PS Vita TV Plays Vita and PSN Games and Streams Media on Your TV

Yesterday Sony introduced a gaming device that’s as surprising as the Nintendo 2DS. Alongside its announcement of a new PS Vita model, Sony also introduced the PlayStation Vita TV. But while Nintendo wants to grab new mobile gamers with its new handheld, Sony seems to be going after its existing customers with the PS Vita TV. You’ll see why I say that in a bit.

playstation ps vita tv

If the 2DS is a 3DS with no 3D screen, the Vita TV is a Vita that has no screen at all. It needs your TV or HD monitor as its screen. It measures just 2.6″ x 4.1″ x  o.54″ and weighs just 110g (~0.24 lb.). It can play many games PS Vita games as well as the PS One Classics and PSP games in the Playstation Network store. It will use the DualShock 3 controller, which was originally released for the PS3. The Vita TV has a Vita game card slot, an HDMI port, a USB 2.0 port, an Ethernet port, Wi-Fi connectivity and a slot for Sony’s memory cards.

playstation ps vita tv 2

Another compelling feature of the PS Vita TV is that it will also have its own version of Remote Play when the PS4 launches. If you have a PS 4 connected to one TV, you can use the PS Vita TV to stream games to another TV as long as both PlayStation devices are on the same Wi-Fi network. You can see this feature at around 0:44 in the video below:

The PS Vita is also a digital media player. But it’s going to be launched in Japan first so the announced services are mainly for Japanese customers, with the exception of Hulu. Finally, like the 2DS, the PS Vita TV is also cheaper than its full featured kin. It will launch in Japan on 11/14/13 for ¥9,954 (~$100 USD).

It’s not all good news though. As you may have deduced already, the PS Vita TV cannot play all Vita games. That’s because some games, e.g. Uncharted: Golden Abyss and Tearaway make use of the Vita’s touchscreen, which the DualShock 3 doesn’t have. PlayStation Japan has a list of the games that will work with the PS Vita. The obvious answer to this dilemma would be the DualShock 4, but Sony didn’t say if this functionality will be added in the future.

As with the 2DS’ lack of 3D, the disparity between the Vita and the Vita TV could create a lose-lose situation for Sony. If developers keep on making Vita games that require a touchscreen or a touchpad, owners of the Vita TV will be pissed off that they can’t play those games. On the other hand, if more Vita games in the future won’t require the touchscreen, that may render the Vita’s touchscreen and rear touchpad useless. I think Sony should order developers to require the use of Vita’s touch hardware only on games that are meant to be played on the go. In short, only on games designed for a mobile device. Because that’s what the Vita is and that’s what the Vita TV is not. I don’t think Vita TV gamers would care much for an endless running game or a tower defense game.playstation ps vita tv 3

Another drawback of this strange new microconsole is that it’s not really as cheap as it seems. Sure, at only $100, it’s 50% cheaper than the PS Vita. But the microconsole doesn’t come with a DualShock 3. Japanese customers will have to buy a bundle that costs about $150 if they want a controller included with their PS Vita TV. Then there’s Sony’s most irritating quirk: its memory cards. The PS Vita TV has only 1GB of internal memory, which means pretty soon you’ll have to splurge on Sony’s vastly overpriced proprietary memory cards.

Like I said, the PS Vita TV seems to be aimed at loyal or would-be loyal fans of the PlayStation ecosystem. If you already have a PS3, then you already have a DualShock 3 controller. Got the Vita? Then you have Vita games and at least one memory card. If Ouya and other microconsole makers want to stay swimming with this big fish, I think they have to attack that one weakness: sell cheap and go for casual and retro gamers.

[via PlayStation Asia & Engadget]

PlayStation Vita TV not compatible with all PS Vita games

Sony just recently introduced its PlayStation Vita TV in Japan, a mini gaming console that features the same software and chipsets as the PS Vita aimed at those who want a small gaming and streaming device. According to a list Sony has put up on the PlayStation Japan website, not all PS Vita titles will […]

Sony Publishes Promotional Video Highlighting New PS Vita, PlayStation Vita TV

Sony made some major announcements earlier today during the company’s pre-TGS event, such as the new PlayStation Vitas and PlayStation Vita TV. To help bring it all together, Sony has published a new promotional video which shows off some of their newly-announced products, but it also serves as a way to show just how much you’ll be able to interact with your PlayStation products throughout a typical day.

