Sony Delays New PS4 in Japan to Focus on U.S. Holiday Sales

Sony will release the Japanese version of the PlayStation 4 console three months after reaching shelves in North America as it seeks to avoid the supply issues that caused the preceding model to miss initial targets.
The timing will allow the company to focus on meeting demand for the peak holiday shopping season, Andrew House, chief executive for Sony’s game operation, said in Tokyo. The console will be released Feb. 22 in Japan, compared with Nov. 15 in North America and Nov. 29 in Europe. Sony’s machine will reach 32 markets this year.

[xHeavYx]

Well, it's not like they will have any competition in Japan

[mewhy32]

You're right. In Japan they completely dominate. They want to get in the best shot at the bone's home market. By the looks of it they are taking the market by storm and they're going to need to throw as many units at the U.S. as they can manufacture.

[Regis]

Dude just calm down we get that the PS4 is better and they got the majority of the US market and you keep saying like they never had the advantage in the US in the first place. They will make plenty of PS4s for sure and I can see going into gamestop after Holidays, because I was stupid and didn't preorder PS4 and still see them not on shelves.

[ohiostatesman]

In my opinion. I think the PS4 has yield issues. Based on the late Japanese launch. Plus there was a factory fire that just made gddr5 chips. Sony might be in trouble this holiday but its just my prediction.

[XB1_PS4]

@ohiostatesman You have a link to that fire news?

[M-M]

@mewhy32

I agree, They already have a great amount of other products dominating in other countries, so dominating in the US is like the homerun. It also looks like they're over prepared to meet demand this time, so a lot more people might have their hands on PS4s sooner than they think if they didn't preorder.

@ohiostatesman

Here's my prediction, you just made that account to troll. I'm right, deal with it 8|.

[AsimLeonheart]

I agree; Japan is their home ground with decades of dominance so there is no hurry. Although I am puzzled by the sensationalist title for the article. How can Sony "delay" the PS4 in Japan when they never announced any released date for Japan in the first place? I guess a "PS4 release DELAY!" makes a much more sensational news.

[Name Last Name]

So Japan gets Infamous SS on launch day?

[kneon]

@ohiostatesman

In my opinion you're full of it. Stop making stuff up just because your beloved console isn't doing very well, it doesn't change anything and makes you look like a fool.

The preorder allocations for the the PS4 were several times higher than those available for the XB1 and were increased several times due to the high demand. If anyone is having yield issues, it's Microsoft.

[Sevir]

How is it a delay when the only regions announed for 2013 was North America, Europe and UK? to delay would mean to announce a date then revise it.

I mean MS Said NA and Europe and UK and then revised its shipments with Only 13 Markets. Is that a delay?

[user5575708]

the xbox brand has no real attachment rate in japan

ps4 will have no problem there. only competitor is the Wii U in japan or if you want to get technical the 3DS because it will prob be the best selling console of this gen.

gaining back the market share in north america is key to sony and ps4 dominating the next gen

[Cerberus2125]

The factory fire ohiostatesman is talking about it's from company that supply mobile chips to Apple, Samsung, Lenovo, Dell and Sony,it has nothing to do with PS4. http://www.theguardian.com/...

[badz149]

the PS3 is still owning the console scene in Japan with many games still coming. and I think they are pushing the Vita TV first before the PS4 over there. it's not a smart move to push 2 new hardwares all at the same time. Plus, there's no Christmas or Black Friday or anything in Japan like in the West for them to garner massive sales out of the gate too.

personally I think it's about catering to the correct audiences. Japan are huge on handhelds while the west are huge on home consoles. so why not try to shoot different bullets at different targets here, right?

it's still coming albeit a bit late and gives the Wii U a room to breath and Nintendo a chance to pull something big before it launches next year. Xbone is not a concern over there though as it's still not having a solid launch date over there either!

[SilentNegotiator]

Don't you need to announce that you're launching in a region in a certain time frame BEFORE it can be "delayed"?

Maybe I missed it, but I don't recall an official announcement that Ps4 was launching 2013 in Japan.

[Tony-A]

That's why I think it was a very smart move on Sony's part. I swear, every strategic move they've pulled since the Feb. reveal makes me feel like they had this idea down from the moment they got all the hate on PS3.

