Microsoft announces Xbox Live plans in Japan

TOKYO - On Tuesday, Microsoft announced its network service Xbox Live for the Japanese territory. The starter kit will be priced at 6,800 yen ($55), and it will include the Xbox Voice Communicator and a one-year subscription to the service. Additionally, Sonic Team's online RPG Phantasy Star Online will be bundled with the kit.

The company also announced that there will be 47 titles for the Xbox Live service from 39 third-party software developers in that territory. The titles announced include Atlus' Shin Megami Tensei: Nine, Wow Entertainment's Sega GT 2002 Online, Amusement Vision's Spike Out X-treme, Sonic Team's Phantasy Star Online, and From Software's Gaia Blade Online and Thousand Land.

Other Xbox titles, such as Koei's Crimson Sea, Tecmo's Ninja Gaiden and Dead or Alive Xtreme Beach Volleyball, were shown for the first time in Japan. Though most of the footage was shown at the recent E3, some new scenes were shown from Ninja Gaiden that depicted Ryu Hayabusa running on walls. Capcom also showed Dino Crisis 3 for the first time. The third installment in the series, which will be released on the Xbox, takes place inside a spacecraft. As players progress through the game, the spacecraft will undergo transformations and separations that will change the field map. The main character will also be equipped with power-ups that aid players by attacking targets on sight.

No official launch date for Xbox Live was announced, though an open beta test is scheduled to commence sometime this summer in Japan.