PS Vita - The Latest Info

“Vita”, which means “Life” in Latin, was chosen as the most appropriate name for the next generation portable entertainment system as it enables a revolutionary combination of rich gaming and social connectivity within a real world context as SCE aims to transform every aspect of a user’s daily life into an entertainment experience and an opportunity to play. – from Sony’s Vita press release

Specs Summary

State of the art CPU and GPU – The most powerful ever used in a handheld gaming system.

Dual analog sticks

5-inch OLED capacitive multi-touch screen on the front and a capacitive multi-touch pad on the rear

Front and rear facing cameras capable of recording video at 320×240 resolution at 120 frames per second, or 640×480 at 60 fps. Max resolution: 640×480

Six-axis motion sensing using a 3-axis gyroscope and 3-axis accelerometer, as well as a 3-axis electronic compass.

Built-in GPS on the 3G model, and WiFi location support.

Built-in lithium-ion battery – No details have been released about the battery life, but they’ve confirmed that the battery will not be accessible.

Memory and game mediums:
Sony have stated that they are working on a proprietary memory stick for the Vita which could mean something new instead of the Memory Stick Pro DUO used in the PSP. Hopefully this means they will have a larger memory capability which will most likely be required considering the focus on digital distribution. Games will also be available on a physical medium – flash based memory cards which will have extra space to allow for save data and downloadable content. No further details have been released about the memory sticks or game medium.

Backwards compatibility:
It has been confirmed that PSP and PSone games, as well as minis, purchased on the PSN will all work on the Vita. This means that any PSP owners with digitally downloaded games, including the two free games from the welcome back package, will immediately be able to download and play them on their Vita. Content developed for PlayStation Suite on Android smart phones will also be compatible with the Vita.

CrossPlay – CrossPlay is the name for the cross-platform gameplay functionality between the PS Vita and the PS3, which allows for a number of different features depending on the game you are playing. It is probably one of the strongest features of the Vita. Some games such as Ruin will allow you to save your game on the Vita/PS3, then immediately continue from that save point on the other system. WipEout will utilise CrossPlay by allowing multiplayer between users on PS3 and Vita in the same races. LittleBigPlanet and ModNation Racers will allow you to share content between the two systems, for example you could create a track for ModNation using the touch screen capabilities of the Vita, then upload it and play it on your PS3.

LiveArea – LiveArea will give each game title it’s own interactive space which will provide the user with the latest news and information about that game, as well as provide an activity log displaying their friends latest accomplishments in that game such as unlocking levels and receiving trophies.

Near – Near utilises the GPS and location-based services to allow the user to see what other Vita owners in their vicinity are playing now, or have recently played.

Party – Party allows voice and text chat between players regardless of which games or applications they are using.

Pricing and release date:
Sony have announced a really competitive price point with the Vita retailing in the US for $249 for the WiFi-only unit, and $299 for the 3G/WiFi unit.