Microsoft to unveil Xbox 360 in India in pre-Diwali season

New Delhi, May 23 (UNI) With the gaming rage catching up fast in Asia and India being the next lucrative market with over 1.6 million gamers, Microsoft Entertainment and Devices Division, today announced it will be launching 'Xbox 360' gaming console in the country in the pre Diwali season.

Pre launch order for the Xbox 360 will start from June 9, when the FIFA World Cup kicks off in Germany.

''We are extremely excited about the Indian launch of Xbox and are targeting the young affluent and tech saavy consumers.

Also this launch underlines the strong commitment that we have as a company for ensuring that our customers in India have access to the latest and best-of-breed technology solutions that enhance their overall PC experience,'' Microsoft India Chairman Ravi Venkatesan told reporters here today.

The company also has made available 20 high definition games in different genres like sports, racing, strategy and action.

It plans to reach out to 8 countries by the end of 2006 including India, Brazil and Chile, targets to sell 5.5 million consoles in the global market by June 2006 and intends to reach the 6 million mark by June 2007.

''India approximately has about 1.6 million gamers and so the time of the launch of Xbox couldnt have been better. The Indian gaming community is currently at an inflection point and is poised to have exponential growth in the coming few years and the Xbox 360 will serve to be a catalyst to fuel this growth and expose Indian gamers to next generation gaming experiences'', Microsoft Entertainment and Devices Division Country Manager Mohit Anand said.

On a poser about its marketing strategies Mr Anand said,'' Xbox will be available in 1200 strong retail networks across 7 cities in the country. The game cds and products will be shipped to India from Singapore.'' The Xbox 360 is priced at Rs 19,990 and has an inaugural pre-order discount of 10 per cent and also includes a EA Sports kit consisting of two free special edition World Cup T shirts, a cap and a 2006 FIFA World Cup game cd.

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