Sony Announces PSP Successor, ‘Vita’

Sony, at E3, finally took the veil off of its PlayStation Portable replacement, called ‘Vita’ (‘Life’ in Latin). It looks like a PSP, and for the most part acts like a PSP, though things are being taken to the next progressive level. Expect a touchscreen, dual analog sticks, multi-touch pads on the rear of the device, a higher dose of social networking, and for those who opt for it, even 3G support.

It’s of little surprise, but Sony hasn’t acknowledged all of the hardware packed inside the Vita, but judging by the accompanying videos that show off Uncharted: Golden Abyss, the graphics are a leap above the PSP, and honestly look closer to the PS3 (though it will be easier to tell with the device actually in-hand).

At the front, Sony gave the Vita a more sensible design, with the select and start buttons a little easier to find in the dark (directly underneath the second analog stick), and overall the design seems good. The introduction of a second analog stick will put the control more on par with the PS3, and the fact that they actually look more like the PS3 sticks might mean that people will actually use them (I still can’t get rid of the memories of bad hand cramps gained with the help of Twisted Metal: Head-On!).

Being that this is becoming a touch-happy world, it’s almost expected that the Vita would include a touch-screen, and sure enough, it does. As we can see in the initial video of Uncharted, we can surmise that a lot of titles are going to make use of the touch screen, in the same way Wii games take advantage of motion and DS games rely on the stylus. In one example in Uncharted, you could swipe the screen to have the lead character move himself from one spot to another, which could be easier than using the D-pad or analog sticks in certain situations. The one question I have is if touch is going to be required, or if it will be an option. I hope it’s the latter, though I can see where touch would be a major boon (with games similar to Angry Birds).

The Vita has a couple of rear touchpads, which are left to the discretion of developers of how to utilize. Some initial reports state that these are a little difficult to use with bigger hands, and looking at the back, it’s not that difficult to understand why. If you are meant to have a firm grip on the Vita the entire time you are using it, that doesn’t seem too comfortable.

In case you’re unaware, social networking happens to be big business, and Sony’s Vita is packed with various features to help connect people. There is ‘Near’ which allows you to sync up with friends, play games, brag about your trophies, recommend content to them, et cetera. Another is ‘Party’, which while active, will allow you to chat to friends via text or mic, regardless of the game you are currently playing.

The most attractive thing about Vita up to this point is its price. The basic model that has WiFi but no 3G support will retail for $249.99, while the +3G model tacks on $50 to make it $299.99. Being a big fan of the PSP, I can see this being a day one purchase for me.