Neowin

Earlier this week, Microsoft announced that a number of European countries would not be part of the company's Xbox One launch plans for November 2013. Specifically, the countries of Belgium, Denmark, Finland, The Netherlands, Norway, Russia, Sweden and Switzerland won't sell the console locally until sometime in 2014.

While there was speculation that Microsoft was delaying the Xbox One launches in those countries due to shipment and supply issues , Microsoft's Xbox director of marketing Albert Penello told fans on the NeoGAF message board that was not the case. He stated:

Launch volumes are not really an issue. This was simply a software issue in terms of getting local language and voice support in the dash. It's pretty straightforward, but disappointing I know for people who are missing launch.

Microsoft has already said they will give gamers in those affected countries a free game when the Xbox One launches in those markets. But what if some of those people don't want to wait and buy a console from another country and then bring it home? Penello, in another NeoGAF post, stated that all Xbox One games will be region free and the console itself will work anywhere. He added:

You can use one of the 13 digital marketplaces corresponding to our launch markets, assuming you have a valid payment instrument for those countries. Lots of people in Europe travel, move, and visit family.

While games are region free, Penello said that music and video content that are available on Xbox Live could still be restricted depending on each country's licensing issues. For example, Netflix streaming will be a part of Xbox One, but not all countries currently allow Netflix support.

http://www.neowin.net/news/microsoft-the-xbox-one-delays-in-some-european-markets-are-simply-a-software-issue

lol Don Mattrick really had no clue how to set up a console launch.

wait a free game ??? I might just wait then and source from a delayed country lol

He was dealt a bum hand having to fight anti-DRM fires for at least 2 months. And if lanuage localisation for the OS really is an issue he was given an unreasonably short timeframe.

Mattrick was a scapegoat for all the mis-steps taken by lots of people at all levels of senior management in the Xbox div.

Hexic 2

Yeah I think it was. Kinect didn't launch globally because of it iirc

Sorry but just lie :p

Switzerland official language : French, Italian, German, and this get released in France, Germanie, italia, don't see how to explain this but just some fantasy excuse.

I agree but if it is like apps on cellphone you will have a crap load of tards that still don't know how to mumble two words in the language of Shakespeare in the 21st century that will just whine even louder than a PS fan forced to have kinect plugged in on an XB1 he won't buy.... when you see the number of apps that get 1 star just because it is not translated regardless of the quality of the apps.... I can understand why MS wouldn't take that risk with a 500 bucks product.....

you do realize voice recognition doesn't work just by the words you say but how you say them.... I don't know about the Swiss German accent or Swiss Italian.... but if it is anything like the Swiss French accent it is probably not complete lies.... I mean sure some people could easily use it in any of those language but the overall QoS would be terrible for the thicker accent some might have and they probably don't want to release until it is tweaked so it works fine even with the thickest accents

Yeah yeah, when i talk on TS3 with french friend they not understand me at all and vice versa, and this not take month and month for some tiny accent because, south france french and north france french would not be same french and go on..........