PlayStation Vita was the original Switch Lite, and it deserves a comeback

CNET: “If you're holding a Nintendo Switch right now, put it down: I'm here to talk about the PlayStation Vita... because it's sitting right in front of me on my desk. And looking at it again, I'm wondering why Sony's handheld hasn't been readying a comeback.”

[masterfox]

If Sony brings up a handheld they need to bring it up as PSP brand with this name and not Vita, imo they messed up good by doing this, the original PSP sold more than 80 million units and Sony created a recognizable brand like Iphone, samsung galaxy, all around the world by that time and even went toe to toe with Nintendo handhelds, but not sure why in hell they would alienate a popular brand name and put its successor the name of Vita !, I don't see Apple changing the name of Iphone to MrMobile, or Samsung Galaxy to Samsung Universe or Samsung Uranus.

The Vita came along with a proprietary storage for games and this was another big hit on its lifespan, but I'm pretty sure if Sony didn't change the name and remained as PSP 2 or something with PSP it definitely would be as successful as the original and it wouldn't matter those unique storage cards, heck! it could it be very successful and on the long run Sony could it change the storage for future iteration of the handheld.

[ABizzel1]

No, they simply need to make a gaming tablet, as I've said before the Vita launched and Switch. It's just natural progression.

1. It can be a bit bigger, allowing better cooling of the mobile hardware, which means better performance, room for a larger battery (longer plat-time).

2. You can house better hardware, which brings it closer to staying ahead of the cellphone market and matching PS4 / XBO performance. Mobile hardware as of 2022 - 2023 is on track to match XBO in performance, and in RAW performance the iPad Pro 2020 and Snapdragon 865 are only 20% weaker. This device would push mobile gaming in general and help more AAA games and applications come to the ARM architecture, which in turn will come to more laptops vastly increase connectivity and battery life of the majority of portable devices. So this is good even outside of gaming.

3. High Speed Global wireless network improvements are moving along faster than traditional high-speed wired service, which is great for this type of device as with most mobile chips there are modems built-in to the Processor, which means Sony can sell tablets through cellphone providers, and simply add it to our wireless plans, without having to worry about the price being an obstacle huge obstacle. A $600 PlayStation Tablet is a much easier sell at $25/mo. for 24 months than $400 upfront even if the $400 saves you over $200 in the long run for the majority of consumers. This fits perfectly with PSNow as well.

[bouzebbal]

Sony are dumb to stop supporting it so quickly.
cross play and cross save was so cool, it's so disappointing everything stopped a day to another. Never got an exclusive IP to rival with Nintendo, or even sequels or some great psp games. A complete letdown, I still don't understand how it's possible because it has everything.. They even stopped ps now service on vita for no reason at all.
Online was by region and extremely frustrating.. I have friends from other continents I cannot play with, servers in some games were per country..a complete mess

[MeteorPanda]

one thing that instantly makes me hate ur suggestion. i dont want to play on glass. u are saying tablet- no sticks or buttons?

[TekoIie]

@Meteor

You dont have a controller?

[ABizzel1]

@MEteorPanda

Built-in controls would have been expected, and as Tekolie below said, BlueTooth with a PS5 controller should be expected as well. Why should I even have to state that and have an 8 paragraph post?

[ABizzel1]

@Joejoejoe

It's way too late to even worry about that because there are already ARM laptops and more are on the way. ARM laptops have 2x - 3x the battery life of current laptops which is significantly more important for many people, they have performance on par with the Intel U series CPUs, they have better integrated-graphics than most Intel CPUs (which will be better for gaming), and they have modems which means you can have wireless internet access anywhere.

The problem with them is that software has not been optimized for the architecture which will be fixed over the next few years as more products come to market. They're a mid-range to premium product, without premium performance which again will fix itself over the next few years as they become mid-range and eventually budget products. Finally, performance while great for budget isn't high-end for laptops, however, they're working on power-hungry versions of the chip to see what max performance can do which could rival Intel and AMD on the processing CPU side, with GPU performance above base PS4, and their current top end Adreno GPU is already approaching XBO performance.

