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[yurinka]

Even "prefer" is something of an overstatement in this case; it's not that Sony is choosing one over the other, it's that Sony is choosing to go to a worthwhile show and has little interest in another.

Yes, Sony prefered to go to ChinaJoy instead of Gamescom.

The only logical explanation is that they prefered to spend their -limited- in ChinaJoy because it's a bigger event, in the biggest country, where they are highly growing and have a huge room to grow. To grow in key Asian countries like China, Korea or India is one of the current key goals of SIE.

In EU they already dominate the console market and even if they grow they don't there in PS and PC, don't have a lot of room to grow there compared to Asia.

As far as I can remember, Sony has not had a big presence at Gamescom, and especially once they stopped producing trade show demos, they've not had much software to bring.

In recent years in general Sony basically didn't have a big presence anywhere. Remember they did stop attending E3 years before it died. In recent years they funded the indie games area of TGS as sponsor.

This year they're attending ChinaJoy and will have a PS booth in 3 different TGS areas.

And well, they don't need to make demos to have a booth: they can display there trailers of their games and leave the demo stations for 3rd party games or to put there already released time limited demos of 1st party games.

(Since probably the PS3 on, Sony's business strategy has been to place its big titles in Q1 rather than compete with the 3rd party publishers with a Christmas title, so not only have they curtailed the quantity of games put out as SIE games, they don't generally have titles ready for the floor the way Christmas-oriented publishers do.)

Sony released many big titles in Q2, Q3 or Q4. As an example, this year they have Marathon and Yotei in Q4 (Marathon could be delayed beyond that). Or in recenttimes, they released Spider-Man 2 in Q4.

(BTW, the "major presence" mentioned in the headline of this topic is relative. Sony will have a booth, they will have all their old games which are new to China, including some 3rd Party titles they will bring along to fill out the roster, and they will have updates on all the China Hero Project titles. There won't be a keynote; there won't be a flagship AAA game announcement, unless they make a deal with a Chinese developer like MiHoYo or a Tencent company; Sony will just be there doing Chinese-market game business.)

Their lineup there pretty likely will be a selection -as usual- of recently published or upcoming PS games (and now PC ports too) already approved to be released in China by their game regulation agency.

This is Sony's secert for long term console growth. A hard focus on India will be next after China. India will more than likely be their focus in the 2030s.

It isn't a secret, in the first business segment meeting after releasing PS5, Jim Ryan highlighted the main growth vectors for this generation, and one of them was to grow in new regions namedropping China, Korea and India.

Connected to this, their PC, GaaS and off-gaming growth strategies were other key growth vectors. Normal because even more than in Japan and the west PC is bigger than PS and GaaS has the majority of gaming userbase and revenue.

 

[EN250]

Makes sense, other than Ghost of Strong Independent Asian Woman, they don't have much else to show

 

[mckmas8808]

It isn't a secret, in the first business segment meeting after releasing PS5, Jim Ryan highlighted the main growth vectors for this generation, and one of them was to grow in new regions namedropping China, Korea and India.

Connected to this, their PC, GaaS and off-gaming growth strategies were other key growth vectors. Normal because even more than in Japan and the west PC is bigger than PS and GaaS has the majority of gaming userbase and revenue.

It's a secret in the sense that your average video game podcaster doesn't know anything about it. They haven't even covered any of the bolded that you said. Only gaming nerds that listen to Playstation execs like us know this. Hell........over half of GAF has no clue of Sony's plans. Just read this thread for instance.

 

[mckmas8808]

Makes sense, other than Ghost of Strong Independent Asian Woman, they don't have much else to show

 

[yurinka]

It's a secret in the sense that your average video game podcaster doesn't know anything about it. They haven't even covered any of the bolded that you said. Only gaming nerds that listen to Playstation execs like us know this. Hell........over half of GAF has no clue of Sony's plans. Just read this thread for instance.

Well, if they have some minimal interest on following Sony, I assume they realized that in recent year Sony did deals with many Chinese games like Genshin Impact, ZZZ, Lost Soul Aside, Phantom Blade Zero or -getting lucky, not because of signing anything- also got timed exclusivity of Black Myth Wukong. In addition to some Korean one like Stellar Blade.

