Xbox One fans in Asia will have to wait until late 2014 to get their hands on the system. Microsoft’s regional vice president, Alan Bowman, calls this the “staged approach” giving them more time to prepare for the Asian markets. To be more exact, Microsoft plans to launch the system in Taiwan, Hong Kong, Singapore, South Korea, and India.
Microsoft plans to market the Xbox 360 to Asian regions in the meanwhile. They believe that when Xbox One launches later this year, the media coverage will generate good will for Microsoft consoles in general. They plan to ride on that good will to keep Xbox 360 sales strong.
Before, if a system launched in one region before another, eager first adopters could import the system and games ahead of time. That option is no longer viable. Xbox One’s authentication system prohibits a game from being activated outside its intended region regardless of the regionality of the hardware. That’s assuming that their Xbox Ones can even reach an Xbox One server. There is no indication that servers will be setup in these markets ahead of the intended late 2014 window.
Although these markets are chosen for their gaming industry growth, one notable market is left out altogether. Japan has famously ignored Microsoft’s gaming ambitions. Although Bowman claims Microsoft has “deepened our relationship with Japanese publishers,” we have yet to have any indication of their intentions with Japan.
The Xbox One is slated for November 2013 release in North America, Europe, and Australia.
