Xbox One is selling in China, but can emerging markets help Microsoft compete with the PS4?

After the end of a 14-year game console ban by the Chinese government, the Xbox One was finally introduced to that market in an official capacity late last month. On the first day of the console’s release, it sold a very respectable 100,000 units, and it’s anticipated that the Xbox One will continue to sell well over the next year. Will this early lead for Microsoft translate to domination in the growing Chinese market, or will Nintendo and Sony outpace the house that Halo built?

[Insomnia_84]

It will boost sales during the launch window in the new markets it releases but it will go back down after two or three weeks.

Xbox One will never surpass the PS4.

[Eddie20101]

They never said they had 100,000 sell through in China, in fact they were were not specific about it, which in all likely hood was not sell through but shipped numbers. If it were sell through they would have been specific about it.

That is a low number for a country with such a huge population that were unable to buy a console for 14 years, that's a really poor showing to me. The numbers will most definitely go down from their. The first week is usually a consoles best week for sales.

[aceitman]

how about we talk about this when ps4 launches in china then we can see if sony outsells x1 cause if sony sells more than x1 on launch then we no china will not even help x1.sony is doing something that will help ps4 sell well , they know by the underground ps3 sales in china that they will sell really well.

[slasaru01]

Does MS really need to surpass?
What for?

[Nevers0ft]

Because console sales need to validate your own purchases otherwise you're an idiot... Didn't you get the memo? ;)

[MSBAUSTX]

I agree with you bro. I own both and really dont care which sells better. My XB1 is my entire TV hub built in to one and will have great exclusives I want while my PS4 will have great deals through PS plus for games I used to live back in the day and slightly better looking Third party exclusives.

They have completely different purposes in my house so it is like comparing apples to oranges to me. For the money the Alpha is going to blow PS4 and XB1 completely out of the water so it matters to me even less which of these two is best.

A console doesnt have to outsell its competitors to still be successful. Obviously it is nice if your favorite co soles does, but it has no bearing on things in the end if they all make money for their creators.

[ABizzel1]

Depends entirely on what you mean by compete.

The PS4 currently winning NA, but the PS4 and XBO have been close in sales each month so the XBO is competing here, but that's the problem NA is the only region where the XBO is competitive, because in EU, JP, and RoW the PS4 is completely dominating them with a 3:1 ratio on EU / RoW and even more in JP. That sales gap is just far too much to overcome at this point, and it's growing not shrinking.

A price cut for the XBO will help shrink the gap, but the PS4 will still outsell it in those regions, with NA being the only region XBO could possibly have a chance of making a comeback in, and winning.

The PS4 simply has too much reach for the XBO or the Wii U to compete with it.

PS4 has a worldwide market.
XBO only has NA, UK, and hopefully for them China (which could be the wildcard they need).
Wii U has Japan, and only gets by everywhere else.

XBO won't compete until most gamers start looking for a second console, and they need to make sure they're the console gamers look at first.

[Foehammer]

Don't really see the point of saying that a product is being dominated in a region where it's competitor sells in many more Countries.

You're right though, were the products sell in the same place they are close, especially considering the price difference. Some place will have big differences, Germany, France, etc.

I guess what I'm trying to say is, just how badly would a product have screw up to be out sold by another product that sells in 1/8 the countries? Does anyone actually expect a product to somehow surpass those wildly lop sided odds?

[ABizzel1]

The PS4 and XBO aren't close in the same markets, regardless of the price difference. These are all excuses to make you feel better, which is just sad and silly. If you only like the XBO fine, who cares, enjoy your console and keep it moving.

No matter how much you spin on the marry go round the PS4 is DOMINATING the competition.

Does that mean the XBO is selling awful, No. But the PS4 is winning in every region the XBO is in, has been in, and will continue to outsell it in all of those regions with the current exception of China. The XBO has a slight chance at a US and UK comeback, but it's not going to happen unless the XBO drops in price significantly more than the PS4 ($329). Regradless it's not going to chance the fact that the PS4 is still going to be neck and neck with the XBO sales wise, even if a price drop like that puts them ahead in weekly sales, because the PlayStation brand has a world market of gamers, while the Xbox brand doesn't have one anywhere near the same degree.

[qwerty676]

all we have is the launch numbers for china

how do you we know it will continue to sell well?

[CerealKiller]

No there is no other country that is in the same position as China.

[Foehammer]

I guess the real question is:

Does China make up for the 60 extra Countries where PS4 sells?

I doubt it, the X1 is selling great when placed into perspective; 13 Countries, just now 42.

@ Zuggercat, Sales of PS4 in US and UK are 5m, where is the other 5m+, in all the other Countries, no excuse, fact, #dealwithit.

[ziggurcat]

no because that tired, old argument has never been valid based simply on the fact that in the regions *both* are available, PS4 beats out xbone in every single one of them.

[CerealKiller]

If it made financial sense to launch the Xbox One in other countries Microsoft would have done that already. There is a reason why they are waiting, there is not enough demand to be profitable in those countries.

[Eddie20101]

I am so sick of that Dumb A33 argument. What, do Xbox fanboys think if they keep repeating something that everyone will lose all common sense and believe them.

