Japan May Be Handheld Land, But It Still Wants the PS4

There’s a reason that Sony is using plenty of ammunition to promote the PlayStation Vita in Japan, and that’s because the region can’t get enough of handhelds. The astronomical sales of the Nintendo 3DS compared to the muted numbers attached to the Wii U and PlayStation 3 show how trends have changed – but there may yet be hope for the PlayStation 4.

While the next generation device’s delay may have initially frustrated consumers overseas, the manufacturer argues that it’s enabled it to concoct a launch lineup tailored to Eastern tastes. Key day one deployments include Yakuza Ishin, Dynasty Warriors 8: Xtreme Legends, and a beta for Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn. And the strategy may just work.

In a poll of 1,000 players conducted by Famitsu magazine, a whopping 76.4 per cent said that they want the PlayStation maker’s latest machine, with an equally impressive 35.4 per cent pointing out that they intend to buy it on 22nd February. Unsurprisingly, Yakuza Ishin was the most sought after launch title, though Killzone: Shadow Fall also fared well among players looking for some showcase software.

Meanwhile, sales of Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII may have disappointed, but the market seems hungry for Final Fantasy XV, as almost half of those polled cited the upcoming sequel as their most wanted PS4 release. With anticipation seemingly sky high ahead of next month’s launch, it’s going to be really interesting to see how Sony’s latest system performs in the Land of the Rising Sun.