The video Sony published today, titled “A Day With PlayStation,” shows gamers interacting with their PlayStation 4, the new PlayStation Vita, PlayStation Vita TV and even their own mobile devices in order to access content pretty much anywhere they go. We see one player being able to easily upload a video clip online in order to receive feedback from friends and other PlayStation Network users. In another scene, we see one woman playing a game of what looks to be Knack, to then head off to school and continue her game remotely from her PlayStation Vita.

We already knew just how much Sony will make its devices as well as your own mobile device interact with the PlayStation 4, but seeing how seamless the experience looks to be from this promotional video is another reminder just how easy Sony is looking to make the experience of playing games and interacting with one another across multiple devices.

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  • Sony Publishes Promotional Video Highlighting New PS Vita, PlayStation Vita TV original content from Ubergizmo.

        



    PlayStation Vita TV Won’t Run All Vita Games

    PlayStation Vita TV Wont Run All Vita Games

    Sony made a number of announcements this morning that many PlayStation and PlayStation Vita fans were probably really excited about. We heard PlayStation 3 Final Fantasy XIV players will be able to play their favorite MMO on their PlayStation 4 through a free upgrade, as well as some interesting PS Vita news, such as the new slimmer and lighter Vita as well as the Vita TV. The latter of the two seems to be the most interesting as it’s a device that is expected to allow its users to hook it up to their TV in order to play Vita games, but it looks as though not all PS Vita games will be supported. (more…)

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  • PlayStation Vita TV Won’t Run All Vita Games original content from Ubergizmo.

        



    Sony’s new PlayStation Vita TV won’t run all Vita games

    Sony's new PS Vita TV won't be compatible with all its Vita games

    Sony’s mini-console has certainly got our attention. It’s a bold and relatively cheap new way of entering the world of PlayStation, but it won’t work with all your Vita games. The company has published a list of compatible titles and we can already spot that the likes of Gravity Rush, Wipeout and Uncharted are absent from it. Fortunately, the list of Japanese titles we’ll be able to play on the $100 device is still pretty lengthy, and some exceptions were to be expected in any case — the Vita TV is controlled with a a DualShock which lacks the Vita handheld’s touchpanels. Check out the full list of compatible titles at the source below, but remember — these are Japan-only details for now, and the list could well grow by the time there’s a global launch (assuming that one is indeed on the way).

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    Source: PlayStation (Japanese)

    New PlayStation Vita and PS Vita TV eyes-on

    New PlayStation Vita and PS Vita TV eyeson

    Two new devices from Sony today — and we’re still a little shocked. Alongside a thinner, improved PS Vita, Sony Computer Entertainment CEO Andrew House took to the stage to introduce a little TV-connected device called the PS Vita TV. It’s capable of playing Vita games, handling Connected Play with your future PS4 and running a whole host of media and streaming services. We weren’t allowed to touch either device (though we admit we did handle the new Vita’s controls a little bit, sorry Sony…) so you’ll have to make do with our gallery of angles just below. Full hands-on impressions, it seems, will have to wait until next week. %Gallery-slideshow83437% %Gallery-slideshow83438%

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    PS Vita TV is a mini console that brings games and services to your TV, arrives November for around $100 (video)

    PS Vita TV is a mini console that brings games and services to your TV, arrives November for around $100

    This tiny 60mm x 100mm wonder is the PlayStation Vita TV. Not only is it a miniature console that plays Vita games and connects to PlayStation controllers, it also offers access to Sony’s Music Unlimited, Video Unlimited service, karaoke and more — all for 9,954 yen (around $100). It’s a knowing nod to the likes of Ouya, NVIDIA’s Shield, and even Google’s Chromecast although it’s a little bit different again, attempting to broach both gaming and online media consumption. Other services ready for the PS Vita TV include Twitter (through Sony’s own client), Hulu and NicoNico Douga, with even more media providers signing up to offer their services on the new device, at least in Japan. Up close, you can see it includes HDMI output, space for a (proprietary Vita) memory card, a slot for Vita games (on the side), plus USB, power and ethernet ports.

