Sony already announced last year that it will end production of physical PlayStation Vita cartridges by 31st March, and now it looks like it’s done building the hardware – even in its native Japan, where the device has lived a slightly longer life than the rest of the world. On the official Japanese PlayStation website, it mentions that both the Jet Black and Aqua Blue SKUs of the portable will cease shipping soon, meaning that the platform holder’s finished making them.
It’s not a massive surprise, as production was always scheduled to end at some point this year, and the device has generally been on life support for a long time now. It’s had a pretty decent run, though – particularly in Japan where it’s already into its eighth year. When you consider how poorly it sold compared to its predecessor, the PlayStation Portable, you could argue that the plug should have been pulled sooner. We’re going to miss it all the same – there were some very high points on the system, for sure.
[source jp.playstation.com, via blog.hokanko-alt.com, gematsu.com]
Comments 54
But vita means life!
Still use mine regularly and have a solid backlog of games to play so it will keep living on in my house for a long time.
In before comments about how cheaper memory cards and a couple more first-party games would have transformed the PS Vita into a 100 million unit device.
Because some people still believe that.
That’s sad. Will they keep making memory cards? Because I recently dug mine out and realized all that it’s good for is remote play because my card is corrupted. 😒
I actually regret buying mine. It's not a bad system I just can never get into handheld gaming no matter how hard I try.
@get2sammyb Probably wouldn't make it anywhere as successful as Nintendo handhelds, but those things would have helped boosts its sales even if by a bit.
All things considered, I'm surprised production lasted this long to be honest. Now with japanese developers shifting towards other platforms, I guess it was unavoidable.
@get2sammyb Maybe 30 million? 25? They surely could've done better than they did with a 3DS-style re-commitment, but I get they had a successful home console to focus on and Nintendo didn't. I just wish the poor vita got even half as many good (non-port) games as 3DS did.
Come on Sony, just bring Catherine, Zanki Zero and Steins;Gate Elite to the west. You know you want to...
God Speed PS Vita. Its such a shame that more people didnt appreciate what a truly impressive console you are.
The fact that youtube is flooded with switch v vita comparisons remains ridiculous and shows just how powerful the hardware is. The fact 8 year old hardware continues to be compared to 2 year old hardware (not hating on switch. Will probably get one soon) proves that vita has/had so much more to offer.
It was never going to sell the numbers Sony wanted, but i am truly glad i was part of the journey from the beginning and will still be playing for years to come. My backlog is huge. And i just bought another physical Vita game this evening, with another coming in March.
In my eyes you do no wrong
And I believed in you
Although you never asked me to
I will remember you
And what life put you through
You're still you
After all
You're still you
Halfway through Muv Luv Alternative (I think) as we speak. Love my Vita.
still have my aqua blue Japanese vita, gonna have to look after it now that they have stopped making them, sad to see no doubt.
Good night sweet prince..
@Splat it's not for me either. However given the right circumstances it can be a great distraction.
In a hotel away with work
On an Aeroplane
If you get an hours lunch at work
If your TV is being fixed
When your wife is giving birth
Etc
I had one given to me by a friend. Other than one holiday I haven't used it much but I do think of it as a good console. I think the problem was that they tried to aim a handheld console at a home console demographic and they don't really line up.
Handheld owners are typically either hardcore gamers or younger kids, yet Sony's typical demographic is people from 20 to 40-something and with a lot of mainstream gamer appeal. Nintendo typically skew towards more casual gamers and kids anyway so they have that audience in the bag to begin with. A casual older demographic want to play on their big TV at home, and any "on the bus" type gaming is just on their phones.
@Rob_230 Honestly that's more to do with how underpowered the Switch is. BOTW is a Wii U game yet only runs at 900p and usually sub-30fps and that's in docked mode. The hardware of the Switch is what you'd get in a basic tablet, it's not really meant for gaming. Imagine if TLOU Remastered ran like that on PS4.
Not to take anything away from the Vita, it certainly was ahead of the curve for a handheld and feels like a far more quality product in the hands than the Switch.
I love the vita. It's a shame it never got the love it deserved. It had fantastic niche games over the years. I might buy a new one (I have the original Vita).
Save a picture of that red Vita b/c the Switch Mini is going to look just like it - possibly w/ the left stick and D-pad flipped - and everybody can complain about how Nintendo copied Sony. 😉
Not sure why this red Vita looks like a cheap 2DS compared to the one pictured here but it's the only comparison pic I could find.
