Xbox One hits S’pore shores
SINGAPORE — Microsoft in Singapore yesterday held the “biggest ever launch” of its Xbox One gaming console, with more than 500 fans welcoming the device and collecting their pre-orders at the launch event at Funan DigitaLife Mall. The event kicked off at 1pm, but one eager fan, Mr Aw Jeng Kit, 18, arrived the day before and waited in line for more than 19 hours to get his hands on the device.
SINGAPORE — Microsoft in Singapore yesterday held the “biggest ever launch” of its Xbox One gaming console, with more than 500 fans welcoming the device and collecting their pre-orders at the launch event at Funan DigitaLife Mall. The event kicked off at 1pm, but one eager fan, Mr Aw Jeng Kit, 18, arrived the day before and waited in line for more than 19 hours to get his hands on the device.
“The feedback from our fans in Singapore has been overwhelming,” said Mr Hanson Yap, marketing manager for Interactive Entertainment Business at Microsoft Singapore.
“The games industry is evolving and growing fast, and we are proud to have Singaporean gamers to help drive the new Xbox One era.”
The Xbox One is available at more than 150 stores nationwide.
Besides Singapore, the console is also available in other Asian markets such as Seoul, Hong Kong and Taipei, the company stated.
Microsoft was originally scheduled to commence sales of the console in China today as well, but announced on Sunday it was delaying the launch.
The US software giant followed up with a statement yesterday, saying that it will now launch the console in China on Sept 29.
Microsoft gave no reason for the delay. Its console will be the first in China since 2000 after the government lifted a 14-year-old ban on sales of foreign games consoles this year.
A year ago, Microsoft struck a deal with Chinese Internet TV set-top box maker BesTV New Media to form a joint venture to make the consoles in Shanghai’s Free Trade Zone.