This week saw numerous news reports surface that Sony Corp. would begin official sales of the PS2 in China next month. Software piracy is rampant in China--surveys indicate that 92 percent of game software in the country is pirated--so it seemed a safe bet that Sony had developed technical countermeasures before deciding to enter this market. After all, when Nintendo decided to enter the Chinese market, it developed a new console--the iQue--and a digital content distribution system designed from the ground up to reduce software piracy.

　　But when GameSpot contacted Sony's corporate headquarters today, a spokesperson said that, in fact, Sony has no new (hardware-based) antipiracy measures planned for the Chinese launch of the PS2. Instead, it will rely on cooperation from Chinese law enforcement organizations to reduce piracy. Sony's motivation for entering the China market is most likely to get a quick cash influx until it releases the eagerly anticipated PSP and PS3, but the lack of effective copy protection will make it much more difficult to attain this goal, industry sources commented.

　　Sony's spokesperson ended the conversation by pointing out that although a number of media sources have already reported on the Chinese launch, in fact Sony has not yet made its final decisions regarding the specifics of its entering the Chinese market. Sony's Chinese subsidiary will make an official press release when the launch date is set and all partner negotiations are complete, the spokesperson said.