PS4 Japan Release Date Announced: Sony's PlayStation 4 Won't Be Out Until 2014

Sony’s PlayStation 4 (PS4) won’t be out in time for the holidays in Japan. The electronics giant announced the new game console will not be released in Japan until Feb. 22, 2014.

Sony (NYSE:SNE) announced the PS4 Japan release date at the Sony Computer Entertainment Japan Asia Press Conference 2013. The news comes as a bit of a surprise as most new console releases are scheduled around the holidays and the big sales they generate. As reported by the Associated Press, the PS4 will miss out on sales associated with Christmas and New Year’s Eve.

Hiroshi Kawano, president of Sony Computer Entertainment Japan, announced the decision was made to ensure the PS4 Japan launch had a full slate of games. Kawano said, “We plan to have powerful titles at the launch date,” reports AP. Andrew House, president of Sony Computer Entertainment, further emphasized the need for games during the PS4 launch later on in the presentation, saying, “We wanted to make sure that there was a game experience that resonated with the Japanese consumer.” The PlayStation 3 was released on Nov. 11, 2006, in Japan and on Nov. 17, 2006, in the United States.

The PS4 will be released in the United States and Canada on Nov. 15 and in Europe on Nov. 29. Sony’s biggest competition, Microsoft’s Xbox One, will be released Nov. 22. The PS4 will be priced at 39,980 yen ($402) in Japan, roughly the same as in the U.S. ($399). A version of the PS4 bundled with the PlayStation Camera will also be available on Feb. 22 at a price of 43,980 yen ($442). Pre-orders for the PS4 will begin in October in Japan. The launch of the PS4 has generated plenty of buzz as House announced the console already surpassed 1 million pre-orders.

PS4’s Japan launch will feature 51 games, according to Sony’s press release. The titles will include “Minecraft,” “Killzone: Shadow Fall,” “Driveclub,” “Battlefield 4,” “inFAMOUS: Second Son,” “Assassin Creed IV: Black Flag,” “Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain,” “Kingdom Hearts III” and “Final Fantasy XV.”