They can wait to give their home country the new hardware for a few reasons:

1. The seventh gen started off rough for them in Japan because all they bought were Wiis.
2. Releasing the PS4 in February 2014 gives them time to produce as many PS4s as they can for Japan, giving them time to focus on selling those current units to the US and EU.
3. Unlike the 7th gen, Nintendo isn't dominating in Japan and MS isn't even going to bother marketing or giving their product to Ninty and Sony's land.
4. They strategically placed it on February 22nd, giving them just enough time to have the PS4 launch there along with a ton of very popular Japanese titles. The Japanese launch lineup is killer!

Another smart move. Makes me feel like it wouldn't be this perfect if they never got killed in PR back in 2005 - 2007.

[mistertwoturbo]

Wow didn't really think of it this way. They are going after the U.S. market hard. Sony is really fine tuning themselves this time around.

[Foxgod]

So basically if theres no competition, which they still have from Nintendo anyway, you get the bad end of the stick....

[xHeavYx]

The PS4 has no competition in Japan, the 3DS is not a home console, they already know the PS4 will fly off the shelves in Japan.
Not sure why I waste my time with you, all you do is troll Sony articles

[ZBlacktt]

I think you know what he was saying..... real gaming consoles ( PS4 and X1 ). Notice how those two are the only ones ever talked about? There are adult toys and then there are family/kid toys.

[Magicite]

ur dumbest creature on this site, always going antisony, are you some MS hired gun?

[Persistantthug]

Makes sense to me, because for whatever reason, Japan seems to not like home consoles as much anymore these days. I'm not sure why though.

[MizTv]

Japan just don't like xbox
It's a fact

[ZBlacktt]

Well, who came blame them? Worst fail rate in console history. To the most flip flopped console in gaming history. What do you trust?

[MizTv]

I lost trust when I got rrod 9 times
In my eyes they suck

[aceitman]

my question is how is it a delay when the launch date was never announced, they got ps3 1st on nov 11th, usa 2nd nov 17th of 2006 and Europe got it in march 2007 . so its kind of reversed . http://en.wikipedia.org/wik...

[Seraphim]

I think this has less to do w/ lack of competition and just goes to show how small Japans gaming market has become. Not to say it's completely irrelevant but it has slowly shrunk over the past decade to the point where Sony is doing the once unthinkable. Releasing in the West first while hosing Japan.

[Kydawg]

I want your opinion please. Do you think this story is a duplicate of this one?
http://n4g.com/news/1349953...

[FogLight]

No, it isn't a duplicate since the story you linked didn't mention the reason why Sony made a February release date for PS4 in Japan. At least that is how I see it :)

[nyobzoo]

well it's not really delayed if there was never a release date to begin with

[Foxgod]

Well, there was never a release date for B priority country´s either.

[Foxgod]

And they bashed the X1 for not releasing everywhere, the ps4 doesnt even release in its home territory.

[Regis]

I know right however you could say the same for microsoft in Europe

[Foxgod]

They are releasing in Europe, and Europe is not MS home territory.

[mark134uk]

X1 isnt even welcome in japan

[Killjoy3000]

You try sooooooo hard.

[YNWA96]

Fox, these arguments are always like this.... Forget it.... Watch world war z, and you will see what fanboys really look like...

[wishingW3L]

32 > 13

it was always 32 and it was known since the reveal back in Feb that they were releasing the PS4 on Japan in 2014. They never claimed to lunch in 32 territories only to back down and say 13 or do 180's on other of their claims.

[pyramidshead]

It's a good strategy to be fair. Sony got this on lock. Why debut the console to the market least excited for it? Console usage in Japan is on the decline, but they are all over hand helds. Hence the lil TV thing thats debuting there instead of over here. It's a nice trade off. Western markets are clearly the more demanding for the actual hardware so it's kind of a no brainer really. Over 1million pre-orders etc etc.

[Chevalier]

Yeah well not only are MS getting killed on home turf and UK they aren't releasing 32 countries like Sony so yeah if your surprised they're being made fun off your an idiot.

