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Forums - Sales - Japan - Was it really that great of an idea to delay PS4s to 2014?

Jon-Erich on 25 December 2013

Yes, it was a great idea to delay the launch if it means the PS4 will get better quality games and fewer shortages. The West is far more important for consoles than Japan. Why cause a console shortage in the West just to launch in Japan at the same time? It's also another 180 when compared to the PS3's strategy where they launched in the US and Japan but then delayed Europe's launch to the following year, which was a huge mistake.



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Nem on 25 December 2013

I will put this blatantly. Japan does not carry much weight as far as home consoles go. Its not completely irrelevent, but its not where the console wars get decided. Sony chose to focus on other priorities, even if they lose one holiday season to nintendo, it wont matter for their ultimate goal.



Viktor on 25 December 2013
DerNebel said:
Viktor said:


To me it seems you just like making excuses. US sales aren´t relevent to how the 2014 launch may affect the Japanese console market. Best example beeing X360 last gen.

 

@Der Nebel

The absence of PS4 is quite obvious a bone to PSV and GT6 with Gran Tourismo beeing Sonys biggest franchise in Japan and beeing launched perfectly timed for the holiday season is quite obviously their focus this year. It didn´t work out, sure, but please don´t pretend that it wasn´t their supposed ace in the pocket in the console market this year in Japan.

Also PSVTV is a Japan exclusive so far for a reason.

The reason is quite simple, Japans traditional videogame market has shifted largely to handhelds, therefore they didn´t want to overshadow the already struggling PSV even more with the PS4. Instead they launched a new revision PSV2000 (Japan exclusive as well so far) and even developed a spin-off console named PSVTV to help it out and give it another big opportunity to change its course before the next console launches.

Or do you really think the Brazilian, Saudi Arabian and Asian market are more important? Please give me a break and stop buying every PR excuse from Sony.

Oh, of course Sony didn't release the PS4 to help GT6...and why exactly did they limit that move Japan? I don't know if you remember this but incidently GT6 saw a worldwide release this december not japan only.

Also it really makes a ton of sense for Sony to hold back the PS4 in Japan to help Vita and Vita TV, it's not like the PS4 gives new functions to the Vita and thus helped move Vitas in the west...oh wait. And arguably the best Vita TV feature will only be available once the PS4 is out, so yeah... it really helps the vita tv a ton that you can't get a ps4 yet.

No those countries aren't more important but you don't need to release the console with games especially made for those countries for it to sell. 


Actions speak louder than words. Instead of releasing PS4 they developed and launched not one but two new PSV hardware this year which will be Japan exclusive for quite some time - PSV2000 and PSV TV.



Viktor on 25 December 2013
Nem said:
I will put this blatantly. Japan does not carry much weight as far as home consoles go. Its not completely irrelevent, but its not where the console wars get decided. Sony chose to focus on other priorities, even if they lose one holiday season to nintendo, it wont matter for their ultimate goal.

What exactly does this have to do with the topic at hand? This topic isn´t about Japans relevance compared to other markets. It´s about if the 2014 release was a good decision to get the Japanese market in the pocket or not. Seriously it´s funny what kind of excuses are brought up, when it comes to Sony.



Aerys on 25 December 2013

Yes, Japan can wait, Sony is fair play, letting some time to nintendo and wii U, it will just be more impressive when PS4 with 0 christmas will  pass Wii U sales including 2 christmas in Japan



Predictions for end of 2014 HW sales:

 PS4: 17m   XB1: 10m    WiiU: 10m   Vita: 10m

 

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vizunary on 25 December 2013

there weren't enough units, so what's the point of this. it will not matter so much in the long term anyway



DerNebel on 25 December 2013
Viktor said:


Actions speak louder than words. Instead of releasing PS4 they developed and launched not one but two new PSV hardware this year which will be Japan exclusive for quite some time - PSV2000 and PSV TV.

Which doesn't even remotely have anything to do with the points I made. Sony chose to support the Vita in Japan, great, this has nothing to do with them not releasing the PS4 over their till february, the real reasons for that have been mentioned several times in this thread.

But as has been mentioned before you don't want a discussion anyway, you only want people to agree with you, well tough luck, cause all indicators point to it being a very good decision by Sony to hold of on the Japan release and allocate those consoles to the west.



Nem on 25 December 2013
Viktor said:
Nem said:
I will put this blatantly. Japan does not carry much weight as far as home consoles go. Its not completely irrelevent, but its not where the console wars get decided. Sony chose to focus on other priorities, even if they lose one holiday season to nintendo, it wont matter for their ultimate goal.

What exactly does this have to do with the topic at hand? This topic isn´t about Japans relevance compared to other markets. It´s about if the 2014 release was a good decision to get the Japanese market in the pocket or not. Seriously it´s funny what kind of excuses are brought up, when it comes to Sony.


You want to analyse the japanese market in a vacuum, but that is just not possible. Home conoles are worldwide products, japan is part of a whole. It does not make sense by itself.

In your vacuum, of course releasing you console in time for the holidays is very important. But, this vacuum scenario is completely irrelevent.



ICStats on 25 December 2013

No, Sony did the right thing.

There isn't any JP focused software ready yet, and focusing on US & Europe is smart since they are more relevant and more contested.



My 8th gen collection

ICStats on 25 December 2013
Viktor said:
Nem said:
I will put this blatantly. Japan does not carry much weight as far as home consoles go. Its not completely irrelevent, but its not where the console wars get decided. Sony chose to focus on other priorities, even if they lose one holiday season to nintendo, it wont matter for their ultimate goal.

What exactly does this have to do with the topic at hand? This topic isn´t about Japans relevance compared to other markets. It´s about if the 2014 release was a good decision to get the Japanese market in the pocket or not. Seriously it´s funny what kind of excuses are brought up, when it comes to Sony.

It has everything to do with the topic at hand.

If the question was "Wouldn't it have been better for Japan market if Sony could have released PS4 in Japan 1st?" then duh, ofcourse it would have.  It would have been good to prioritise Japan oriented titles too.

But that's not the question surely.  You asked if it was a great idea to delay, so the answer has to consider all factors not only Japan in a bubble.



My 8th gen collection