Microsoft announced Saturday morning that it is going to delay its launch of the Xbox One video game console in China until later this year. The joint launch with partner BesTV was scheduled to happen on Tuesday, Sept. 23.
Microsoft said it still plans to launch the system — the first game console to legally launch in China in 15 years — before the end of the year. Microsoft will proceed with an event in Shanghai at the Oriental Pearl Tower with fans and partners on Monday, Sept. 22. Attendees will be able to enjoy gameplay, great music and entertainment. Microsoft will also be giving away 100 consoles to fans that attend, which they will receive when the console launches. It just won’t be shipping consoles at that time.
[aditude-amp id="flyingcarpet" targeting='{"env":"staging","page_type":"article","post_id":1557658,"post_type":"story","post_chan":"none","tags":null,"ai":false,"category":"none","all_categories":"games,","session":"C"}']Microsoft said those in China who preordered will still be the first to receive the Chinese version of the console, and they will also get an unspecified added bonus. The company still says it is working with 25 leading developers to deliver 70 games for Xbox One fans in China. It is also working with more than 4,000 retail locations in 37 cities to finalize the launch.
“We are excited to bring game and entertainment innovation to China,” said Yusuf Mehdi, corporate vice president of Microsoft, in a statement. “We have an ambitious vision, and we’re working hard with our partners to deliver Xbox One and great games and entertainment to China. We are thrilled with the response we’ve seen in China, including pre-orders beyond our expectations and growing anticipation of our launch. Ultimately, our commitment is first and foremost to our fans — and we want to deliver a world-class experience to our fans in China.”
“We are grateful for Microsoft’s commitment to game and entertainment fans in China, and we’re pleased with the progress we’re making,” said Zhang Dazhong, head of E-Home entertainment at BesTV, in a statement. “Together, we are working hard to deliver experiences to China which will delight our customers.”
“We have one opportunity to launch Xbox in China and we want to deliver a world-class experience for our fans,” said Enwei Xie, general manager of Xbox and studios at Microsoft China. “For our first fans who have pre-ordered, we are committed to ensuring you are the first to receive Xbox One, along with an added bonus. We also promised our fans a great party, and we’re committed to delivering. We can’t wait to see many of you on Monday at the Oriental Pearl Tower, where we will give-away 100 Xbox One consoles, and we look forward to our official launch soon.”