Sony has withheld the sales of the PlayStation 4 (PS4) which was originally scheduled to go on sale on 11 January but has been delayed due to various reasons, according to company statement released today.
Sony Computer Entertainment has said that a new release date hasn’t been determined and a negotiation with the Chinese government is the main reason for the delay. The release would have marked the entry of PlayStation into China for the first time.
Consoles have started their foray into China after the 14 year ban which was imposed in 2000 and Microsoft too entered the dragon land with Xbox One in September last year.
China is a big market for games and hit the $15 billion mark in revenues last year. It is currently the third largest gaming market in the world, but with the censorship rules and laws, several titles on consoles will be unavailable in the country.
Due to the ban on consoles for 14 years, the PC and mobile games have made the mark in the country and it will be tough to crack open the audience and engage them with a new source of entertainment.
All’s not lost for Sony as it has done really well in Japan which sold close to 100,000 units in the ‘land of the rising sun’ with Wii U taking the second spot followed by Xbox One.