China paving the way for big Xbox One sales

China has approved the sale of 5 million Xbox One units, opening the way for Microsoft to make a big splash in the country’s emerging console sector.

Microsoft’s Chinese partner BesTV revealed the figure in a Tuesday earnings statement. The Chinese version of the Xbox One goes on in China on Sept. 23, after the country ended a 13-year-old ban on the import of foreign game consoles.

[mrpsychoticstalker]

I think the Xbox will be a success in China, they are starting with 5M, but that promises to not be enough in coming months. Especially after all those beautiful games come out at the end of this year.

[uptownsoul]

"they are starting with 5M, but that promises to not be enough in coming months" -- Not sure where your getting your promises from because every opinion survey i've read says the Chinese aren't really into the Xbox Brand (here's 1 source example : http://www.gamesinasia.com/... )

[Godmars290]

Just because its polling badly wont mean that the 5 million XB1s wont sell. Just as it doesn't mean that MS will have 5 million to send over quickly.

Though this will likely lead to these numbers being used in sales reports, whether true or not.

[creatchee]

There are 1 billion people in China. 5 million is .5 percent of the population. It's not that unreasonable of an allotment.

[uptownsoul]

@Godmars290 I never said the Xbox One wouldn't sell in China. I didn't even say the Xbox One wouldn't sell 5M in China(over time). I'm referring to the specific line in the OP's comment that i quoted "they are starting with 5M, but that promises to not be enough in the coming months"…I was merely sourcing the poll as the reason why China probably will not run out of 5M Xbox Ones "in the coming months"

[sonarus]

Great move entering chinese market. MS needs to be in more markets to try to push more sales.

Polls may not be definitive and not sure the games are there right now to guarantee success in asian markets. Even PS4 is struggling mightily in Asia. Microsoft in my opinion needs to focus PRIMARILY on US and UK. They did poorly in the rest of europe and asia last gen but still were successful overall with the strength of US and UK. They need to be focusing ALLL their efforts on US and UK because realistically this is where they are most likely to find success.

[GiggMan]

@Creatchee, there are 1billion people in the US and Europe. The Xbox One, by some unreliable sources, are just getting to 5 million sold.

The amount of people means nothing. It's all about who is interested in your product and is willing/can buy it. I can see 5million sold eventually but not by the end of the year like Physco is referring to.

[Gazondaily]

I just don't see Xbox One's selling well in China for some reason. Well let's wait and see.

[mikeslemonade]

Several reasons I see the X1 will falter their just like anywhere else outside the UK and USA.

It's too expensive their. I'm full chinese, myself, and we are frugal. It's reportedly going to be $600 U.S. Even despite that we may be rich, but if we don't see a good deal a lot chinese people will not buy it. The proportion of haves and have nots is big disparity there too. There's lots of rich and then lots of poor.

And next, the chinese identify with Sony more. Actually, the Xbox brand just doesn't work much outside of the predominately Caucasian countries.

So anyone saying X1 has a chance, technically they have a less than 1% chance to be a success over there. And also these kinds have people are just using blind faith. It just won't happen. It even took U.S. several years for the Xbox original to sell well. And somehow you think China will be a success?? Makes no sense when you use trend analysis.

[creatchee]

@Giggman

Yeah, I get what you're saying. It all depends on how the initial reception for the console goes. If it is successful, word of mouth would push more sales. If not, then it will probably sell at a lesser rate.

[Lightning Mr Bubbles]

What about PS4? Not allowed to sell in China or what?

[Kingthrash360]

I dunno China has more interest in ps4 ATM. Plus they dont like US products very much. ...on the same coin they dislike the Japanese as well so its kind of up in the air.
Recent polls show China has more interest in the ps4. All in all it will be interesting to see how it all pans out....China has a huge market. Tons of PC gamers....black markets. It's a wide open situation.

[johndoe11211]

I'm betting that 2 weeks after the Chinese release, microsoft makes a statement claiming 10 million units sold. It's no accident that 5 million units got approved when microsoft is 5 million units behind the ps4.

