This January, the Chinese government lifted a long-standing ban on the sale of foreign gaming consoles. They were originally banned in 2000 to prevent moral decay, but many consoles found their way to the mainland through Hong Kong.

Now companies like Sony and Microsoft can sell their games and platforms in China and minimize the profits lost through piracy and black market sales. According to CNET:

The Xbox One will be the first gaming console to sell in China since the lifting of the ban. Microsoft has teamed up with Chinese Internet TV set-top box maker BesTV New Media to build the consoles in Shanghai’s Free Trade Zone.

As with the pending iPhone 6, pre-orders have already begun on JD.com, QQ and WeChat.

Will gaming be the new form of people-to-people diplomacy in China?