Gamers in China will finally be able to own a Playstation.
Sony announced today that it will sell its Playstation 4 in China starting on Jan. 11 for the first time in 14 years. The gaming giant will price its newest console at about $468, or $68 more than it retails elsewhere.
China banned foreign game consoles outright in 2000, citing the impact of video games on youth in the country, but an expansion of the Shanghai Free Trade Zone last year relaxed the rules.
Microsoft actually beat Sony to the China market and began selling its Xbox One on Sept. 29.
Despite the ban being lifted, both companies still face tough governmental challenges. As Reuters notes, China must approve any game that is sold on the Xbox One or PS4 — Microsoft is only selling 10 titles right now. There’s also a dedicated group of PC and mobile gamers in China that likely will need some convincing to buy a device that hasn’t been available for more than a decade.
Sony will also sell its handheld Playstation Vita in China.
