Microsoft has announced that the Xbox One has been delayed in China just days before its launch.
GeekWire reported that the Xbox One, originally scheduled for a September 23 launch, is now expected to release by the end of 2014. Microsoft did not give a specific reason for the delay.
“Despite strong and steady progress, we are going to need a bit more time to deliver the best experiences possible for our fans in China,” Microsoft said in a statement. “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.”
Pre-orders do appear to be beyond Microsoft's expectations, according to Microsoft Vice-President Yusuf Mehdi.
Microsoft is still having a tough time expanding in the historically tough Japanese market. Xbox One had a tepid launch in Japan moving just 23,562 units in its first week. The most recent estimate for total Xbox One units sold is around 5 million.
The 3,699 yuan ($600 USD) console will be the first foreign console available in China since 2000 after the country lifted a ban on video game consoles. The ban was intended to protect the mental well-being of children.
