Sony names PlayStation 4 sale dates

Sony has announced the launch dates
for its PlayStation 4 console.
The next-generation games machine will
become available in North America on 15
November and Europe on 29 November.
Its rival Microsoft has only said that the
Xbox One will go on sale some time the
same month.
Experts suggested that the latest
revelation might help gain the Japanese
firm headlines, but that it would be
software that ultimately decided which
company came out on top.
"Sony has made fantastic progress as it
prepares to release the PS4, but the
console still lacks a show-stopping
exclusive game," said Rob Crossley,
associate editor at the Computer and
Video Games news site, following the
announcement at the Gamescom trade
fair in Cologne.
"That will certainly come eventually, but
some might argue the most crucial time
is now.
"Sony's press conference once again
demonstrated the company has an
enviably deep and meaningful
relationship with the indie developer
community... but Sony executives will no
doubt be feeling uneasy as the list of
major Xbox One exclusive games
continues to grow."
Lewis Ward, a games expert at the
consultants IDC, agreed that at this point
the launch date was of limited
importance.
"If it turns out that the PS4 goes on sale
a week before the Xbox One, for example,
then clearly Sony will have time to itself
to make some hay," he said.
"But until we know when Microsoft is
going to land I'm not sure what putting
the date out there does much beyond
making a news story - it won't change
people's buying intentions."
Sony said there had already been more
than one million pre-orders of its new
console worldwide. It added that a total
of 32 countries would be able to buy the
PS4 during the Christmas holiday
season.