Why 2018 is the Year You Should Finally Buy a PS Vita

"The PlayStation Vita has been getting a ton of third-party support lately, which is impressive considering the handheld released over five years ago. With the slew of upcoming notable releases, and a few great features the handheld has to offer, I believe 2018 is the year anyone who hasn't purchased a Vita yet should finally sail over to Vita island." -- PlayStation Enthusiast

[Araragifeels]

There not much great games since JP developers are jumping ship to Switch. PSVITA should have a successor. A successor that can allow people to play digital PS1/PS2/PS4 games on the go, play games 1080HD 60 FPS, allow third party memory card, eliminate back touchscreen, add R3/L3 and R2/L3, have both First and Third Party support from the Western/Japanese developers, keep Remote play but improve for the next PS Gen console.

[pixlz]

Your so close to what I want. I want a Portable PS4 in the style of the Vita. Add in a L2/R2 and L3/R3's. The touch screen would imitate the Touchpad. The end. Most of these 3rd party Vita games are Cross-Buy titles anyways now.

It'd be great. But... it'd be all digital too. A great way to start transitioning people to buying more digital titles.

[Fist4achin]

Maybe we should all listen to zepami...

[Critic4l_Strik3]

You're*

[mikeslemonade]

Vita has been dead for years. Buy a dreamcast while your at it.

[pixlz]

Picking on my spelling? You can't even spell Critical Strike dude.

[phallusitator]

Grammar. He’s correcting your grammar. Your spelling was ok.

[septemberindecember]

I think what your saying would be nice, but is unrealistic at this point in time.

[Foraoise]

Not really. The PS4 isn't really powerful at all., and given the proper optimizations, a portable with similar specs wouldn't be out of the question.

[pixlz]

There are chips out there that are at least as powerful as an Xbox One as of a couple years ago. This is literally super easy and a no brainer.

Add in an already built library for my PS4 and its a win. Vita library would be lost... but get a Vita for that.

[Foraoise]

@pixlz. Right? Look at the disagrees I'm getting. People here are just stupid. They don't understand. Ignorance is bliss, huh?

[septemberindecember]

@pixlz

Even if you account for power, you aren’t accounting for optimization. If you make a console that plays PS4 games you either have to make it with PS4 hardware, or port the games over to the new hardware. I suppose you could also emulate the games, but then the system would have to be significantly more powerful than a stock PS4.

Not to mention the cost for hardware and space issues. AAA PS4 games are an average of 50GB, that’s a whole lot of SD cards.

Like I said, it’s a great idea on paper, but not practical at this time.

[ProjectVulcan]

The latest mobile chipsets like the newer Tegra or Snapdragon 845 parts with an Adreno 630 are closing in on Xbox One level performance, but not quite there yet. The Snapdragon chips would be fairly expensive and supply will be restricted for a while.

Nvidia are nearest to home console performance with Tegra Xavier. It's not designed for gaming, the power draw is a tad too high for a handheld at 20 watts (really 10w on average is the max viable) but the fundamental GPU technology behind it is impressive. 512 Volta CUDA cores, comparable to Xbox One's GPU.

We're another generation from being able to put say Xbox One performance in a handheld. 18 months maybe.

Not that far away I guess, but I just think Sony aren't that interested in handheld consoles any more.

[UltraNova]

Power draw people don't forget that power management is issue no 1 when it comes to handhelds. The ps4 APU even at a 7nm die would still need a lot of power. The chip has to be designed for mobile applications from the get go, like Tegra.

[yomfweeee]

Foraoise it is unrealistic. All games in 1080p/60fps means it has to be as powerful as a PS4 Pro. Plus add a 1080p screen. Compact into portable.

Not cheap at all.

[InTheZoneAC]

sony could easily sell the next handheld for $200 to make it more appealing, seeing how a switch costs $300. It must have similarly sized analog sticks like a dualshock. The little psp slider and nubs on the vita are way too small and too sensitive for precise controls, especially when you have deadzone to overcome with the vita.

-remove rear touch
-add L2/R2
-add L3/R3
-have the UI match the ps4 or whatever layout they plan to go with for ps5, although I'd wish they just brought back the XMB.from ps3/psp

[Eidolon]

720p screen. half the resolution of most PS4 games. In 2018, definitely possible. Battery life would be a concern, though, as well as the size and memory requirements. I'd definitely get a Vita 2, even if it has no exclusives. Vita struggles with the ports now, and showing clear age.

