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PlayStation 2 Release Delayed In China

Posted by simoniker on from the confusion-reigns dept.

Thanks to the San Jose Mercury News/AP for their article regarding Sony's postponement of the PlayStation 2's release in China. According to the piece, "Two days after the planned release date, a statement on Sony's Chinese-language Web site blamed an 'unfavorable environment' for the delay. It didn't elaborate or set a new launch date." The article goes on to speculate that "Makers of popular console games such as Sony and Nintendo have been wary of launching products in mainland China... largely because of fears of piracy", referencing Nintendo's recently-launched iQue console, and also noting: "Earlier reports said that the advanced computer chips used in PlayStation 2 and some of its advanced graphics functions might have military applications that would preclude export of the devices to China under U.S. and Japanese law, but Sony did not mention that in its announcement."

4 of 35 comments (clear)

  1. Re:If the G5 is available.... by JFMulder · · Score: 2, Insightful

    See Xbox.

  2. Unfavorable? by Saint+Mitchell · · Score: 3, Insightful

    I don't know about unfavorable. Even if they are worried about piracy, so what. Change the business model a bit. Jack up the price of the console to where you make a profit. You won't sell as many, but who cares. It beats loosing money on the console thinking you'll make up for it on games. You know you're going to get your ass handed to you on game sales, so you make up for it elsewhere. Good luck getting a developer to translate games though, since they know they aren't going to make much if any.

  3. Military by Loosewire · · Score: 2, Insightful

    Could it be anything to do with using gpu's for very high power maths ala that slashdot article a few days ago? the emotion engine is one powerfull gpu....

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  4. Re:It's all about the MOD CHIP by NanoGator · · Score: 2, Insightful

    "Since the prevailing attitude of most of the technologically elite is one that condones INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY THEFT"

    That isn't true. Piracy is not something that the 'technologically elite' is trying to accomplish. We've paid for software/content, if we have the means, we should be able to explore the capabilities of what we have spent money for. If you have a specific situation in mind about what sparked this rant, I'd be happy to explain to you what the real intent is.

    "The Dreamcast and Sega were destoyed by mass counterfeiting and filetrading,"

    Very untrue. The Dreamcast died because of competition with Sony. Piracy wasn't a huge factor, if at all. Sega simply couldn't get enough consoles out in order to sell enough games to make a profit.

    "FACE IT PEOPLE...IF YOU DOWNLOAD GAMES AND INSTALL MOD CHIPS, YOU ARE MAKING GAMES AND GAMING CULTURE WORSE NOT BETTER...."

    If that is directed solely at the people here who download games to avoid paying for them, then you are not speaking to a wide number of people. Most of the pro-modding comments I've seen here aren't related to pirating games, but rather to remove region restrictions.

    Why is it that the harshest opinions come from the least informed? Is it because information reveals shades of gray?

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    "Derp de derp."