Namco plans to bring the latest versions of two of its biggest franchises to Xbox: the popular racing series, “RIDGE RACER LATEST Version,” and the award-winning fighting game, “SOUL CALIBUR 2.” Two Namco titles are also under exclusive development for Xbox: “Dead to Rights,” a thrilling adventure about a cop framed for murder and facing execution who makes a daring escape and seeks revenge on those who killed his father and set him up, and a second, unnamed action-adventure title.

“At Namco, we are excited to work together with Microsoft on Xbox game development,” said Masaya Nakamura, chairman and CEO of Namco. “We initially will provide game titles that appeal to the avid video game consumer in the Xbox consumer space, and in the future we intend to provide games using the Xbox online game service.”

“Having Namco games available on Xbox is a huge victory for gamers around the world,” said Robbie Bach, chief Xbox officer at Microsoft. “We are delighted that, through Xbox, gamers worldwide will experience the thrilling titles produced by Namco’s game creators.”

Detailed information about Namco is available at the Namco Ltd. Web site. Detailed information about Microsoft is available at the following Web sites, as well as via the FAXBOX information service: the Xbox Japanese Web site, the Microsoft Japan Web site, and the Microsoft Corp. Web site.

About Namco
Namco has been engaged in the amusement business for more than 45 years and is a world leader in the R&D, production and sales of home video games software, coin-operated game machines, and amusement facility operations.

About Xbox
Xbox is Microsoft’s future-generation video game system that delivers new and unforeseen gameplay experiences. With more than three times the graphics performance of the newest generation of game systems, Xbox unleashes game designers’ creativity to produce games that are challenging, exhilarating, surprising and fun.

About Microsoft
Founded in 1975, Microsoft is the worldwide leader in software, services and Internet technologies for personal and business computing. The company offers a wide range of products and services designed to empower people through great software — any time, any place and on any device.