Microsoft Corp. will launch its cloud-based video game streaming service in Japan by June next year, expanding its investment into one of the world’s largest gaming arenas.
The streaming service’s debut in the country shows Microsoft’s commitment to what is the fastest-growing market for Game Pass subscriptions, said Xbox chief Phil Spencer in a video recorded for this year’s virtual Tokyo Games Show. The company has already started testing the technology for next year’s launch in Japan, said Xbox Asia business chief Jeremy Hinton in an interview, without adding further details.
Microsoft is also upgrading its support for Japanese creators, including the distribution of game development kits to more than 100 independent creators. Many of them will launch their games "first on Xbox,” Hinton said.