PS4 release delayed in China

The PlayStation 4 launch in China has been cancelled days before its release due to “various factors” according to Sony.

A report on Reuters citing a company source at Sony Computer Entertainment said the cancellation was down to prolonged negotiations with the Chinese authorities and that no new release date had been set.

The console was due to be released on 11 January and would have been Sony’s first furore into China after the country lifted a ban on foreign gaming consoles last year. Not long after both Sony and Microsoft announced plans to launch, the XBox One was released in September.

Sony has said it was relying on its gaming division late last year hoping to help drive up profits of the ailing corporation. One of the speculated issues surrounding the launch of the PS4 is the censorship rules within China. Any console would have to support a selection of games suitable for the market. Sony has said it was working closely with the Chinese government and has applied for licenses for 30 games.

"Cooperating with the government, we'll provide a broad range of content for our users in China," Hiroyuki Oda SCE head of Asia business said in December.