The PS4 sells better in every country that they are both available, the PS4 is selling better than the Xbox One in the US every month, how the hell is Xbox one releasing in other markets (very small markets except for China) going to change the fact that in county's where they are both available the PS4 is outselling the Xbox One.

Stupid arguments, whining, and hypocricy make the Xbox community look like a bunch of spoiled brats.

Not talking about all Xbox fans, just the very vocal minority.

[iain04]

As an xbone user it's nice to see a PS4 fan acknowledge that we are not all straw grasping idiots. For that Sir a bubble up vote. Extra countries will help my console of choice but in no way do I expect some miracle.

[Eddie20101]

My last statement could get me disagrees from either side of the fanboys.

Glad you see my statement for what it is, an acknowledgement that most Xbox fans are reasonable people. Most gamer's for that matter are reasonable people.

Thanks for the bubble up, I returned the favor.

[ziggurcat]

@foe/axios:

US & UK are only two markets.

i fail to see your point in only mentioning two out of the initial 13 markets that both were available... and you've conveniently not mentioned the xbone sales in those two regions.

and i'm not entirely sure what i need to deal with since every time sales are mentioned, you bring up the number of regions of each system, in a sorry attempt at justifying the disparity in sales between the two consoles, and failing to acknowledge that (again) when you *eliminate the areas that xbone is not available* PS4 outsells xbone in every single region. no idea why it's such a hard/difficult thing for you to accept/understand.

[Foehammer]

Never once have I said that X1 sales would be higher than PS4 given the same number of Countries, it's you that puts words in my mouth.

I expect a product that used to costs 25% more, to sell less.

The difference in sales you speak of in the two markets I mentioned are about the same as the original price difference 20 - 30 %, not 100%, the extra comes from the 60- 80 extra Countries.

[Nekroo91]

even with launch sales in 29 countries, and i mean launch where sales are higher than normal they had half of ps4 sales.

thats pretty low

[PS4isKing_82]

Does it really matter which sells more? I've currently got a Wii u, ps4 and soon hopefully an Xbox one for Christmas and I love them all. But it's pretty apparent at this point that the Xbox one will never catch the ps4.

You seem pretty obsessed over this, maybe you should seek therapy. Just enjoy the games you have and stop worrying about the ps4. Xbox one will have decent sales during its lifetime. It just won't come close to ps4 by the time this gen is over. Any rational thinker should be able to see that.

Off topic: can't wait for that white Xbox one and the master chief collection.

[DigitalRaptor]

PlayStation products have been selling in emerging markets for years, and Sony will still be releasing PS4 in those markets not long after the chance Microsoft has to take to get there first. China is a unique market, so I can see why MS dove in first, but there aren't any other markets that can foster the same reaction.

It's nice that people are hopeful, but before MS can begin competing with the PS4 in in emerging markets, it needs to begin competing in its established home territories. On a global scale though, it's NEVER happening.

[Paprika]

Based on last weeks figures, x1 will be literally on par with ps4 this week. But week one sales won't continue in china imo. But 100k sold is obviously showing signs that's a strong market to be in, and build upon. Hurry Sony and Nintendo!

[SynestheticRoar]

They can dream.

[Funantic1]

I think Xbox will dominate in China just because it's releasing first. This is new and legal to them without worries of getting caught having one. They've been waiting to get their hands on a console. And it's American so that'll having a cult following just by itself. It's the new iphone for them, the new standard. Anything coming after will seem like a cheap android rip off. I bet MS has commercials galore playing non stop. Then MS has the exclusivity deal with the dominate fixed line operator and 3rd largest mobile carrier in China with the most extensive broadband service. Microsoft played dirty but smart and went to the source of internet for 104+ million China Telecom customers. There are roughly 176 million people in China with "broadband" internet. So MS is getting to a lot of those people. That was all considered for online play also. MS knows how to make money.

[Nevers0ft]

That's an awful lot of hyperbole and very little fact. There's been a strong (albeit illegal) console import market in China for years and Microsoft barely registers on it - which is unfortunate, considering the amount of anti-Japanese sentiment there is in China, you'd think MS would do better.

[DanteVFenris666]

100000 out of a billion really isn't that impressive

[therealmarauder]

Wait! Is 10,00,000 out of 6,250,000,000 impressive?

[frezhblunts]

Damn if nintendo doesnt get in China then xbox one might actually pass wii u.

[loukyle]

not very likely. I just bought wiiu from taobao. Chinese players would rather buy it from unoffical channel coz it's cheaper and better. most purchase consoles through unofficial channle, like from US or Japan, thanks to the internet. even if nintendo does get in China, most who want to have it already have it.

[Theyellowflash30]

A very respectable 100,000????

China's Population is 1,390,510,630. China makes up 19% of the world's population. 100,000 for a population of over 1 billion is horrible.

[CaptainN]

If and when Nintendo infiltrates China it will do the best due to their content. The Chinese government is against violent content...which is a majority of games on Xbone as well as PS4. Nintendo will have that advantage, that they are family friendly. Plus if they bring other content like Amiibos and their upcoming Quality of Life software/hardware, they can take a strong-hold over there!

[loukyle]

I heard x1 sold 2500 at day 1 in China. Chinese players would rather buy it from unoffical channel coz it's cheaper and better. most purchase consoles through unofficial channle, like from US or Japan, thanks to the internet. There are lots of players here and the market is huge.