Sony PlayStation Vita: review, buyers' guide, apps, and more!
Sony's PlayStation Vita is launching in North America just in time for Valentine's Day. Looking to check out the latest and greatest in portable gaming? Here's everything you'll ever need to know about the system, the launch games, apps, accessories, and so much more!
Life support: can Sony save the PlayStation Vita?
The PlayStation Vita was released in North America one year ago today. A little earlier, I'd given the system a glowing review upon its Japanese launch, and what I wrote holds true: the hardware is still fantastic, the screen is still beautiful, and there's still no better platform for playing games on the go. In theory.
In practice, things haven't quite worked out that way. Sales are lower than Sony expected, there's little in the way of exciting software on the horizon, and there are real...
Sony isn't planning to cut PlayStation Vita price in North America
Sony's hoping that a price cut will accelerate sales of the PlayStation Vita in Japan after months of sluggish retail performance. Unfortunately the company won't be granting North American customers the same generosity — at least not yet. Sony Worldwide Studios president Shuhei Yoshida today revealed that Sony will not be lowering the Vita's price in North America. According to Polygon, the executive attributed the Japanese MSRP reduction to a favorable exchange rate, a luxury it would...
Sony cuts PS Vita price by a fifth in Japan
Via an online video broadcast, Sony has announced a price cut for its ailing PS Vita handheld in Japan. From February 28th, both the Wi-Fi and 3G models of Vita will sell for 19,980 yen (about $215) — that's a fifth off the current price of 24,980 yen for the Wi-Fi model, and a third in the case of the 3G model.
Buyers will be able to take advantage of a free 1-week trial of PlayStation Plus along with promotions for the PlayStation Store and Reader ebook store. No cut has been announced...
Play retro classics on your PS Vita with PlayStation Home Arcade
Today, Sony announced the launch of PlayStation Home Arcade, an app that lets users purchase arcade games for the PlayStation Vita. Home Arcade has a number of well-known retro classics like Frogger, Asteroids, and Centipede, as well as Astrosmash Gen2, Shark! Shark! Gen2, Mad Blocker, and Time Pilot, all available for $1.49. The app also features more recent games like Icebreaker and Wipeout 2D, which both come free with Home Arcade. A free demo of Scribbleshooter is also available, but the...
Epix apps for PlayStation 3 and PS Vita coming later this year
Premium cable network newcomer Epix is working to continue bolstering the direct distribution portion of its business today, as it has announced that it will be releasing streaming apps for the PlayStation 3 and PS Vita. The new apps are launching later this quarter and in the spring, respectively, and they join a rather full roster of applications (iPhone, Android, Xbox 360, Roku, and even BlackBerry PlayBook apps are already available) that bring Epix's movie and entertainment event catalog...
PS Vita firmware update 2.0 adds an email client and improves the browser
Sony has released perhaps its biggest update yet to the PlayStation Vita. Apart from coming with support for PlayStation Plus on the handheld, firmware version 2.0 adds an email client along with improvements to the browser and several other new features.
PlayStation Plus coming to PS Vita next week with six free games
PlayStation Plus, Sony's premium online service for the PlayStation 3, is finally coming to the Vita on November 19th along with the handheld's version 2.00 firmware update. Just like the PS3, PlayStation Plus subscribers will have access to discounted games on the Vita, cloud storage capabilities, automatic trophy syncing, and the ability to schedule game and system updates.
The Instant Game Collection will also be added on November 20th, allowing subscribers to download games from a...
PlayStation Plus coming to PS Vita in November
PlayStation Plus, the subscription service that supplies PS3 owners with a steady stream of free and discounted games, will become available to Vita owners from this November. You'll only need the one subscription for both consoles, so if you already use PlayStation Plus the Vita service will be free to you as long as you remain a member.
Like the PS3, the Vita will get an Instant Game Collection — a rotating selection of full games to download for free, though no titles have been...
Sony confirms list of initial PSone Classics for PS Vita, firmware update 1.80 now live
Firmware 1.80 has been released for PlayStation Vita, bringing with it (official) support for original PlayStation games, Cross Controller functionality, the ability to navigate menus with the system's buttons and analog sticks, and the ability to use the rear touchpad to scroll and zoom in webpages. On the eve of PSone Classics compatibility, Sony has also revealed which original PlayStation games the PS Vita will support.
In North America, just nine PlayStation games will be made available...