Plus they also should know Sony does the China Hero Project stuff that adds several Chinese more games to the console, and that they have the push in PC & GaaS (many may know that PC is bigger than PS in China and that China is even more focused in GaaS than the west), and that Sony also signed with several Chinese (or Korean) devs/publishers/platform holders.

Makes sense, other than Ghost of Strong Independent Asian Woman, they don't have much else to show

What a flatearther. Death Stranding 2, Lost Soul Aside, Marathon, Saros, Marvel Tokon, Intergalactic plus the many other first/second party games, like Destiny 2/Helldivers/GT updates and PC ports also exist. Plus obviously the gazillion great 3rd party games they get every year too.

 

[mckmas8808]

What a flatearther. Death Stranding 2, Lost Soul Aside, Marathon, Saros, Marvel Tokon, Intergalactic plus the many other first/second party games, like Destiny 2/Helldivers/GT updates and PC ports also exist. Plus obviously the gazillion great 3rd party games they get every year too.

Why did E EN250 just laugh at your comment here? We have some odd people on GAF these days.....

 

[Klayzer]

Why did E EN250 just laugh at your comment here? We have some odd people on GAF these days.....

Dude, they're trolling. Garden variety shit post drive byes.

 

[yurinka]

Why did E EN250 just laugh at your comment here? We have some odd people on GAF these days.....

 

[yogaflame]

I never like Chinese communist government since it is evil so it is a trash for me. But the Chinese people are good people with good values. Let us be honest that China is the second largest gaming market next too USA. It is a good strategy for Sony to focus on China, and more market in Asia with there HERO program, since Japan has lost its interest with PS especially after moving head quarters to California and stop developing Japan A and AA games.

 

[Represent.]

China is the future. Sony recognizes that. This makes sense.

 

[Hudo]

+5000 Social Credits™ for Sony.

 

[yogaflame]

Makes sense, other than Ghost of Strong Independent Asian Woman, they don't have much else to show

For China market, Sony have Death stranding 2 with Chinese voice over, Phantom Zero, Lost Soul, Marvel Tokon, and allot more from PS China Hero project.

 

[mckmas8808]

For China market, Sony have Death stranding 2 with Chinese voice over, Phantom Zero, Lost Soul, Marvel Tokon, and allot more from PS China Hero project.

Interesting.....I didn't know DS2 has a Chinese voice over.

 

[yogaflame]

Interesting.....I didn't know DS2 has a Chinese voice over.

I saw the video that they added Chinese voice overs, in the recently concluded Death Stranding world strand tour 2 in Shanghai Special Stage at Bilibiliworld.

 

[mckmas8808]

I saw the video that they added Chinese voice overs, in the recently concluded Death Stranding world strand tour 2 in Shanghai Special Stage at Bilibiliworld.

It's blowing my mind to see just how far and much Sony is pushing into China now. I never would have seen this coming back in the PS3 era days. This is great to see though.

 

[yogaflame]

It's blowing my mind to see just how far and much Sony is pushing into China now. I never would have seen this coming back in the PS3 era days. This is great to see though.

This Sony strategy in China will surely bear fruit and they are already ahead of the competition in terms of China market strategy.

But my small concern and worry is, since Sony right now still some DEI and woke agenda infestation especially with head quarters is in California, I just hope that woke agenda will not be push and force to China.

 

[simpatico]

Let it be known that all consumer electronics from this point on are going to be made to court the Chinese market. Those of us in America are going to learn how it feels to be a Brazilian gamer. Hopefully that comes with a nice regional price cut soon!

 

[mckmas8808]

This Sony strategy in China will surely bear fruit and they are already ahead of the competition in terms of China market strategy.

But my small concern and worry is, since Sony right now still some DEI and woke agenda infestation especially with head quarters is in California, I just hope that woke agenda will not be push and force to China.

