14 DAY TRIAL // Microsoft has announced the exact release dates of its next-gen console, the Xbox One, in the 28 countries it's entering over the course of this month.
The Xbox One is set to come to a number of secondary markets, further adding to the potential of Microsoft's console business. For the time being, the computer entertainment system is available in a number of 13 countries all around the world.
Microsoft is looking to add a number of new countries such as China, Japan, India and many others to the list of Xbox One markets, in an effort to catch up to Sony's PlayStation 4, the Xbox One's main competitor, who already has a hefty head start.
The PlayStation 4 is available in a total of 58 countries, and Sony has already published its internal statistics, pointing to over 10 million units sold so far, as of August 12, 2014. This is an impressive feat, making the PlayStation 4 the fastest-selling console yet, breaking the milestone only nine months after its release.
The Xbox One, on the other hand, is unfavorably positioned in the race, with the latest official information confirming only 5 million units shipped, as of April 2014. Microsoft has refrained from publishing further figures, and it's most likely counting on this month's busy schedule to boost its console sales before revealing a fresher tally.
For the time being, Microsoft's release schedule debuts with Chile and Colombia, where the Xbox One will be launched on September 2, followed by Japan on September 4.
Close behind are Belgium, The Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, Greece, Hungary, The Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Saudi Arabia, Slovakia, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, and The United Arab Emirates, where the Xbox One will be launched on September 5.
Israel will follow suit on September 15, and Microsoft's next-gen console will be officially available in Hong Kong, India, Korea, Singapore, South Africa, Taiwan and China starting September 23.
Closing the list is Russia, where the Xbox One will be released on September 26.
The impending release on 28 new markets will surely cause some improvement in the console's worldwide sales figure, and maybe even help soften the massive gap between the two next-gen systems.
Microsoft's yearly financial report has revealed that the Xbox One has so far caused the company's console division a loss of over $400 / €304 million, in spite of overall hardware sales registering a considerable year-over-year increase, so having the console readily available in a total of 41 territories should help the company recoup.