Microsoft has finally started selling its brand-new Xbox One X in India, one of the biggest markets in the world. In a region reigned by archrival Sony's PlayStation consoles, Microsoft offering a very expensive gaming console seems to be a shot in the dark.
The Xbox One X costs 44,990 Indian Rupees or around US$705, a steep hike compared to the console's US$500 price tag in the US. Despite that, the Xbox business lead at Microsoft Asia, Jeremy Hinton, is optimistic about its flagship home gaming console to perform sales-wise in the country with the help of the titles they are offering.
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"For gaming at Microsoft, the console business is one part of that. More and more, it's gaming with Windows, and every game we launch now is available on Windows and Xbox. So it's all about what best aligns to consumers in the market," says Hinton in an interview with CNET, noting that console gamers in Asia are spending a little more than US$200 per year.
One standout feature in the Xbox One X is the backward compatibility which allows users who have Xbox One and Xbox One S to play their older games on the 4K console. Hinton teases that Microsoft is working with local content providers in Asia to deliver support for contents such as movies, sports, and TV shows right on their Xbox.
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In the meantime, IDC's associate research director Navkendar Singh says the Xbox One X will have a difficult time finding its place in India where the gaming landscape is dominated by the PC and mobile platforms and where PlayStation is the far more popular console.
"The Xbox one X, even though is one of the most powerful consoles, will face a challenge in terms of overall value to the gamer and enhancements to upgrade from existing systems in markets like India," Singh tells CNET.
With the right move and the right strategy, Singh still believes Microsoft has its chances in the Indian market.
The Xbox One X is available on Amazon.com, Flipkart and Microsoft's online store. It will also be available at Landmark and Croma.
