Sony listed the launch titles and wireless details for the new handheld.
At a press event in Tokyo, Sony executives shared the plans for the PlayStation Vita launch. The handheld will be available in Japan on December 17th with a 3G capable version priced higher than the WiFi-only model, ¥29,980 (equivalent to $389.80) and ¥24,980 ($324.79) respectively. Sony also announced data plans through Japanese company NTT Docomo with a 20 hour plan costing ¥980 ($12.74) while 100 hours of connectivity will set you back ¥4,980 ($64.75). There were no details given on when the PlayStation Vita would come out in other regions, but an impressively long list of titles was announced for the launch.
Nintendo dropping the price of its 3DS did not impact the prices that Sony set for the PS Vita at all. “We have made no changes to those prices,” said Hiroshi Kawano, Sony Japan president.
Kawano also said that he doesn’t feel the PS Vita adding internet connectivity set it as a competitor to the likes of Apple. “Smartphones and tablets aren’t competing against us – we’re actually collaborating,” he said.
Here is the full list of 26 titles launching with the PS Vita. A few of these games will be only available on the PS Store, and there are quite a few that are listed as tentative or with working titles. Call me skeptical, but I think the list will dwindle over the next few months.
Still, it seems that Sony is attempting to avoid the problem that Nintendo faced with the 3DS launch where there was no compelling software to force consumers to buy the new-fangled device. There’s no blockbuster must-have title on Sony’s list, but at least there are a variety of games for the Japanese market here. One of them will likely tickle your fancy.
- BlazBlue Continuum Shift Extend – 2D fighting game (Arc System Works)
- Project N.O.E.L.S. (working title) – music player (Arc System Works)
- 3gokushi touchbattle (working title) – MMO/RTS (AQ Interactive)
- Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3 – fighting game (Capcom) – Launch title
- Nature of Night of Kamaitachi – 11th visitor, A Suspect (tentative) – adventure: sound novel (Chunsoft)
- F1 2011 – racing game (Codemasters)
- Dream C Club Zero Portable – dating simulation game (D3 Publisher)
- Niconico – Niconico (Dwango)
- Fis Oh – sport fishing (Kadokawa Games)
- Katamari Damacy (working title) – roll-’em-up (Namco Bandai)
- Ridge Racer (working title) – racing game (Namco Bandai)
- Disgaea 3 Return – strategy RPG (Nippon Ichi Software)
- Virtua Tennis 4: World Tour Edition – sport tennis (Sega)
- @field – sport golf (Sonic Powered)
- Uncharted: Golden – action adventure (Sony)
- Little Deviants – mini-game collection (Sony)
- Minnato Issho – social communications (Sony)
- Hot Shots Golf Next (Everybody’s Golf Next) – sport golf (Sony)
- Yuusha no kiroku (TBD) – life management (Sony)
- Monster Radar – location-based game (Sony)
- Shinobido 2: Tales of the Ninja – stealth action (Spike)
- Army Corps of Hell – action (Square Enix)
- Lord of Apocalypse – action RPG (Square Enix)
- Dynasty Warriors Next – action with a bit of thinking (Tecmo Koei)
- Dark Quest – RPG (Ubisoft)
- Michael Jackson: The Experience HD – rhythm action (Ubisoft)
