PS Vita Impressions! Vita Digital Purchases Beating PS3 - no NA price cuts

[leo8877]

Kaz Hirai, chairman of Sony, speaks in vague terms about pricing in an interview with PCWorld. They've supposedly thought about the pricing for a while, wanting to avoid going "off the deep end", which I take to mean that they don't want to price themselves out of the market.

It will be a miracle if they don't price themselves out of the market.  I say this thing will be $400 minimum.

[EngineNo9]

Kaz Hirai, chairman of Sony, speaks in vague terms about pricing in an interview with PCWorld. They've supposedly thought about the pricing for a while, wanting to avoid going "off the deep end", which I take to mean that they don't want to price themselves out of the market.

It will be a miracle if they don't price themselves out of the market.  I say this thing will be $400 minimum.

I find it funny that people will spend more than that on a jailbroken phone (or $200 + a $1500 contract), but to ask $400 for a new gaming system is just madness!  Not that I want to pay $400 either, but I also don't have an iPhone/pad or any of that stuff.

[CeeKay]

Looking over the specs, some of the more tech-savvy folks I know are concerned about this thing becoming a portable nuclear reactor.  Hope they have a decent cooling solution.

the liquid nitrogen canisters for it will be sold separately 

[CeeKay]

since there's no UMD drive, Sony could possibly be re-releasing some past games on the NGP card. also mentioned:

If you have a library of UMD games already, will you need to rebuy your collection either on NGP cards or via PSN? In response to this, Sony says that it's currently investigating the various possibilities and has nothing to announce at present. There are currently no plans to offer a "UMD Reader" device.

I don't have a lot of UMD's, and I have a sneaking suspicion that won't change now that I've read that.

[leo8877]

since there's no UMD drive, Sony could possibly be re-releasing some past games on the NGP card. also mentioned:

If you have a library of UMD games already, will you need to rebuy your collection either on NGP cards or via PSN? In response to this, Sony says that it's currently investigating the various possibilities and has nothing to announce at present. There are currently no plans to offer a "UMD Reader" device.

I don't have a lot of UMD's, and I have a sneaking suspicion that won't change now that I've read that.

They said the same thing with the GO and it never happened.  I would only get those UMDs if you are planning on keeping your PSP.

[msduncan]

Just like the PS2 games on PS3 before it -- I have zero interest in going back to games with sub par graphics after I have a monster machine like this with shiny new graphics.

[Bullwinkle]

And I still play PS2 games all the time on the PS3.

[CeeKay]

Games Trailer in 'true' HD.

[Dante Rising]

since there's no UMD drive, Sony could possibly be re-releasing some past games on the NGP card. also mentioned:

If you have a library of UMD games already, will you need to rebuy your collection either on NGP cards or via PSN? In response to this, Sony says that it's currently investigating the various possibilities and has nothing to announce at present. There are currently no plans to offer a "UMD Reader" device.

I don't have a lot of UMD's, and I have a sneaking suspicion that won't change now that I've read that.

They said the same thing with the GO and it never happened.  I would only get those UMDs if you are planning on keeping your PSP.

Yeah, I hate to say it, but thank God for hackers. I was willing to rebuy ALL of my UMDs and Sony/Sony's partners gave me no chance to do so. I couldn't even legally download titles off the British PSN, which has several UMD based titles that the US does not. I even sent e-mails to the publishers and Sony. Now that the PSPgo has been fully hacked, the landscape is completely different and all legacy games can be played.  Thank you, Prometheus. Screw you, Sony.

[CeeKay]

a developers dream? 

One attendee, speaking to Eurogamer this morning under condition of anonymity, said: "NGP is a developer's dream – Sony is finally doing the things developers have been crying out for for years."

wait, Sony doing things right?  he must have been drunk 

[CeeKay]

the Aliens vs Predator engine from the previous game is fully playable on the NGP.  AvP NGP NE1?

[Turtle]

Ugh, please no. Rebellion's gotten away with its crappy gameplay due to license and history, but not anymore.

One interesting thing I've heard about on gaming podcasts is that every single one of the NGP developer kits are actually sliders, similar to the GO and earlier pictures/mock ups of the NGP design.

I suspect the current, very PSP1-like design is a cost saving measure.

[Dante Rising]

One interesting thing I've heard about on gaming podcasts is that every single one of the NGP developer kits are actually sliders, similar to the GO and earlier pictures/mock ups of the NGP design.

I suspect the current, very PSP1-like design is a cost saving measure.

I can definitely see that being true. The much smaller form factor would probably have significantly increased the cost. Although the finalized size is larger than even the original PSP, I've decided that I'm fine with that. I really only used my PSP and DS at my home or a hotel on business trips, so having a "pocketable" PSP isn't an issue for me.

[CeeKay]

considering they way Sony supports it's consoles this is pretty much a given, but the NGP won't kill off PSP support.

[EddieA]

considering they way Sony supports it's consoles this is pretty much a given, but the NGP won't kill off PSP support.

That's only because you can't kill something that's already dead

[CeeKay]

considering they way Sony supports it's consoles this is pretty much a given, but the NGP won't kill off PSP support.

That's only because you can't kill something that's already dead

you read the comments, dintcha?

[EngineNo9]

Yes, because the best selling hardware in Japan is clearly dead. 

