Sony Enters the Micro-console Arena With PS Vita TV, The Smallest PlayStation Yet

I like the sound of it. Ive been looking at getting an Ouya for a while so if this was to get a release in the west Id probably bite. Still, It could always end up going the way of the PSX n not getting a release in the west

Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa.
Steady down there Sony.

I see the whole point of this, but still, why? I would like to play my Vita on my tele, but I have my PS3 and Wii U for my gaming. The Vita should stay handheld, there is no point, there is the PS3/4 for that role. Also, how would the touch functions work? Sorry if this is answered somewhere, my Internet is slow today.

As long as remote play works smoothly, I'd absolutely consider this for the second TV at my place. It would also be nice to play Vita games on my TV from time to time, but I'd imagine the lower resolution on the Vita would translate to poor picture quality on my 60" Bravia... not to mention lack of touch controls?

So will the PS4 support TV play with the Vita as well as remote play? I don't understand this bit.

So how does this work? Does it plug into the Vita or is there some complicated process involving the PS3 or what?

@ObviouslyAdachi

What? No, it is a standalone product. It has the internals of the Vita, but no screen and battery.

I don't understand.. This is basically not handheld vita? And also downgraded ps3?

I think that it is a clever idea and would be worth it to remote play the PS4 on a second TV alone.

@bplus Oh I see, so I guess it'll outsell the Vita

wouldn't it be simpler to just release a cable so you can connect your vita to the tv and play games like the psp did?

I wish nintendo did this...

@FullbringIchigo I don't think they are trying to give existing players a new way to view their games. They are trying to put more Vita units in homes so that more software can be sold. At that price, it should allow much MUCH more people to invest in the technology. It's a very smart move by Sony. Selling a $20 cable would only improve existing owners and not necessary boost the unit's install base.

So does this have access to the PS Store? I would assume it would considering it can play down PSOne and PSP games.
This thing could be really handy if I can stream PS4 on two different wifi sources. Just bring this over to a freinds house rather than the whole console. Might not work with spilt screen, but would be great for showing it off.

Wait, so this dons't stream from the Vita to the tv so you can play all your front and rear touch games on the tv? I was really excited there for a minute, thinking they had beaten Nintendo to the punch (Nintnedo doens't need a home console, they dont' haev any home console games like TLOF Uncharted or Beyond or GTAV, they should only make 3DSgames. The 2DS should have had HDMI out, nobody is taking that big ugle thing out of th ehouse anyway.)

So, nice to play Vita games w/o a Vita. But Ithough the lack of games was the problem, not the price. And if you need a 8GB memory card, just buy a Vita and wait for 1 of these that streams to the tv.

@Jaz007 A photo from the back shows an HDMI and a LAN port. So we should be able to access the store as we do with our PS3.

If you don’t own a video games console this is a great offer. First and foremost you get a video games console for $100 ($150 with a DualShock + a memory card) which is a killer price. Then you get all the other cool features (Browsing, Videos, Streaming). Free games with a PS Plus subscription. It is small so it won’t ruin your living room looks. It has a huge catalogue of games PS Vita/ PSP/ PS One.

Plays PS Vita/PSP/PSone games.
Access to PS Plus.
Access to media services.
Access to Social Media Apps and Web browsing.
Streams PS Vita games to the PS4.
Streams PS4 games and other content to a remote TV. (best feature)

More ways to sell PS Vita hardware and games. Brilliant move Sony. Simply Brilliant.

Not much use if you have a PS Vita but that PS4 streaming is cool.

Seeing as this streams vita games to the ps4, does this practically confirm that ps Vitas will be able to stream games to the ps4 (and hopefully be controlled by the vita)? Or has that already been announced?

In which case @rjejr they have beat nintendo to the punch.

I want it but they are still some unanswered questions:
-Create more than 1 users on the same PS TV.
-How will the games that uses touchpad work with DS3.
-How will the touchscreen games work with DS3

@ObviouslyAdachi The beauty of it is that it still counts as a Vita, so even if it does outsell it, it won't matter.

