Microsoft Corp. is looking to several anticipated titles, its online gaming service and a new video chat application to propel sales of its Xbox console in Japan during the year-end shopping season. The Xbox has done poorly since its launch here, ranking a distant third in sales to Sony Computer Entertainment Inc."s PlayStation 2 and Nintendo Co. Ltd."s GameCube. But that hasn"t reduced Microsoft"s commitment to the Japanese market, Peter Moore, a Microsoft corporate vice president, said during a presentation at the show Friday.
"We know the success (the console has achieved outside Japan) has yet to be replicated in Japan, but you should know that Japan is a major part of our strategy," he said. "We are committed to Japan, to the Japanese development community, to the Japanese publishing community and most all to Japanese gamers."