We've been waiting for a while for an official release date from Microsoft for its next-generation console, the Xbox One, and it's finally here. November 22 is the day when the system will finally be available at retailers here, and several countries abroad.
In completely reasonable alphabetical order, all the countries getting the console on that date are as follows: Australia, Austria, Brazil, Canada, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Mexico, New Zealand, Spain, UK, and United States are all the countries set to get a hold of the console on Nov. 22. An exact date for remaining countries hasn't been provided just yet.
"We are humbled and gratified by the tremendous interest in Xbox One from game fans everywhere," said Yusuf Mehdi, corporate VP of marketing, strategy and business. "We sold out of our pre-order supply faster than at any other time in our history and we are on path to have the biggest launch of an Xbox ever."
"November 22 is a special day in Xbox history - on this day, we first launched Xbox 360 in 2005. Our next chapter begins in 79 days, when Xbox One becomes available. We built Xbox One to bring you the best games, unrivaled multiplayer and more entertainment than ever before. It's nearly time to say 'Xbox On' and open a new world of games and entertainment."
It's satisfying to finally hear a date from the Redmond giant, and as the date falls a week before Black Friday, it offers both retailers and consumers alike some time to get ready for the giant shopping day.
However, it should be noted that the date could be potentially harmful for Microsoft in the company's battle against Sony for next-gen supremacy, particularly stateside. The company's release for the Xbox One comes nearly a week after Sony releases its own next-gen console, the PlayStation 4, in the U.S. and Canada. However, Microsoft beats out Sony in the markets over seas, as the PS4 won't arrive in Europe, Australia, and New Zealand until Nov. 29.
"We're going to keep bringing more value to the Xbox One as we head towards launch building on some of the advancements we have already shared such as the 40 plus improvements to the Xbox One controller, advancements to help you find the perfect opponent and make the most of our online community, to the power of the cloud," said Mehdi.
When the Xbox One launches, it will be for $499.
