PlayStation 4 will launch globally in 2013, GameStop veep claims

A senior official at retailer GameStop has proclaimed that the Sony PS4 console will launch globally in 2013, something the manufacturer is yet to do.

When Sony announced the PS4 with a "Holiday 2013" release date it did not offer a specific timeframe nor indicate whether the launch would be staggered - as Sony has done in the past - across the various territories.

• Hands on: Sony PS4 review

Recent rumours suggested that the console wouldn't be arriving in Europe until 2014, but GameStop's Michael Hogan has revealed, perhaps inadvertently, that everything is on track for this year.

The company's vice president of strategy business and brand development said in a conference call with financial investors: "We know that Sony will introduce the PlayStation 4 globally in 2013, but we are still waiting to see what Microsoft's final plans are."

European complexities?

Rumours earlier this month have suggested that Sony would launch in the United States and Japan by the end of the year, but the European roll-out would have to wait until 2014.

The rumours had cited so-called "complexities involved in European distribution" as the reason for holding back.

Whether that was ever the case remains to be seen, but if Hogan's comments are on the money, you can all get the PS4 on that letter to Santa once again.

We expect to hear more about the official PS4 release date schedule at E3 in May and, who knows, perhaps we'll even get a glimpse of the actual console too!

Via MVC