Sony Group Corp.’s (NYSE: SONY) next-gen gaming console, the PlayStation 5, will launch in Mainland China on May 15 this year, Niko Partners analyst Daniel Ahmad said Wednesday.
What Happened: Ahmad said on Twitter that the disc version of PlayStation will be priced at RMB 3,899 ($612) and the digital version will be priced at RMB 3,099 ($486). The China version has two years warranty.
The pre-order for the console will begin on Thursday, April 29, the analyst noted.
In addition to first-party titles from Sony Interactive Entertainment, other games such as “Lost Soul Aside” will be launched for PS5. Several leading domestic game developers confirmed that they will support the console with games in the future, Ahmad said.
SIE Shanghai is currently preparing PS5 versions of “Ratchet and Clank,” “Sackboy’s Adventure” and “Genshin Impact” for the launch period, according to the analyst.
PlayStation 5 users with a PlayStation Plus membership will have access to the PlayStation Plus Collection in China, which includes 12 games.
See Also: Could Sony Be Betting Heavier On Mobile Games? New Job Posting Suggests So
Why It Matters: The PS5 launched internationally in November last year but China wasn’t on the initial list of countries.
China, which heavily regulates the gaming industry, scrapped a 15-year-old ban on the sale of gaming consoles in the country in 2015, according to a report by the Wall Street Journal at that time.
Sony confirmed in February that the PS5 will launch in China in the second quarter of this year. The gaming console to be launched in China will be the “official Mainland China version,” and will likely carry an online services region lock, Ahmad had noted at that time.
Sony reported selling 4.5 million PS5 units worldwide in 2020. There has been an overwhelming demand for the consoles and the company has struggled to keep up the supply.
The global semiconductor crisis has also made it difficult to purchase popular gaming consoles like the PS5 and Microsoft Corp’s (NASDAQ: MSFT) Xbox.
Microsoft has not yet made an announcement regarding the launch of its next-gen consoles in China.
Price Action: Sony shares closed more than 2% lower on Wednesday at $104.49.
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