They're gonna do the same thing they did everywhere else. They're gonna stuff the market with units, unsold xbones are gonna be lining store shelves and microsoft is gonna go into PR mode and claim MAGNIFICIENT sales and say they have leveled the playing field with the ps4.

Xbox fanatics are gonna come here and make comments of joy using this as proof that the ps4 was only ahead because it was selling in more countries. They will totally ignore all the photos showing xboxes on store shelves for months not going anywhere, they'll ignore all the news articles saying that sales are very low and when after 8 months pass and they still have only sold the same 5 million in china and the ps4 is almost twenty million in world wide sales, we'll get some other excuse to say why the xbox is lagging behing.

[XB1_PS4]

Lol, but they're made in china.

[TheXgamerLive]

They love American products, its their gov't that doesnt. China's gov't taxes all incoming items if they allow them entrance at all.
My wife is chinese fuzhou. They want to get their hands badly on U.S. items and now they will.

[GiggMan]

You think they are going to sale 5M Xbox Ones in China by the end of the year? Considering they haven't/barely sold that many world wide I guess China equals the world now.

Wow lol.

[stuna1]

Not the world now, the new world! The truth is nobody knows how well the Xbox1 will do in China, but I think it's safe to say Sony will offset a major sales advantage since it's also due to release in China as well. Plus people can bet that the people of China know of all the struggles that the Xbox1 has had to endure, The PS4 doesn't have that type of negativity hovering over it.

[GiggMan]

I know. I've been to China for work. Although the population is high, how many people do you think have disposable income to buy a full price Xbox One at launch assuming that they want one?

Between the US and Europe there are a billion people, 300mil and 700mil respectively give or take, and Xbox One has barely sold 5Mil consoles. It's been 9 months.

MrPhyco is saying that 5mil is a start in China and might not be enough, due to the "beautiful games due by the end of the year".

Pretty silly statement.

[turdburgler1080]

@Stuna1

Chinese hate Japanese with a passion of the christ. Chances are some Japanese haters will be smashing ps4's in large crowds at the next anti Japanese rally. That's probably why it's so popular. Folks I. China can't wait to brutally destroy as many ps4's as they can get their hands on.

[ABizzel1]

@turdburgler

And they don't hate Americans who've also warred and feuded with them? politics has little to do with purchasing electronics, unless the government blocks it. And considering the fact that there's a Sony China I doubt any blockage is going to happen.

Gaming as a whole was blocked from China, and now that it's open again it's fair game. What's crazy is with that population China could realistically become the gaming central of the globe toppling NA and EU combined, with a lot of developers catering to the Chinese taste (which means more MOBA's and MMORPGs).

[tiffac008]

@turd

Incorrect thats BS propaganda done by only a few. I've been to China and there are Japanese companies doing business there far longer than some of the biggest NA or EU companies have.

There are Japanese students there that studies as well. You may want to go to China first because what you say doesn't reflect the general population at all.

Haters will always hate, here in the Philippines we have a socialist group that hates America but they don't reflect the entire country they are only the minority and this is the same with China.

[styferion]

uh, they already starting long ago, if you would actually go to china to see it for yourself both XB1 and PS4 can be bought quite easily from grey market. Also it's region free, don't need to worry about them censors..

[SoapShoes]

It's going to take quite a while for all of the systems to be sold. They have approved 5 million but that isn't going to sell all in one shot... -_-

[700p]

Its a great move from microsoft. I personally think it will be a success.

[rainslacker]

5 million has been enough for the rest of the world so far. I know China has the largest population in the world, but that doesn't mean that their tastes are any different than the rest of the world. Gamers in china can see through BS just like the rest, and the PS or Nintendo brand would have more games that appeal to the asian demographic anyhow.

[hello12]

x box 1 will be shipping to China first and it being a new market for consoles anything can happen.

