NGP to hit Europe this year?

Forget what you’ve heard about Japan getting it first – third party licensees insist that NGP will arrive in Europe this year.

Sources have told MCV that development deadlines have been set to ensure key Western releases are finished before the end of the summer for deployment in the autumn.

Online leaks even suggest the console will launch on Friday, November 11th. This would make the hardware roll-out for the follow-up to PSP Sony’s first simultaneous global games hardware launch.

When Sony first revealed the device in January boss Kaz Hirai said the launch would see NGP "begin rolling out this year".

However, SCEA boss Jack Tretton moved quickly to calm those hopes saying that "it’s very difficult to have the quantities to be able to launch on a worldwide basis on the same date" and that "our goal is get at least one territory out by the end of holiday 2011".

Everyone had naturally assumed that would be Japan. Now, however, it looks like Europe might get the nod.