"Whenever Sony launches, I'm ready" - Bach

Microsoft's chief Xbox officer Robbie Bach has thrown down the gauntlet to rival platform holder Sony, telling GamesIndustry.biz that the firm is ready for Sony to say "which market, what date" for the launch of PlayStation 3.

Speaking at the X05 event in Amsterdam this week, Bach said that Sony's vagueness about its plans for PlayStation 3 meant that Microsoft couldn't say for sure what size of lead it wanted to have in the market by the time the rival system arrives.

"Instead, really what I say is, whenever they launch, I'm ready," the bullish Microsoft executive commented. "They should just tell me which market, what date, and I'm happy to be there - and we'll already be in that market, it turns out."

Bach also reiterated Microsoft's claim that Xbox 360 is just as powerful as the PlayStation 3, which will launch at least six months after the arrival of the Microsoft next-generation system.

"I think the reality will be that a game on Xbox 360 and a game on PS3, that's cross-platform, the power that they're going to get from the PS3 and the power that they're going to get from the Xbox 360 are going to be about the same," he said.

"You know, we've done the math. We have silicon engineers too. We've done the math on their specs and our specs and we think they're about the same."

You can read all of Bach's comments on the competition with Sony and the firm's plans for this Christmas in Europe in the first half of our interview with the Xbox boss - and be sure to check back tomorrow for the fascinating second half!