Black market and than you say it was possible to get these consoles literally everywhere (what?) Would an illegally imported console not cost more? How did people in China use the game disks and x box live how did it work in china exactly? 360 was region restricted for the most part last gen.

[badz149]

you mean, new "official" market for consoles. all the previous gens consoles have been sold in China for ages in their so called "black markets". the console ban law has been loosely implemented in the first place making it possible to get these consoles literally everywhere.

[Volkama]

Hmmmm that is concerning. September 23rd is quite soon too. We need to prepare!

Are you thinking what I'm thinking? I bet you're not cos I don't actually know what I'm thinking. Or typing.

Sorry.

[Niv]

No games with words freedom or democracy can be sold like cod and battlefield. Sad...

[OUROSMAG]

I hope it does well, although it seems the countries interest is a little more in favor of the ps4.

[qwerty676]

ya according to some polls that represent .00001% of Chinese gamers.

[OpieWinston]

It's a country with over 100 Million gamers. How accurate are those polls going to be?
I looked at them and they targeted around 5000 people.
Not very indicative of the overall population.

[qwerty676]

pretty much,

but im getting spammed with disagrees for some reason for saying it?

[Samsara82]

problem with most of polls....sample population too small and they take, example all gamers going to this website in particular which can affect the results and you get biased results...polls are very often biased unless they take random people from the population and not aim the study on a particular group...and a population like china is so large that you would need quite a big sample to have a good poll....
.That being said...I personally think this could go both ways...its a "new" market not taking into consideration the black market and if they have a good marketing push from BesTV you never know what might happen....

[Kribwalker]

You wanna see how inaccurate polls can be, just look at the 2013 bc election. The pollsters had the NDP party ahead by 9 points the night before the election, (some had them as much as 20points up during the campaign) and yet the Liberal party won by almost 4 points. That's a 13 point swing in one night.

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/w...

Polls don't typically mean to much

[kurochi]

yes..... I agree China is a new market for consoles
But..... I still think games are what should push console sales.
In that sense, my money is still on the PS4 to come out on top b/c of their first party studio game support..... BC honestly (I know, beating a dead horse here), you buy a console for games not all that extra curricular stuff (which you can get from your PC, and we know China is very heavy on the PC use).
I hope XB1 will do well, that way I can talk some trash on the new Gears game in China.... LOL

[Death]

What games are you referring to? Sony has an incredible catalog of IP's they released since the original Playstation launched, but many of the studios since then have shut down, been repurposed, or down-sized.

Sony's first party studios have released Knack and Killzone at launch, Infamous and the remake of TLOU in the past year.

The Japanese launch was delayed to make games more Japanese centered according to Sony. They released Knack and Killzone. The PS4 isn't doing well in Japan as a result.

[kurochi]

Ok, I'll bite.
So, your logic/argument is you're willing to bet that the XB1 will do better than Sony in China b/c they have better first party studios when compared to Sony? Am I interpreting your POV correctly?
Regardless of personally preference, that's what you're saying?
Enlighten me on why XB1 will do better in China (I'm really not being a smart-ass, I really want to know b/c maybe I'm wrong in my assumptions).

[04STIBluByU]

Your forgetting MLB The Show

[Death]

I honestly have no idea how either company will do in China since there really isn't any history for either company to base an opinion on.

Microsoft is launching in China first which may prove to be very significant. They have partnered with BesTV creating a joint venture in September of 2013 giving them a year to prepare. So far Microsoft has taken the Chinese market very seriously while Sony has only announced they are planning with a strategic partner to bring the PS4 to China a few months ago.

Call me crazy, but I think planning ahead of time and partnering with a very successfull and established Chinese company coupled with a head start gives Microsoft the advantage.

When you factor in Microsofts much larger cash reserves, they also have more available marketing muscle.

[Spotie]

If Microsoft's cash reserves can't make them keep up with the PS4 now, when it's early and that should be its easiest, what the hell makes you think it's gonna make a difference later on?

I mean, were you born last year, or did you miss how Microsoft's massive wallet led them to an amazing third place finish in the last generation?

