The Verge - Sony PlayStation Vita: review, buyers' guide, apps, and more!

Life support: can Sony save the PlayStation Vita?

2013-02-22T15:05:03Z

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 questions surrounding the future of dedicated handheld games consoles in general. For a system with a name that's supposed to connote "life," the PS Vita's prognosis looks gloomy indeed.

Sony isn't planning to cut PlayStation Vita price in North America

2013-02-21T16:36:13Z

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 seem doesn't extend elsewhere at the moment. Gamers in Japan can look forward to a lower 19,980 yen price set to kick in starting February 28th. And while Sony may not be slashing prices for North American buyers right now, we imagine the company won't...

Sony cuts PS Vita price by a fifth in Japan

2013-02-18T08:10:46Z

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 for the rest of the world, but it's possible that one could come at the New York PlayStation Meeting on Wednesday, where Sony is widely expected to unveil the PlayStation 4.

Update: a Sony spokesperson says the company is unable to comment on...

Play retro classics on your PS Vita with PlayStation Home Arcade

2013-02-05T17:55:08Z

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 full game is priced at $1.49. Although the PlayStation Home branding might suggest a deeper tie in with the PS3, in actuality the only link is that the arcade games you've purchased on the console will also be available on your Vita. PlayStation Home...

Epix apps for PlayStation 3 and PS Vita coming later this year

2013-01-03T23:30:54Z

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 directly to subscribers. The move is the latest step by Epix and the three movie studios — Paramount, MGM, and Lionsgate — that own it to maintain power over the distribution of their content. We're sure Epix also hopes that its plethora of apps...

PS Vita firmware update 2.0 adds an email client and improves the browser

2012-11-20T04:33:47Z

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

2012-11-13T18:18:15Z

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 monthly-rotating selection for no additional charge. The initial Instant Game titles include Uncharted: Golden Abyss, Jet Set Radio HD, WipEout 2048, Gravity Rush, and Tales From Space: Mutant Blobs Attack!, as well as the PlayStation Portable game Final...

PlayStation Plus coming to PS Vita in November

2012-09-19T06:09:46Z

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 announced yet. There'll also be the same cloud storage functionality for game saves, automatic trophy synchronization, and the ability to schedule game and software updates at set times even when you're away from the system.