Whereas Nintendo’s recently announced 2DS has seen the system undergo a radical redesign, Sony’s newly unveiled thinner PlayStation Vita retains all the curves of the original.
The new model – out in Japan 10th October – is 20 per cent slimmer and 15 per cent lighter than the existing model.
The battery has seen a boost also and is now said to offer an extra hour of play, taking to total up to the 6 hour mark, while the 1GB onboard memory is a pleasing new addition. Those PS Vita memory cards aren’t cheap, after all.
Speaking of which, a 64GB memory card will be available on the same day in Japan.
Sony will also be releasing the new PS Vita – catchily named PCH-2000 – in an array of colours: yellow, pink, white, gray, lime green and light blue.
So it’s all good news, then? Not quite. Presumably to save on manufacturing costs, the original’s OLED screen is being replaced with a LED screen. Sony claims that it’s more than suitable for the job, however:
“Thanks to the rapid progress of LCD technology in recent years, the new display provides users with the highest-level image quality, perfect for deep and immersive gaming experience that is at the core of PS Vita,”
During Sony’s conference from earlier today they also announced the PlayStation 4’s Japanese release date (22nd February) alongside the PlayStation Vita TV – a small box allowing PlayStation Vita games to be played on a TV. The 9480 yen (£60-ish) device launches in Japan on 14th November.
Expect European launch details of Sony’s new slimline baby soon.
The PS Vita TV seems really interesting. Although I just ordered a little Android mini PC so I’m not sure how many more devices will fit under my TV. But it does seem quite nice.
My worry is third-party support. Yeah, all those indie download-only games are nice, but people – not to mention retailers – still want to see lots of new games on store shelves.
Was surprised to find that EA aren’t even giving the Vita a new-fangled version of FIFA 14 this year, instead planning to reuse launch title FIFA Football’s engine for a third time.
I blame dem new fangled iPhones wit der 99 cent games. Dey terk er jerbs!!