China’s Xbox One and games will be totally region locked

The news of the Xbox One launch price last week was met with a surprising level of positivity from China’s gamer community. The reason, in part, was that although Microsoft hadn’t announced anything, some e-commerce sites were advertising the system would not be region locked.

But those ads have since been revised, and Microsoft China VP Xie Enwei made it very clear that the console and its games will be totally region locked.

Specifically, according to Sina Games, Xie said that Chinese Xbox One games will not be playable on other Xbox One consoles. Similarly, Xbox One games and apps from other regions cannot be downloaded or run on the official Chinese Xbox One.

In other words, Chinese gamers who’ve already purchased an imported Xbox One will need to buy a new console if they want to play any of console’s official China titles. Similarly, Chinese gamers who were hoping to import foreign Xbox titles to play on their official Chinese Xbox Ones are out of luck.

That may be bad news for Chinese gamers, but it’s likely good news for the gray market vendors of imported Xbox One consoles, which are likely to remain in demand so that China’s console gamers have access to popular foreign games like Grand Theft Auto (which have virtually no chance of getting government approval and seeing an official domestic release).

Source: http://www.gamesinasia.com/chinas-xbox-one-and-games-will-be-totally-region-locked/

Understandable considering how strict China is about which games can be sold there.

ofc they will

Sounds like a China thing. Since there so strict on what games can be played

Noooot terribly surprising, unfortunately. China's regulation and restrictions on permitted games wasn't going to have much in the way of teeth unless they found a way to block imported titles; as the article stated, it's super good news for the gray market, though, as they're likely going to take a big chunk out of the available market by offering a far more 'capable' option. I wonder if region locking China's titles is intended to try and discourage people from just moving to said imported consoles... God knows that'll only last as long as it takes for someone to pirate the games. xP

Now that we know for certain how extensively these restrictions are being reinforced, however, I am very curious as to the obvious question; who's going to be the most affected, in terms of their available line of products, by the Chinese government's regulation? My initial guess is that Nintendo might be the LEAST affected (and, ironically, it could give them a big sales boost against the other two,) if only because the Chinese government would have to be awwwwfully ornery to look at Zelda, Super Smash Bros. or Mario Kart and declare; "THIS IS THREATENING OUR CULTURE BANHAMMER AWAY!"

...although admittedly, if anything could threaten a government or society, it's be the #($ing blue shell.

One thing to take into account there games are like $16 to $40 and live is like $30 something. So why they be locked there getting good deals on the game's

Yeah i wonder if China will have their own special servers too.

Meanwhile, in reality they are priced at:

Battlefield 4 - 329.99 yuan (53usd)
Ryse - 345.00 yuan (56 usd)
Fighters within - 345.00 yuan (56 usd)
Just Dance 2014 - 380.00 yuan (61 usd)
Forza 5 - 339.00 yuan (55 usd)
Assassins creed black flag - 339.99 yuan (55 usd)

And....cross off China from the chalkboard...
Why would anyone buy a more expensive version which is more restrictive....
For Premier league matches and a few movies? I doubt it.

People will just continue to buy black market consoles and games like they currently do.