[Mr_Writer85]

"the original PSP sold more than 80 million units"

Because it was piss easy to pirate.

[darthv72]

usually the advent of piracy hurts a platform, not helps it. Just look at the DC. A great platform that was marred by piracy, look how that turned out.

[septemberindecember]

@darthv

Well, unfortunately it did hurt the platform. Sony admitted that software sales were notably lower on the PSP than their consoles, which likely influenced their decision to use proprietary memory cards for the Vita.

[Mr_Writer85]

@darth.

Unit sales can be great, but like September pointed out, selling games matters even more, if 30m of those sales never bought a game what's the point?

You don't make money on hardware, you make it on software (well at the start anyway)

And whilst piracy may not of killed the PSP, their attempt to kill piracy for the Vita (the expensive memory cards) killed their handheld production.

[blackbeld]

Exactly! The Switch is also easy to hack. The PSOne and PS2 were also easy. The PS3 is difficult and not worth to hack. Sales already shows what why.

[MajorLazer]

Everyone and their dog had a chipped PSP. I literally only ever bought 2 games for it, Simpsons The Game & The Godfather when I initially bought it.

[RosweeSon]

And had exclusive entries (at the time at least) of GTA, god of war, metal gear solid, burnout. Too many big franchises skipped vita. Didn’t even have a Tony hawks 😏✌🏻😜&# 128514;

[MajorLazer]

Sony is to blame imo. Proprietary storage and pretty much non-existent support killed the Vita

[Mr_Writer85]

@majour

Well it's was the price of those cards rather than the cards themselves. I doubt many people would of complained if the price difference between a Vita card and a regular card was no more than £5.

But the mark up was more like £20-£30 (I can't remember exactly) that didn't help.

[RosweeSon]

The only way it would be as successful as original is if they supported like the original and they just didn’t original PSP got new entries to god of war 2 of them GTA stories X2 an exclusive metal gear solid, gran turismo all the big Sony franchises or known from Sony were on PSP.. now Vita got uncharted great gravity rush was brilliant and enjoyed Killzone, GTA was None existent, no gran turismo, no metal gear solid except 2 ports of ps2 games great games but not gonna shift console if people already played them same with the God of war collection ports of 1/2 from ps2. Then they just gave up. Tearaway was one of the best games on Vita and alongside gravity rush jumped ship to PS4 Sony needed to get more devs onside and get the big exclusives they are known for to their platform they just went the Microsoft route of power and forgot the games expected everyone else to make them. Yet the underpowered 3ds went from strength to strength... why because of the games it’s all about the games and it always will be if your buying games consoles. 🤷🏻‍♂️✌🏻 ;😜 Nintendo shown time and time again call it what you want if it’s good enough it’ll sell. Wii? They dropped the gameboy brand and sold millions of DS’s still brand is great and all but gotta support it I like a brand name but still not buying if they offering 💩 🥴😜😂✌&# 127995;🤓

[Mr_Writer85]

"The only way it would be as successful as original is if they supported like the original and they just didn’t"

Nonsense

They released Uncharted, Killzone, Tearaway, Gravity Rush 1&2, LBP, Wipe out, Unit 13 ect..

The sales dried up quickly, why would Sony keep supporting a device gamers weren't buying?

Sony don't own MGS or GTA, so how is that their fault? Again developers aren't going to waste time and money making a game for a device that isn't selling.

Look at the WiiU, died due to lack of sales, as poor sales = poor support.

The Switch started strong (like all platforms) and has now smashed it because gamers have bought it.

A device lives and dies on its unit sales. And the main complaint from none Vita owners was the high price of memory cards.

