Today, September 23, was supposed to be the launch day for the Xbox One in China. Microsoft marked that date in its diary back in July, when it first announced its plans to roll out the console there, but a couple of days ago, those plans changed rather abruptly.
The company said on Sunday that it would "need a bit more time" to prepare for the launch, but did not state exactly when it expected the console to go on sale, saying only that it expected the device to be available before the end of the year.
Today, however, Microsoft confirmed that it has now set a new date for the launch - as Reuters reports, the Xbox One will now go on sale in China on September 29. The entry-level Xbox One, which does not include the Kinect sensor, will cost 3,699 CNY (roughly $600 USD); the retail pack that includes Kinect will cost 4,299 CNY (around $700 USD).
Just ten games will be available at launch, and all of them will be sold as digital downloads. All console games must get state approval before going on sale in China, to ensure that they do not promote anti-government sentiment, or illegal or "immoral" activities, such as gambling. Xbox China"s general manager, Enwei Xie, said that Microsoft will "bring more blockbuster games and a broad offering of entertainment and app experiences to the platform in the months to come."
The Chinese government has reportedly approved sales of five million Xbox One consoles there - although its main rival, the PlayStation 4, will also be competing for the attentions of gamers when it launches in China too.
Source: Reuters