PlayStation Vita gets PSone Classics support, new firmware on August 28th
The PlayStation Vita will support original PlayStation games later this month, Sony announced at Gamescom. With firmware update version 1.80, Vita owners will get access to PSone Classics like the original Tomb Raider and Final Fantasy VII. The next firmware update for PS Vita also adds more than just classic PlayStation games.
In a post on the PlayStation blog, Sony details what else is coming in version 1.80, including Cross-Controller support, which lets players use the Vita as a...
PS Vita YouTube app coming at the end of June
Sony has announced that a YouTube app will come to the PS Vita next month. It'll feature standard features like comments and favorites, and is set to be released by the end of June. It follows the recent release of Skype, Facebook, and other non-gaming apps for Sony's latest handheld, and should be useful for anyone interested in watching mobile video on the device — in our review, we noted that the Vita's browser doesn't even support HTML5, let alone Flash. There aren't many details or any...
White PS Vita out in Japan next month along with Hatsune Miku special edition in August
Sony has announced a "Crystal White" PS Vita console for release in Japan next month. The system will be launched on June 28th at the regular price of ¥24,980 and ¥29,980 for the Wi-Fi and 3G models, and Sony will also release white accessories like an earbud headset and a couple of cases. It's not the only white Vita in the pipeline, though — August 30th will see the release of a Hatsune Miku special edition bundle to tie in with the release of the next Project Diva game. The previous...
Sony returns PSP games to PlayStation Store after closing security loophole
Two PSP titles are back on sale after Sony took action to combat a possible PS Vita security breach. Last month Sony removed Motorstorm: Arctic Edge and Everybody's Tennis from the PlayStation Store after hacker Wololo found that they contained a loophole to allow unsigned homebrew code to run through the Vita's PSP emulator. We can confirm that both titles are back online in the European Vita store and selling for £6.99 each, in line with recent price drops on several other PSP titles....
PlayStation Suite developer program goes into open beta
We were expecting the PlayStation Suite developer program to go into open beta this month, and sure enough it's happened. Developers can now download the free Suite SDK, which will allow them to create apps and games for the PS Vita and PlayStation Certified devices. Once the beta period is up at some point later this year, signing a $99-per-year contract will allow developers to sell their content in the PlayStation Store.
Sony isn't revealing much information on exactly how stringent the...
PS Vita firmware update 1.67 available now, as well as the handheld's first free-to-play downloadable
The PlayStation Vita just received its first free-to-play game, a match-three puzzler called Treasures of Montezuma Blitz, and we were curious to see how it plays, but when we fired up a Vita to see just how friendly Sony's made the platform for freemium titles, we ran into a required update. Yes, Sony's updated the PlayStation Vita's firmware to version 1.67, only one week after the last, and just like version 1.66, it's a 97MB download. There's no changelog, so we're not sure what it does...
PS Vita firmware version 1.66 available now
Following yesterday's announcement, publishing, and subsequent removal of PlayStation Vita firmware version 1.65, Sony has made version 1.66 available for download. The 97MB update presumably fixes the issue with adhoc wireless multiplayer on PSP games that caused v1.65 to be pulled in the first place, along with the assortment of usability tweaks that it was originally intended to bring. It's good to see Sony respond quickly to the issue, but this isn't the first time the company's pulled...
Sony releases (and pulls) PS Vita firmware v1.65
Sony has announced, released, and withdrawn the next firmware update for the PS Vita in the space of a day. Version 1.65 of the handheld console's software was set to make some minor usability tweaks including the ability to turn notifications on and off, extend the time before the system automatically goes to sleep from five to ten minutes (a welcome addition), and a caps lock function for the onscreen keyboard. Vita owners had a very small window of opportunity in which to acquire these...
Sony combats PS Vita security exploits by removing PSP titles from PlayStation Store
Sony has taken to removing PSP titles from the PlayStation Store in an attempt to close security holes in the PS Vita. The compromised titles, Motorstorm: Arctic Edge (subtltled Raging Ice in Japan) and Everybody's Tennis, can be used to run hacker Wololo's Vita Half-Byte Loader (VHBL), which can execute unsigned homebrew code. The move by Sony means that people who previously purchased the games are unable to download them again — we bought Motorstorm on the above PSP Go back in 2009, but...
PS Vita 'Magnet' tech does augmented reality without the cards
One year ago, at the 2011 Game Developer's Conference, Sony used its quad-core gaming handheld to summon a T-Rex... but when the PlayStation Vita shipped last month, its augmented reality capabilities were slightly less sophisticated. If you figured Sony had lost its AR teeth, though, you'd be wrong, as this year's GDC played host to an even more impressive tech demo. What you'll see in the video below is an in-house technology tentatively called "Magnet," and unlike most AR techniques, it...
