PlayStation 4 And Xbox One Shine At Tokyo Game Show, Sony Wants To Sell 5M PS4s By March 2014

While the PlayStation 4 and the Xbox One will not be out in Japan until 2014, Sony and Microsoft’s new consoles were the main attraction at Tokyo Game Show 2013. Sony announced its plans to launch the PS4 in Japan on Feb. 22, 2014, and said its goal is to sell 5 million PS4s worldwide by the end of March 2014.

As part of the first preview day of the show, media folks who got their hands on the next-gen consoles said they were impressed by the graphics but had to get adjusted to the consoles' new controllers and interfaces. Agence France-Presse was on hand in Tokyo and noted attendees were eager to test out the new consoles and other wares from the more than 350 companies exhibiting. The Tokyo Game Show is expected to draw more than 200,000 people over the course of the event.

Sony had announced the Japan launch date for the PS4 earlier this month, and AFP notes this will be the first time the company will not be launching in its home country first, as North America will get the console in November. Sony’s explanation was that it wanted to provide quality games at launch, giving developers more time to work with the new console. Microsoft has yet to make an official announcement about the Japan launch for the Xbox One, but industry watchers believe it will be released before the end of 2014.

The PS4 had 18 playable games, including “Knack” and “DriveClub,” and the Xbox One had 22 playable games, including “Titanfall” and “Forza Motorsport 5.” Other available games included “Assassin’s Creed 4: Black Flag” (PS4), “Deep Down” (PS4), “FIFA 14” (Xbox One) and “Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII” (PS3, Xbox 360). Both companies stressed how creativity and a change in development philosophies (to more indie sources) factored into these games, noting the success of games like “Minecraft.” They also talked about the importance of social gaming in the next generation of console gaming, reports the Associated Press.

With Sony's focus on the PS4, the company discussed its lofty sales goal of 5 million units by March 24. The PlayStation 3 sold 3.55 million units during a similar launch window in 2006, reports AFP, citing a Wall Street Journal report. The goal is not out of the question, given the PS4's price tag ($400), much lower than either the 20GB version of the PS3, priced at $499, or the 60GB version, priced at $599.