[RosweeSon]

I’m more than aware who owns metal gear and GTA you don’t think Sony got them on board for psp but didn’t bother with vita?
uncharted came out day1 and gravity rush was not long after launch. They didn’t make another gravity rush literally changed consoles and put it on PS4 killzone was good but that was about all they launched major game wise after launch majority of the big series known for being on PlayStation that were on psp skipped vita, where’s gran turismo, no infamous, no GTA no metal gear sure not Sony but god of war is Sony why you reckon they made 2 exclusive psp entries but they just ported the ps2 games to vita they didn’t wanna support vita with at least one god of war exclusive entry?. I owned one I saw the lack of major franchises. Not nonsense at all. A system lives and breathes on sales how do you think they obtain these sales, Games! I bought mine a year or so after launch got 4 top games day1 through ps+ uncharted gravity rush tekken/street fighter and katamari. Bought Killzone didn’t buy an awful lot else as major game wise there wasn’t. Plenty of indies ps1 classics were great why no ps2 classics you don’t think vita could handle it yet they had ps2 ports so 🤷🏻‍♂️ Lack of support from Sony they learned and changed with PS4 hence gravity rush 2 and tearaway jumped shipped and they chucked all the support/games onto one system.

They don’t own metal gear or GTA and no most companies won’t support a failing system sure Sony can’t force them to make entries but I’m sure if they asked nice enough chucked em a few quid they’d knock up an entry it’s the support of the devs that sells a console it sold me my PS4 day1 we got Devs on board great because devs means games. Also good luck finding gravity rush 2 on vita it jumped ship. Also etc on your list of games is a call of duty and that’s pretty much it. GR2 never happened on vita and wipeout is launch fodder. Great games but won’t sell a system.
It’s not sales that make or break a console. Sales are made by getting great games on the shelves to support your systems there’s various reasons consoles fail and it’s generally not just because it didn’t sell. Why didn’t wii u sell people didn’t like the idea overpriced for the tech at the time and Nintendo didn’t have much support from 3rd party after day1 so yes It didn’t sell. After all that other stuff Happened it didn’t just not sell 13 million 😑

Vita was a great system and I loved mine but to say it was supported beyond launch or year 1 or so is laughable. I owned a 3ds from day1 and still have games to play on it 9-10 years later. Vita I smashed the exclusives worth playing really enjoyed uncharted gravity rush tearaway Killzone etc after a year or 2 tho it’s no more than a handheld I can play ps1 classics on and some PSP games and few vita indies and ps2 ports god of war 1/2 metal gear 2/3.

[Neonridr]

it had nothing to do with the name. They could have called it a PSP whatever and it still would have failed. Their propriety memory cards which were far too expensive coupled with the lack of 1st party support is why it failed miserably.

[Ratchet75]

They could release a ps4 portable where you could download your games straight from your psn account. 😉

[Knightofelemia]

Yeah they could do that until someone screws around and gets your account banned then you're screwed out of the digital games you bought that you would have to rebuy and start from ground zero again.

[MajorLazer]

Maybe don't allow someone to screw around on your account? Seems like such a niche issue.

[JEECE]

I've been thinking the same thing for years (since everyone has been going on and on about how the PS4 processor is just a mobile processor). So many people would already have a library of games, and devs who were already familiar with the platform wouldn't have to learn anything new.

[septemberindecember]

The PS4 uses a mobile APU in that they are common to see in things like laptops, not products like the PS Vita or Switch. I mean, the wattage the PS4 uses alone would make it impossible for it to be portable like the Switch. The PS4 slim peaks out at about 110 watts meanwhile the Switch sits about 15 watts. A portable PS4 would need to have approximately 9 times the battery capacity (maybe a bit less if there isn't a disc drive) in order to have the same life.

When you put that together with the die size, and the fact that the Switch's battery already takes up 1/3rd of the insides of the console you begin to see how a truly portable PS4 simply isn't going to happen.

[anonymousfan]

Cool idea. Never going to happen. No console maker will ever produce hardware with the main intention of the end user using a pre-existing library of games. Nintendo is very happy to have moved back to cartridges so you repurchase all those Wii/Wii U games once more and they charge you a membership to play your virtual console games...

