You'll have probably already read our piece on Microsoft trying to boost its Xbox 360 momentum in Japan with the announcement of a raft of new titles, but it seems Japanese gamers are to going to get further incentives in the form of some all-time classic arcade games being made available for download on Microsoft's Arcade service.
Bandai Namco, SNK Playmore, Hudson and Konami will all be adding their weight to Live Arcade in Japan with a mix of new and retro classics like Pac-Man and Galaga from Bandai, potentially boosting the service's appeal with the best and brightest from the arcades.
To add further incentive, Japanese 360 gamers will be encouraged and lured in with the prospect of some big hitting arcade tournaments and championships, with Bandai Namco Vice President Takeo Takasu saying he'd like to kick things off with a Pac-Man world championship.
It's an intriguing strategy to try and lure gamers onto 360 in the Land of the Rising Sun, but whether it's a truly killer feature which will drive 360 sales remains to be seen. Japanese gamers crave traditionally strong Japanese titles like massive RPGs, though a massive Pac-Man tournament might prove very tempting.
Western gamers too could potentially benefit from an expanded Live Arcade line-up and we certainly wouldn't mind having a crack at some of those games we used to chuck thousands of ten pences at. We've put in a call to MS to see if and when we'll get those arcade classics over here, and we'll update you as soon as the company update us.
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