New
Xbox Game Controller for Japan Unveiled In
addition, Gates showed the custom Xbox game controller, which will come with
every Xbox in Japan. Based on feedback from Japanese gamers, the controller is
slightly smaller than the North American and European controller, and the
buttons have been positioned to best accommodate the styles of gameplay
popular in Japan. The
Japanese Xbox game controller is built for maximum control and comfort. It
features an eight-way directional pad (D-pad), left and right analog sticks,
left and right shoulder triggers, six pressure-sensitive multicolored analog
buttons, dual slots for memory cards and other peripherals, and a built-in
"rumble" feature to increase gaming realism. The controller also
features a cord more than 9.5 feet long to give gamers the freedom to sit
nearly anywhere they want during gameplay. About
Xbox Xbox
(http://www.xbox.com/) is Microsoft’s future-generation video game system that
delivers new and unforeseen gameplay experiences. With more than three times
the graphics performance of the newest generation of game systems, Xbox
unleashes game designers’ creativity to produce games that are challenging,
exhilarating, surprising and fun. About
Sega Corp. Sega
Corp. is a nearly $2.5 billion company recognized as the industry leader in
interactive digital entertainment media, offering interactive entertainment
experiences both inside and outside the home. Sega’s World Wide Web site is
located at http://www.sega.co.jp/. About
Sega of America Sega
of America is the American arm of Tokyo-based Sega Corp., and is responsible
for the development, marketing and distribution of Sega video game systems and
video games in the Americas. Sega of America’s World Wide Web site is located
at http://www.sega.com/. About
Microsoft Founded
in 1975, Microsoft (Nasdaq "MSFT") is the worldwide leader in
software, services and Internet technologies for personal and business
computing. The company offers a wide range of products and services designed
to empower people through great software – any time, any place and on any
device. ######### The
information contained in this document relates to prerelease products that may
be substantially modified before their first commercial release. Accordingly,
the information may not accurately describe or reflect the products when first
commercially released. This document is provided for informational purposes
only, and Microsoft makes no warranties, express or implied, with respect to
this document or the information contained in it. Microsoft
and Xbox are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Microsoft Corp. in
the United States and/or other countries. The
names of actual companies and products mentioned herein may be the trademarks
of their respective owners. a
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