Give that shit a rest.

[Death]

"an amazing third place finish"

Nintendo did an amazing job increasing sales from 25 million to over 100 million with the Wii. Their handhelds dominated the market place with inferior hardware and still continue to outsell their nearest competitor by a very wide margin.

Sony was able to sell almost half as many PS3's as they did PS2's and trailed Microsoft from 2005 when the Xbox 360 launched all the way to May 2013 when VGC claimed the PS3 finally passed it. Neither company confirmed VGC claims. If this claim is indeed accurate, it took Sony almost 8 years to catch up the 5 million consoles Microsoft sold before the PS3 launched.

Microsoft was able to increase their sales from 25 million to over 80 million consoles sold with the 360. To go from being outsold 6:1 to gaining enough to be 1:1 with Sony is an amazing third place finish.

[Gore-Content]

china could be xbone's secret weapon.

[WeAreLegion]

Do you know how much more favorable PlayStation is than Xbox in China? It's going to be a massacre.

[DeadlyOreo]

I thought DX 12 and Titanfall were Microsoft's secret weapons? What, there's more?

[mark3214uk]

still think most in china would rather have a japanese owned console in there homes than usa owned, there a bit funny with things like that,didnt they just ban all china officials from having a iphone because its owned by apple (usa)

very paranoid country

[kurochi]

which is retarded if true, because.... Foxcon make 90% of the iphones IN CHINA!!!
Kinda biting the hands that's feeding your people, don't you think?

[Biggest]

They are BARELY feeding them. Have you missed all of the suicides related to those sweatshops?

[mark3214uk]

lol your right biggest, they were jumping of the roof in protest last time i heard because of the long hours and short pay

[harrisk954]

"Both Microsoft and Sony are gearing up for fall release dates on mainland China. The Xbox One is expected to drop in September. Assuming it beats the PS4 to the market (release date currently unknown but expected in the fall), Xbox One will be the first international console to sell in China since they lifted their 14-year ban....The age (year) old debate: Xbox One vs. PS4, has a whole new field of battle, and one side has just been given a little more ammunition. According to a recent poll on Game.163, a Chinese gaming site, the PS4 currently has the edge, with a whopping 57 percent to 11 percent."

http://www.idigitaltimes.co...

[qwerty676]

lol that poll

"6665" votes out of how many Chinese gamers?

its a ridiculous reference.

that being said i do think the ps4 will probably sell more in china, a lot of playstation games cater to the Chinese crowd.

but who knows, maybe halo could blow up there.

[SoapShoes]

PS4 has more F2P MMOs which are big in China. Xbox really doesn't have that on their system.

[tlougotg]

I dont think you grasp the concept of "random sampling, margin of error and statistics in general" Doesn't matter if they only polled 6,665 ppl lol Have you ever taken statistics before? Itll still be representative of the whole with a margin of error taking that into account.

[bleedsoe9mm]

@SoapShoes when is the ps4 launching in china ? who are there partners that are going to sell their product ? how many console's are the government letting them sell ?

[harrisk954]

@Quicktim3

See my response to bleedsoe9mm below. Addresses your point, as well.

[harrisk954]

@bleedsoe9mm

Sony has a distribution deal in place with the Shanghai Oriental Pearl Company.

And, here are 2 more articles that drive home my original point about the Chinese market for both the PS4 and XB1:

http://www.cinemablend.com/...

http://www.worldsfactory.ne...

[bleedsoe9mm]

thank you , do you know how Shanghai Oriental Pearl Company compares to bestv , it sounds like a wholesaler not a retailer . it will be interesting to see when sony makes it move or lets ms test the waters

[harrisk954]

Don't know anything about either MS's partner or Sony's. Have to assume that both are equipped to handle the distribution of their respective consoles as neither Sony or MS want to screw it up in China. But, I believe that Sony and the Playstation brand are going to be more anticipated than Xbox. The only places in the world that Xbox is competitive with PS (and I mean both the 360 vs. PS3 and XB1 vs. PS4) is the U.S. and Britain. Other than those 2 territories, MS has never been able to make much headway.

