Sony to Launch PS4 in China

A month after Microsoft’s announcement that it will launch the XboxOne in China in September in its joint venture with Shanghai-based BesTV, Sony has announced that it will form two JVs with Shanghai Oriental Pearl Culture Development (owner of the famous Oriental Pearl Tower in Pudong in Shanghai) to bring the Playstation 4 to China.

Interestingly, both BesTV and OPCD are part of the same group – the Shanghai Media Group, which is primarily state-owned. The previous head of SMG, Li Ruigang, left SMG in 2011 to be a government official and now is the head of CMC Capital, a state-backed fund that invests in media and entertainment assets, including SMG.

Apple Opens Office in Indonesia

Apple continues its expansion across Asia and Southeast Asia with the launch of its office in Indonesia. Indonesia used to be primarily Blackberry territory but now it’s fair game for any smartphone companies on the market. In our research for Niko’s 2013 SEA Games Market Regional Report we discovered that young Indonesians yearn for Apple products over BlackBerry, and that the iPhone is considered very hip and trendy.

Military Coup in Thailand

Thailand is currently under a full military coup as the country’s army chief has declared that he has taken control from political groups. Thailand is one of the biggest online gaming markets in SE Asia based on revenue.