Although many would regard gaming consoles as the most popular platform to enjoy video games, in China the market is fairly niche. With the country's notoriously strict censorship laws, video game consoles frequently launch late for its occupants, and even when they do hit the market there's a small number of games available due to heavy restrictions by the government.
While the Xbox One and PlayStation 4 launched in China around a year after their respective releases in other countries, recent reports hint that Xbox might be looking to get the Xbox Series X on the Chinese market sooner than it did with its previous console. Revealed by industry analyst Daniel Ahmad on Twitter Tuesday, Microsoft has recently acquired a 3C certification for two consoles this year, meaning the hardware has been approved for sale in the country.
As Ahmad points out, this doesn't necessarily mean that the console's release is coming anytime soon. While the Xbox Series X could technically be sold whenever Microsoft chooses, that doesn't extend to the games accompanying it. Every single title that releases in the country must be approved by a regulator, and as Ahmad details in a separate Twitter thread, the process is more arduous than that of the ESRB in the US considering China's strict censorship laws.
As such, games take a long time to be approved for sale, with Ahmad noting the process can take "6+ months." He goes on to say, "In a year you can only expect around 30 console games to be approved across the board." Taking that into account, Microsoft will likely hold off on the Xbox Series X until it's sure those wanting to purchase a console in China have enough games to make it worthwhile, with Ahmad predicting that may come next year.
As for the Xbox Series X, the console has had a strong showing in its first few weeks on the market. Although stock shortages have been an issue for both Sony and Microsoft's flagship consoles, those who have their hands on the Xbox Series X have reported it to be a powerful piece of hardware with some great features.
However, many have been unimpressed with the system's lack of new games, as there are not many major exclusive that showcases what a significant step up in hardware the Series X is. Hopefully Halo Infinite will fill that hole when the game launches at an as-yet unspecified date next year.
The Xbox Series X is available now.