Sony launches PlayStation Vita in the Japanese market

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Sony launches PlayStation Vita in the Japanese market

Sony launches, Saturday, December 17 in Japan, a new handheld console, the PlayStation Vita. The successor to the PSP, released in 2004, which has sold over 70 million copies worldwide, this portable game console intends to distinguish it from the Nintendo 3DS, as well as smartphones that offer more more gaming applications.

With a touch screen, but also two analog sticks, the Sony console allows passage between the intuitive touch and analogue sticks. For a title like adventure game Uncharted, it is easy for the player to advance his character, either the controller or by drawing the finger across the screen the way he should go.

Console connected to the Internet, which will be sold at around 250 euros for the wireless version and 299 euros for 3G, also offers a technological innovation. While the Nintendo 3DS allows users to play with a 3D relief effect, without glasses, the Vita has for its part of a multi-touch pad on the back of the console. “On laptops, whole genres such as shooters in first person were dismissed. Touchpad This opens new fields,” said Arnaud Gueydan, group leader in PlayStation hardware in France. To use a sniper rifle in an action game, the touchpad to zoom, fairly intuitive.

CONSIDERATION OF THE FAILURE OF PSP GO

Sony promises a catalog of games than thirty titles at the launch of the machine, and ensures that there will be some simple adaptations of existing titles on other platforms. After the unfortunate experience of the PSP go, that focused solely on the book-entry securities, Sony is trying to maintain a balance between physical sales and online distribution.

The Japanese group provides facilities with more anecdotal gaming “augmented reality”, to build a race track or arena combat with the “real” objects nearby. The same goes for the promised interoperability with PS3 home console. Often promised at the launch of a new console, this interaction is in general can be implemented by developers.

To deal with the piracy, Sony has chosen a storage card in a proprietary format, which will be much more expensive than a SD card. “We’ve had two experiences with piracy, a very bad with the PSP, and good with the PS3, try to find the right balance,” argued Arnaud Gueydan.

COMPETITION SMARTPHONES

The launch in Japan, which will take place late February in Europe and the United States, is a test. Sony has indeed been more than 18 million copies of its PSP, according to VG Chartz the specialized site. And while the strategic positioning of the previous handheld was rather vague, Sony is this time more clearly with the Vita. “With the PSP, we were at a crossroads. We had a fairly elitist and at the same time we also wanted to expand the target. In fact we offered both games for children and for ‘gamers”’ Mr. Gueydan details.

Therefore combines a Sony console by type of consumers. Already launched on 26 October, the PSP Street, is an audience of 8-12 years, with a special catalog of games. La Vita for its part is dedicated to a target player, 15-35 years, and therefore different from the vision “general public” of the Nintendo 3DS.

The Japanese group also must find a way to compete with smartphones, which are investing more and more the field of handheld gaming. A study of April, the part of the game on smartphones from 5 to 8% of total U.S. market. But the head of Sony wants confident. “We can make an analogy with the cameras. Anybody can take photos via their smartphone. But so far, digital cameras do not disappear. In practice, there is a difference between use and an opportunity use more pointed. We want to make the same demonstration with Vita, “said the head of Sony. With X-Peria, the Japanese group also has a terminal hybrid, combining the functions of the smartphone, and those of a portable console.