Sony Computer Entertainment chairman Kaz Hirai has revealed the firm has pencllled in an early 2010 launch date for its new iTunes-rivalling online service. In addition, Sony also plans to release a non-game development kit for the PlayStation Network in Q2, to encourage content providers to develop for the platform.
To date the PlayStation Network has attracted 33 million users of which around 5.4 million sign-on each day. A little over a quarter of those visit the PlayStation Store, sales of which are predicted to triple this year to ¥50 billion (US$561 million).
If Sony’s plans to introduce a subscription-based service go ahead, profits from the PlayStation Network will increase futher.
