According to a report from Reuters, Sony said the delay was due to “various factors,” but the factors were not spelled out. China lifted its 14-year ban on game consoles last year and Sony rival Microsoft Corp. (NASDAQ: MSFT) launched its Xbox One into China last September.
The Xbox One launch was delayed as Chinese censors had to approve the games for the device. Given Microsoft’s experience, it is a good bet that Sony is facing a government-caused delay for the same reason. The company said earlier that it is seeking licenses for 30 games.
It is also not difficult to imagine that the Chinese are wary of Sony’s plans, given the recent massive attack on Sony’s network.
Whether China’s gamers who are now used to playing PC and mobile games will also adopt the consoles from Sony and Microsoft remains to be seen. Reuters noted that China is the world’s third-largest gaming market, with $15 billion in revenues last year.
The PlayStation 4 will sell for around $467 in China, compared with a U.S. sales price of around $400. The Xbox One sells for around $595 and has 10 titles available. Sony’s portable PlayStation Vita is also set to be introduced into China and will sell for around $200.
Sony stock closed at $21.53 on Wednesday, up more than 6%, in a 52-week range of $15.23 to $22.32. The stock was inactive in Thursday’s premarket trading.
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