Japanese gamers will certainly be running low on sleep this week.

Having already taken the United States by storm last month, the Xbox 360 made its debut in Japan earlier this week. Microsoft was on hand to unveil the first next-generation console of its kind in Tokyo to a crowd of excited gamers and businessmen. The Xbox 360 launch took place at the Shibuya Tsutaya Shopping Center – a bit of nostalgia for Microsoft, since Shibuya Tsutaya is the same site where the original Xbox made its Japanese debut in February 2002.

It may be the same launch site, but Microsoft has much bigger expectations this time around. The original Xbox received high reviews from Asian gamers, but the console never really caught on in Japan. This time, Microsoft vows, will be different. The gaming giant has invested considerable time and money and aims to penetrate the Asian gaming market before the release of the next big next generation console, the Playstation 3, is released in the spring of 2006.

The Xbox 360 system, which sold out nearly instantaneous in the U.S., has also proven popular in Tokyo, though the crowd was clearly much smaller than what was seen in California at the big Best Buy Xbox 360 launch party last month. The Xbox 360’s launch in Palmdale, CA hosted a crowd of nearly 3500 people. By contrast, just 250 people were on hand at Tokyo launch.

Japanese gamers eager to buy an Xbox 360 at Shibuya Tsutaya had no need to scramble to get into line. Numbered tickets were handed out before the official launch to keep order and eliminate hassles. Nonetheless, nearly a hundred eager gamers could be found lined up outside the store an hour before the Xbox 360 hit the shelves. Cold weather or not, these gamers were excited and anxious to test out the first next generation console to be released by the gaming industry.

Although Microsoft has a tough uphill battle ahead if they want to usurp the Sony Playstation from the Japanese market, the initial response from Japanese gaming public has been positive. In fact, the Xbox 360 sold out within 30 minutes of its release at Shibuya Tsutaya.

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