[JEECE]

You are right that it's not happening, lol. However, it's not as if people would buy the device then just stop buying games. You get people to buy the device by pointing out to them that they can keep playing their PS4 games, but then you don't stop selling them games once they own it.

[darthv72]

the PSP Go was a great little hybrid system that got hugly criticized for its all digital nature. Imagine if that was released today (with proper specs for the current time). Or better yet, a vita that also had TV support instead of having to buy the PStv to play on a big screen.

[DarkZane]

The Vita probably would have been a huge success if it used SD cards instead of seriously overpriced proprietary memory cards. Sony had to screw that part up.

If they ever make a new handheld device, it needs to use microSD cards now and not proprietary stuff.

[JEECE]

Yeah people forget that the proprietary memory nuked the excitement for the device. Honestly it should have had 16 GB at least built in, with SD for expansion.

I remember one fall (it may have been the second fall it was out), they did a bundle with a 4gb memory card and assassin's Creed liberation for $200ish (I'm thinking $189 for some reason but that sounds weird), and they couldn't keep it in stock anywhere.

[IanTH]

There were two main deals in 2012. One was a $199 black friday deal that had different configs of colors/game/mem card at different stores. But the deal of all deals was an Amazon Gold Box special just after black friday, where $179 would net you a white Vita, 4 GB memory card, ACIII: Liberation, digital copy of PSASBR, three 30 day PS+ codes, and a coupon towards AC3 for PS3/360. I remember this specifically because this deal was the straw that broke the camel's back and made me buy it lol.

The Vita is so good, it's such a shame it's life got cut so short. Still got it in the charging cradle for whenever the mood strikes. Definitely my favorite handheld hardware, and has some of my fav handheld games.

[SonyStyled]

Did you buy one? I bought the White AC3 Liberation Vita Bundle one Black Friday for $200

[Knightofelemia]

Hope Sony makes another hand held I would use my Switch but I prefer that on the tv and the joycons attached to the side of the Switch feel flimsy. I still have my PSP and my Vita and PSTV if only Sony could have away to enjoy PSP and Vita games with the PS5.

[anonymousfan]

Have you tried the Lite? I used to have a 3DS and Vita and although the Vita was wayyy better than the 3DS I hated the ergonomics on either. The Switch is a huge step up in my experience. (Edit: spelling)

[Knightofelemia]

I might grab a Switch Lite once things go back to normal and when the Switch Lite is not so expensive even broken Switches either the Lite or the original Switch are fetching a pretty penny.

[crazyCoconuts]

Have they fixed the joycon issue? Was worried about the Lite largely due to that

[Games1st]

Switch Lite still has drifting issues, wait for a fix.

[DEEHULK88]

Why does it deserve a comback?

[anonymousfan]

The Switch is so much better. First and third party support, games library, memory card format, ergonomics. I really dont miss my Vita when I play on Switch.

[TheColbertinator]

The problem with Vita was that Sony was in charge of it.

[JEECE]

And specifically that it was being developed at Sony mid-PS3 era. Had it come out in like 2015-2016 instead, they probably would have made much better decisons. Also why they didn't call it PSP2 is beyond me.

[anonymousfan]

I am glad they focused on PS4 this gen.

[SonyStyled]

Jack Trenton mentioned years after he left Sony that the vita was a nifty device, but felt like it came out a few years too late. By the time the vita released smartphones had really taken over with all these features, games, and apps. That made the vita irrelevant for most, especially the 3g Vita which was quickly discontinued. I’m paraphrasing, but it was 2 years or so ago

[Atticus_finch]

Sony should had straight up lied and exaggerated in there ads to sell more Vitas. But Sony isn't MS. Thank the Universe.

[MajorLazer]

You are weird

[Atticus_finch]

Is that supposed to be a bad thing.