[Vegamyster]

Foraoise

Pot calling the kettle black, you need to manufacture something that's ergonomic with a big enough battery to even run the system, heat sink/fan and make sure it's fairly light. None of this is a issue with a home console since it's a lot larger and stationary, with today's technology it would be too expensive to make a straight up portable PS4, all you have to do is compare gaming laptop to desktop builds with similar specs for comparison.

[LOGICWINS]

That's all well and good, but biggest obstacle would be Sony regaining the trust of Vita owners who were promised Western AAA console quality titles but mostly got indies and Japanese games.

If Sony releases a Vita 2, the first step would be to make ALL PS4 games payable on the Vita 2. I'm not talking about remote play. Every PS4 game needs to come with an extra version (free of charge) that can be played on the Vita 2.

That would ensure that there will ALWAYS be games to play on the device, regardless of how well devs support it.

[pixlz]

No no.... see, I already have a MASSIVE PS4 library. What convincing does someone like me need, to be able to take *all* of it, on the go?

PS+ for the win. I have well over a hundred games that would just be able to download onto a card.

There is literally... no downside. Want $300 for it? Take my money.

[mastiffchild]

Pixlz, sadly that is not what platform holders want. Sony have already MADE their cash from you buying PS4 games, make virtually nothing from hardware sales and need you buying new games to keep any new platform going.

They would NEVER do as you want, sadly. Battery life would be crap as well. I just don't see Sony doing a pure handheld again. A future PlayStation 5 that does similar to Switch while adding streaming options? Possible

[_-EDMIX-_]

I see it as being unlikely that they're going to be able to make all PlayStation 4 games playable on the Vita 2.

Don't get me wrong I see it as a huge possibility of many PlayStation 4 games being playable either through ports or something like that but I don't see it as all.

The PSP got many PlayStation 2 ports, technically speaking in the same timeline the PlayStation Vita 2 would be releasing at a much later date than what the original PSP released at during the PlayStation 2 generation.

Which means they would actually have more time to make it more powerful than the allotted time they had for the original PSP compared to the PS2, which actually means there is a possibility that they clearly could make the PlayStation Vita to be exact literal strength as a base PlayStation 4.

[pixlz]

I don't think Sony would even consider doing something like a portable PS4, until the PS5 releases anyways. And yeah, by then, they could probably shrink down a compatible architecture and make a killing. History has shone with the PSONE, PS2 Slim etc.... that they're willing to make one last extension of a console cycle.

With common architecture going forward, and a most likely digital PS4 library being compatible with a PS5... again its a no brainer. But specifically around the time they wanna start retiring the PS4 console... aka replace it with the PS5.

Oh but to add... theirs no hope or possible future for a Vita 2. Portable PS4... maybe. If it doesn't happen, portable sony consoles are dead my friends.

[pixlz]

[Deleted]

[ILostMyMind]

1080p/60fps? Why so weak? You should dream higher. 😒

[Cobra951]

Why? It's exactly what I want. I'd rather see all extra power go to better rendering and AI.

[_-EDMIX-_]

Not necessarily because of the PlayStation Vita's continued support in Japan there actually is a possibility of the games being made with the Vita in mind simply to port to the switch to take advantage of both install bases.

Secret of Mana remake is on the Vita.
There's also a series of Persona games coming out on the Vita.

[Mr_Writer85]

People said they wanted a powerful handheld.

Sony built it.

Those people then used every excuse not to buy it..

"memory cards cost too much"

"No games I want"

"not enough buttons"

"Sony aren't supporting it enough"

Sony would be stupid to listen to gamers again. They expect everything for nothing.

[The 10th Rider]

Sony built it and made some dumb mistakes. The prices on the memory cards was insane. You're saying it's people's fault for not buying it? It didn't help that they countered the poor sales by dropping first party support, unlike with the 3DS, which saw an aggressive price cut and rapid fire support after initial sales were poor. Sony has no one to blame but themselves for the lack of success with the Vita. If they put out another handheld that was a solid console it'd be welcome. (Though I'd be skeptical of it's chances of success after loosing so much of the handheld market share.)

[Mr_Writer85]

You do know that Sony need to make money? They were already making a loss on the Vita itself.

As for the memory cards that was one of only a few ways to make up for that loss, had gamers put their money where their mouths were then the price of memory cards would of come down in price.

