China to see release of Kinect clone, Microsoft looks on bemused

In China, Microsoft’s Xbox 360 and the other major consoles are effectively banned, and are only sold on the country’s gray market.

In their place, a bunch of zany home-made consoles have emerged from China-based entrepreneurs. Hence, while the rest of the world has the Nintendo Wii, China has the Vii, and also the Wü. And, just as many of us will be able to purchase Microsoft’s hands-free Kinect controller from November, Chinese gamers will get the EBox.

… Sorry?

Well, the EBox is yet another homegrown Chinese game platform that, like another console I could mention, will provide users with a controller-free experience when it debuts in early-2011.

Due to launch with 30 in-built games and a camera to sit on top of your TV set, the EBox is the work of eedoo Technology, and it is uncannily familiar to Kinect. So what does Microsoft make of this? In an interview with Kotaku, Microsoft Game Studios executive Phil Spencer simply claims:

“I think it’s all about who builds the best experiences. I don’t think anybody longs to buy a piece of plastic to put under their TV. I think what it’s going to be able is who has the best games and experiences for people. I think it’s always been about that and should be.”

eedoo seems pretty confident about the EBox’s chances, as you would going into a market of 1.3 billion consumers where the only real contender is you. Says company head Jack Luo:

“Our product is designed for family entertainment. EBox may not have exquisite game graphics, or extensive violence, but it can inspire family members to get off the couch and get some exercise.”

While the console has been covered in the Chinese press, it’s barely had a word written about it anywhere else. As one Microsoft spokesperson notes:

“We don’t really know anything about it other than that press release that went out. Nobody really knows what it is doing and how it’s doing it. We don’t know about its content. There isn’t a lot of clarity on it.”

Indeed. But wouldn’t it be great if the damn EBox won this generation’s console arms war? Well, I think that’d be pretty cool.

[Via Kotaku]