Last year, the Xbox One went on sale in China, followed in March 2015 by the PlayStation 4. The consoles were the first international gaming machines to go on sale in the country since 2000, when Chinese authorities imposed restrictions on console sales in the interests of protecting the nation's youth and its culture.
However, Microsoft and Sony have still remained restricted in their Chinese operations so far. Both companies have had to partner with local firms to build and distribute the devices, and both have been limited to manufacture and sales in the Shanghai Free Trade Zone.
As The Wall Street Journal reports, some of these restrictions will soon be lifted. A statement from China's Ministry of Culture revealed plans to allow manufacturers to build and sell consoles anywhere in China, which could boost sales of both the Xbox One and PS4 considerably.
It's not yet clear when the changes will be implemented, but it's likely that Microsoft in particular will be welcoming the opportunity to sell more of its consoles - despite a strong start, it seems that Xbox One sales in China haven't exactly taken off.
Source: The Wall Street Journal
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