We look at the Xbox 360 and see a dominant home console, one which has topped the sales charts for literally years, but it’s not the same story everywhere. The PlayStation brand remains stronger in Europe, while in much of Asia – especially Japan – it is dominant.
This probably explains why the list of countries getting the Xbox One in November 2013 does not include places like Taiwan, Hong Kong and Korea.
In an interview with the Wall Street Journal, Microsoft’s Alan Bowman says that the regions above – along with Singapore and India – will be getting the console in late 2014.
Leaving people to wonder about Japan. Microsoft’s failure to win over the Japanese market has been a long and excruciating tale, and its absence from that list has led some to believe the console would somehow be skipping the territory altogether.
That’s not the case; Microsoft Japan has told Famitsu it has plans to release the console, and will reveal its plans in greater detail at a later date.
The obvious reason for the delay is that Microsoft will want to allocate resources to the regions it knows it can sell consoles in. Another, newer reason might be one the WSJ speculates; that because so much of the inherent worth of the Xbox One is in licensed content like TV deals, there are obstacles it’s going to need to overcome in regions that don’t give a damn about stuff like the NFL.
Comments
17 responses to “The Xbox One Isn’t Hitting Asia Until 2014 (But What About Japan?)”
Perhaps they’re releasing it in other parts of Asia later so they can make sufficient consoles to quench the thirst of the Japanese market this year?
What definition of the word “dominant” are we using here? 360 has sold fewer units than both the Wii and the PS3. It’s not dominant, it’s running last…
*cough* reread dude…
Is referring to Playstation being dominant 😉
Oops sorry. It actually refers to both 360 and PS3 being dominant in different sentences. I forget sometimes that Luke writes for the US site even though he’s Australian…
“The obvious reason for the delay is that Microsoft will want to allocate resources to the regions it knows it can sell consoles in.”
Should have read:
“The obvious reason for the delay is that Microsoft will want to allocate resources to the regions in which it knows it can sell consoles.”
Can sell consoles.
Oops
Who teached you to spake wot I can and can’t type!?
Although I prefer your edited version, it really is a matter of style choice. The idea that you can’t end an English sentence with a preposition is silly.
Look, I’m old school ok, that was considered an error when I was at school.
It was only ever an error because old men in ivory towers considered the Germanic roots of the language too common for fine British folk, so they insisted on importing grammar that made no contextual sense from the Latin roots.
That said, I much prefer your edit. It flows nicely.
Pokedad uses Knowledge of History, it’s super effective.
And Singapore… Aussie ex-pat here in Singapore and can’t get an XboxOne when it comes out for another year (unless I import from Aus)
Assuming you can use it in Singapore before local launch (with the daily check in and all.).
If your country is not on the list of starting 21 countries, don’t import the Xbox1. The console wouldn’t be able to play games in Singapore until MS start up your local server.
And does Australia care about the NFL?
I, for one, care very deeply about being able to watch the Narcotic Fueled Luge. Sport of kings!
Or maybe this is a logical business decision since consoles haven’t exactly been popular in the Japanese market? Handhelds like the 3DS and Vita are the platform of choice over there.
With its current price point and rather controversial features, will there be enough interest in it when it eventually launches outside of the US?
I liked my 360, but since MS have told me to stuff myself and hold on to it until it breaks (and then bye bye XBLA games and every other 360 game I’ve played) they can also hold on to their Xbones until they rot.