Microsoft Confirms Xbox 360 Production Surge, Plans

Xbox 360 hardware manufacturer and tech giant Microsoft has officially announced what it describes as "the broader availability of Xbox 360 consoles", while also providing new details on forthcoming games, game demos, and Xbox Live Arcade titles, in a new official statement. Firstly, and beginning this week, Microsoft has announced that "it will distribute two to three times the number of Xbox 360 consoles to the retail channel weekly." According to the company's statement, and following significant and continued shortages for the Xbox 360 hardware: "With component supplies in full production and third manufacturing partner Celestica Inc. now producing the next-generation console along with partners Wistron Corp. and Flextronics Corp., Microsoft is producing more Xbox 360 consoles than ever." As well as re-iterating forthcoming titles including Final Fantasy XI, Far Cry Instincts Predator and X-Men: The Official Game, the company took the chance to mention forthcoming known Xbox Live Arcade titles Street Fighter II: Hyper Fighting and the free-to-download Texas Hold 'Em Poker, which is sponsored by gambling firm Riverbelle. In addition, a new XBLA game, a conversion of board game Uno, was confirmed for release in the near future. Finally, the company confirmed new Xbox Live Marketplace downloadable content for new and forthcoming games, including new cars and achievements for Project Gotham Racing 3, downloadable multiplayer maps for Perfect Dark Zero, online cooperative gameplay options and new costumes for Kameo, plus a forthcoming Battlefield 2: Modern Combat game demo, and even The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion's Horse Armor Pack. "Today we have turned a major corner," said Peter Moore, corporate vice president of the Interactive Entertainment Business in the Entertainment and Devices Division at Microsoft. "With more consoles on their way to retail, 80 games available by June, and new content and experiences coming to Xbox Live all the time, there has never been a better time to own an Xbox 360."