Xbox 360 In China Next Year

The U.S., Europe, and Japan are getting ahold of Microsoft's next console this year, but China will have to wait until 2006, reports Gamasutra. From the article: "Obviously, it's somewhat unclear that the majority of China's workforce would be able to afford such a console - the average wage of an urban worker in China in 2004 was 9,422 yuan ($1,164), and a rural worker made just 2,936 yuan ($363) on average. Nonetheless, Microsoft is keen to make a symbolic move into the territory, as Sony did in December 2003 when it launched the PlayStation 2 in four major Chinese cities, to as yet unrevealed sales figures. Nintendo is trying a different strategy, with its license to iQue for the release of specially branded, localized Nintendo 64, Game Boy, and even Nintendo DS products in Chinese territories."

Comments

Uhh, guys...?

[Otter]

Obviously, it's somewhat unclear that the majority of China's workforce would be able to afford such a console - the average wage of an urban worker in China in 2004 was 9,422 yuan ($1,164), and a rural worker made just 2,936 yuan ($363) on average.

I'm no marketing genius, but have you considered that in a country with a billion people and a ballooning upper class of conspicuous consumers, one might be able to market a modest luxury good, even if it's not within the budget of the average peasant?