Sony to launch PS5 in China during Q2 2021

Sony will launch the PlayStation 5 in China during the second quarter of 2021.

PS5 launched in November 2020 in a raft of markets, China not among them. Chinese retailers took orders for the coveted console, hiking the price by up to four times for imports from the US and Japan. Soon, the PS5 will be officially available in mainland China.

Video game analyst Daniel Ahmad tweeted a video of SIE Shanghai president Tatsuo Eguchi, and vice chairman Soeda Takehito confirming the news, which was posted to Chinese social media.

Sony China has confirmed that it plans to officially launch the PlayStation 5 in Mainland China during Q2 2021.

Tatsuo Eguchi, the president of SIE Shanghai and Soeda Takehito, the vice chairman, confirmed the new today in a special Chinese New Year greetings video. pic.twitter.com/nhFzbZQTGx

— Daniel Ahmad (@ZhugeEX) February 8, 2021

As Ahmad points out, Sony obtained certification to sell the PS5 in China back in December. Microsoft received certification to sell the Xbox Series X and S in China in December, too, which suggests the company's consoles won't be far behind.

While the PS5 console has been approved for launch, software needs to be approved on an individual basis. Chris Tapsell's wonderful feature Video games in China: beyond the great firewall, goes into detail on the process and its implications.

Ahmad predicts the PS5 that is officially sold in China will include an online services region lock at launch.

The version launching during Q2 2021 will be the official Mainland China version. It will likely have an online services region lock at launch.

Currently, players in China are importing consoles from overseas markets such as Japan and the US.

— Daniel Ahmad (@ZhugeEX) February 8, 2021