Sony may stagger the global release of its next-generation portable game machine because of the March 11 disaster, an executive said.

The new PlayStation Portable, code-named NGP, may be introduced in a single region this year instead of starting sales in Asia, Europe or the U.S. in time for the end-of-year holiday shopping season, Jack Tretton, president of Sony Computer Entertainment of America, said.

He declined to say which region may get the hand-held device first.