Why is the PS4 being delayed in China?

After the People’s Republic of China ended its 14-year ban on gaming consoles, many hoped that this was a sign that China had turned over a new leaf. Unfortunately, console makers have hit roadblock after roadblock in the world’s most populous country. Less than a week before the PS4 was due to launch in China, Sony has been forced to slam on the brakes. Executives remain positive that the launch will resume eventually, but the timeframe remains ambiguous for now.

Earlier today, Sony’s Andrew House publicly claimed that the delay comes after “a request from [the Chinese government] to make an adjustment to the business plan,” but what does that really mean? Sony is keeping mum on the specifics of these so-called “requests,” and that makes me highly suspicious of the reasoning behind the delay. After all, the Chinese government is clearly very uncomfortable with video games and electronic communication in general.

If I had to venture a guess, this last-minute delay relates to China’s strict censorship policies. Whether it’s the violent content or the potential for unmonitored communication, something made the CPC (Communist Party of China) very unhappy. House wants us to believe that China’s rulers were concerned with the “go-to-market strategy,” but considering this class of product was banned for a decade-and-a-half, I find it hard to believe business strategy is the hold-up.

Some conspiracy theorists have pointed to the Sony Pictures hacking incident as a potential cause of this delay, but House dismissed this theory outright. Considering that the Chinese Xbox One release saw delays as well, I’m inclined to believe him. There is most certainly some sort of political maneuvering going on, but the North Korean hacking debacle doesn’t seem to be the issue at hand.

Keep in mind, Sony doesn’t want to burn bridges with China over this. As the middle class grows, the profit potential is enormous in a country with nearly 1.4 billion citizens. The Xbox One is already being sold in the PRC, and Nintendo is developing special hardware for the market.

With so much on the line, it’s no surprise that Sony is playing coy about China’s restrictions and demands. Traditional Western and Japanese markets are already saturated, so Sony’s only way to expand is to take the fight to emerging markets. In terms of population, China alone has more people than North America and Europe combined. Throw in the Indian subcontinent, Africa, and South America, and it’s clear that traditional markets are no longer the biggest concern for a company like Sony.