The PlayStation Vita (officially abbreviated PS Vita or Vita; unofficially PS-Vita or PSV) is a handheld game console developed by Sony Interactive Entertainment. It is the successor to the PlayStation Portable (aka PSP) as part of the PlayStation brand of gaming devices. It was released in Japan on December 17, 2011, with releases in North America, Europe, and other worldwide regions starting on February 22, 2012. It primarily competed with the Nintendo 3DS as part of the eighth generation of video game consoles. This was the third handheld console that Sony released, after the PSP Go and PSP Street.
Games[]
Specifications[]
- CPU: ARM® Cortex™- A9 core (4 core)
- GPU: SGX543MP4+
- External Dimensions: Approx. 182.0 x 18.6 x 83.5mm (width x height x depth) (tentative, excludes largest projection)
- Screen (Touch Screen): 5 inches (16:9), 960 x 544, Approx. 16 million colors, OLED, Multi touch screen (capacitive type)
- Rear Touch Pad: Multi touch pad (capacitive type)
- Cameras: Front camera, Rear camera
- Sound: Built-in stereo speakers, Built-in microphone
- Sensors: Six-axis motion sensing system (three-axis gyroscope, three-axis accelerometer), Three-axis electronic compass
- Location: Built-in GPS, Wi-Fi location service support
- Keys / Switches = PS button Power button, Directional buttons (Up/Down/Right/Left), Action buttons (Triangle, Circle, Cross, Square), Shoulder buttons (Right/Left), Right stick, Left stick, START button, SELECT button, Volume buttons (+/-)
- Wireless Communications: Mobile network connectivity (3G), IEEE 802.11b/g/n (n = 1x1)(Wi-Fi)(Infrastructure mode/Ad-hoc mode), Bluetooth® 2.1+EDR (A2DP/AVRCP/HSP)
- RAM: 512MB
- Price: $300 3G, $250 Wi-Fi
Hardware Description[]
- Can play downloaded PSP games with other PSP and PS Vita users.
- Remote-play with PS3 and PS4.
- Music player.
- Video player.
- Removable memory storage for upgrading to larger memory cards.
Launch[]
On June 6, 2011, at E3 2011, Sony announced that the device's official name would be the PlayStation Vita, with the word "vita" being Latin for "life". Despite reports during the 2011 earthquakes in Japan delaying the device's release, Sony reconfirmed that it was on track for a late 2011 release in Japan and a February 2012 release date for other major regions of the world. The release date was later narrowed down to a December 17, 2011, release in Japan, and a February 22, 2012 release date for America and Europe, although a limited edition was released a week earlier in North America on February 15, 2012, which included the 3G/WiFi model of the device, the game Little Deviants, a limited-edition carry case, and a 4 GB memory card. The Vita launched with 26 titles in Japan, with Sony announcing that there were over 100 titles in development prior to the system's release overall. The Vita launched in the west with 25 titles, including original titles such as Uncharted: Golden Abyss and Wipeout 2048, and ports of games such as FIFA 12 and Rayman Origins.
Reception[]
Sales[]
Over its lifespan, the Vita sold an estimated 16 million units, according to USGamer.[2]
Critical Reception[]
The original hardware was well received by critics, but there were concerns over its size and price.
Demise[]
During Sony's E3 2015 event, Sony had no mention of the Vita as they focused on the PS4. Then on the 15 July 2015, Sony officially announced that there would be no more first party titles for the Vita. Shuhei Yoshida said “To be honest, I wouldn’t say we will have big AAA Vita games from first party”. During May 2018, Sony announced that production of Vita cardridges will end in America and Europe. On September 20th 2018, Sony Interactive Entertainment SVP Hiroyuki Oda confirmed that the Vita will end production in 2019, with shipping ending soon after. Oda also said “Currently, we do not have any plans regarding a new handheld device”. During March 2019, Sony announced that the monthly free PS Plus games for the Vita, along with the PS3, would end.
Trivia[]
- The PS Vita was the only PlayStation handheld to use dual analog sticks.
- PS Vita failed primarily because of it's proprietary storage method being very expensive.
- The PS Vita's best selling game is Uncharted: Golden Abyss.
- The PS Vita was called the NGP when it was under development.