Foursquare now available for PS Vita, along with more demos
Facebook may have disappeared from the PlayStation Vita's US app store without so much as a "goodbye," but you don't have to be so cold when dealing with your friends: LiveTweet will take care of your Twitter needs, and starting this week, Foursquare will let you check in. That's right, Foursquare's available on the PlayStation Store, just a week after it arrived in Europe, and whether you've got a Wi-Fi or 3G Vita, you should be able to use the service. Sony's description says it works...
PS Vita has issues with PlayStation Plus minis, but fix on the way
With a downloadable collection of PSP titles, full PS Vita games and PlayStation Minis, the PlayStation Vita digital library is off to a great start, but this week, subscribers to Sony's PlayStation Plus service are finding that a few of their games don't work. The cross-platform Minis given out to each member on a monthly basis reportedly generate error code C1-2858-3 when users attempt to play on the handheld gaming machine, even though regular retail copies of the same exact games work...
Apps & Software
Facebook for PS Vita pulled from the PlayStation Store
The Facebook app for the PlayStation Vita appeared for European users earlier this week, with the app unceremoniously arriving for those in the US the following day. It looks like there were still some kinks to be worked out, however, with Eurogamer reporting that the app has now been pulled — something that we were able to confirm on our devices as well. According to the site, gamers had been having issues logging into Facebook with the app, receiving an "NP-13144-3" error message. A Sony...
PS Vita Facebook app now live in the US, but Foursquare yet to check in
We're not quite sure why it wasn't included in the launch update, but the Facebook app for the PS Vita is now available in the US PlayStation Store. While we weren't blown away by the interface or functionality, it works well enough and doesn't cost a penny. It's also one of the more productive ways to use your Vita's rear touchpad, which is otherwise somewhat in need of software support right now. There's still no sign of the Foursquare app that hit Europe yesterday, though, which is a...
Netflix for PS Vita hands-on
Netflix is live on the PlayStation Vita, at least in the United States, and we just gave the free app a spin. The verdict? It's not everything we'd hoped for from a Vita app, and it could use some work, but it's perfectly serviceable for watching the occasional movie on the handheld's beautiful five-inch OLED display.
Like any other Netflix adaptation you've probably tried, the first step once you've installed the app is to sign in, and once you bang out your login and password on the tiny...
PS Vita store updated for launch in US: Netflix, Twitter, Flickr, and more
Following the launch update that hit Europe a few hours ago, the US PlayStation Vita store just got its own barrage of new content to commemorate the global launch. There's a Netflix app alongside the Twitter and Flickr apps that were released in Japan and Europe previously, but for some reason it looks like US users will have to wait for Facebook and Foursquare support. Other free content includes the augmented reality titles Fireworks, Table Soccer and Cliff Diving, some of which we checked...
Facebook for PS Vita hands-on (video)
The PlayStation Vita's Facebook app, which just hit the European PlayStation Store and should be going live in the US any moment now, is a pretty retro affair. From the status update box asking you "What's on your mind?" to the conspicuous lack of Timeline support (which would sure look nice on a 5-inch widescreen OLED), it's a functional yet unspectacular implementation of the service on Sony's handheld.
Unlike most apps for the Vita, Facebook support is actually baked in at the system level...
PS Vita store live in Europe with Facebook, Twitter, Flickr, and Foursquare apps
If you got your hands on your PlayStation Vita early via the First Edition bundle, you may have noticed something missing — the various social applications that Sony has been touting as a selling point of the 3G model in particular. Well, with the official worldwide rollout of the system today (February 22nd), you can find Facebook, Foursquare, Twitter, and Flickr apps in the newly live EU store, and we'd expect to find the same in the US any moment now. The US store should also play host...
Sony details different 'cross-play' promotions for PS Vita launch titles
The PS Vita is inching closer to launch, and with it Sony has released more information on the cross-play feature found in some of the Vita's launch titles. Cross-play essentially shares gaming content between the PS Vita and PS3 — in some cases, you can have multiplayer matchups across both systems, in others you can share DLC or even games without having to buy separately for both systems. In Sony's latest blog post, the company outlines several different cross-play promotions to go along...
PS Vita midnight launch events being held at Manhattan Sony store and Gamestop tonight
The wait's almost over, with Sony's flagship new portable console going on sale in the US at midnight tonight. Launch events for the PS Vita are being held in Sony's flagship Manhattan store, as well as in a number of GameStop locations nationwide. For tonight's event you'll be limited to the First Edition Bundle, which pairs the Wi-Fi / 3G console with a special edition hard case, a 4GB memory card, and a copy of minigame-fest Little Deviants, with the bundle priced at $349.99. You'll also...