[ZBlacktt]

Because the US is 47% of the global market. Your highest demand is your fastest way to make a profit. Or to generate revenue to containing supplying the demand. It's not personal, it's business.

The US and Japan got the PS3 first in 2006. All of Europe didn't get it until the spring of 2007.

[JunioRS101]

I sort of feel like a spoiled little fucker for living in the US... but hey, I'm not the one makin' these choices.

[hollabox]

Sony is doing the smart thing by focusing on the biggest markets (North America and Europe) before dumping resources in 2nd tier markets.

[dark-kyon]

the smart thing is begin the sale of the ps4 with great japanese ps4 games,yakuza,final fantasy,dinasty warriors are system seller in japan.no one japanase gonna buy a ps4 to play killzone,watch dog,call of duty.

[Regis]

I think the biggest reason why they are waiting for the Japan market is to get some JRPGs out for PS4 so then they don't really have to make a Japanese port for the other triple AAA exclusives.

[hollabox]

Biggest reason is Japan is now an 2nd tier market. North America and Europe is where Sony is going to make their money. The almighty PS3 didn't crack 10 million sold in Japan.

[Sarobi]

It's a little off from the NA/EU date, but they'll have a wide variety of games to their interest once it hits their market.

[jgrigs09]

I'm confused here. Why was Xbox one being bashed for releasing in certain locations? But when Playstation pushes back the release date for Playstation 4(home territory) they don't.

[PSNintyGamer]

Because it's N4G

[cell989]

because MS initially claimed more territories then lowered the number, plus Japan is a niche of its own

[theWB27]

The X1 gets bashed for being a console...if you only take these forum posts with a grain of salt you'd be better off.
X1 is bashed for offering a free game.
It's not a big deal Sony does it because it's a first party game. Etc etc etc....

[Hicken]

You and your false equivalencies. Making a deal to include a third party game is NOT the same as including an in house product.

Similarly, launching later in a region isn't the same as delaying an already announced launch.

But I guess acknowledging that such a difference DOES exist and IS valid would show your argument to be the pointless remark that it actually is. And we can't have that, can we?

[vividi]

33 versus 13 ( former 22)? Simple mathematics

[Soldierone]

It was never pushed back. Japan was never listed as a launch territory, and Sony never hid that. Sony is hitting the markets it has competition in first, then releasing back home where there is hardly any competition at all. Its a smart move.

It isn't a "well the console doesn't work there yet, so we delayed it" excuse.

[Anon1974]

I think a key difference is the XBox One was originally planned to launch in 21 countries and those countries were named. Then, just weeks later all that went out the window and the list was slashed to just 13 countries. It's one thing to announce a launch date in one country and another date in another country, it's another to say "we'll have the Xbox One available in these 21 countries for launch" and then say "Oops! Did we say 21? We meant 13."

The last we heard from Microsoft, the Xbox One won't hit Asia until a year after launch, with MS calling the launch a "staged approach"

Does that help?

[CGI-Quality]

Tell us what the original Japan date was. If there wasn't one, it wasn't pushed back, and the difference between launching in 32 markets, while missing JP, and launching in 13 markets, while also missing JP, is quite substantial.

Not sure why you'd even want to ask questions like these, with attempts to knock the PS4, and don't even absorb all the facts.

[cell989]

first time ever that Sony wont release first in Japan, I hated how we had to wait 3-4 months for a new console back in the days

[neocores]

why call it a delay when its not?

[wishingW3L]

because they need a headline that people want to click on to hate and then rack up on ads revenue.

[BX81]

Wow that sux. They don't have enough consoles to launch Japan and N.A. at the same time?
I wonder if they're going to open more pre orders? interesting turn of events. It's sux for the gamers in japan.

[KwietStorm_BLM]

And to give the Japanese audience the types of games that they play, just like they said.

[Soldierone]

At least they gave a date and didn't just go "other regions get it later...."

Plus its not like the console itself isn't ready, Japan just isn't console focused. They got 4 or 5 limited Edition Vita's, which sell well there, and will have 19 launch titles come day one. Fact of the matter is, it will sell, Sony just wants it to sell properly. If there are no games, people buy it and go "wheres the games?!?!?!"

