Microsoft pledges to triple Xbox 360 software support in Japan

Responding to slow sales of the Xbox 360 in Japan, Microsoft has announced that it will increase the software library for the system to 80 titles in the region by the end of the year, over three times the current number of titles on offer.

At present, 25 titles are available for the Xbox 360 in Japan, a number which Microsoft says it will raise to 40 titles by summer, and 80 titles by the end of the year - as well as boosting the range of content available on Xbox Live Marketplace.

Speaking at an event earlier today in Tokyo, new Xbox Japan general manager Takashi Sensui announced the company's promise " to continuously introduce game software in a variety of genres" for the next-gen platform.

Rather than simply citing numbers, Sensui handed the stage over to game developers with new titles to announce - including Square Enix, who are developing a shoot 'em up called Project Sylph for the system, and Star Ocean creators Tri-Ace, who are working on an untitled Xbox 360 RPG.

Bandai Namco had two new titles to announce, in the form of Zegapain XOR, an adventure / shoot 'em up title, and Culdcept Saga, a Live-enabled game which follows on from previous Culdcept titles on PSone, Dreamcast and PS2. The firm also reported good progress on its Gundam title for the 360.

Interestingly, Japan has turned out to be the strongest territory in the world per capita in terms of Xbox Live Marketplace downloads, with 520,000 content downloads reported over an installed base of just 123,000 units.

Unsurprisingly, then, new titles for Live Arcade were also in the offing today - with Bandai Namco revealing that both Galaga and Pac-Man, two of the firm's most celebrated retro games, will be coming to the system.

Although the announcements don't quite add up to the Xbox 360 relaunch which was predicted by some Japanese wholesale sources last week, it's nonetheless an impressive set of new titles for the system - and there's a new version of the Xbox 360 hardware on the way in Japan, too.

The Xbox 360 Blue Limited Edition will arrive on April 20th, and is decorated in the colours of Japan's world cup football team - in fact, it's emblazoned with the 2006 FIFA World Cup logo. This will be the first custom version of the Xbox 360 to launch in any territory.