Microsoft still seeking 360 Chinese release
Government mandate prevents console launch in its country of manufacture
The Xbox 360 may yet be released in China, as Microsoft continues to push for regulatory body support for the console.
Although the 360 is manufactured on the Chinese mainland, government concerns about gaming's effect on the nation's youth have so far prevented the console from being sold there.
The same is true of the PlayStation 3 and Wii. An official ban on all consoles was introduced in 2000, although the success of online PC gaming and plug-and-play devices has undermined the crackdown.
The consoles are available on the local grey market, as are a number of copycat devices. The rampant nature of software piracy in China is thought to have been another deterrent to official console releases there.
However, Microsoft seems keen to push on with its efforts to have its console government-sanctioned, Microsoft China's corporate vice-president Zhang Yaqin told Shanghai Daily.
He admitted there was no timetable for release in the console's country of manufacture, stating that Microsoft was meeting resistance from several state bodies.
"We hope to launch Xbox as soon as possible but it all depends on the government," he said.
Zhang Yaqin also claimed that the Xbox 360 contributes $4 billion per year to Chinese exports