Big digital download savings sure would be a great idea for PS Vita.

According to a report on Thrifty Nerd, a Sony representative at a recent PS Vita hands-on event has confirmed that digital releases for the upcoming handheld are set to get a hefty discount.

The website claims that retail releases will be capped at $40, while digital releases could be discounted as low as $23. The representative explained that the reduction is due to the removal of packaging and distribution costs.

If true, the discounts would surely negate the complaints aimed at the PS Vita's expensive proprietary memory cards. In fact, the eye-wateringly costly storage might be a way of Sony keeping retailers on side. After all, they are unlikely to be happy with the platform holder undercutting physical retail prices.

But we're still not sure we buy the story. Japanese prices show a small discount on the digital side, but not to the extent that's being rumoured here. We can see $5-$10 savings, but anything greater sounds like wishful thinking to us.

Of course, we'd love to be proved wrong.

[source gameinformer.com]