I love my Vita personally. I use PS4 remote play on it all the time while I use my tv as a computer monitor to get work done.
It’s also a goldmine if you like Japanese, Indie, and Playstation classics.
If it weren't dead, it would still be alive.
@get2sammyb
'100 million unit' may be an exaggeration, but it certainly could've been handled (Boom Boom!) with a better strategy; including cheaper memory cards and first party support. More time wooing third parties wouldn't have hurt either (namely, EA for some actually worthwhile sports games).
@deepspace5d is it good for remote play? I heard some people say it's pretty naff if using it on wifi even in your own home. That would be the only real reason I'd get one to be honest so if it's not top notch then I'll likely never bother.
Gonna get a 40 from my local 7/11 and pour some out for my homie, Vita.
Rest in peace, dawg.
@tomassi
With the right set up - remote play is fine. But it's not a reason to buy the system alone. Even at the best I've ever had it running, it's only ever as good as PS Now - so laggy enough to make some games undesirable to play.
That's based on an OLED model though, I don't know whether the slim has an upgraded radio - I doubt it does.
Now is prob the best time to import a new one, as a back up. Still use my launch day vita a few times a week.
Just bought 8 more vita games last saterday, now I’m at 45 games. I really want to go for a full PAL set + all the LRG games and region exclusives.
@Medic_alert
"Only one game I played ever made use of all the Vita features and that was Tearaway."
Just because hardware features are available, doesn't mean they should be crammed in. Tearaway made great use of all of the hardware as it suited the game, some games just used some of it, and others barely any of it.
How many PS4 games have you played that actually make functional use of the lightbar outside of player colours?
@Medic_alert That's pretty reductive.
Plenty of Vita games use the touch screen/rear touchpad/gyro/cameras - including some of the best on the system; yes, Tearaway is probably the only one (Frobisher Says, maybe) that uses all of them - but that doesn't make them redundant.
As I say, better to have the option to use them than it being a mandate. You've only to look at the buckets of DS shovel-ware that forces stylus use to prove that.
@KALofKRYPTON I actually subscribe to PS Now and, with my internet connection, have never had any issues with it to be honest. I don't actually use it much because I don't have enough time, so likely won't renew it, but I still think it's a decent service (preferable to Plus for me personally).
If the Vita works the way PS Now does in my house, I'd consider it. My idea was to get one so my son can use it upstairs, although I presume remote play means, literally, mirroring what is on the PS4 downstairs at the time? So he couldn't play Fortnite upstairs whilst my wife and I watch Plex downstairs via the PS4?
Got given my Vita in 2018 like some sort of gaming hipster, so I'm happy having a back catalogue of the likes of Persona etc to dig through. It's also a cool indie machine without having the floods of Steam ports the Switch is already overburdened with.
Was an interesting handheld experiment but I think Sony could have seen it off a little more kindly than quietly forgetting it exists!
@Medic_alert They didn't 'ape' Ninty's gimmicks though. Touch screen gaming was just hitting it's stride and the App store and Google Play were brimming with titles and respective operating systems to download them - Sony were 'on-trend' adding the touch functionality for sure, but that's not what hurt the system.
I know Sammy doesn't agree, but a system with expensive mandatory accessories, home console priced games and a limited library is always going to be a hard sell.
You speak as if the PSP was cheap on release, it wasn't really, and Vita was likely well in line with inflation in comparison.
"When you say plenty of games use those features I'd like to have a small list of them because of all the games I played on Vita I can't think of one other where any of those features was put to good use" - really? Wow!
@tomassi A laptop (not necessarily a cheap one) would be better for that, so long as it's wired - it should be fine.
Doesn't matter that the PS4 is on downstairs, just change the TV input.
@Medic_alert Yeah, the more I hear about it the less I think I'd find a use for it to be honest!
Goodnight, sweet prince...
Now, lets talk about Vita 2!
PlayStation will definitely make another portable system.word up son
My Vita still gets more use than my PS4.
Good system that survived way longer than it probably had any right to.
I will never stop loving this magnificent little device. I've played many fantastic games and consider it one of the best things I've ever owned. Sure, there could have been many more games made (an Infamous game would have been great), but I'm happy with what we got.