That ain't happening my friend. Quite honestly, it's more likely that Sony will relax on some of that stuff in the West too. The tide changed 9 months ago in America. The country voted, and the results are clearer than a beach on a Monday morning. They all know what the masses think now.

 

[yogaflame]

That ain't happening my friend. Quite honestly, it's more likely that Sony will relax on some of that stuff in the West too. The tide changed 9 months ago in America. The country voted, and the results are clearer than a beach on a Monday morning. They all know what the masses think now.

Off topic: I really like what happened to the USA right now that common sense and respect to conscience is back. That can be infectious around the world, not just in gaming industry and but also throughout the society and culture. I hope and pray it continues.

 

[Ar¢tos]

In recent years in general Sony basically didn't have a big presence anywhere. Remember they did stop attending E3 years before it died. In recent years they funded the indie games area of TGS as sponsor.

That was for the best... Making people move to a tent to watch some dude playing guitar and a video of 2 lesbians kissing wasn't the best use E3.
Having a dude playing flute didn't change Ghost of Tsushima graphics or gameplay either, so it was also useless (I can't complain much about that one, the guy is hot).

 

[yurinka]

That was for the best... Making people move to a tent to watch some dude playing guitar and a video of 2 lesbians kissing wasn't the best use E3.
Having a dude playing flute didn't change Ghost of Tsushima graphics or gameplay either, so it was also useless (I can't complain much about that one, the guy is hot).

Yep, that that was super expensive, like their giant E3 booths. For them is way cheaper, effective and optimal to focus in online marketing with trailers, pre-recorded streams and so on.

 

[simpatico]

Wukong changed everything. Before there were hypotheses and projections, but Wulong put cash in hands. They got a taste of that sweet sweet yuan. Watched a half baked game from a genre that the industry assumed was dead wreck every sales record that didn't belong to GTA. Monkey man carved his name into Steam ffs. All those Horizon and Ass Creed budgets could only blush in his presence.

 

[ChorizoPicozo]

Wukong changed everything

and MiHoyo

 

[Angry_Megalodon]

and MiHoyo

Mihoyo is the game changer and it's not even close. Of course, a certain crowd doesnt want to hear of this.

 

[simpatico]

Mihoyo is the game changer and it's not even close. Of course, a certain crowd doesnt want to hear of this.

The goal will be to get a foot in the door over there before they bring out their own solid ecosystem and have no need for Japanese and western middlemen. You'll always have western obsessed Chinese who want the Sony and the Valve, but I imagine that number will shrink with time.

 

[PeteBull]

China is going to be the biggest video game market in the future and Sony knows that… The issue here is the type of game they play, not in line with the occidental preferences.

 

[nial]

Not sure what you're trying to defend here bud.
My point still stands as historically TGS has never been about their first parties but rather exclusive deals or just Japanese games marketing. Yotei could appear, but I'm betting that's the extent of it.

Do better research, then. SIE has, historically, always had a pre-TGS press conference right before the main event.
They purposefully set the State of Play announcing the sequel of their best-selling first-party game in Japan since Gran Turismo 4 in 2004 a day before last year's TGS, all while having an actual PlayStation Presents panel dedicated to Death Stranding 2 on the main event.
What was the last thing of note Sony showed at Gamescom? The Western launch date for the PS4 in 2013?

 

[Alebrije]

Sony is just following the money...on a few years China will be they second biggest videogame market , better be now than later...

 

[Xbox 360 slim]

Hoping to see more of phantom blade zero

 

[Hypereides]

Ayo FUCK China

You best start showing them up then, dudeman. Western AAA pubs took talent for granted and dismissed the concern. Now, its coming back to bite them in the ass at full force. Weed out troublemakers and opportunistic leeches who are diluting AAA studios/cultures from within. Identify talented imaginators and ambitious creators within your reach. Time to clean the canvas and get get back to the basics. Make it attractive for talent to stay in the big leagues.

Otherwise, "Ayo FUCK China", or whatever, is going to have a hollow ring to it. A good and healthy industry is when the two counterparts balance and complement one another. The advantage has shifted heavily in favor of the east rn.

