Xbox games portfolio is a Christmas cracker
11 new Xbox-only games this Christmas, 17 more by June 2004, and nearly 350 games overall by the end of 2003

By Benbik
Posted Monday, November 24, 2003

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Christmas Exclusives

Gamers will have a lot to be thankful for this Christmas when they check out the stunning line-up of Xbox® titles due for release in Europe.

The line-up of Xbox-only games this Christmas offers something for every gamer - from driving to action/adventure to sport titles, each game has been designed on Xbox to deliver groundbreaking game experiences. Games from Microsoft Game Studios:

Project Gotham Racing 2 - (Bizarre Creations/Microsoft Game Studios) - The world's first racing game which rewards gamers for driving with style and speed, now defines the Xbox LiveTM experience

Amped 2 - (Microsoft Game Studios) - The ultimate freestyle snowboarding experience .Allowing gamers to connect to Xbox Live to check rankings and challenge the world's best virtual riders, through the new XSN Sports service.

Top Spin - (PAM/Microsoft Game Studios) - Part of the new XSN Sports brand, Top Spin is the complete tennis experience

Voodoo Vince - (Beep Industries/Microsoft Game Studios) - Players can explore and fight as a voodoo doll who is on a quest to find his keeper, Madam Charmaine. In true voodoo style, players encounter and defeat monsters and villains by inflicting damage to Vince

Counter-Strike - (Valve Software, Ritual Entertainment & Turtle Rock Studios/Microsoft Game Studios) - The world's most popular online action game and first-person shooter for the PC, makes its console debut exclusively on Xbox and Xbox Live

Grabbed by the Ghoulies (Rare/Microsoft Game Studios) - From the team that brought the world the hugely popular Banjo-Kazooie comes a spirited new game-play experience, which is fun for all the family

Crimson Skies: High Road to Revenge - (Microsoft Game Studios) - Offers gamers thrilling aerial combat with the swashbuckling style of a Hollywood action-adventure movie

Links 2004 - Links 2004 offers players the chance to take their golf swing online using the Xbox Live service. It delivers one of the most realistic and comprehensive golf experiences for Xbox

In addition to games from Microsoft Game Studios, there's a host of titles console-exclusive to Xbox this Christmas from third-party publishers - all built from the ground up to take advantage of Xbox - including:

Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six 3 (Ubi Soft) - The third instalment in the massive popular Rainbow Six series, Team RAINBOW races against time to stop terror and unravel a mystery. Only on Xbox, Rainbow Six 3 features streamlined multiplayer via Xbox Live

Sega GT Online (Sega) - Bringing all the thrills of the most realistic driving game for Xbox online via Xbox Live, Sega GT Online allows up to 12 gamers to put their cars and skills to the ultimate test against thousands of gamers from around Europe

Dino Crisis 3 (Capcom) - With an all new futuristic storyline Dino Crisis 3 offers fast action game-play and exploration that is significantly different to the previous Dino Crisis series

With such diverse gamers Xbox is working hard to broaden its portfolio. A variety of family-friendly titles aimed at expanding the audience will also boost the Xbox Xmas line-up:

Harry PotterTM: Quidditch Cup (Electronic Arts)

Harry PotterTM: And the Philosophers Stone (Electronic Arts)

Finding Nemo - Disney Interactive/THQ)

Xbox Live
Fifty Live-enabled Xbox games will be available at retail by the end of this calendar year and 100 by the end of June 2004. A host of new third-party Xbox Live-enabled games available for Christmas include; XIII (UbiSoft), Magic: The Gathering (Atari), Star Wars Jedi Knight: Jedi Academy (Activision), Outlaw Volleyball (TDK), ESPN NFL Football (Sega), ESPN NHL Hockey (Sega), ESPN NBA Basketball (Sega), Ford Racing 2 (Empire), Race Driver (Codemasters), NBA Inside Drive 2004 (Microsoft Games Studios), NBA Jam 2004 (Acclaim), Hunter the Reckoning: Redeemer (Vivendi), Secret Weapons over Normandy (Lucas Arts), SWAT: Global Strike Team (Vivendi) and Carve (Take Two).

"Xbox Live is going from strength-to-strength," said Michel Cassius Director, European Publishing. "Gamers who are already connected know this and with special Xbox Live trial offer vouchers included in selected Xbox Live-enabled games, offering two free months of Xbox Live gaming and a wealth of online games, even more gamers are going to get connected to online gaming. This Christmas, with Live-enabled franchises like Project Gotham Racing 2, Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six 3 and Top Spin on Xbox, online gamers have an incredible line-up of games to choose from."

Following on from the Christmas titles are games such as Fable, Kameo: Elements of Power, Sudeki, Ninja Gaiden, BC and the highly anticipated Halo 2, all due in 2004 and exclusive to Xbox.