Microsoft is officially bringing their Xbox One to China in September, according to a news release.
The tech company has partnered with BesTV New Media Co. to bring their next-gen console to China, lifting the country's ban on selling consoles not made a Chinese company that has been in effect since 2000. According to Xbox Wire, BesTV is a subsidiary of Shanghai Media Group.
"China instigated a ban on selling game consoles not made by Chinese companies back in 2000," Time reports. "The ban included unscientific concerns about players' mental well-being, and in the end probably had more to do with keeping foreign corporations out."
According to Time, China's State Council believes the financial gain of selling the Microsoft product outweighs any cultural concerns they may have had in the past.
"The culture of games and entertainment is rapidly growing in China, with nearly half a billion people playing games - roughly a third of the country's population and more than the entire population of North America," Yusuf Mehdi, Xbox vice president of marketing, strategy and business, wrote in a blog post for Xbox Wire.
"The gaming industry saw massive growth in the last year - generating more than $13 billion in 2013, an increase of 38 percent in the last year alone," Mehdi continued. "Gamers in China have shown they love gaming - mostly on PC, mobile and online - and game developers in China have been delivering innovative games for years. Creators and gamers alike have eagerly awaited a new generation of entertainment experiences in China."
Microsoft's move to China is a big step for the company, who has seen a slump in their console sales. The Xbox One has reportedly sold about 5 million units, lagging behind Sony Computer Entertainment's PlayStation 4, which has sold more than 7 million consoles. The Xbox One will launch in China in September, but Microsoft has yet to reveal the eact release date.