Here is the press release for more details.

http://www.scei.co.jp/corporate/release/pdf/130909c_e.pdf

I've wanted this for so long! Good idea!!! Sell me one!

At that price I would actually consider buying this even though I already own a Vita. But my money will be going to a PS4 first.

@Epic it has support for DS4 with an update thats been confirmed, so any games using the front touch pad only or games where the rear can be disabled will all be playable on the PSVTV.

Also this device is a huge apple TV competitor, because Netflix, Hulu, youtube and all video streaming apps that will be coming to this will be usable in full 1080p streaming. It is a perfect little device that I want as it will also play all PS1 and PS2 games right out(on the digital market)....meaning its a great little device for that extra TV in the house you want a novelty item to go with. It's cheap, has great power for the price, and works will play any vita game that has the ability to ignore back touch controls.....because its also DualShock 4 compatible.

Good move sony, very good move......and I want a US date plz lol.

@Lagnaut - Thanks for the link, that helped clear up a few things.

@Ginkgo THIS! Now I don't have to buy multiple PS4 consoles just one and a VitaTV on the other TV's It's awesome and save me a good some of money. that and sometimes you just wanna kick back in-front of the TV. P.S I think killzone merc will still look good on a tele. The more they sell the better the software support. It's win win for us consumers GREAT Idea!

@ViciousDS That are really good news after all I might get this instead of a Vita with all these and will truely pay by itself when I get a PS4. Thanks for info

The Vita's OLED is pretty fantastic,
but I always felt it was a bit of a waste not being able to play my games on the big screen when at home, Dualshock compatibility is just icing on the cake.

This is brilliant. A great way to get vita hardware into more people's hands. As for me, I'll be getting one just for the TV output. I was holding out for a vita with HDMI output, but without controller supporting would have been awkward to use. Now I just hope for dual shock 4 support in the future.

@8vpiper yeah that's one of the genius features, the ability to play ps4 anywhere in the house, on a tv. Also as a sort of Ouya competitor it scales up in functions. This is the only "micro console" that ever made sense to me.

Impressive...most...impressive. <-- read with Darth Vader-voice, please

Still better than Ouya.

Shouldn't I be concerned about the resolution? Other than that, I think this is really awesome. If they market it right it could do very well. Really let people know that it's the cheaper alternative to access the Vita library, and let them know about streaming your ps4 games to other TVs. Packing the VitaTV to go on vacation would be a lot easier than bringing your ps4.

@eLarkos Correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't think there is any streaming from your PS Vita going on here. You're basically buying the internals of a new Vita in box form and plugging it into your TV. That's why you're using the dualshock as a controller instead of your Vita. It's nice because it will sell more Vita software and it's also a cheaper alternative to get all of your PS4 games quickly to all of your TVs in the house.

@Squiggle55 Yea im a little confused by the article

"Functionality with the upcoming PS4 is also confirmed; the PS Vita TV will allow you to play Vita games on the new console, and will also offer PS4 remote play via a later firmware update — presumably next year."

I thought it meant that the PSvita TV could stream vita games to PS4 (new console) however im not sure thats the case anymore.

Ohh i would love to own a Vita TV! That would be cool to play my Vita games on my TV when I want too, also a quick way to bring a game to a friends house. Nice move Sony, I definitely want one!

If it also included a UMD slot i'd be on board.

This is genius. For people that want a Vita like me, but can't justify the $200+ (because memory cards) price tag due to a lack of top tier exclusives, this pretty much fixes that. Plus, if you live with a family that has multiple TVs, this basically allows you to get a second PS4 through remote play for $100 rather than $400.

I plan on picking one of these up. By the time I feel like playing a game that requires touch, they can just plop a patch for dualshock 4 support.

@hamispink dualshock 4 is already to be confirmed for a future patch.....they already knew the benefits of the DS4 controller...........I think sony has been planning this since the beginning, and now that touchpad doesnt look so gimmicky.

@moomoo Couldn't have said it better myself.

I hope this comes out West. I'll pick it up as soon as it releases.

