Shares of Electronic Arts Inc and other video game publishers lost ground on Wednesday, following a report that Microsoft Corp was behind schedule in shipping materials to certain developers for its Xbox video game console. The Financial Times wrote that software giant Microsoft was behind schedule in shipping the Beta, or final version, or development kits that companies use to make games. European and Japanese gamers had expected the Beta kits in March and had not yet received them, according to the British newspaper. Microsoft was not immediately available for comment and its shares were up 1/4 to $53-5/8. Reports of development kit delays exacerbated jitters in the marketplace that Microsoft might be behind schedule in launching the Xbox.
|