Microsoft has said that its gaming products will be available in India only through Amazon. The contract covers the Microsoft Xbox One, Xbox 360, Kinect, Xbox Live, Xbox Accessories and all Microsoft-published Xbox game titles.
Xbox One will be available in India beginning September 23rd, 2014 priced at INR 39,990 and Xbox One with Kinect will be available at INR 45,990. The Kinect version will offer a number of games and entertainment experiences exclusive to Xbox including gesture controls, biometric sign-in, Skype video calls and more. Microsoft will also bring local movies, music and on-demand TV as part of our entertainment portfolio for the Xbox Live service.
Pre-orders for the Xbox One will begin today.
The deal follows similar exclusive tie-ups by rivals Flipkart and Snapdeal. Amazon was increasingly seen as getting left behind in terms of exclusive deals, where the online retail partner sells an item that is available nowhere else in India.
“The entire range of its Interactive Entertainment Business (IEB) is being made available through sellers on the Amazon.in marketplace. Microsoft in India will honour warranty support only for Xbox One consoles bought on www.amazon.in,” the companies said.
Consumers pre-ordering the Xbox One will get the blockbuster game FIFA 15 for free. The Kinect bundle will include an additional free game of Dance Central Spotlight. In addition, the first 1000 customers will also get special offers worth Rs. 10,000 which include Rs. 3000 off on purchase of a second Xbox One controller, Amazon.in Gift Cards worth Rs. 1500, 2 free Blu-ray movies worth Rs. 2500 (The Amazing Spiderman 2 and Captain America: The Winter Soldier), Rs. 2000 off on a selected range of speakers and Rs. 1000 off on a selected range of backpacks.
“We believe this collaboration with Amazon gives us the platform to build scale at an unprecedented level for the gaming and entertainment category in India,” said Chakrapani Gollapali, Country General Manager – Consumer Channels Group, Microsoft Corporation India. “This is the first time that we will be focusing on retailing our products through an ‘online only’ channel and we look forward to bringing the world’s most-loved gaming portfolio to Indian consumers through India’s largest and fastest growing online store Amazon.in.”
The X-Box range competes with the Sony Playstation products, and is perhaps the most successful Microsoft product in the consumer space.
“We are the fastest growing eCommerce platform in the country today and this partnership is a validation of the faith customers and sellers place on our brand,” said Mr. Samir Kumar, Director – Category Management, Amazon India.
Amazon is engaged in a fierce and bruising battle to ensure that the Indian market does not slip out of its hands and into those of local rivals like Flipkart and Snapdeal.
The X-Box One will have features such as Game DVR, Twitch, Live TV Pass Thru, Snap on TV, Skype, Voice commands through Kinect and Internet Explorer.
“We will continue to support sales of Xbox 360 portfolio till 30th of August across our existing retail channels, post which the portfolio will become exclusive to Amazon.in. We also believe that Amazon India would offer consumers a great purchase experience and full assurance of getting a genuine console with warranty support in India,” the companies said.