Sony PlayStation

The Sony PlayStation is a line of video game consoles produced by Sony Interactive Entertainment. The PlayStation brand is handled in the Southeast Asian region by Sony Interactive Entertainment Singapore Pte. Ltd.

PlayStation games officially sold in the Philippines are categorized into Region 3 (Asia region).

History

PlayStation 2 and Portable (200X - 2007)

Sony Philippines, Inc. held a limited launch of the PlayStation 2 sometime in the early 2000s. This was followed by the limited launch of the PlayStation Portable in the Philippines in 2005. Sony Philippines' then-president and CEO Hiroaki Kobayashi cited that they were launching the portable console because "many local customers [were] demanding for it", adding that its limited release was meant to test the local market for the console. He admitted that issues of parallel importation and software piracy were the reasons why the company was hesitant to push gaming products in the country.[1]

Following the November 2006 release of the PlayStation 3 in multiple countries, Kobayashi stated in an interview that the PlayStation 3 would not be released in the Philippines anytime soon due to the rampant piracy in the country.[2] He added in a later interview that those piracy concerns were also the same reasons why Sony Japan was hesitant to sell its PSP units in the Philippines, citing that almost all available PlayStation software being sold in the country at the time were pirated copies.[3] This reason was criticized by the Intellectual Property Office (IP) Philippines Director-General Adrian Cristobal Jr., who stated that the real reason Sony refuses to bring the PSP to the country is due more to the lack of market rather than piracy. He pointed out that Sony chose to release the PSP in China despite the country being known to be at the forefront of intellectual property rights piracy. Cristobal also revealed that, like all IP rights holders, Sony does not coordinate with IP Philippines to crack down on violators, and instead opts to pursue their enforcement and prosecution.[4]

Major console launches (2010-present)

Four years after the initial release of the PlayStation 3 in 2006, the PS3 was officially launched in the Philippines on March 27, 2010. It debuted with its Slim model and was launched together with the handheld console PlayStation Portable 3000 series.

In July 2013, Sony Computer Entertainment Hong Kong Ltd. announced the commencement of its Singapore branch. The new branch was responsible for managing the PlayStation brand in the SEA region until 2019.[5]

The PlayStation 4 was launched in the Philippines on January 14, 2014. Unlike the PS3 which took years to launch in the country, the PS4 was launched two months after its November 2013 debut in North America.

On September 11, 2014, Sony Philippines opened its flagship PlayStation store as part of a larger Sony Center at SM Megamall in the City of Mandaluyong. The launch event was highlighted with previews of NBA 2K15, Freedom Wars, and Drive Club.[6] The president and managing director of Sony Philippines, Nobuyoshi Otake, stated "The PlayStation flagship store brings the gaming experience to new heights in the Philippines with its experiential concept to engage the gamers."[7]

On May 3, 2019, Sony Interactive Entertainment Inc. established the subsidiary Sony Interactive Entertainment Singapore Pte. Ltd. (SIES), which succeeded the existing Hong Kong Singapore branch.[8]

On December 11, 2020, SIES launched the PlayStation 5 in the Philippines, a month after the first launch of the PS5 in November 12, 2020.

References

  1. Sony finally decides to sell PSP in RP market. Oct 12, 2005 at 12:03 AM (UTC+8). Erwin Lemuel Oliva. INQ7.net. Retrieved on 2024-02-12.
  2. Sony holds back release of new game console. January 11, 2007 at 7:07 PM. Jennee Grace U. Rubrico, BusinessWorld Sub-Editor. GMA News under SciTech. Retrieved on 2024-02-12.
  3. Sony complains vs rampant piracy of Playstation software. March 8, 2007. Marianne V. Go. Philstar.com. Retrieved on 2024-02-12.
  4. Sony urged to state real reason for not bringing Playstation PSP to RP. March 19, 2007. Marianne V. Go. Philstar.com. Retrieved on 2024-02-12.
  5. Sony Computer Entertainment Hong Kong Opens Singapore Office. July 1, 2013 at 6:50 AM. Kenn Leandre. IGN SEA. Retrieved on 2024-02-12.
  6. Sony Flagship Playstation Store Megamall Experience. September 12, 2014 at 3:38 PM (UTC+8(. Geeky Pinas. Geeky Pinas. Retrieved on 2024-02-12.
  7. First Sony PlayStation flagship store in PH opens in SM Megamall. September 12, 2014. zoneitech team. zoneitech. Retrieved on 2024-02-12.
  8. Incorporation of Sony Interactive Entertainment Singapore Private Limited. May 3, 2019. PlayStation Asia team. PlayStation Asia portal. Retrieved on 2024-02-12.