PS4 China

After months of heavy speculation, Sony has finally confirmed that the PlayStation 4 will launch in China on 11th January. It will be joined by the PlayStation Vita, which will deploy on the same date. The home console will cost 2,899 RMB ($468), while the portable will retail for 1,299 RMB ($209). Both systems will be available in white and black forms.

This follows the Chinese government’s decision to lift a ban on the sale of video game hardware. Microsoft launched the Xbox One in the region earlier this year, but as rumoured, the Japanese giant has significantly undercut its competitor’s price with this announcement. It’s unclear, however, whether there’s actually a sizeable market for the machines in the nation yet.

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A slew of titles will be available at launch, including Knack, DriveClub, and LittleBigPlanet 3. These will be joined later by locally made titles, such as King of Wushu and Mr. Pumpkin’s Adventure. Square Enix also confirmed during a press conference that Final Fantasy X/X-2 HD Remaster is indeed coming to the next-gen machine.

“PS4 is expanding at the fastest rate in PlayStation hardware history, and the global gaming community is enjoying the ultimate entertainment experience only available on PlayStation,” said group gaffer Andrew House. “We are delighted that we are able to fully launch our business in China, which is a market with great potential.”

Part of the platform holder’s strategy in the nation is to engage domestic developers, and a press release reveals that it has partnered with Modian.com and Shanghai Oriental Pearl SUOLE Culture Development Ltd to help actively support the production of PlayStation titles in the region. Impressively, it’s already signed up a whopping 26 local developers to work on its devices.

And this may be pivotal to both the PS4 and Vita’s success in the territory, as strict rules mean that it will be tough for the manufacturer to get releases like Grand Theft Auto V and Battlefield 4 approved in the region. If it can fill the software gaps with home grown content, then its systems may yet stand a chance – but it’s still going to prove an uphill battle, we suspect.

[source gamesindustry.biz]