Microsoft Corp. has been spending millions of dollars developing and fine-tuning video games, polling thousands of testers and choreographing the Nov. 15 launch of its Xbox Live online video game service. But there's a kink that the Redmond software giant didn't expect: The lockout of West Coast ports, and its aftereffects, which may linger well into the all-important holiday shopping season. With five weeks to launch, Microsoft is eyeing contingency plans - even the costly move of flying in parts from Asia to its factory in Mexico - to make sure retailers have the Xboxes and related equipment on shelves to match the promotion of the new service.
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