Nintendo was equally calm. "It won't be a problem," said a spokeswoman.
Microsoft must slash its prices fast for Xbox to stand a chance at wrestling market share from PlayStation 2 and GameCube, said BNP Paribas' Tajima.
But despite the negative speculation, the US firm remained adamant its debut in Japan -- the world's second-largest video-game market -- would be a success.
"[It] is the key milestone for the overall Xbox business worldwide," the firm said. Xbox will hit European shores on March 14.
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