[CeeKay]

Yes, because the best selling hardware in Japan is clearly dead. 

yeah, but they also buy videos of animated tentacles violating schoolgirls 

[EddieA]

considering they way Sony supports it's consoles this is pretty much a given, but the NGP won't kill off PSP support.

That's only because you can't kill something that's already dead

you read the comments, dintcha?

No - this joke just kind of wrote itself

[Canuck]

considering they way Sony supports it's consoles this is pretty much a given, but the NGP won't kill off PSP support.

That's only because you can't kill something that's already dead

Dead in America.  In Japan, the PSP outsells every other console (including the Wii) week in and week out.

[corruptrelic]

And I still play PS2 games all the time on the PS3.

+1

Well at least I did, before my PS3 60GB died.
Was pleasantly surprised to see that some of my old PS2 games still had active online communities playing!

When you spend $60+ on a game this generation, it's nice to know in the back of your mind it'll still work come next generation. It's one thing I have to give the PC major credit for - I still have games over a decade old I play every now and then.. and they still work with every new version of Windows. If I had to keep every computer I've had around just to play "last generation" games I'd already be out of space.

[CeeKay]

Third party licensees claim that the NGP will defintiely hit Europe this year.  take that for what you will, since it's not SCEA saying it, and they're even downplaying the claims.

[CeeKay]

new interview: http://www.mcvuk.com/features/894/INTERVIEW-Andrew-House

One thing we learnt from PSP, is that we want to have simultaneous delivery in digital and physical for NGP. Just to clarify that, all games that appear physically will be made available digitally. Not necessarily all games have to be made available physically. And having the option of a digital-only method affords more creative risk-taking, and that’s because you don’t-have that in-built risk of physical inventory.

that should make Birth by Sleep fans who own a GO happy.

[CeeKay]

looks like it may have some competition

[CeeKay]

the official name to be PSP Vita?  that's dumber sounding than naming it PSP EddieA 

[EddieA]

the official name to be PSP Vita?  that's dumber sounding than naming it PSP EddieA 

Hey - what did I do?   I'd make a similarly derogatory remark, but the PSP CeeKay actually sounds like a pretty cool name - at least better than NGP or Vita.

[Turtle]

Yeah... not sure about the name. But heck, the most popular console was the Wii this round.

It's actually the Playstation Vita (PSV), keeping in with the 3 letter acronyms.

What scares me more than the name is the crappy bubble icons for the OS. It really doesn't bode well in showing Sony's attitude towards OS and software design. I'm glad the XMB is gone, it has outlived its usefulness, but the bubbles are only a small step better. Hopefully they'll have the ability to completely update the OS.

Now, show me Monster Hunter PSV and Killzone Liberation PSV and they've sold me.  Oh and a sequel to Gurumin, Patapon, and more.

[CeeKay]

Yeah... not sure about the name. But heck, the most popular console was the Wii this round.

at least with the Wii you can make humorous references, like 'I played with it so long my Wii overheated' or 'it's been a while since I've felt like using my Wii, I may have to dust it off' or 'I think I'm just going to sell my Wii so it at least gets played with'.

[metallicorphan]

Vita/Vista

 

[The Grue]

Because I am such a tech whore, I preordered the WiFi model from Amazon yesterday.

[CeeKay]

Because I am such a tech whore, I preordered the WiFi model from Amazon yesterday.

I didn't even realize it was up already.  I grabbed the 3G/WiFi by accident, may or may not change it since it's only 50 bucks difference.

[metallicorphan]

i was watching the conference and they said they had partnered with AT&T..i am guessing that must be for the 3G part?,will that need a monthly sub?

[leo8877]

i was watching the conference and they said they had partnered with AT&T..i am guessing that must be for the 3G part?,will that need a monthly sub?

Yeah for 3G service.  I'd say it's pretty much certain it's a monthly thing like cell phone or iPads.

[Misguided]

With any luck, it will be pay as you go like the iPad, I have 3G on that if I ever need it, but I'm not paying for it all the time when I don't need it.

[The Grue]

I have a Verizon iPhone with WiFi hotspot, so I figure in the odd case that I just have to be connected, I can connect to that.

[Eco-Logic]

Wow, the HD video posted above looks amazing.  I'll keep my eye on this for sure...

[rittchard]

I like the sound/idea of this "Ruin" game:

http://blog.us.playstation.com/2011/06/07/ruin-brings-social-action-rpgs-to-ps-vita-ps3/

[leo8877]

The US Playstation site has some info about the story for Uncharted: Golden Abyss:

Uncover the dark secret behind the 400-year-old massacre of a Spanish expedition as Nathan Drake follows the murderous trail of an ancient and secret Spanish sect. Caught in the middle of a rivalry between Jason Dante - his old friend - and Marisa Chase - the granddaughter of an archeologist who has mysteriously vanished without a trace - Nathan Drake races into the treacherous river basins, undiscovered temple ruins and karst caverns of Central America in search of a legendary lost city, only to find himself pushed to the edge of the Golden Abyss.

[Misguided]

If you check the main page, you'll find off screen outage from Uncharted, Ruin, ModNation, Hot Shots, and Little Deviants.

[Canuck]

...you'll find off screen outage from...

Does not compute.  Are you doing this on your iphone?