Microsoft delays Xbox One China launch

Microsoft has postponed the China launch of its Xbox One gaming console from Tuesday to next Monday.

The new launch date, September 29, marks the anniversary of the launch of the China (Shanghai) Pilot Free Trade Zone (FTZ), and also that of a joint venture in the FTZ between Microsoft and Chinese Internet television company BesTV.

With the joint venture, Microsoft has been allowed to manufacture and sell the Xbox in China along with its Chinese partner, marking China's repeal of a ban for foreign firms manufacturing consoles for sale in China.

In a statement, BesTV said a celebration with Xbox One fans scheduled for Monday evening was canceled due to typhoon Fung-Wong, which landed in Shanghai on Tuesday.

"Preparation for the launch of the Xbox One gaming console has finished, and it is to meet users soon," said the statement.

Consumers will be able to buy the console and related products in over 3,200 outlets including branches of China Telecom, Shanghai government sources told Xinhua.

The new model will cost 3,699 yuan (601 U.S. dollars) without the Kinect motion detection system and 4,299 yuan with Kinect, Microsoft said in July.

Yusuf Mehdi, vice president of Microsoft, said that the company is to launch more than 70 games for Chinese Xbox One users.

In 2000, China's Ministry of Culture together with seven other ministries banned the manufacture and sale of all game consoles in China.

Xbox One is the first game console legally available in China since then.

Gaming console giant Sony Playstation is also eyeing the China market. The Shanghai Oriental Pearl Group announced this May that it will join hands with Sony to set up two joint ventures in Shanghai for production and sale of PlayStation gaming consoles.