My only wish is that they keep the store running for many years to come. I've bought many games that I won't have the time to play any time soon and I'd hate to want to play them at some point and not be able to.
@tomassi remote play is silky smooth for me with every game I have tried. Granted, I am using the Vita in the same room as where my PS4 is.
For me personally, I don't even have the strongest wifi connection when I'm using it; usually 2 out of 3 bars of connectivity showing on the Vita and remote play works like a dream. What I find makes remote play lag really badly is when I leave the room with the Vita and make it go further away from the PS4. So I think maintaining close connectivity to the PS4 is what some people confuse to be issues with Wifi speed.
Pretty sure there are growing rumors that Sony will make a portable that works in line with the PS5 and it's been talked about for almost a year.
@deepspace5d That seems like you probably have the direct connection enabled.
The Vita's (and to a lesser extent, the PS4's) WiFi radios aren't exactly the strongest - you'd probably get even better results using the router as a go-between.
@Medic_alert So hateful towards Sony portables...
Ps Vita, is still my most played console. I got it back in 2012 (I think), and its been my number one console since. Such great hardware. An so many games came out for it.
Currently playing Rainbow skies. Great game. 115 hours in. On the post game now.
I have a "Switch". But the Vita is still my prefer console on the go. It much more solid and have a much longer battery life. I assume I will eventually swap my "go" playing to the "switch". But I still have a few great games to finish on the Vita. I am set for 2019.
I am amaze how my vita is still going strong after 7 years use. Took it on a few 6 months hiking trips. Its travel around the world with me. Throw into the backpack and drop many times. A few scratches but none on the screen. Such a solid device. Sony know how to build strong hardware.
Long live the "My" Vita.
@Medic_alert Watch when Sony releases a portable in 2020 that will work with the PS5 as it is talked about. It will kill the switch in 2020 if done right!
Also you should watch this video to understand how Sony will attempt a third portable working with the PS5: https://youtu.be/tyqOnLZOPtc
Luckily I bought 2 (with 3G), in case one stops working (not likely, I know). I still buy Vita games occasionally and received a ton of them with PS+, but now I mainly use it for remote play (great with Gems of War).
I’ve got an original OLED model, but I may pick up a blue one just in case it ever dies since the price will shoot up once production ceases. I still love mine and play it often. I just started adding PS1 games to it (via PS3 transfer).
@Medic_alert Lol so triggered to Sony portables kid haha
@Medic_alert Have fun being a Nintendrone corporate slave! 😂👌
Plot twist: @Medic_alert is a Nintendo fanboy corporate shill who denies that sony is making a third portable. Fact! 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂👌👌👌👌👌👌👌👌👌👌👌👌👌👌
Gotta 1up Nintendo kiddy products don't you Nintendrone?
@Medic_alert Nintendrone still salty haha 😂👌
Not sure what happened here but I've had to ban someone and delete comments. Let's keep it clean!
@KingdomHeartsFan I'm up for new controllers as long as they get them right. But really the Dualshock has been my go to for 20 years so it would need to be special. I had the Wii at launch and always hated the Wii motes except for Wii Sports, Gamepad was too big and bulky, Joycon are awful. I actually half way liked the Move & Nav combo but the Move was set up wrong and the Nav was useless. Not sure why Sony can't just split the Dualshock in 2 pieces like the Joycon but for adult sized hands. Of course if they do that for the PS5 everyone will say "copycat" but I don't care I just want something that works. Preferably with a 30 hour battery life. 😁
@ShogunRok Did you delete comments in the Vita forum as well? I went to reply to one but it was gone. And it was funny b/c the person said I was "anti-Sony portable" which is ridiculous as I've been one of the few on here the past few years consistently saying that Sony would make another one. If people are gonna insult me they should at least get it right. 😂
@rjejr Yeah we've had to delete a number of posts, all okay now though.
@ShogunRok After my last comment to you I found an even zanier reply - also since deleted - that mentioned Discord, so I'm thinking a bunch of 12 year olds came across PS in a discussion and just decided to come ransack the place like bulls in a china shop. Kids. Considering how popular the site has become I guess we should just be happy it doesn't happen more often. 😁
@rjejr Well, at this point we can only hope. The downside of finding a bigger and bigger audience!
@ShogunRok "bigger and bigger audience"
Well it keeps Tasuki busy if nothing else. He's the bouncer, you're the cooler. 😎
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