Officials from Microsoft have announced plans to launch the Xbox 360 in South Africa, with the console scheduled to go on sale at midnight on Friday, September 29, 2006. The upcoming launch, when positioned alongside launches in Hungary, the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Poland, will expand the Xbox 360's availability within the Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) region from 16 countries to 21. In addition, Microsoft also plans to launch the Xbox 360 later this year in both China and India, where it will launch on October 21 for 19,990 rupees ($439), further example of the global aspirations for Microsoft's next-gen console. The Xbox 360 premium package will be sold for an estimated R3,699 ($526.36), while the core system will be available for R2,699 ($384.06). In addition, Microsoft confirmed that launch day releases within the region will include Project Gotham Racing 3, Kameo, and Perfect Dark Zero, with titles such as Gears of War and Viva Pinata promised in the following weeks. “South Africa is a country where the appetite for console gaming is growing in leaps and bounds – expanding to Africa allows us to build a successful business ecosystem for our partners, and to bring more gamers amazing next-generation gaming and entertainment experiences,” said Cindy White, South Africa Group Marketing Manager, Microsoft.