Games By Matthew Humphries Jun. 30, 2014 8:28 am
When Microsoft launched the Xbox One in the US, it carried a price tag of $499 — $100 more than its main rival the PS4. It has suffered because of that, which eventually led to Kinect being dropped as a mandatory inclusion with the console and the price reduced to match the PS4 at $399. That’s not going to be the case in China, though, where you can expect to pay double that.
Microsoft announced the Xbox One was heading to China back in April. Through a partnership with Chinese company BesTV the console will arrive there in the fall. It won’t be $399 though, according to the first Chinese advertisement that has appeared. The price is listed as 4,999 RMB, which converts to roughly $800.
Chinese consumers are used to paying more for their products, but prices are typically up to 30 percent higher, not 100 percent. Is this to do with the BesTV partnership? Or could it be that this is the recommended retail price of the console, which will by default be heavily discounted down? One further option that may account for the high price is game bundling. If Microsoft intends to ship the console with several games in the box, the price makes a more sense.
Microsoft isn’t alone in entering the Chinese market. Sony has also said the PS4, and possibly the PS Vita will go on sale there this year. So whatever price Microsoft sets it may end up adjusting depending on what Sony decides to charge for the PS4. Both consoles are expected to cost more than in western markets, but I suspect it will stay below $600, not $800.
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Microsoft announced the Xbox One was heading to China back in April. Through a partnership with Chinese company BesTV the console will arrive there in the fall. It won’t be $399 though, according to the first Chinese advertisement that has appeared. The price is listed as 4,999 RMB, which converts to roughly $800.
Chinese consumers are used to paying more for their products, but prices are typically up to 30 percent higher, not 100 percent. Is this to do with the BesTV partnership? Or could it be that this is the recommended retail price of the console, which will by default be heavily discounted down? One further option that may account for the high price is game bundling. If Microsoft intends to ship the console with several games in the box, the price makes a more sense.
Microsoft isn’t alone in entering the Chinese market. Sony has also said the PS4, and possibly the PS Vita will go on sale there this year. So whatever price Microsoft sets it may end up adjusting depending on what Sony decides to charge for the PS4. Both consoles are expected to cost more than in western markets, but I suspect it will stay below $600, not $800.
More...
