14 DAY TRIAL // Platform holder Microsoft announces that it is delaying the launch of the Xbox One on the Chinese market until the end of the year and that it is continuing to work with their local partner BesTV in order to make sure that the platform offers a range of unique content for gamers in the territory.
The information comes from an official company e-mail which explains that it has made steady progress up until now but more time is needed in order to make sure that the launch is the best it can be for Xbox One fans in China.
Yusuf Mehdi, the leader of the division, states, “At Xbox, we pride ourselves on delivering first rate gaming and entertainment experiences and to allow us to deliver on that promise we need to reschedule the launch of Xbox One. Working with our partner, BesTV, we look forward to launching in China by the end of this year.”
Initially, the Xbox One was supposed to arrive in China on September 23 and the company promised a range of applications developed by local companies, as well as access to big launch titles like Ryse, Forza Motorsport 5 and more.
Apparently, a big event held in partnership with BesTV at the Oriental Pearl Tower is still planned, designed to show partners and the media what the current-gen consoles can deliver in terms of video games and other types of entertainment.
A big market for the Xbox One
China is a huge potential market for both Microsoft and Sony, but the Communist leadership has forced both companies to partner with local companies in order to launch their gaming devices officially.
Both the Xbox One and the PlayStation 4 are at the moment offered via a gray market, which means that their actual sales might be smaller than those projected by analysts.
Microsoft says that the Xbox One will sell for 3,699 Yuan, which is close to 600 dollars (460 Euro), and that it will be offered via 4,000 retail locations in 37 cities in China, with apps developed by more than 70 local teams.
Sony also has plans to launch the PlayStation 4 in the communist country, but not official date or price has yet been offered.
Worldwide, the PS4 has managed to deliver more than 10 million units to gamers since November 13, while Microsoft has not yet offered an updated figure for the Xbox One.