Xbox Live to expand in Asia

As first reported by Reuters, Microsoft has today announced that it plans to launch its Xbox Live online gaming service in Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Singapore in April. Microsoft claims to have sold more than 1.3 million Xbox consoles in the Asia-Pacific region to date, and today's announcement follows the October 30 launch of Xbox Live in South Korea, where around 6,500 players currently subscribe to the service.

"People can utilize their broadband connection at home, which is really a huge advantage for Asia, given that the penetration of broadband in homes throughout Asia is leading the world," said Alan Bowman, general manager of Microsoft's Xbox business in Asia.

Microsoft is actively encouraging developers in Taiwan and Korea to produce Xbox games that cater to the Asian market and claims to have projects under way with no fewer than 30 different developers there. Subscription prices for the Xbox Live service in Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Singapore are expected to be announced nearer launch.