BEIJING, Nov. 15 -- Microsoft released Monday the official list of 18 games, which will be launched with the next-generation Xbox 360 console on Nov. 22 in North America, followed by Japan and Europe.

The Microsoft Xbox 360 is on display at the annual Microsoft shareholder meeting in Bellevue Wash. (AP)

    Three of the 18 games, spanning all the popular genres, come from Microsoft itself -- Kameo: Elements of Power, Perfect Dark Zero and Project Gotham Racing 3 -- while the rest come from outside game makers including Electronic Arts, Activision and Ubisoft.

    Although there's no "killer" game, such as the blockbuster Halo 2, the 15 games from outside publishers represents a big improvement in this generation console compared with Microsoft's debut Xbox, which had very limited initial support from independent game makers.

    More than 200 original Xbox games will be compatible with the new 360 console, according to Microsoft.

    Microsoft's launch comes between six months to a year before market-leader Sony launches its next console, Play Station 3.

    List of the Xbox 360 games:

• "Amped 3" (2K Sports)
• "Call of Duty 2" (Activision Inc.)
• "Condemned: Criminal Origins" (SEGA Corp.)
• "FIFA Soccer 06 Road to 2006 FIFA World Cup" (Electronic Arts Inc.)
• "GUNTM" (Activision)
• "Kameo: Elements of Power" (Microsoft Game Studios and Rare Ltd.)
• "Madden NFL 06" (Electronic Arts)
• "NBA 2K6" (2K Sports)
• "NBA LIVE 06" (Electronic Arts)
• "Need for Speed Most Wanted" (Electronic Arts)
• "NHL 2K6" (2K Sports)
• "Perfect Dark Zero" (Microsoft Game Studios and Rare Ltd.)
• "Peter Jackson's King Kong: The Official Game of the Movie" (Ubisoft)
• "Project Gotham Racing 3" (Microsoft Game Studios and Bizarre Creations Ltd.)
• "Quake 4TM" (id Software and Activision)
• "Ridge Racer 6" (Namco Ltd.)
• "Tiger Woods PGA TOUR 06" (Electronic Arts)
• "Tony Hawk's American Wasteland" (Activision)

(Agencies)