NEW YORK (Reuters) -- Sony Corp.'s game-making unit and AOL Time Warner Inc. unveiled an alliance on Tuesday that will let users of its PlayStation 2 game console access the Web, chat and e-mail using the AOL service, executives told Reuters.

The non-exclusive pact helps Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. market its games among that base as it gears up for battle against Microsoft Corp.'s Xbox -- expected to hit the markets this fall. More details of the Xbox launch are expected this week at the Electronic Entertainment Expo in Los Angeles.

It also builds upon the world's largest Internet and media company's efforts to enable its 29 million members access to its services through devices beyond the personal computer.

As part of the pact, AOL features, such as real-time chat and e-mail, will be incorporated into the PlayStation 2 software development kits that content developers use to create new games. Sony aims to offer content providers the ability to incorporate AOL features into their new games by the winter of this year, with new games incorporating the features appearing in the second-half to late 2002.