Popular games: Sony has 26 available now, with about 100 in development, including Vita versions of top franchises such as Assassin's Creed, BioShock, Call of Duty and Resistance.Įarly sales in Japan, where Vita has been available for two months, have been slow.
Built-in GPS support lets you connect with nearby players for special rewards. In Uncharted: Golden Abyss, you tilt the system left or right to balance Nathan Drake on treacherous perches, and move it forward and backward to swing on ropes. Other features: A motion sensor and accelerometer add movement to your games.
#Wipeout 2048 ps tv ps3
And certain titles, such as MLB 12: The Show (due March 6), let you start a game on PS3 and continue it on Vita. Game updates can be posted to Facebook, Flickr and Twitter.
The Vita comes in a Wi-Fi-only model or one that adds 3G connectivity from AT&T (monthly charges $15-$30). Games such as WipeOut 2048 take a picture of you as you play, which pops up on the screen of other players. Players can also use the touchscreen and a first-of-its-kind rear touchpad for game interactions.Ĭameras and connectivity: Cameras on front and back let you take pictures and play "augmented-reality" games such as Reality Fighters that transport the game characters to your real surroundings. It's the first to have a pair of joysticks, one for each thumb, replicating the control experience for consoles such as the PS3. Improved controls: The Vita offers more ways to interact than previous handhelds. The Vita's 5-inch display is bigger than most smartphones'. The aim, Yoshida says, "is to provide the gaming experience you cannot get on a smartphone."Īdvanced display: The Vita is the first game system to sport an Organic Light-Emitting Diode display, technology touted as brighter, thinner and higher-contrast than other types of screens. Game designers were brought in on the development of the device before its features were decided. Sony's mantra in creating - and marketing - the Vita channels that strategy. "As long as handhelds manage to deliver unique experiences, there will be room for them on the market."
Handheld systems have a market "for the time being," says Parks Associates research analyst Pietro Macchiarella. And three-fourths of those who own tablets play games on them. Though computers and traditional home consoles remain the most popular devices, younger players prefer mobile phones, the firm says in a recent report. About 135 million people play at least one hour a month, up from 58 million in 2008, according to the research firm Park Associates. Sales of dedicated handheld systems have declined even as more Americans play video games. But even market leader Nintendo, which has sold more than 365 million handhelds since Game Boy launched in 1989, has faced hurdles with its latest device, the Nintendo 3DS. Sony is no newcomer to handheld systems: It has sold 75 million PlayStation Portables globally since 2004.