As for the 3Ds that was being sold at a huge profit, with the price cut, it still made a profit, so hardly comparable.

Sony tried, big AAA IP exclusives, trophy support, BC (with most digital PSP games) PSone classics support, cross play and cross buy.

Gamers didn't want the Vita, and gamers killed the Vita.

If a product isn't supported by consumers then why would a company keep throwing money at it?

[Cobra951]

The memory cards are part of the needed equipment, Mr_Writer. They're not the lure. Games are the lure. Games are where cost deficits must be made up, because they're the only things gamers will chase with their wallets after buying a console. If the equipment is too costly, and the games aren't there, the system fails right out of the starting gate. Consumers are not to blame for such poor planning or execution.

[FallenAngel1984]

Those memory card prices are a huge detriment

[Yohshida]

at launch the 64 gig one was the price of the console I think

[1-pwnsause-1]

half the price of the console...which was ridiculous, cause an sd micro was around 8x less expensive....

[Nintentional]

But the same Sony fans that defend the Vita’s memory cards are the same bashing the Switch and its SD cards

[Kumakai]

Lol no.

[crazyCoconuts]

Funny the exact opposite is true for me. I've been a big supporter, but this is the year I transition off. Finishing up my last few games from the backlog. If you're into JRPGs / visual novels, different story for sure...

[kreate]

I'm the same. In 2018, vita is pretty much dead. Sony doesn't even look like they care.

[Tigerblud]

I loved my Vita, but it was replaced by my Switch.

[Gr8saiyaman88]

Get downvoted by salty Sonyponies xD

[1-pwnsause-1]

Not really..... Sony Did this to themselves...Most of us Agree on that.....

the Vita is a great Handheld....Sony Just Failed it with their own greed.....
If I remembered correctly they were able to Play a MGS4 cutscene on the system although downgraded (Obviously)...its pretty powerful for what it is and what it could of been....

But of course its pretty much too late since Nintendo brought the switch over, which is a great machine that lacks a few things which i hope get resolved sooner or later

[Araragifeels]

I bought the Switch and I already passed Zelda and Mario Odyssey so the PSVITA is getting my attention.

[SurgicalMenace]

Exactly, how many of the games on Switch are already available on the Vita?!?! For cheaper.

[crazyCoconuts]

This is off the beaten path, but I put in for a GPD Win 2, which is a handheld Windows gaming device. That'll give me what I really wanted from the Vita, just aligned with my PC library as opposed to PSN. It's way more powerful than the switch too

[FTLmaster]

Love my Vita!

[kevnb]

cant even find one in a store here in canada

[Asuka]

Pretty much the same here in US, at least where I am anyway.

[paintedgamer1984]

I love my vita, the switch just does the whole handheld option much better. Although, its almost impossible to compare the two as 1 came out almost 5 years ago.

[SurgicalMenace]

The ONLY thing the Switch does better is having a second pair of shoulder buttons. While the Vita, has FAR more functions including:

Online Play
Web Surfing
Party Chat
Game Sharing
Cloud saving
Backwards compatability
Cross play
etc.

The Switch is receiving what the Vita already has, but people are reacting like there was no previous option to have it. Smh

[1-pwnsause-1]

agreed, thats why i get pretty pissed at Nintendo...How is it that the vita did things right, and yet Nintendo is like 2 or three steps behind with the switch in terms of the Network...... Backwards Compatibility will happen eventually (hopefully they bring most of everything to the switch) and most likely web surfing (With making Deals with Opera or whoever) but WTF with the NiNty Network....I said this before...If they want me to pay for online, it better have everything you mentioned.... Yea its $20 a month...But if its $20 for a Trashy Network, then no...Dont really care for free games that i can play elsewhere.......

[Fearmonkey]

The vita is great but Sony really needs to lower the costs of the vita memory cards, a 64gb card should not be $100.

[mastiffchild]

You are so right. After piracy and hacking killed PSP why Sony hamstrung Vita with the memory con is beyond me. As a piece of kit Vita kills 3DS but Sony didn't know how to give it hope.

If I'm honest, though, I use PSP more even now than anything else. A hacked PSP and the choice in one cheap device is amazing for me.

[yomfweeee]

This thing needs a serious price drop. Why won't they do it? Been 200 for 4.5 years. I'd get one at $100.

[81BX]

Lmao... NO!

[_LarZen_]

The console is no longer in production and gone from stores....it’s dead.

