Xbox 360 to get the HD treatment for Christmas

 

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By Simon Aughton

Posted on 21 Sep 2006 at 13:03

Microsoft has announced that next month it will release an HD DVD player for its Xbox 360 games console in Japan.

It will be accompanied by the release of a software update that will enable all Xbox 360 consoles to play games and movies in high-definition 1080p resolution on compatible TVs.

'Xbox 360 and the HD DVD Player together deliver the most powerful and affordable games and movie system for Japanese consumers,' said Peter Moore, corporate vice president of the Interactive Entertainment Business in the Entertainment and Devices Division at Microsoft. 'The freedom to choose their entertainment experiences is extremely important for consumers as they enter the next generation.'

Microsoft will also release more than 100 high-definition games before Christmas, including the 'highly anticipated' epic RPG Blue Dragon. It expects to have around 160 high-definition games by the end of 2006.

'The key to winning the hearts and minds of the Japanese market is great games, and this great line-up demonstrates that Xbox 360 has those games in spades,' Moore said. 'Our line-up of role-playing games from the acknowledged masters of the genre is proof positive that there has never been a better time for Japanese gamers to jump in and pick up an Xbox 360 system.'

The Xbox 360 HD DVD Player will sell for around 19,800 (approximately £89). The company did not say when it will be available outside Japan.