Xbox "right on track"
Stock prices drop, but Microsoft say there is no cause for alarm
Several companies associated with the Xbox, including nVidia and Electronic Arts, watched their stock drop several points yesterday after a report in the London Financial Times claimed the Xbox would be delayed. According to the report, Microsoft is behind schedule in releasing Xbox beta development kits. European and Japanese developers were expecting to receive the kits in March, but have nothing so far. Speaking in a press release yesterday afternoon, Microsoft's director of games marketing John O'Rourke said the Xbox is "right on track" for release in the fall of this year Stateside, then in Spring 2002 in Europe and Japan. Electronic Arts stock alone sank 9% on the back of the Financial Times report, while Microsoft stock fell 2.7% Take 2 suffered as well, as did nVidia, who will provide the graphics systems for the console. Wall Street analysts are apparently unconcerned, however. O'Rourke encouraged traders and developers not to be alarmed by the report, and also made a point of saying that the developer support and release process is steadily progressing as planned. Related Feature - The Master Plan