    You will also be able to buy a set with a controller and storage card for 14,995 yen ($150) and it’s set to go on sale (in Japan at least) on the 14th November. And there’s another key feature: the PS Vita TV will also allow you to connect to PlayStation 4 (when it arrives) for remote play, acting as a secondary terminal for gaming when you’re not in the same room as your next-gen console. You’ll find a promo video showing off the new device right after the break. %Gallery-slideshow83439%

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    PlayStation 4 coming to Japan February 22nd, three months after US launch

    In addition to a major PS Vita announcement, Sony’s ongoing event in Japan has brought some less positive news for the home crowd. Japanese gamers have to wait until February 22nd to get hold of a PlayStation 4 — three months later than the mid-November PS4 launch in the US. The console will be priced at 41,979 yen (the US price is $399), or 46,179 yen with the PlayStation camera, and Sony will again be offering a first limited edition pack with free games at the same price. When the launch date was announced, the live audience literally groaned with disappointment. Kawano-san, SCEJA’s President, explained that the delay was because the company needed time to re-version Western titles for the Japanese audience and ensure a full array of launch titles. However, that’s unlikely to allay complaints from Sony’s Japanese fan base. Three months is quite a wait.

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    New PlayStation Vita coming October 10th: lighter, thinner, more battery life

    New PlayStation Vita coming October 10th lighter, thinner, more battery life

    If the news is big enough for a Sony livestream (and with an English translation, no less), then it’s going to be good, right? Sony has announced a new version of its PS Vita, just weeks after announcing a price-drop across both the US and Europe. (Japan was treated to the discount back in February.) The Vita PCH-2000 is 15 percent lighter and 20 percent thinner than the original model and will add an additional hour of life to the battery. The new (WiFi-only) Vita will land in Japan first, on October 10th priced at 18,980 yen (about $190), and Sony isn’t yet ready to reveal (or even confirm) availability in other parts of the world. But remember, that price tag is still cheaper than when the original Vita launched, priced at 24,980 yen.

    Further hardware improvements (alongside pink, black, blue, grey, lime green, and yellow color options) include a micro-USB charger — like your smartphone — and 1GB of onboard storage. Interestingly, the screen tech has been changed to LCD from OLED, but we’ll have to see it in the flesh before we jump to any conclusions on performance — that’s what is likely responsible for the drop in price. Alongside those colors, Sony’s already planned for three special edition models: Gundam Breaker, God Eater (camouflage!) and Otomate. Check out the gallery below and read on past the break for more. %Gallery-slideshow83436%

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    Sony Entertainment Network’s Shawn Layden on security, indie content creators and more

    Sony Entertainment Network's Shawn Layden on security, indie content creators and more

    Roughly a year and half ago, PlayStation Network IDs transformed into Sony Entertainment Network (SEN) accounts, and since then we’ve been introduced to the next-generation of console gaming for PlayStation. We caught up with Sony Network Entertainment COO Shawn Layden at IFA for a progress report on how the platform is doing on the eve of the PS4’s launch.

    Considering a 2011 security breach was arguably the largest hiccup the PSN and PS3 have experienced, we wondered just what the firm had done to shore up its defenses for the next-gen wave. As it turns out, operations have been re-tooled, but Hirai and Co. aren’t forthcoming with details. “As a result of that (the hack), we’ve instituted a number of measures, systems and protocols inside the platform, which you’ll understand why I can’t speak to that in any detail whatsoever,” Layden said. “We had our baptism by fire early in 2011, and we’ve come out stronger and with more users from that point forward.” In fact, Layden sats the PSN storefront saw more business the month it came back online than it had garnered up to that point.

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