[strangeaeon]

That's about as reliable as a poll on which is preferred on N4G.com and saying it represents the United States and Europe.

[harrisk954]

See these links:

http://www.cinemablend.com/...

http://www.worldsfactory.ne...

[rainslacker]

The results of those polls were very similar to polls that were around when the systems were revealed, after E3, and right before they released. Think MS never broke 20% in desirability in any poll. That reflected in sales with MS currently getting about 33% of the next gen market(if you exclude the Wii U).

But some people just don't want to accept that polls do hold some weight, and can be indicative of what they're trying to present. It's OK to question the methods of obtaining the data, but all the polls around this issue seemed to be pretty straight forward.

The only thing now is that the system hasn't actually released, and I doubt that marketing has gone full force yet, so the final outcome could be anything.

[BigShotSmoov007]

Yeah, it's hard to think that they can have a successful launch in Asia. They are so anti anything that's U.S. based but I mean they even turned on the Playstation after the initial week release so who know's. Maybe they'll sell more in the first month than we all are expecting.

[kurochi]

"They are so anti anything that's U.S. based"

Not true!! Look at the new Transformer movie.... made more money there than it did here in the US.

[DafunkyRebel]

Cause its made in China

[kurochi]

so are most iPhones... LOL

[Flamingweazel]

LMAo at this article not having a clue about this market.

[Paprika]

Even the if 1% of china buy this console its going to explode in sales. Sony need to get the ps4 over their asap or rusk losing potentially the biggest market of them all. Keyword, potentially. I don't think the Chinese are all that into Xbox anyway, same for ps4.. although likely more interested in the ps4 based off recent polls.

Aren't Chinese pretty hardcore PC gamers like the Koreans? I doubt consoles are all that appealing tbh.

[ScorpiusX]

Go China get your console gaming on .

[DafunkyRebel]

Xbox Kinect is gonna be the worst human rights violation tool for China's government ever. Imagine if most Chinese families ow one and the government is watching them and keep tabs to make sure everything is censored and that the citizens don't have any rebellious anti government ideas.

[Death]

Hopefully the Chinese aren't as ignorant as the ones who believe this is happening. The cellphone that is in my pocket is the much better choice to go with a tinfoil hat.

[DafunkyRebel]

You obviously have not been to China or understand how things work there

[Taz X14]

I currently reside in China and I can tell you this is not going to go well for them. First it's being released at supermarkets and electronics stores to improve brand recognition. However it's going to have the opposite effect since it's priced at 4,000 yuan. To think they don't have the xbox here already is ludicrous. Most gaming shops can get them and at 1000 yuan or less, problem is it just doesn't sell here.

MS doesn't make the games the Chinese like (same problem with Japan really), games are too expensive here for the average Joe(the 360 did well because you could make fake games and just buy those at any store) and the subscription service is a hard sell for online. I think Sony will also have a hard time selling the ps4 this gen because of the ps+ model, but until now it's been doing well. It's usually sold out as soon as people get stock here and since people are importing from Hong Kong they're getting bonuses like extra cash for psn or a free year of psn+ etc all while being much cheaper than the current price of the xbox as it currently stands.

I'm not saying that xbox won't sell at all, but I'm saying of those 5 million consoles, don't expect a ton of them to sell, especially right away. They'll need to do heavy marketing, and some serious regional development before they see any average numbers.

[X1X11X]

Well I think both X1 and PS4 will do good but not great in China they will sell but it will take a while for it to reach the 5 million mark.
But who knows Microsoft could get lucky and sell loads same with sony but the fact that the ps2 came to China and it failed hard its hard to tell.
Also comparing PS4 to X1 in sales is so stupid since PS4 is in what 48 country's and X1 is in 14 country's yea I can see why PS4 has 10 million sold and X1 only 5 million sold