It looks like Chinese people have something to get excited about, as later on today they’ll be able to pre-order Microsoft’s Xbox One.
Microsoft’s new console will start selling in China in September through a partnership with China Telecom. But Reuters reports that JD.com, a major online retailer, will also be taking pre-orders for the device starting today and ending in a couple of days.
The Xbox One will be the first console to be released in China since the government banned such gaming devices in 2000, before relaxing its restrictions more recently. The Xbox One is expected to feature software tweaks and changes to accommodate Chinese laws and expectations. Certain games will also be restricted in terms of their violent/sexual/inappropriate content, but that"s for the censors and publishers to decide.
However, Xbox One won’t be the only console to hit this market. Sony’s Playstation 4 is also set to launch in China later this year, though an exact date has yet to be set.
Microsoft, who has been trailing behind Sony in this round of the “console wars” has a real chance of catching up by being present in such an important market as China. And the recent price cuts for its console may help the Xbox One succeed in this new market.
Source: Reuters | Image via Microsoft