Just ten games and five million consoles made available.
Today, as promised by Microsoft last week, the Xbox One launched in China; which also marks the first time in fourteen years that a western company has been able to (legally) sell a console in that country.
Following the lifting of the ban on console sales in China, the country has implemented a tough stance on the games that will be available on the Xbox One, with just ten games certified for sale at launch. Among the banned games are Destiny and Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare - Day Zero Edition; both are flagship games on the console, but considered too violent for sales clearance.
And as if that wasn"t enough, the cost of the console will also put a dent in the pockets of gamers over there too, with the Kinect-less version costing 3,699 CNY (roughly $600 USD compared to $399.99 in the U.S.); and the retail bundle which includes the Kinect sensor costing 4,299 CNY (around $700 USD compared to $499.99 in the U.S.). Fortunately there will be a limited "Day One" edition of the Kinect-bundled version, which includes four of the "approved" games thrown in: Kinect Sports Rivals, Forza Motorsport 5, Powerstar Golf and Neverwinter Online.
According to Bloomberg, China will have to approve every game before it is cleared for sale, and Microsoft are aiming to get 70 titles approved with no clear indication of when that will be achieved for the five million consoles that are now available to buy.
Sony will also be undoubtedly looking toward winning over Chinese gamers when its Playstation 4 goes on sale, but as yet there has been no date announced for that event.