PlayStation 3 to launch in China as Sony opens local facilities

Sony Computer Entertainment is reportedly expanding into China, opening facilities in the city of Guangzhou and tentatively planning a local launch of the PlayStation 3, previously unavailable to mainland Chinese residents except by import.

The China Daily reports that Sony has filed a letter of intent to open training and R&D centres in the province of Guangdong.

The new centres will focus on localisation of existing games and development of new ones, both for the Chinese markets and international release.

SCE Asia is set to support the new Chinese facilities by supplying equipment and experts, as well as co-operating with Chinese localisation of its catalogue, and the Chinese initiative is expected to generate an annual total of over 100 billion yuan (USD $15 billion) within five years.

Sony representatives couldn't give any indication of when the PlayStation 3 would launch in China, but did comment that SCE would be taking strict measures against piracy.

Sony has recently pushed its Computer Entertainment division's operations into India and South America, and apparently intends to branch out with future training centres in Hong Kong, Taiwan and Singapore.

Thanks, Joystiq.