OCT. 12, 2010 • During the introduction of the PlayStation Move in India, Sony Computer Entertainment projected it would sell 350,000 consoles in the country during 2010 – split between the PS2, PSP and PS3. The company sold 240,000 systems there in 2009. Sony says it has a current installed base of 550,000 PS2s, 200,000 PSPs, and 75,000 PS3s in India. Sony says the Indian console market has grown to Rs.4.5 billion ($101.1 million), of which the company has 80% market share. The PlayStation Move motion controller is priced at Rs.2,499 ($57) and the PlayStation Move navigation controller at Rs.1,899 ($43). The starter pack, which includes a Move controller, the PlayStation Eye camera and a starter disc, is priced at Rs. 3,650 ($83). On Oct. 22, Sony launched the PlayStation Store in India.
Impact: Sony recognizes that its Indian business is small change compared to Europe, North America and the rest of Asia. While pleased with its percentage growth in sales year-over-year, the company is looking to provide extra incentive to purchase with a larger swath of Indian consumers. The focal point of that push is the Indian government, which tacks on a 25% import duty and a 12.5% VAT onto the price of PlayStation hardware. Many other emerging markets exact similar duties. We’ll be keen to watch how successful Sony is in making its case.
