Sony's NeoGeo Pocket's (PSP2/Vita) business/non technical ramifications talk

[Arwin]

They've announced a new Motostorm game for PS3 & Vita. They've also set a precedent for buying once on PSN and getting access to both versions... http://blog.us.playstation.com/2011/11/22/introducing-motorstorm-rc-for-psn-and-ps-vita/

With 'transfarring' support too, it seems.

But looks good - if it is as addicting as something like Micro Machines v3, which this reminds me strongly of and is one of my favorite multiplayer games of all time, or SuperCars 2, or Ironman Off-road, or Super Sprint - that whole great lineage.

 

[wco81]

I bet they're going to push out as many games as possible at launch rather than stagger them through the year because they saw the poor launch and the months following of the 3DS.

So some of these games may look rushed.

 

[patsu]

They've announced a new Motostorm game for PS3 & Vita. They've also set a precedent for buying once on PSN and getting access to both versions... http://blog.us.playstation.com/2011/11/22/introducing-motorstorm-rc-for-psn-and-ps-vita/

Yes, they better make it a norm ! (at least for first parties)

EDIT: Looks like it supports cross play between Vita and PS3.

 

[patsu]

I bet they're going to push out as many games as possible at launch rather than stagger them through the year because they saw the poor launch and the months following of the 3DS.

So some of these games may look rushed.

Shuhei said they planned for equal part PSN and PS3 games. We will probably see more releases squeezed near launch, and the holiday season like right now. >_<

EDIT:
FWIW, they published the Vita games under development right now:

Additionally, the following games are in development:
Army Corps of Hell, Square Enix; Asphalt: Injection, Ubisoft; Disgaea 3 Return, NIS America; Dungeon Hunter: Alliance, Ubisoft; Dynasty Warriors Next, Tecmo Koei; EA Sports FIFA Football, EA; F1 2011, Codemasters; Lego Harry Potter: Years 5-7, WB Games; Lumines Electronic Symphony, Ubisoft; Michael Jackson: The Experience HD, Ubisoft; Ninja Gaiden (working title), Tecmo Koei; OddWorld: Strangers Wrath, OddWorld Inhabitants; Puddle, Neko Entertainment; Pure Chess, RebelPlay; Putty Squad Vita, System 3; Rayman Origins, Ubisoft; Ridge Racer, Bandai Namco; Shinobido 2, Bandai Namco; Silent Hill: Book of Memories, Konami; Stardrone Extreme, BeatShapers; Super Monkey Ball Banana Splitz, SEGA; Supremacy MMA, 505 Games; Tales from Space: Mutant Blobs Attack, Drinkbox Studios; The Treasures of Montezuma Blitz, Alawar Entertainment; Touch My Katamari, Bandai Namco; Troopies, Bloober Team; Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom, Capcom; Urban Trials, Tate Multimedia; Virtua Tennis 4: World Tour Edition, SEGA; Orc Attack, Casual Brothers; Ben 10 Galactic Racing, Bandai Entertainment; Dragon’s Racing, Ignition Entertainment; Robot Rescue Revolution, Teyon; Mortal Kombat, WB Games; Assassin’s Creed, Ubisoft; Bioshock, Take Two; Street Fighter X Tekken, Capcom; Call of Duty, Activision Blizzard.

 

[patsu]

PS3 firmware to enable Vita Remote Play for all games
http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2011-11-24-ps3-firmware-to-enable-vita-remote-play-for-all-games

A future PlayStation 3 firmware update will enable Vita Remote Play on all games, Eurogamer has learnt.
However, this will be only at the PlayStation Portable 480x272 resolution, which will be upscaled to fill the screen.

For future games, developers will be able to include Vita specific 480p modes, Eurogamer understands. ...

 

[patsu]

PS Vita memory cards and other accessories priced by GameStop
http://www.examiner.com/video-game-...ards-and-other-accessories-priced-by-gamestop

4GB PlayStation Vita Memory Card - $29.99
8GB PlayStation Vita Memory Card - $44.99
16GB PlayStation Vita Memory Card - $69.99
32GB PlayStation Vita Memory Card - $119.99
PlayStation Vita AC Adaptor - $19.99
PS VITA Armor GameCase - $7.99
PS VITA ArmorShell - $12.99
PlayStation Vita Car Adaptor - $17.99
PlayStation Vita Card Case - $9.99
PlayStation Vita Carrying Case - $19.99
PlayStation Vita Cradle - $19.99
PS VITA Crystal Custom Case - $19.99
PlayStation Vita In-ear Headset - $19.99
PS VITA Nerf Armor - $17.99
PlayStation Vita Portable Charge - $49.99
PlayStation Vita Protective Film (Two Pack) - $14.99
PS VITA Pull N Go Folio - $29.99
PlayStation Vita Starter Kit - $29.99
PS Vita Starter Kit - $24.99
PS Vita Trigger Grip - $17.99
PlayStation Vita Travel Pouch - $19.99
PlayStation Vita USB Cable - $14.99

 

[Shifty Geezer]

Ouch. I got a sales email today offering me a 16 GB class 10 SD card for £12. Sony want 70 bucks?! Vita's way to pricey. Add that to low hardware price and suddenly it's not so low - they've just shifted the cost of ownership onto the perhipherals. If this is the route Sony's going, they deserve to crash an burn IMO.

Just for comparison, 3G PSV with 16 GB = £280 + £60 (factoring in UK price gouging) = £340. 16GB Galaxy SII = ...