 

[Fabieter]

To grow in key Asian countries like China, Korea or India is one of the current key goals of SIE.

People don't buy alot of consoles in those countries and thats never gonna change in a meaningful way. Its the reason they started porting everything over to pc to reach the big pc centric asian audience.

 

[Cakeboxer]

People don't buy alot of consoles in those countries and thats never gonna change in a meaningful way. Its the reason they started porting everything over to pc to reach the big pc centric asian audience.

A new Sony handheld could fix this.

 

[RetroGamingUK]

People don't buy alot of consoles in those countries and thats never gonna change in a meaningful way. Its the reason they started porting everything over to pc to reach the big pc centric asian audience.

Ignorant post

The Chinese government banned gaming consoles until 2015

That's another reason why Sony are now so focused on the country with the China Hero Project and PS5 is selling twice as fast as PS4 there.

Z

Sales-Age  Thread 'China: PS5 selling twice as quickly as PS4; Local vendors report a surge in demand as it offers an affordable alternative to Nvidia'

Feb 20, 2025

that's Shanghai (January 27, 2025)

How China's Video Game Market is Ready to Take Over

This past summer has been huge for Chinese gaming companies. The single-player market was taken by storm with the release of Black Myth: Wukong from Game Science, a game that broke PC gaming records by achieving the highest concurrent player count for a single-player game on Steam, the largest digital distribution service for PC games. On the third day of its release, it reached a peak of 2,415,714 concurrent players, surpassing gaming giants Elden Ring and Cyberpunk 2077...

• zedinen
• Replies: 145
• Forum: Gaming Discussion

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[Fabieter]

Ignorant post

The Chinese government banned gaming consoles until 2015

That's another reason why Sony are now so focused on the country with the China Hero Project and PS5 is selling twice as fast as PS4 there.

Z

Sales-Age  Thread 'China: PS5 selling twice as quickly as PS4; Local vendors report a surge in demand as it offers an affordable alternative to Nvidia'

Feb 20, 2025

that's Shanghai (January 27, 2025)

How China's Video Game Market is Ready to Take Over

This past summer has been huge for Chinese gaming companies. The single-player market was taken by storm with the release of Black Myth: Wukong from Game Science, a game that broke PC gaming records by achieving the highest concurrent player count for a single-player game on Steam, the largest digital distribution service for PC games. On the third day of its release, it reached a peak of 2,415,714 concurrent players, surpassing gaming giants Elden Ring and Cyberpunk 2077...

• zedinen
• Replies: 145
• Forum: Gaming Discussion

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Do we have hard numbers for console sales from India, china and SK? Because selling twice as much doesnt mean much though.

 

[Dodo123]

Great decision! They dominate in Europe without doing anything special, easily, anyway. Also remember that this is the same company who's biggest Holiday release some years ago was Bugsnax and we still hear about their record profits.

 

[Sephiran]

The same time Japan is in a cold war with China, Sony has previously revealed their ambition to replace the Japanese market (where they are bombing) with the Chinese market, due to their dependance on Chinese gacha games. I imagine the Japanese government will have some watchful eyes on Sony's ties to China.

 

[nial]

Great decision! They dominate in Europe without doing anything special, easily, anyway. Also remember that this is the same company who's biggest Holiday release some years ago was Bugsnax and we still hear about their record profits.

Trolls have gotten way too fucking lazy when they bring up Bugsnax in 2025.

 

[Bradamante3D]

Makes sense for Sony to skip Gamescom, that show has become Microsoft's house event ever since they moved from Leipzig to Cologne. It's a shame how that event declined.

 

[yurinka]

People don't buy alot of consoles in those countries and thats never gonna change in a meaningful way. Its the reason they started porting everything over to pc to reach the big pc centric asian audience.

It has been already changing for Sony in a meaningful way, China went up in PS from top 11 country to top 6 comparing launch aligned period PS4 vs PS5 of the first 72 weeks which means yes, a lot of people bought console in China. Now after Wukong or ZZZ China must be higher in the ranking.

