Xbox One Out Now In Japan

Nine months after the Xbox One launched in the United States and Europe, the console is now available in another major region: Japan. In launching the Xbox One in Japan, Microsoft's console becomes the last of the new machines from "The Big Three" to come to the region, following the Wii U's release in December 2012 and the PlayStation 4's launch in February.

The Xbox One is available either with Kinect for ¥49,980 (approximately $480) or without Kinect for ¥39,980 (approximately $380), which is the same as the PS4 Japanese launch price.

"Japan has a rich games history and we’re thrilled to bring all that Xbox One has to offer to our fans in-market. We're committed to making Xbox One the best place to play the biggest exclusives and blockbusters of this generation including Forza Motorsport 5, Dead Rising 3, Ryse: Son of Rome, Titanfall, FIFA 14, Sunset Overdrive, Forza Horizon 2, Halo: The Master Chief Collection with access to the highly anticipated Halo 5: Guardians multiplayer beta--in addition to games like D4 from some of Japan’s renowned creators," a Microsoft spokesperson said.

The console launches in the country with a range of first-party titles, including Forza Motorsport 5, Kinect Sports Rivals, Dead Rising 3, and Ryse: Son of Rome. Localized versions of Tomb Raider: Definitive Edition, Thief, Murdered: Soul Suspect, and Call of Duty: Ghosts, as well as Titanfall, are also available.

Though Microsoft's past consoles haven't historically been runaway hits in Japan, the company has not lost hope for the region. Speaking with GameSpot earlier this year, Head of Xbox Phil Spencer maintained that console gaming is not dead in Japan. "It's critical for us in the industry that we continue to invest there and see great games come out," he said at the time.

September is a big month for the Xbox One in terms of expansion. The console launched in Chile and Colombia on September 2, and will be released in 25 additional regions, including China and Russia, before the month is out.

Eddie Makuch is a news editor at GameSpot, and you can follow him on Twitter @EddieMakuch