Publishers for New Xbox Announced

One month before Microsoft's next-generation Xbox makes its much-anticipated debut at E3 in Los Angeles, Microsoft has announced a lineup of over 25 game publishers that will develop titles for the new platform. The company says its revamped Xbox will usher in a new era of high-definition gaming.

A console is only as good as its games, so Microsoft has assembled the industry's top publishers, including 2KGames, Atari, Electronic Arts, Sega, Konami, Midway, Rockstar and more. The publishers will be backed by Microsoft's own Game Studios, which is comprised of ten different game developers.

"This stellar lineup of publishers and developers is poised to deliver games experiences our customers only dreamed were possible, and is ultimately committed to elevating video games to be the No. 1 form of entertainment," said Peter Moore, corporate vice president of Xbox global content and marketing at Microsoft.

Details of Microsoft's second-generation Xbox were unveiled last month at the Game Developers Conference. The platform will combine gaming with community features that include a marketplace for user-created bonus levels, maps, weapons, vehicles, skins and more.

Software and services will be coupled with more than a teraflop of computing power for gaming and entertainment purposes. Microsoft has also built in multi-channel, positional audio fidelity for true surround sound.

Microsoft says it has lined up games through 2007 and expects over 200 Xbox titles to be released this year alone. Thus far, the company has sold over 20 million first-generation Xbox consoles.