Microsoft hopes the Xbox 360's earlier release will convert hard-core gamers who can't wait that long. Xbox 360 debuted last month in the United States to winding lines of wide-eyed fans, store-aisle brawls to snag machines and top billing on Christmas wish lists. The Japan launch begins with a countdown party at 6:45 a.m. Saturday in Tokyo's trendy Shibuya district. " Microsoft has big expectations this time," said Eiji Maeda, an analyst at Daiwa Institute of Research. "They should do much better than with the first Xbox, and PlayStation stands a the chance of losing market share." Since the first Xbox went on sale three years ago, Microsoft has sold 21.9 million machines globally – but only 1.8 million in Asia, including Japan. By contrast, Sony has sold 91 million PlayStation 2 consoles in the last five years, 21 million of them in Asia. PlayStation accounts for about 80 percent of the Japanese market game console, Xbox around 5 percent.