[Cobra951]

After some searching, I only found Tech Radar saying production has stopped, "unofficially" (whatever that means). Frankly, I'm surprised it has stayed in production so long, though I suppose since it's the only Sony dedicated handheld, they've been stuck with it. There's nothing to take its place, yet. Now, after the success of the Switch, that may change.

[PlayStation_5]

I Love All The Greatest Portable Video Game Consoles! : )

Nintendo Switch (2017)
Sony PlayStation Vita (2011)
Nintendo 3DS (2011)
Sony PlayStation Portable (2004)
Nintendo DS (2004)
Nintendo Game Boy Advance (2001)
Nintendo Game Boy Color (1998)
Sega Genesis Nomad (1995)
Sega Game Gear (1990)
Nintendo Game Boy (1989)

[Yui_Suzumiya]

There was also a portable Turbo Grafx

[PoSTedUP]

nomad was a beast but ate too much batteries and carrying games around was a bitch. the psp was a beast too. gta on the go; my biggest gripe with the vita.

[_-EDMIX-_]

Agreed all amazing Portables.

I own everything on that list but the Sega Nomad the Playstation Vita and the Nintendo switch.

(I own a PlayStation TV if that counts) lol

[jznrpg]

Love my Vita I use it everyday !

[Knushwood Butt]

I have an OLED Vita and a 64GB card choc full of games.

That's me covered for the foreseeable future.

Will probably get Catherine and Farming Sim 18 this year.

[PUBG]

I really wanted to buy a Vita when it was announced, but I was waiting for the console quality games that I though would come to the system, only to be left extremely disappointed. I was clearly not the only one, since I think it only sold around 13 million units.

It's too bad, since I hate gaming on a smart phone, mainly because the games are terrible, and i don't like touch screen controls. I would love to see Sony bring Uncharted: Golden Abyss and Killzone: Mercenary to the PS4. Maybe even Resistance: Burning Skies, although people didn't seem to like this game all that much. Outside of these games, there's nothing else that I'm interested in on the Vita.

[ILostMyMind]

Sony was so lost when it made Vita like Microsoft when it made XBO. But MS noticed and improved the console. Sony closed its ears and killed the handheld. I can not defend Sony in this case. Even today I would buy a Vita if were not for those damn expensive cards.

[PUBG]

I still have my PSP, and it was a great system and was pretty well supported both by first and third party developers. I'm not sure why they didn't put the same resources into the Vita. It certainly is the best handheld ever made in terms of just the hardware, but they had no business plan for it.

[_-EDMIX-_]

I have no clue what you're talking about in regards to "console quality" because there are literally ports from consoles that came to the PlayStation Vita.

So I don't really know what that means...sooo yea.

[Tross]

I love my Vita, but it's a hard sell to newcomers at this point. If you want a Vita now you either have to buy one used or pay through the nose for one. Don't get me started on the hoops you need to jump through to get memory cards now. There aren't nearly as many new games coming out for it now than there have been even if you do like Japanese and/or indie games. That said, it is a solid system. If you currently own one then there's plenty of reason to keep using it in 2018. I probably wouldn't buy one now if I didn't already have one though.

[derkasan]

I feel like they tried lowering the barrier to entry with the PlayStation TV, but I feel like it didn't really catch on. I still use mine though.

[PUBG]

The big problem with PlayStation TV, was that not all Vita games were supported because of the touch screen controls. That's what turned me off of it.

[_-EDMIX-_]

I agree

I still use mine but I still wished most of the games are supported but clearly understand why they couldn't.

[Elda]

Got rid of my Vita a few months ago because it basically collected dust due to Sony stopping first party support.I love Sony PS gaming consoles but I don't think I'll trust or support Sony when it comes to another handheld.

[Akarogg]

You're a bottle of sunshine

[Elda]

Thank you.

[Dragonscale]

He's being sarcastic lol.

[Gr8saiyaman88]

All the "love my Vita but my Switch replaced it" posts getting downvoted is a testament to the sony fanboys running rampant on N4G xD

[gobluesamg]

Jesus man you already said that earlier in this comment section. Find something to do

[OB1Biker]

Oh because you think people who want both or dont feel one can 'replace' another one are not allowed to disagree?
What is fanaticism? Disagree with other s opinions or not tolerate others to disagree?

