Microsoft's next-generation games console, the Xbox 360, goes on sale in Europe on Friday.

But gamers are likely to face a hard time getting their hands on one of the consoles after reports that many leading retailers have already sold out of all their stock.

The majority of news websites are reporting that only 300,000 consoles have arrived in Europe.

Online retailer Amazon.co.uk said it would restrict the number of Xbox 360s its customer could buy to ensure that as many people as possible could get hold of one in time for Christmas.

The stylish, white console went on sale in the US on November 22.

However, a number of US gamers have already started to complain about several problems with their new machine, including over heating and disk scratching.

The 360 will go on sale in Japan on December 10 and launch in Australia, Colombia, Hong Kong, Korea, Mexico, New Zealand, Singapore and Taiwan in 2006.

In addition to playing games, the Xbox 360 can also be used to watch DVDs, view photos and listen to music.

The 360 will come in two packages. The premium version will sell for £279 and will include the console, wireless controllers, 20GB hard drive, headset and membership to Xbox Live.

The core version will sell for £209 and includes console and wired controller.

Microsoft said it expects to sell ten million units of the new console worldwide within fourteen months of the launch.

Some 15 games will be available for the European launch, including Microsoft's Project Gotham Racing 3, Activision's Tony Hawk's American Wasteland and Condemned: Criminal Origins by Sega.

Games such as Dead or Alive 4, The Elder Scrolls: Oblivion and Ridge Racer 6 will be released in the weeks after the launch.

The Xbox 360 is Microsoft's answer to Sony's PlayStation 3 and Nintendo's Revolution.

The PlayStation 3, which was announced last May, is expected to be in US and European shops early next year.

Details of Nintendo's Revolution will most likely be unveiled next May. The Revolution is expected to go on sale at the end of next year.

Sony has dominated the games console market for many years with the success of its PlayStation 1 (PS1) and PlayStation 2 (PS2).

The Japanese firm has sold more than 90 million PS2s and over 100 million PS1s.

These figures are outstanding when you consider that Microsoft has only sold 20 million units of the original Xbox.

However, with the early release of the 360, Microsoft will hope to take advantage of the lucrative Christmas period as it looks to end Sony's worldwide dominance of the games console market.