Sony NGP May Be Delayed Due To Japan Quake

By Rue Liu/April 4, 2011 4:14 pm EST

Sony's Next Generation Portable (NGP) gaming device may have a delayed global launch due to last month's earthquake and tsunami in Japan. According to Bloomberg, Sony may only be able to introduce the NGP in one region this year instead of starting sales by the end of the year in Asia, Europe, and the U.S.

Sony Computer Entertainment America president Jack Tretton made this announcement but has not yet confirmed which region would be first to get the handheld. Tretton says that they hope to get to at least one market by the end of the year and that this delay may give game developers more time to complete their software.

Back in January, Sony exec Kazuo Hirai said the device would deliver the power of the PS3 in a handheld and that the device was designed with reasonable pricing in mind. Digital download games for the device are also planned to release immediately with the device.

[via Bloomberg]