[SurgicalMenace]

The Switch cannot replace the Vita, as it's functionality is lacking at best. I support my Switch, but it does not have enough options to compete with my hundreds of Vita games. Sorry

[Knushwood Butt]

Only a month to go before Kirby releases.

Oooh, the excitement.

[crazychris4124]

New PS Vita for $200 and no future or New Switch for $250 and bright future. thats a tough one.

[Strafe]

'Why 2018 is the Year You Should Finally Buy a PS Vita'

Lol

[RedDevils]

More like this 'Why 2018 is the Year You Should Finally Dump the PS Vita'

[Skuletor]

If you can get it for a good price, including a good sized memory card (16-32GB at least) I'd say go for it. Just don't expect much in the way of new releases outside of Japanese games these days. Still if you're new to the platform there's a lot of great games for it. Outside of the bigger titles like Uncharted, Gravity Rush, Killzone: Mercenary etc, indie games are pretty sweet on it too, like I prefer playing Hotline Miami on the Vita compared to PC or console due to the touch screen and games like Guacamelee play great on the Vita too.

[Strafe]

If you're insane.

[_FantasmA_]

As a Vita owner, I can't recommend to anyone unless you have the extra $ to spare. I goes years without playing mine and I've had it since 2012.

[mastershredder]

Why 2018 is the year you put the duplo blocks down and start playing with the legos. No, not about the vita...

I love how magical gamer Wild Made-Up Ass Spec Guessing passes as industry-level knowledge in these threads.

All about the products and not the logistics or components Tsk tsk.

[Sgt_Slaughter]

If you're going to get one, wait a year or two. Might be able to get one at a blowout price and find a bunch of cheap games at GameStop.

[2ndhandcorn]

Thinking of picking one up in 2025.

[Gman32]

i still got my psvita i buy a game for it whenever i can

[dkrusen87]

I like my ps vita just as the same of I like the switch but I do have to say the vita has more free apps and games comparing to the switch...but to me vita and switch I love them in my own way.

[ApexWolf22]

You can't compare a 1yr old to a 6yr old kid, I think that logic applies here as well...

[dkrusen87]

I am just saying that the vita library has a much more...than the Switch...they don't have much choices...I do think it will be awesome if Switch had something like Playstation Plus membership like get discounts of getting free games...other than that I still think switch is pretty neat system...

[zb1ftw777]

Hmmmmm...

Not for me.

The Switch is a much better investment.

[Subzero100x]

The vita is dead, and has been for years. Whoever wrote this article is a moron.

"PSVITA should have a successor. A successor that can allow people to play digital PS1/PS2/PS4 games on the go"

lol ok so there are two morons here instead of one.

[ILostMyMind]

The only way I can imagine a 'Vita 2' would be Sony launching a powerful Snapdragon 845 with several dedicated cores and a dock with the same handheld hardware (not only a piece of emptiness plastic) working in SLI-like mode (sold separately). Then you would have a handheld and a console. But I think Microsoft would crush Sony in the power issue.

[STK026]

Tell me where I can find a new Vita in Canada at the MSRP and I'll gladly buy one to replace my aging launch one. But last time I tried to find one, they were either out of stock or was overpriced Japan imports.

It's as if Sony themselves couldn't be bothered to sell the Vita in North America.

[FlameWater]

Or you could just get a really powerful smart phone and install emulators

[KennyAlvah]

Is it just me, or does an article like this get posted every year now?

[Nintentional]

😂😂😂
&# 128514;😂😂

[captainexplosion]

I love my Vita. Much better than my Switch imo. Vita had so many awesome platformers (ratchet, sly, jak, Tearaway, LBP), and a ton of games through Plus. I've recently went back to my Vita because I'm not caring for the switch (I love mario but didn't like Odyssey and I've never cared for Zelda), but unfortunately the Vita is dead to me in terms of new games because I don't like JRPGs.

[theshredded]

There are some pretty good games in there!

[obidanshinobi]

Is it April 1st already ?

[tehpees3]

Everybody's issue with the Vita was all the potential it had was flushed down the toilet. We'll never know what it was truly capable of.

Sony should have realised smart phone gamers are just casuals and the handheld market is as big as it ever was.

Honestly Switch's success on console quality games leads me to believe it isn't the concept of a "console quality handheld" that is flawed but the fact that Sony's franchises just don't appeal to the typical handheld gamer.

[Razzer]

Vita has a bunch of great games. If someone was looking for a handheld with a solid library then Vita is a great choice.