Microsoft Announces Xbox 360 Day One European Launch Line-Up

London - 14 Nov, 2005 - Welcome to the next generation of gaming. Microsoft today announced that 15 Xbox 360 games, spanning all the popular genres, and 13 Xbox 360 accessories will be available when the system launches in Europe on 2 December. Exclusive games Project Gotham Racing^® 3 (Bizarre Creations-Rare Ltd.); Perfect Dark Zero^TM (MGS-Rare Ltd.), FIFA 06: Road to FIFA World Cup (Electronic Arts), key franchises like Need for Speed: Most Wanted (EA), Tiger Woods PGA TOUR 06 (EA) and games for a broad audience like Kameo: Elements of Power^TM (MGS-Rare Ltd.), Peter Jackson's King Kong: The Official Game of the Movie (Ubisoft) and Amped 3 (2K Sports) contribute to the broadest and deepest retail launch line-up in console history.

The following Xbox 360 games will be available in European retail stores on or before the console launch on 2 December:

• Amped 3 (2K Sports)

• Call of Duty 2 (Activision)

• Condemned: Criminal Origins (SEGA)

• FIFA 06: Road to FIFA World Cup (Electronic Arts)

• GUN (Activision)

• Kameo: Elements of Power (Microsoft Game Studios)

• Perfect Dark Zero (Microsoft Game Studios)

• Peter Jackson's King Kong: The Official Game of the Movie(Ubisoft)

• Madden NFL 06 (Electronic Arts)

• NBA Live 06 (Electronic Arts)

• Need for Speed: Most Wanted (Electronic Arts)

• Project Gotham Racing 3 (Microsoft Game Studios)

• Quake 4 (Activision, id software and Raven Software Corp.)

• Tiger Woods PGA TOUR 06(Electronic Arts)

• Tony Hawk's American Wasteland (Activision)

The powerful pipeline of spectacular Xbox 360 games - all optimised for high-definition game play - doesn't stop at launch. Great games such as Dead or Alive 4 (Tecmo/MGS), The Elder Scrolls: Oblivion (Bethesda), and Ridge Racer 6 (Namco) will light up store shelves in the weeks after launch and beyond.

"The next generation of gaming begins on 2 December in Europe, and there has never been a more exciting time to be a gamer." said Chris Lewis, regional vice president, EMEA, Home and Entertainment Division, Microsoft. "Xbox 360 will deliver mind-blowing experiences across multiple genres, no matter what your personal gaming preferences are. We're excited to be able to confirm this diverse games line-up for day one, but it's only the beginning. Gamers everywhere will be overwhelmed with the pipeline of amazing Xbox 360 games yet to come."

Xbox 360 Accessories

Allowing gamers to customise and enhance the Xbox 360 experience, 13 Xbox 360 Accessories will be available on launch day:

• Xbox 360 Hard Drive (20 GB)

• Xbox 360 Memory Unit (64 MB)

• Xbox 360 Faceplate

• Xbox 360 Wireless Controller

• Xbox 360 Controller

• Xbox 360 Play & Charge Kit

• Xbox 360 Rechargeable Battery Pack

• Xbox 360 Wireless Networking Adapter

• Xbox 360 Headset

• Xbox 360 Universal Media Remote

• Xbox 360 Component HD AV Cable

• Xbox 360 Advanced AV Cable

• Xbox 360 VGA HD AV Cable

Xbox Live Arcade Launch Line-up

Adding to the already tremendous line up of launch day titles, Xbox Live Arcade for Xbox 360 will offer between 12-15 bite-sized game titles on day one. With Xbox Live Arcade, casual and hardcore gamers alike will find a wide variety of game genres for download, spanning action arcade titles such as Geometry Wars Retro Evolved (Bizarre Creations) and Mutant Storm Reloaded (PomPom Games), coin-op and retro classics such as Xbox Live multiplayer-enabled Joust (Midway Home Entertainment) and Gauntlet (Midway Home Entertainment), puzzle games such as Hexic^® HD (MGS) and Bejeweled 2 (Popcap Games), casual sports games such as Bankshot Billiards 2^TM (pixelStorm Inc.), light strategy titles such as Outpost Kaloki (Wahoo Studios), and card and board games such as Hardwood Backgammon )Silver Creek Entertainment) and Hardwood Hearts (Silver Creek Entertainment). Each Xbox Live Arcade game includes a free downloadable trial version so game players can try before they buy.

Xbox Live Retail Offerings

With nearly three quarters of all Xbox 360 launch games Xbox Live multiplayer enabled, there's never been a better time to get connected. And three Xbox Live retail offerings will hit stores from 2nd December, providing an easy way for gamers to jump right in to the action - no credit card required. Gamers can purchase a twelve-month membership card for ERP £39.99, a three month membership card for ERP £14.99, or a Marketplace Points Card for ERP £17.50, providing flexible options for whatever suits a gamer best.

About Xbox and Xbox 360

Microsoft revolutionized the gaming industry with the November 2001 launch of Xbox (http://www.xbox.com), its first-generation video games and entertainment system, now sold in 26 countries around the world. This holiday season Microsoft debuts its next-generation system, Xbox 360, in Europe, Japan and North America, to be followed by availability in Australia, Colombia, Hong Kong, Korea, Mexico, New Zealand, Singapore and Taiwan in 2006. Xbox 360 is the most powerful video game and entertainment system, delivering the best games, the next generation of the premier Xbox Live online gaming service, and unique digital entertainment experiences that revolve around you.

About Microsoft

Founded in 1975, Microsoft (Nasdaq "MSFT") is the worldwide leader in software, services and solutions that help people and businesses realize their full potential.