Ok, So, for people without a vita i can see this is a great product and its a good way of getting vita games into peoples hands to see what the vita is capable of, maybe leading onto these people buying a vita. I own a vita a love it, but why make me pay another £60ish or so in the uk to be able to play the games on the TV.
This can surely be done through the mystery port on the top of the vita by plugging in a cable, which i would pay £20 for. I think All vita owners should make a bigger fuss over us getting one of these cable released. do we know if anyone has ever looked into fabricating such a cable or is video out just not enabled through the port yet, if it can????

Interesting system, but why can't the redesigned Vita just have an HDMI output and support for gamepads?

@chadders77 very good point. I still just want the option to use a cord since I already own a Vita.

@nathanuc1988
I WOULD say perhaps that's where the touchpad of the Dualshock 4 comes into play, but alas, the device syncs up with the Dualshock 3. A missed opportunity if you ask me. Swiping in Killzone Mercenary could have been replicated on the touch pad. Oh well.

@Sutorcen
Well said. It's definitely a great option for those who either don't have a console or are like my brother, who bought the Gameboy Advance Player to connect to his Gamecube, just so he could play GBA games on the TV. Some people just like playing handheld games on television. I don't, but many do.

Personally, the streaming PS4 to other TVs is a great concept, but not a feature I'd ever use in a million years. I don't need to play my PS4 on more than one TV, and if I'm on vacation that's what my 3DS and Vita is for. Can't neglect the handheld games by playing only PS4 everywhere you go, right?

Hell, and after Gaikai will come in play, and this thing will start play PS3 and PS2 games.... I am impressed. This thing has just HUGE potential to become ultimate game and movie streaming machine.

@Gemuarto exactly its the ultimate on demands streaming device, apple just got beat to the punch, because i would rather have access to sony's library of 1200 games (thats just PS1, PSP and mobile i think) than a million garbage apple apps.

I will so buy one of these for my house, its way to good to pass up just even as a streaming only device, the fact that it does games as well is just an insane plus.

@Squiggle55 I don't think we should worry about resolution, I'd bet a quarter and two dimes that the games will play at 720p, or, at least, upscaled to 720p.

@Hetsumani i bet the streaming apps use at least 1080p but games should be upscaled to 720p

If they update it to support the DS4 for Vita games as well, I'll consider this. I'm getting a DS4 for PC use, so if it works with a $100 console like this, that'll be great, too.

This is a pretty cool idea. Anyone who'd be interested in the Vita but doesn't like or simply can't play games on a handheld would probably be interested, and since it has HDMI-out it should make streaming and recording them easier for anyone into that stuff.

Definitely worth keeping an eye on, can't wait to see how things go.

I can already see a PS4 - PS Vita TV bundle coming.

@XavandSo Its so smart. For example, I dont have enough interest in a vita to fork over full price but at a cheaper price I might buy this to experience the games I might be missing by not having a vita (whatever few) and simply enjoy them on the big screen. I got my 3ds as my main portable.

This makes it possible for Sony to sell Vita to Anti-Handheld ppl.
Very smart

@XavandSo

Good for you.
However I have been waiting for this moment... And I hope they release this in the UK.
It's great that one can finally play their Vita on their monitor/TV. Not everyone has the space and or the money to buy a PS3/4 and other consoles. Now the vita can be used in the best of both worlds. On the move and at home on a bigger screen.
I remember when Killzone mercenary was been play tested the vita was hooked up to a monitor and it looked amazing.
Though it's a shame they haven't taken this to the full extreme and enabled all Vita games to be played.
Also the newer 'cheaper' Vita... Still using those stupid Sony memory cards!
Fingers crossed that oneday there will be a Vita 2 with HDMI output.

@eLarkos
I wish so too. However If Nintendo did this it would look as rubbish as the PSP did when outputted to a bigger screen.
Nintendo need to upgrade the internal hardware on their handheld before they even consider doing this.

@Zombie_Barioth

But it isn't HDMI out.

@Damo I guess so, also now we know the duelshock 4 will work with it maybe more vita games will work with vita tv as the ds4 has a touch pad on it?