Microsoft is to set announce at its August 27 press conference in Japan that it will delay the Japanese launch of the Xbox console to early 2002, according to a report in the Los Angeles Times. Microsoft has declined comment, but it did say that the North American launch is still on track for November 8. The Xbox console will launch in North America several days prior to Nintendo's GameCube, which is now slated for release in that territory on November 18. According to Nintendo executives, the launch of its console was delayed in order to increase the initial shipments by 25 percent. The GameCube will launch in Japan as originally planned on September 14.