Sony to launch PlayStation 5 in India in February

FILE PHOTO: Inside a GameStop store Sony PS5 gaming consoles are pictured in the Manhattan borough of New York City, New York, U.S., November 12, 2020. REUTERS/Carlo Allegri/File photo

(Reuters) - Sony Corp said on Friday its PlayStation 5 (PS5) console will be launched in India in coming weeks as it tries to capitalise on the pandemic-driven boom in gaming.

"We are happy to announce that PS5 shall be launched in India on 2nd of February 2021," the Japanese firm tweeted from its PlayStation India Twitter handle.

Preorders for PS5 will begin on Jan 12 and will be available for orders at major retailers, including Amazon and Flipkart, the tech firm said.

Microsoft Corp launched two models of its Xbox gaming console in November, seven years after the debut of the previous version, while Sony launched its PS5 in core markets two days later.

(Reporting by Ann Maria Shibu in Bengaluru: Editing by Neil Fullick)