The Xbox One launch in Japan was a sad, epic failure. No one is disputing that, but you can't say that Microsoft doesn't learn from their mistakes.
Polygon reported today that Microsoft has delayed their launch in China to have "a bit more time to deliver the best experiences possible for our fans" there. Originally slated to launch Tuesday, September 23, that date now has been pushed to "by the end of this year," Microsoft stated.
"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," a Microsoft spokesperson said in the statement. "Working with our partner, BesTV, we look forward to launching in China by the end of this year."
"We are excited to bring game and entertainment innovation to China," said Yusuf Mehdi, the chief marketing officer for Xbox. "We have an ambitious vision and we're working hard with our partners to deliver Xbox One and great games and entertainment to China."
Changes to the law inside the Shanghai Free Trade Zone this past April now allow for the legal sale of video game consoles, which have been banned in China since 2000. After the change in the law, Microsoft swiftly announced a partnership with Chinese entertainment firm BesTV to launch the Xbox One in the country.
But now, after the hard lessons of the disastrous Japanese launch one must ask: is Microsoft just delaying, or is this something more? Only time will tell...
