Microsoft has delayed the launch of the Xbox One gaming console in China until the "end of the year," and has so far remained quiet on the reason for the delay.
The console was originally supposed to be launched on Sept. 23 and speculation surrounding the reason for the delay suggests that there is a low demand for the console in China.
"Despite strong and steady progress, we are going to need a bit more time to deliver the best experiences possible for our fans in China," said the company in a statement. "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."
Despite the rumors that the delay is due to low demand, the console has reportedly received over 100,000 preorders.
A launch event scheduled for Sept. 22 in celebration of the launch of the console still went ahead, including a giveaway of 100 consoles. The change of release date simply relates to the shipping date of the consoles.
"Working with our partner, BesTV, we look forward to launching in China by the end of this year," continued the statement. "We're looking forward to hosting our fans and partners in China on Sept. 22 at the Oriental Pearl Tower as planned, and will have hands-on gameplay, entertainment and Xbox One giveaways."
In the past gaming consoles have been banned in China and with a temporary lift of that ban, Microsoft is eager to enter the market. Despite this, the ban of console gaming has led to a rise in popularity of PC gaming, causing speculation that the console simply won't take off in the country.
While Microsoft has not given a specific release date, it is expected that one will be announced in the coming weeks. Even when the console is released, however, it will come with a price tag of around $800, further adding to the suggestion that the console will have difficulty selling in large numbers. Lastly, in an attempt to limit game piracy Microsoft will be using online game activation codes, thus meaning that imported games will not work for those trying to activate games in China.
Adding to the discouraging news for Microsoft, the Xbox One only managed to sell 23,000 units in its first week on sale in Japan. While it is true that the Chinese market is very different from the Japanese, the odds certainly are not in Microsoft's favor.