Gaming
Sony's PlayStation Vita and the state of portable gaming: two Verge editors face off
Sony's PlayStation Vita launched in Japan on December 17th. It arrives in the United States this week. Sean Hollister and I have spent one week playing with the AT&T 3G model of the gaming handheld, and a number of the launch titles. Although we both agree that the Vita as a piece of hardware is a triumph (see our Vita review for full details), where we diverged from one another was at one simple question: where does the PlayStation Vita fit in today's gaming landscape? What follows is a...Gaming
Sony PlayStation Vita review
Sony’s PlayStation Vita represents the company’s second entry into the volatile handheld gaming market. The original PlayStation Portable found reasonable success as a largely traditional system, with console-style games being bought in boxes from stores just like other PlayStations, but the portable gaming market has changed in the six years since that console launched. With $0.99 smartphone apps like Angry Birds satiating the boredom of many commutes, just how much appetite there is for...
PlayStation Vita won't get UMD Passport in US — PSP support is digital-only
Sony has confirmed that there will be no UMD Passport program for the PlayStation Vita when it launches in North America later this month. The system supports digital PSP games, but drops the UMD drive slot; in Japan, UMD Passport allows owners of retail PSP titles to register their discs online for a discounted download. However, the program was seriously lacking in publisher support — we noted in our Vita review that not a single one of the UMDs we owned was covered — so it's not a big...
PlayStation Vita retail games to be discounted on PSN in the US
After reports hit the internet, Sony has confirmed to us that retail games for the PlayStation Vita will be sold at an as yet unspecified discount when downloaded from the US PlayStation Store, just as they are in Japan. While this isn't a total surprise, it would be unprecedented for the US market — in the event that retail Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 games are made available for download it's usually some time after the original release, at the MSRP, or both. All Vita games are available...
Gaming
PlayStation Vita launch bundle includes 3G system, 8GB card, and a PSN game for $299
Sony is looking to get people excited for the upcoming launch of the PlayStation Vita. We've already heard about the special pre-order First Edition that's shipping out to early adopters a week before the February 22nd North American release date, but now the company has announced that it's going to have a special SKU for those who can wait for the official launch date to get the next-generation portable. The Launch Day bundle includes the 3G + Wi-Fi Vita, a 8GB proprietary memory card, a PSN...
Gaming
PlayStation Vita 3G data plans modified by AT&T, top out at $30 for 3GB
It looks like AT&T's making a modification to its packages for the carrier-locked PlayStation Vita after it changed its smartphone and tablet data plans last week. Yeah, we know the carrier announced a CES just ten days ago that it'd offer 250MB per month for $14.99 and 2GB for $25, but now the latter has been replaced by a $30, 3GB plan. While the turnaround might seem abrupt, the change keeps the data plans offered for the gaming portable in line with the company's new tablet packages,...
Flickr for PlayStation Vita hands-on (video)
The Flickr app for PlayStation Vita popped up in the Japanese PlayStation Store today, so we thought we'd check it out. It's a free download, and works like any other Vita app — downloading it installs an application to the home screen with its own LiveArea from which you start it up. Pairing your Flickr account to the Vita is a matter of signing in on the Vita browser, memorizing or making a note of a nine-digit security code, and using it to log into the application. After that, there's...
Gaming
PlayStation Vita import FAQ: what you'll want to know before buying a Japanese handheld
Perhaps you've got holiday cash burning a hole in your pocket. Perhaps you just love gaming. Either way, you're wondering whether you should import a hot new PlayStation Vita handheld gaming system from Japan, and you've probably got some questions about how to do it. Trust us, we've had those same thoughts. Find the answers below!
So what is this Vita thing, anyways?
Merely the most potent portable gaming handheld ever made. The PlayStation Vita (formerly Next Generation Portable) is a...
Gaming
PlayStation Vita US launch titles announced, memory cards priced from $19.99
What will you play on your PlayStation Vita when it arrives stateside on February 22nd, 2012? You can pick from a list of twenty-five US launch titles that Sony just pushed out. We're happy to see that Uncharted: Golden Abyss, BlazBlue, Hot Shots Golf and Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3 will headline the group, as that'll save us quite a few dollars on early imports, just as we're sad to hear that the likes of the gorgeous Gravity Rush and Ninja Gaiden Sigma won't make it out on day one. Sony...
