Xbox One Limited To 21 Countries At Launch

[Andy Chalk]

Xbox One Limited To 21 Countries At Launch

Microsoft's Xbox One preorder information page states that the console will only support Live in only 21 countries at launch, and therefore presumably won't work anywhere else.

If you were planning on preordering an Xbox One console, you'd be well advised to do yourself a favor and make sure you live in one of these 21 nations:


Australia
Austria
Belgium
Brazil
Canada
Denmark
Finland
France
Germany
Ireland
Italy
Mexico
Netherlands
New Zealand
Norway
Russia
Spain
Sweden
Switzerland
United Kingdom
United States


Why? Because it is in those nations, and those nations only (unless Microsoft changes its mind between now and then) that the Xbox One will be supported through Xbox Live at launch. And since the Xbox One requires online game activation and a daily connection to the central scrutinizer, which I assume must take place via Xbox Live, the unavoidable conclusion is that the console just won't work outside of those countries.

It seems fairly straightforward and yet it's so hard to believe that I can't help thinking that I must be misinterpreting the situation somehow. After all, we're not talking about a lack of support in, say, Equitorial Guinea or the Pitcairn Islands; the list omits nations like Portugal, Japan, Ukraine, Greece and Poland, ironically the homeland of Witcher 3 [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/124848-Xbox-One-DRM-Wont-Deter-Witcher-3-Studio] developer CD Projekt. These are potentially huge chunks of the international market that Microsoft appears to be willfully and completely bypassing.

It's possible that a stopgap plan will be put into place to enable the system's functionality in non-Live regions, although no mention of such a thing is made on the site. It does warn, however, that "Xbox One games are for activation and distribution only in specified geographic regions."


Source: Microsoft [http://www.xbox.com/en-US/xbox-one/pre-order-xbox-one/disclaimer]


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[Anathrax]

"Don't worry gaise! Next E3 we'll be announcing more countries!"

[sub][sub]What else can I say really? This is such a spectacular fail I can't find anything that can be more expressive than the house facepalm. [/sub][/sub]

 

[Sixcess]

It's possible that a stopgap plan will be put into place to enable the system's functionality in non-Live regions, although no mention of such a thing is made on the site.

Imagine the reaction if they did have a workaround for the rest of the world, then refused to let it be implemented in these 21 countries.

This would be the worst thing they could possibly do. So based on recent behaviour, they probably will.

 

[Dominic Crossman]

Damn, my country is included on that list

 

[Legion]

I expect that this list will expand as and when Microsoft gets permission in other countries to sell a product with a spy-cam Kinect that is permanently on, or something similar. I imagine that there is some feature or another they will need to be approved before these other countries will accept it, or else there is still some form of paperwork to be filled out.

Or they are just stupid. Really, really stupid.

 

[TiberiusEsuriens]

Hahahahahahahahaha. This is really funny.

Said Sony.

 

[Norrdicus]

In other news, Microsoft still aims to sell over a hundred million Xbox One consoles, compared to 77.5m currently sold 360s

 

[Raesvelg]

Keep hammering Microsoft, you'll have that coffin sealed in no time.

 

[Slash Joel]

And these Countries will be the first to burn when the end comes.

 

[Sehnsucht Engel]

Damn, my country is included on that list

I thought the same thing.

OT: Either Microsoft is retarded, or they're actively trying their best to lose the next console generation race.

 

[wooty]

Are they just looking to have a good enough excuse to bow out of the console business? They've already pissed off a large number of gamers in their own back yard, now they're taking the hate train international. Silly, silly moves.

 

[Ironside]

"Omits nations like Portugal, Japan, Ukraine, Greece and Poland." I dont know if you guys follow the news, but the populations of Greece and Portugal do not have much disposable income at the moment, businesses are fleeing both countries and youth (the people most likely to buy these consoles) unemployment is at record levels of 65% and 40+% respectively. The 360 never sold well in Japan and Ukraine is one of the poorest countries in Europe. You can criticise Microsoft for a lot of things relating to the xbone, but this just seems like a smart business decision to me in that they are focusing their resources on the areas where they are actually going to make reasonable returns.

 

[loa]

I do suppose an imported american console will still play in, say, germany?
And what about imported games anyway?

 

[iniudan]

Keep hammering Microsoft, you'll have that coffin sealed in no time.

Coffin ? At this point they are building boat for a Norse funeral. The pyre will be spectacular.

Captcha: background noise, what the xbone is becoming.

 

[RoBi3.0]

Wow, I didn't think things on the Xbox 1 front could get any worst. It is clear that Microsoft no longer wants complete world domination of the console market.

That sucks for anyone wanting an Xbox living in an unapproved country.

 

[fix-the-spade]

So basically, the entire market for these will be getting themselves mod chip models on grey import?

I guess they've gone to the logical extreme of that 'people without broadband don't exist' line and are now only acknowledging the existence of the twenty one countries who called friendsies first, the rest can all go home, losers.

 

[BrotherRool]

I think the Xbox has got some deep scars inside it, something nasty happened in it's childhood, maybe it was all those consoles dying off one by one to RROD and now Xbox can't handle or understand the emotions that tragedy has caused and it's causing them to subconsciously want to commit suicide.



-------
EDIT: Because I can't believe that they'd only sell the thing in 21 countries, maybe ' Requires account on Xbox Live in an Xbox One-supported Xbox Live country (not all Xbox Live countries).' means that people in countries without Xbox Live support don't have to do the DRM bs?

 

[Kuilui]

Hey look at all those countries that Nintendo and Sony no longer have to worry about competing with Microsoft over. Must be some headbutting over laws going on to make xbox not show up in places like Japan which to me is the most bizarre. I'm sure we will hear why those countries are excluded sooner rather than later. Sony and Nintendo must be getting exhausted from all the non stop partying over all this great new MS keeps releasing.



Sorry had to do it.

 

[zidine100]

You know one of those decisions that just make you want to scream, nonintelegently, this is one of them.

yep well done, drm that makes it physically impossible to use in certain country's, freaking heck....