Sony lays plans for a January release of PlayStation 4 in China

Sony confirmed today at a press conference in Shanghai attended by Reuters that it expects to launch a version of its PlayStation 4 and PlayStation Vita consoles in China on January 11th, nearly four months after Microsoft brought the Xbox One to the region. The PlayStation 4 is expected to cost 2,899 yuan (~$468 USD), with the Vita tagging in at 1,299 yuan (~$210 USD). However, it seems likely that not all games will be approved for sale in the region by Chinese censors. A Sony representative told Reuters that the government has approved some of the 30 games it has requested license to sell, and SCE Japan Asia chief Hiroyuki Oda told reporters that the company is "cooperating with the government" to "provide a broad range of content for our users in China." According to a press release confirming the news, Sony also plans to work with local partners to bring more games from Chinese developers to the platform. Sony laid out plans for the Chinese debut of PlayStation 4 and began producing hardware in the region earlier this year, after the Chinese government made it easier to do so. The ban on the sale of game consoles in China was loosened back in January -- consoles manufactured in the Shanghai Free Trade Zone may now be legally sold in China if they are inspected and approved by Chinese authorities. However, game consoles have been available for purchase on the gray market in China for some time.