And you have to remember, Japan doesn't basically implode on itself for the holidays like we do here.

[kingPoS]

I was wondering what Sony's plan happened to be for Japan.
Then they announced the Vita TV, and it all made sense.

[badkolo]

oh crap production issues for sure, or else they would have enough for all countries, now go ahead and defend that,, im sure mosty of you have an excuse for them.

these kiddies will defend the crap out of sony even if sony crapped on their chest. its not releasing in its home cvountry for christ sake, production issues for sure

[BLAKHOODe]

Whatever happened to rewarding LOYALTY?

Being in the US, it's not that I'm mad about this, but I'll never understand how companies can screw over their most loyal customers and get away with it, while pandering to others. First, Microsoft did it by giving Europe a free game with their Xbox One, while giving their loyal US customers nothing. Now, Sony is making it's loyal Japan customers wait 3 months, so they can give us the PS4 early.

If only employment worked like this. Burger flippers would be getting million dollar bonuses, while CEOs mop bathrooms.

[worldwidegaming]

They are not waiting. I think they do not care at this point. Why own a system with no games? look at what qualifies as a game in Japan (top sales over the years.) you see there is little or nothing ready for the Japanese gamer. (its already coming out for the ps3/wii u/vita/3ds)

[Drainage]

they didnt delay it

[_cyrax]

I think sony have realised that japan's market is centered on handheld and hence the reason 4 psvitatv and new vita launching first,and yes they have to focus greatly in the u.s.

[Arcanine]

I think that is messed up, i dont see why there can also deliver over there is Jp. i am curious if its a manufacturing issue for example not enough people to create the system. they are going to be making millions, why not hire more people. Still glad to be in the US!

[PirateKing]

They said very clearly during the Sony Press Conf. that they WANTED the system to come out on that date to give Japanese developers time to make games because there were so few available before next year. I hate when people make up stories to get hits.

[worldwidegaming]

Japanese do not care about the ps4 too much,they have overload as far as games they can play.
when the companies start jumping ship to ps4 then they will start to sell it.
(Japanese are less prone to the impulse buy like the rest of us.)
@ pirateking People wanna believe what they wanna believe!

[kingPoS]

To have it delayed means a release date for Japan was announced - it wasn't... until today. Loss of context to blame.

There was no delay... it was planned that way so they could win over the western markets fist!. While Vita TV takes over Asia.
.
.
.
What holiday competition?

[Metfanant]

cant be a "delay" if there was never announced release date to begin with...

they explained it quite clearly during the press conference this morning...they didn't feel there would be enough Japanese themed titles to launch in 2013...so they decided a February 2014 launch was more appropriate launch for JPN....thats not a "delay" its just a launch...

[worldwidegaming]

Well said, The Japanese market cares little for a new console. What they want is a reason to upgrade! Games sell consoles more than technology and latest specs over there.

In Japan there really are no sales like "black Friday" or "Christmas" to buy stuff like other countries.
(although they have a crappy thing called "fukubukoro" which you should stay away from unless you like to gamble)

"funny how people always think they are the center of the universe or how they think someone is less fortunate than they are...its usually the opposite."

[r21]

Understandable why its been delayed. One for the US market and two cause the lack of next gen Japanese oriented games for the PS4. Im sure the Japanese devs are still in the process of getting PS4 hardware down considering the amount of announcements at Sony's event. Highly likely Sony doesnt wanna launch their PS4 without some games that their homeland folks actually like.

[Man-E-Faces]

If I were Japanese I would be insulted by this news of launch, Sony a Japanese company giving preferred treatment to the u.s, europe and saying the hell with you! You can wait! What are the Japanese getting for their wait anyway free knack that I cold give 2 cents for myself until it it's in the bargain bin. Yakuza you say, dynasty warriors those would be perfect reasons "BUT" they can just play those on their ps3/vita. Sony needs to get it through their thick skulls "Don't you dare tell me to buy a new system when I can play those games on your previous/current system or on another platform(PC)." And no I don;t think the Japanese are foaming at the mouth to play killzone, infamous.

[mt]

what if xbox1 dominates Japan ha hah ??

Nah it won't