[neutralgamer1992]

They should have let the people use any memory cards that they wanted and the system could have sold really well

I think Nintendo found the perfect match that appeals to both console gamers and handheld gamers the handheld market was kind of shrinking due to mobile gaming but with the switch gamers have both options within one system

[uth11]

And the PSTV allowed you to play your Vita games on a TV, making it a full-blown Switch

[Imalwaysright]

Nah, the Switch has AAA games that need to sell millions of copies just to break even and that has an obvious impact in their quality. That quality is one of the main reasons why the Switch feels like any other home console I have ever owned.

[FanboySpotter]

It was not. Switch lite had more support

[Lore]

They should just make a handheld that can handle PS5 (or BC ps games) games (similar to switch where the compromise is lower resolution & performance). No separate games exclusively for the handheld. This in my opinion is why the vita failed. They had all these great games coming to the ps4 at the same time so it essentially was as if they were competing against themselves. This would solve that issue.

[-Foxtrot]

I’d prefer Sony focus on their console

I don’t want to see their first party studios stretched

[DanielEndurance]

Every time I played a Vita exclusive all I could think was “dang, wish this was on a console.”

[Vipre77]

Dr. McCoy said it best. “It’s dead, Jim.”

[Kumakai]

FFS. The Vita is almost 10 years old now. Sony barely supported it when it was current, and now they aren't officially supporting it at all. the fact that the occasional game comes out for it does not mean that it is thriving. Let it die. I never thought I'd have to say this in a video game argument but... The Switch is also waaaay more powerful than the Vita. It could actually outperform it at literally every level... and is more versatile... and has a bigger screen... and better controls. If it was MS that made the Vita, ppl would have been talking about its death years ago.

[HarryMasonHerpderp]

Why would anyone want a console to die? Sony may have given up on it but that doesn't mean people who still enjoy the console cannot keep enjoying it.

[HumbledManiak]

And the PS4 is ridiculously better than the OG Xbox which came out 10 years before it. You become a joke when you make such comparisons, kid.

[Tross]

I would love for Sony to try again with a handheld, as long as they make the right choices with it. I don't think a Vita comeback is in the cards, but an entirely new handheld with all the Vita's good points that addresses all of its flaws would be splendid.

[Sol4ris]

No. The Vita was just a hand held device with games designed specially for it, albeit with a few of the big franchise games from PS3 and PS4 branching over.

The Switch Lite plays everything Nintendo releases, since the launch of the Switch. Hence it's enormous popularity and success.

[BillyG0AT]

A beefier Sony handheld would be awesome. Especially with access to old PS2 Classics

[SamTheGamer]

I still remember in 2013 I was in a train and holding a Nokia keypad phone and the guy next to me showing off his PS Vita and I was so jealous..

[sinspirit]

One day, we will have portable consoles that will have mini m.2 drives, capable portable CPU/GPU power, and OLED 1080p screens to allow a graphically scaled down version of the home console. Where the game mechanics and density is all there, but it simply will have lower graphical settings. We already have quite capable low TDP chips. On a 1080p screen even, we get high fidelity graphics on them. Can't wait to see the next portable for sure. A Switch Pro or new PSP.

[Elda]

Though I have no interest to own a Switch I give Nintendo props for supporting it continuously with exclusive games especially first party titles that the fans like where Sony stop supporting the Vita with first party exclusives 3 years after they released the Vita something I had a problem with because I bought one. I will always support Sony's home consoles because they support them to the end of their lifecycles but I have no interest in Sony's handhelds anymore.

[ILostMyMind]

Because Sony don't want it.

[Xaevi]

Another handheld by Sony would be so much more than what the Switch has been for the last three years. Three years and it still doesn't have half the features the Vita has. I'd buy a new one day one, the quality of Sony's portable are too notch, their designs too. At the time of it's release it had so much potential, and I think if they came back with another after the hype has settled for the PS5 it could work

[Games1st]

To succeed it needs to be optimised for main entry games, through integration with PS5 instead of spin offs. Which is basically remote play, but with hardware to store games and strong networking.

[Wolf873]

If there were a new Portable Playstation, I would buy one in a heartbeat!

[Imortus_san]

Sony only screwd 18 million users by giving only 2 years of support.