Japanese electronics giant Sony on Friday launched its PlayStation gaming console in China, where authorities impose strict controls on content, but some popular titles including "Grand Theft Auto" and "Call of Duty" were not available. China last year authorised the domestic sale of game consoles through its first free-trade zone (FTZ) in Shanghai, ending a 2000 ban that authorities argued was aimed at protecting the country's youth.
The start of Sony's PlayStation 4 consoles, originally planned for January, makes it the second foreign company into the Chinese market after rival Microsoft, which launched its Xbox One in September. Gaming consoles brought into mainland China through unofficial channels were already widely available online and at the country's many electronics markets.
At a Sony store in downtown Shanghai, around 50 people waited in line to enter by small groups and buy consoles, games and the hand-held PlayStation Vita. "It's quite exciting that we can have this in China now," said Gu Chunhua, an engineer.
Sony is selling PlayStation 4 in China for 2,899 yuan ($471) and PlayStation Vita for 1,299 yuan ($211), said a store clerk.
But some customers showed disappointment over the small selection of games on offer initially.
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