Sony’s upgraded portable video game machine PlayStation Vita will go on sale in Japan on Dec. 17, with 26 games going on sale on the same date, but it will not be available overseas until next year.
The competition in portable gaming is almost certain to intensify in Japan, ahead of the rest of the world, during the year-end shopping season.
The launch of the PlayStation Vita coincides with Japanese rival Nintendo Co going on the offensive with new game titles for its portable 3DS, which did not go on sale in time for last year’s holidays.
Sony has already said the Vita will not be ready in the US or Europe until next year. It did not give overseas sales dates and said such details were undecided.
Hiroshi Kawano, head of Sony Corp’s gaming unit — Sony Computer Entertainment — announced a Japan tie-up with major mobile carrier NTT DoCoMo for the PlayStation Vita, including a prepaid data reception plan of a 100 hours at ¥4,980 (US$65).
In an effort to woo buyers, Kawano said 100 hours of free playing on the 3G mobile network will be offered with the first 500,000 purchase of Vita machines.
During his nearly two-hour presentation at a Tokyo event hall, Kawano said Vita was targeting casual gamers playing on cellphones, as well as hard-core fans who own PlayStation 3 home consoles.
There was a view in the gaming industry that energy was running low, but he said he was determined to make Vita a chance for growth, he said.
“I believe the gaming industry can help bring a revival,” he said, referring to the lagging overall Japanese economy.
Sony has sold 71 million PlayStation Portables, compared to the nearly 150 million DS handheld machines Nintendo has sold. Both machines went on sale in 2004. However, Nintendo’s latest offering, the 3DS, has gotten off to a relatively slow start, at 4.32 million sold so far worldwide.
The PlayStation Vita will cost US$249 in the US and ¥24,980 in Japan, for a Wi-Fi only version, and US$299 and ¥29,980 for a version with cellphone service.
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