Tokyo - Microsoft (NASD: MSFT) announced on Thursday that recent price cuts bolstered sales for its Xbox 360 game console in Japan, which outsold rival Sony's (NYSE: SNE) PlayStation 3 in the country last month for the first time -- pushing the company to raise its sales forecast for the device. The company sold 53,547 Xbox 360 units in Japan in September, compared with 33,071 PlayStation 3s, Reuters reported, citing data from Japan's Enterbrain.

Microsoft VP John Schappert told Reuters the company is raising its Xbox 360 sales projections for Japan, but declined to give specific figures.

Separately, the company said it will launch the New Xbox Experience, its online virtual community for owners of its Xbox 360 video game console, worldwide on Nov. 19.

The service will allow users to create avatars for themselves, and both chat with one another in the virtual space, and host an Xbox LIVE Party on their TV with up to seven friends, enabling voice chat and photo-sharing in real-time while playing games.

Meanwhile, rival Sony is preparing to launch its own virtual world for the PlayStation 3, "Home," but has twice delayed its rollout.

While Sony has not provided a launch date for "Home" more specific than before the end of the year, Sony Computer Entertainment producer Ryoji Akagawa told the Associated Press that 24 developers are providing content for the service.

Related Links:
http://snipurl.com/47w9o (Reuters)

http://snipurl.com/47vgv

http://snipurl.com/47w5t (AP)

http://www.xbox.com/xbox360