SHANGHAI: Microsoft yesterday unveiled its Xbox game console in China, the first to enter the market after an official ban 14 years ago, even as it faces a Chinese government probe over business practices.
China’s State Administration for Industry and Commerce said Tuesday it was investigating the US technology firm for “monopoly actions” related to its flagship Windows operating system and Office suite of software.
The day after the announcement of the investigation, Microsoft introduced its newest Xbox One model to the potentially vast Chinese market ahead of the official sales launch, which a company representative said would be September 23. “We are deeply committed to deliver the very best games and entertainment experience for fans in China,” Yusuf Mehdi, chief marketing and strategy officer for Xbox, told reporters at an event billed as a chance to “experience” the Xbox.
The slick presentation at the Shanghai Film Museum included Xbox games projected onto a big screen on a darkened stage with deafening sound effects for a crowd of 100 journalists and game developers. Xbox signs were prominently displayed but Microsoft’s coloured square logo was conspicuously absent.
Microsoft said earlier yesterday that it seeks to comply with Chinese law.
AFP
