Microsoft Corp. is putting efforts into attracting Japanese users for its new Xbox 360 game console, seeking to avoid the lack of appeal that dogged sales of the earlier version of the machine in the world's second-largest game market.

The world's largest software maker revealed on Monday 45 game titles to be available for Japanese users of the new console, scheduled to go on sale in time for the year-end holiday shopping season before market leader Sony's planned launch of its new PlayStation 3 early in 2006. A shortage of games to draw Japan's discerning and sophisticated users was the main reason behind the lack of success of the current generation Xbox.

News source: Reuters

Note: This is a Beta release . Therefore, do not install these builds on machines you depend on. If you have a previous version of Avalon, Indigo, or .NET Framework 2.0 installed you must read this (http://lab.msdn.microsoft.com/vs2005/uninstall/) before download.

Indigo is the codename for Microsoft’s unified programming model for building connected systems. It extends the .NET Framework 2.0 with additional APIs for building secure, reliable, transacted Web services that interoperate with non-Microsoft platforms and integrate with existing investments. By combining the functionality of existing Microsoft distributed application technologies (ASMX, .NET Remoting, .NET Enterprise Services, Web Services Enhancements, and System.Messaging), Indigo delivers a single development framework that improves developer productivity and reduces organizations’ time to market.

Avalon is the code name for Microsoft's unified presentation subsystem for Windows. It consists of a display engine and a managed-code framework. Avalon unifies how Windows creates, displays, and manipulates documents, media, and user interface. This enables developers and designers to create visually-stunning, differentiated user experiences that improve customer connection. When delivered, Avalon will become Microsoft's strategic user interface (UI) technology.

This Beta1 "RC" release supports Visual Studio 2005 Beta2 and the .NET Framework 2.0 beta 2. There is also an updated WinFX SDK, including documentation, samples and tools available for this release.

IMPORTANT: Installing the Avalon and Indigo Beta1 "RC"(ISO)
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Accessing the ISO File
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There are 10 additional comments
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(1 reply) Quote this comment Reply to this comment #1 Posted by terryb on 25 Jul 2005 - 15:04
xbox had alot of good games

so thats not the reason why it flopped big time in japan
Quote this comment #1.1 Posted by coolchan on 25 Jul 2005 - 15:34
I think there are too few Japanese games.
Quote this comment Reply to this comment #2 Posted by Munna2002 on 25 Jul 2005 - 15:11
Not really...Japan tends to play more RPG and strategy oriented games. XBox is geared towards more racing and action games.
(1 reply) Quote this comment Reply to this comment #3 Posted by TruBD on 25 Jul 2005 - 15:33
when is the xbox360 expected to go on sale anyway?
Quote this comment #3.1 Posted by robpears on 25 Jul 2005 - 17:26
November i think
Quote this comment Reply to this comment #4 Posted by Cailin on 25 Jul 2005 - 15:44
I totally disagree with this... the reason that no one in Japan bought an Xbox was because everybody owned a PlayStation 2 and there were simply better games there. Good luck getting people over to the 360 though, that problem with the disc drives in the Japanese consoles was a pretty bad hit for Microsoft.
Quote this comment Reply to this comment #5 Posted by quick on 25 Jul 2005 - 18:40
Best thing for them is to make the release date in Japan, if they release far ahead of PS3. (Dunno if MS has recinded the "may miss release date in Japan" deal or not)
Quote this comment Reply to this comment #6 Posted by CrisCr0ss on 25 Jul 2005 - 18:40
actually the main reason ppl bought a ps2 was because the mod chip was released so quickly and people were able to play free ps2 games.

Maybe out of 300 million japanese 3million actually buy the games..

its free everything over there they just buy the hardware.
Quote this comment Reply to this comment #7 Posted by yert* on 25 Jul 2005 - 20:57
The reason people bought the ps2 in Japan was because it was the cheapest dvd player at the time and also played games.

Last edited by 49304 on 25 Jul 2005 - 21:13
Quote this comment Reply to this comment #8 Posted by jpcahn on 26 Jul 2005 - 06:41
Sony just released numbers that they sold 8 games for very PS2 sold in Japan. That hurts the theory that people bought it for illegal games and that they bought it just for a dvd player. In the US the number is 10 per PS2. Lets not forget that also counts all the broken PS2s that were replaced and people who upgraded to the new slim model as well.
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