While Microsoft’s Xbox 360 is made in China, it still isn’t available for legal purchase there, nor is Sony’s PlayStation 3 or Nintendo’s Wii, but the Redmond, Washington-based company isn’t giving up hope.
Microsoft executive Zhang Yaqin told the Shanghai Daily (subscription only) that the company still hopes to receive approval to sell the 360 in China, but that “… it all depends on the government.” There’s still no set timetable for launch and the issue involves “several government bureaus,” which, of course, only adds multiple layers of bureaucracy.
Last month, Kotaku investigated why game consoles are banned in China. A Niko Partners researcher told the publication, “The government thought that was the best way to protect Chinese youth from wasting their minds on video games, after a parental outcry.”
Of course the very next year, Kotaku notes, “online gaming exploded, and the market size hit $US100 million,” so the console ban did not have its intended effect.
Comments
Re: MS Still Lobbying to Sell Consoles in China
"Kotaku notes, “online gaming exploded, and the market size hit $US100 million,” so the console ban did not have its intended effect."
Not surprised one bit. Most of gaming done in china is done through online pc games.
http://www.magicinkgaming.com/