Sony has overlooked its native Japan ahead of the upcoming PS4 release date, stating the next-gen console battle will be fought in the west.
With all PlayStation consoles to date having debuted in Sony’s native Japan, the gaming giant has decided to overlook its home country for the arrival of the PS3 replacement, confirming earlier this week that the PS4 release date will be held on November 15 in the US. They added that
Describing the PS4 release date as “the biggest launch in our corporate history,” Sony has looked to rationalise its decision to not bring the console to Japan on day one.
“Historically we have launched in Japan first so this is a pretty big change for us and indicative of where gaming has the most heat right now,” Jack Tretton, CEO of Sony Computer Entertainment America said while speaking with Bloomberg during Gamescom 2013 this week.
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“Japan is still to be determined,” he added: “It is obviously an incredible important market for us, it’s the home market, but the battle for next-generation hearts and minds is being waged in the west right now and I think it is a recognition on our part that this is the market we want to lead with.”
Suggesting that Microsoft’s dominance in the US has nothing to do with its decision to target an American launch first, Tretton added: “I think we have seen various competitors over the years, always formidable, always with different approaches to the business so this is more an execution of our business plan and a recognition of who our consumers are, where they are and what they want.”
He added: “The most important thing to get right when launching a new console is the consumer proposition, the value proposition that people say I saw it, I liked it, I’ve got to have it. If that’s the answer then you’ve got a winner on your hands.”
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Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
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We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
