FollowEuropean gamers have tuned themselves to be patient, assuming that the PlayStation 4 will reach Europe a few months after its launch in North America. But, the good news is that the console is arriving in Europe this year as revealed by a news advertisement in the May 24th edition of Metro, UK’s national newspaper.
The ad, featured in the sports section on the backside, bears a logo pertaining to Sony’s sponsorship of UEFA Champions League. The phrases “Now is the time” and “COMING 2013” have caught the eye of eager PlayStation fans, who are gearing up for an exciting holiday. Further, PlayStation Europe tweeted the ad, raising expectations that the console will come in 2013.
Retailers have been speaking of the notable interest among UK consumers. According to retailer GameStop, about 900,000 consumers have registered for the “First to Know” list of PlayStation 4. The retailer expects PS4 demand to exceed supply at the time of launch.
It has been usual for European release dates to fall behind those in America. For instance, the PS3 arrived in Europe in March 2007, about four months after hitting North American and Japanese markets.
The ad was probably elicited by the Xbox One announcement on May 21st. When Sony revealed its new gaming console in February at New York’s Manhattan Center, it announced a “Holiday 2013” arrival, but did not specify the exact date or name the regions that would get the console first. Perhaps, Sony meant a global release.
The impressive features of PS4 include a redesigned controller, new PlayStation Eye, motion detection and video sharing, among others. Sony has not revealed much about PS4 during the February announcement. So, gamers are awaiting the E3 event in June to get a better glimpse of the new console.
