After 20 years in China, Microsoft China still cannot let go of its foreign guests

January 8 (Reporter Zhang Qian) Microsoft has been in China for more than 20 years since the US company established a branch in China in 1992. However, one thing Microsoft has never been able to do well in these 20 years is how to localize in China.

Taking Xbox One as an example, it is understood that as early as before the ban on game consoles was lifted in 2014, Microsoft had already deployed related matters of game consoles in China, and coordinated and communicated with relevant domestic departments many times, and the preparation time lasted for two years.

However, judging from the Xbox One sales, Microsoft China clearly showed a "newbie" attitude. First, the sales date was delayed, then the promised games were not available, and then there were price cuts one after another, which completely disappointed players.

The day before yesterday, Xie Enwei, head of Microsoft's Xbox One China region, revealed the game review process through a conversation with players on Xbox Live. It can be seen that Microsoft has not figured out China's approval process.

Microsoft did not submit the long-awaited blockbuster game for review before the console was officially released, but waited until the game problems had seriously affected the console's sales before sending the game to the relevant departments for approval. The current status of game approval in China is that "the relevant departments can review it as long as they want."

I don’t know why Microsoft couldn’t take China’s national conditions into consideration and make plans for game content early on.

In this regard, Sony, an old rival that is well aware of China's national conditions, needs to do much better than Microsoft.

Just like Sony China President Nobuki Kurita was able to host the PS4 China launch conference in fluent Chinese, "Speaking Chinese shows that we value the Chinese market." Sony executives expressed this view in unison.

According to relevant sources, Sony PS4's government relations in China are significantly better than Microsoft's Xbox One. "Microsoft is so ridiculous that it doesn't even know who to ask for approval when it gets a game."

Microsoft's failure to adapt to the local environment is not only reflected in the lack of localization of its products, but also in its personnel relations, system control, player communication, marketing strategy and other aspects in China.

For a technology company, how many 20 years can it squander? Even if it is a "foreign wife" who marries into China, she should give birth to a "yellow inside and white outside" baby in 20 years, but Microsoft China is still a foreign guest.

If Microsoft China cannot overcome the "national conditions test", its road to its 30th anniversary will become even more difficult.

As a winner of Toutiao's Qingyun Plan and Baijiahao's Bai+ Plan, the 2019 Baidu Digital Author of the Year, the Baijiahao's Most Popular Author in the Technology Field, the 2019 Sogou Technology and Culture Author, and the 2021 Baijiahao Quarterly Influential Creator, he has won many awards, including the 2013 Sohu Best Industry Media Person, the 2015 China New Media Entrepreneurship Competition Beijing Third Place, the 2015 Guangmang Experience Award, the 2015 China New Media Entrepreneurship Competition Finals Third Place, and the 2018 Baidu Dynamic Annual Powerful Celebrity.