Back in July, a report claimed that Microsoft would be winding down the sales of their Xbox consoles in various regions, with the affected locations being EMEA countries (Europe, the Middle East and Africa). It seems as though the leaks were true, as another report has now further detailed Xbox’s plans in Saudi Arabia specifically.
As reported once again by Malbsimi of TrueGaming via Twitter, the insider revealed (as translated by Google) that “Microsoft has officially informed major stores in Saudi Arabia that it will stop selling Xbox devices in Saudi Arabia,” adding “Even distributors won't be able to get the device.”
According to Albsimi, “I asked Microsoft for a statement about this a few weeks ago and they refused to give it. I think if the talk wasn't true, they would have easily denied it.”
As mentioned, there have been previous reports claiming that Microsoft was planning such cutbacks across various regions, and so this only adds further fuel to the fire.
Microsoft has always performed the strongest in the USA. Even so, this generation has been a bit of a wash for Microsoft, with PS5 sales estimated to have dwarfed Xbox’s – even in the US.
As such, it makes sense that Microsoft is trying to re-strategize, though how this will eventually pan out will be curious to see.
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KitGuru says: Are you living in Saudi Arabia? How big is Xbox’s presence in the region? Is this the right move for Microsoft? Let us know down below.