Microsoft's 360 loungin' in Japan

TOKYO--Two weeks ago, GameSpot reported that Microsoft is constructing a building on Omotesando Road, a premium location only minutes away from the popular fashion district of Harajuku and the high-class boutiques in Aoyama. Draped by a huge Xbox 360 logo, the $410,000 construction site gave no indication of the building's purpose, other than that it would somehow be associated with the 360. That spurred questions among Xbox fans in Japan, who wondered whether the structure would be used as some kind of an office or an expensive Xbox 360 store.

As it turns out, the building will be used by Microsoft to show off its upcoming Xbox 360. During the company's press conference at the Tokyo Game Show, Microsoft Japan's general manager of the Xbox division, Yoshihiro Maruyama, revealed that the building will be called the Xbox 360 Lounge, and it will function as a showroom for the next-generation console and its games.

"We will begin promoting the Xbox 360 on TV, newspapers, and magazines. We also plan on promotions that integrate various forms of entertainment, such as sports, fashion, arts, and music. And as a symbol to our promotions, we will open an Xbox 360 Lounge, where people can experience the high-definition entertainment that will be offered by the Xbox 360," Maruyama said.

He went on to say that the Xbox 360 Lounge will be open in November, and it will offer gamers an up-close look at the system and its games, as well as serve as a location for various events.