And yes, their expansion in PC (+ in the future mobile) was partly to grow in these Asian markets, both directly in these platforms or indirectly helping them to grow PS, because even if some may buy a console way more people will never do it.

Sony's 2021 business segment meeting (a few months after releasing PS5):

Sony's 2022 Business Segment Meeting (1+ year after releasing PS5):

 

[Danny Dudekisser]

You best start showing them up then, dudeman. Western AAA pubs took talent for granted and dismissed the concern. Now, its coming back to bite them in the ass at full force. Weed out troublemakers and opportunistic leeches who are diluting AAA studios/cultures from within. Identify talented imaginators and ambitious creators within your reach. Time to clean the canvas and get get back to the basics. Make it attractive for talent to stay in the big leagues.

Otherwise, "Ayo FUCK China", or whatever, is going to have a hollow ring to it. A good and healthy industry is when the two counterparts balance and complement one another. The advantage has shifted heavily in favor of the east rn.

Professionally, I actually do more work in helping Western devs get their shit together than one might expect. I'm one of the good guys, man.

I say "Ayo FUCK China" because Ayo. FUCK China.

 

[Hypereides]

Professionally, I actually do more work in helping Western devs get their shit together than one might expect. I'm one of the good guys, man.

I say "Ayo FUCK China" because Ayo. FUCK China.

I'm aware. I take your word for it. Pardon if my response seemed offensive. There's likely very much frustration spilling into both the dev and gamer camps. My hope is you can start slapping some sense into even more people around you in your network given that it seems you have a high position. More American AAA devs/studios need to straighten their shit out, get back into the game creatively and begin to blow people's socks off.

 

[Fabieter]

It has been already changing for Sony in a meaningful way, China went up in PS from top 11 country to top 6 comparing launch aligned period PS4 vs PS5 of the first 72 weeks which means yes, a lot of people bought console in China. Now after Wukong or ZZZ China must be higher in the ranking

Do we have hard numbers for china?

 

[Danjin44]

If most of Chinese games is going to be free to play gacha game then I have zero interest.

 

[RetroGamingUK]

If most of Chinese games is going to be free to play gacha game then I have zero interest.

 

[Danjin44]

Among these only Tides of Annihilation that somewhat interests me.

I have a very hard time trusting Chinese games but they do look good on trailers.

 

[Klayzer]

Among these only Tides of Annihilation that somewhat interests me.

I have a very hard time trusting Chinese games but they do look good on trailers.

Lost Soul looks like fire. Not enough DMC style games available. My most anticipated game this year.

 

[nial]

Do we have hard numbers for china?

PS4 was at 3.5M in 2020, five years after its launch in China.
One of the slides on the post you quoted had PS5 selling 670K units in one year and four months, compared to PS4 selling 250K units in the same time frame.
None of this accounts for the considerable import scene in China, btw.

 

[yurinka]

Do we have hard numbers for china?

A bit more after a year since the PS5 launch Sony shared this:

There were also reports of PS5 console sales spiking in China with Wukong from Niko Partners, but I don't remember specific numbers.

There are numbers regarding country rankings or revenue for the whole gaming market (not just PS5) but I think you aren't asking about them.

 

[BennyBlanco]

I wish Sony the best in China because I would like more regular games from their devs who currently have insane budgets. But PC and mobile are too entrenched in the asian markets. The customer acquisition costs will be astronomical.

Look at EGS. Giving away legitimately free games for years and moneyhatting exclusives to no avail. The month that Kingdom Hearts got ported to Steam it charted on NPD. Chinese gamers love PC. Good luck getting to them to pay to play online and for cloud saves.

 

[TGO]

Sony haven't attended Gamescom since 2019 and still it makes headlines not attending the show in 2025 lol.
Nintendo and Microsoft will duke it out at Gamescom an already saturated market leaving Sony to focus on the larger game show in a region with huge growth opportunity and developer talent all by themselves. Well yeah makes total business sense.

Ironically 2019 was probably the last time we got excited for Sony related stuff outside the PS5 pre launch event.
It's been 5 fucking years