X05 Confirmed

London, 15th July 2005 - Microsoft confirmed that X05, the Xbox^® brand experience for the games and entertainment industry, will be held on the 4th and 5th October this year. The event will offer industry leaders and influencers around the world the chance to fully experience Xbox 360 and will mark the beginning of the next generation of gaming in Europe. Set and hosted in Europe, the event will welcome international attendees.

X05 will be held at a secret location in Europe and will see the world's top retailers, media, partners, publishers and developers immersed in a two-day experience where Microsoft will unveil more detailed plans for the new Xbox 360^TM system that puts players at the centre of the most powerful next-generation games and entertainment experiences

Previous X0 events have been the setting for high-profile announcements such as pricing details for Xbox (2001), Xbox^® Live^TM and the acquisition of Rare (2002), and a partnership with Epic Games and the unveil of the new Xbox branding (2003). They are also an important platform for third party publishers and developers to unveil major announcements and showcase forthcoming titles. Electronic Arts, Tecmo, Epic Games, and Ubisoft have all previously shared the stage with Microsoft spokespeople to announce exclusive titles.

Guests have been entertained by renowned acts such as Carl Cox, Groove Armada and Massive Attack, in stunning locations - X01 was memorably held in Pierre Cardin's Bubble House in Cannes, La Isla Magica (Seville) was the theme-park location of X02, and X03 hosted guests at an exclusive beach club location in Juan-les-Pins.

A highlight of the gaming calendar, Xbox enjoys this opportunity to bring together influencers across the world to create a unique and immersive experience for their guests. Commenting on the announcement, Chris Lewis, regional vice president, Xbox, Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA)and host, said: "We are very excited about X05 and believe this will prove to be a real highlight in the gaming calendar this year. We have a lot to say and even more to show people. Believe me, after X05 there will be no question that Xbox 360 is the next-generation".

Xbox will be sending out more communication and invitations over the next few weeks.

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About Xbox 360

Xbox 360 is the future-generation video game and entertainment system that places gamers at the center of the experience. Available this holiday season in North America, Europe and Japan, Xbox 360 will ignite a new era of digital entertainment that is always connected, always personalized and always in high definition.

About Xbox

Xbox (http://www.xbox.com) is the video game system from Microsoft that brings people together for the most exhilarating game and entertainment experiences. Xbox delivers an expansive collection of breakthrough games, powerful hardware and the unified Xbox Live online service. The tag line, "It's good to play together," captures the spirit of Xbox as the social hub of the new digital entertainment lifestyle. Xbox is now available in the UK for an estimated street price of £99.99.

About Xbox Live

Now in its third generation of transforming and uniting Xbox game communities, with more than 300 games planned by end of holiday 2005 and now with presence in 24 countries worldwide, Xbox Live has set the bar for online games entertainment. As the first global, unified online console games service, Xbox Live continues to take online gameplay and entertainment to unprecedented heights. With a rapidly growing global community, Xbox Live offers best-in-class games, intelligent matchmaking, tournaments, unique programming and integration with Xbox.com - there is simply nothing else like it. The service continues to provide more and more ways for members to meet, interact and stay engaged with each other.

About Microsoft

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For more information, please contact:

Marie-Claire Suter

UK PR Manager - Xbox & PC Games

Tel: +44 (0) 118 909 4599

Email: i-maries@microsoft.com