...actually I'm going to stop that comparison. While researching this I realise something I've mentioned here before - UK prices seem to be markedly inflated to allow for 'deals' by retailers. So comparing list prices of an unreleased product to the actual price of an available product in the UK is an unfair comparison.

But still, their prices are utterly ludicrous. Like their Tablet P.

 

[Nesh]

Will Vita support only proprietary memory cards??

 

[NavNucST3]

Will Vita support only proprietary memory cards??

Yes the cards are proprietary and as has been mentioned before required for some games to even start. USB cable is proprietary as well isn't it?

 

[upnorthsox]

Yes the cards are proprietary and as has been mentioned before required for some games to even start. USB cable is proprietary as well isn't it?

The cable has a plug end for the multi-port, so yes. It comes with a cable though.

 

[wco81]

At those prices, better to wait to see if they cut prices or offer bundles instead of buying at launch.

3DS set the precedent and there's no reason to believe the Vita will sell at better sustained rates without a price cut.

 

[patsu]

Those are standalone card prices. As wco81 suggested, bundles should be cheaper:
http://blog.us.playstation.com/2011...-ps-vita-early-with-the-first-edition-bundle/

Sony announced it last month.

The U.S. bundle includes a PS Vita 3G + Wi-Fi model, a limited edition case, 4GB PS Vita Memory Card, and Little Deviants game for $349.99 (MSRP). The Canadian bundle includes a Wi-Fi model, a limited edition case, 4GB PS Vita Memory Card, and Little Deviants game for $299.99 (MSRP). Best of all, you can pick up the PS Vita First Edition Bundle on February 15, 2012, so this is your chance to play before everyone else.

I wonder if GameStop will take used memory card for resale. It would lower the price for people to upgrade and jump in.

The cable has a plug end for the multi-port, so yes. It comes with a cable though.

Yes, I am very curious about the specs of that multi-port "(for USB data communication, DC IN, Audio [Stereo Out / Mono In], Serial data communication)" and accessory port.

 

[patsu]

http://andriasang.com/comz3o/ps_vita_plus/

PlayStation Vita uses the PowerVR SGX543MP4+ as its GPU. So what does the "+" mean?

4Gamer posed this question to Imagine Technologies' PR director David Harold and Power VR business development head Kristof Beets at the Embedded Technology 2011 expo, which was held at Pacifico Yokohama earlier this month.

Harold told the site that the "+" is an expansion that was cooperatively developed with Sony Computer entertainment. It's an exclusive specification just for Sony Computer Entertainment, so in general the SGX543MP4+ will not be used in other product.

...

However, he added that the "+" is not just something that means the SGX543MP4 is optimized for the PlayStation Vita CPU or architecture, as they wouldn't attach a "+" to a brand in this case. The "+" here includes game system specific optimizations and expansions that were developed jointly between SCE and Imagine Technologies.

Original Japanese interview is here:
http://www.4gamer.net/games/144/G014402/20111125078/

Looks like it also talks about Imagine Tech's other products, but my Japanese is not good enough to translate properly.

 

[patsu]

San Francisco: PS Vita Meet-ups Kick Off This Week
http://blog.us.playstation.com/2011/11/28/san-francisco-ps-vita-meet-ups-kick-off-this-week/

we’re going to be fanning out across the country to give loyal PlayStation fans the the opportunity to go hands on with the PS Vita months before launch, through a series of Vita Social Clubs. And for people in the San Francisco Bay Area, that opportunity comes knocking this Thursday with the grand opening of the Vita Hill Social Club. We’ll be bringing the food and the beverages, but most importantly, we’ll be bringing the Vitas. Dozens and dozens of them. Bring extra hands!

The Vita Hill Social Club will give you the opportunity to play tons of PS Vita games, including UNCHARTED: Golden Abyss, LittleBigPlanet, Little Deviants, WipEout 2048, ModNation Racers, Reality Fighters, and Hot Shots Golf in a relaxing setting. We’ll also be raffling off a few things… maybe even a PS Vita (correction: yes, we will).

Here’s what you need to know:

Date/Time
Thursday, Dec 1st, 2011 from 5:00 – 9:00pm Pacific Time

Location
Vita Hill Social Club
1694 Union Street (at Gough)
San Francisco, CA 94123

RSVP Here

 

[tuna]

Is that the same Kristof that used to post here ages ago?

 

[ban25]

It's out there a little bit, but I might go to check it out.

 

[patsu]

It's tomorrow ! I thought I was kicking the cold yesterday but today I feel worse. @_@

Probably won't go.


If they do it on weekends, my time is more flexible.

 

[patsu]

PlayStation Vita UMD Passport Launches Without Support From Square Enix Or Capcom
http://www.siliconera.com/2011/11/3...s-without-support-from-square-enix-or-capcom/

PlayStation Vita is backwards compatible with PSP games, but it won’t play UMDs. Sony Computer Entertainment Japan’s "solution" to the problem is selling a discounted PSN downloads. Users have to register their game for a UMD Passport before they can purchase a digital copy at a reduced price. Prices range from 500 yen (Shin Megami Tensei: Persona) to 1,500 yen (Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 3 Portable).

A list of 262 UMD Passport games is live. While that is a chunk of the PSP’s library, there are 606 PSP games available for purchase on Japan’s PlayStation Store. On closer inspection, it appears only some publishers are supporting Sony’s digital discount plan. Games from Atlus, Nippon Ichi, Acquire, Tecmo Koei, SNK Playmore, and Cyberfront are available. Titles from key publishers such as Square Enix, Namco Bandai, Konami, and Monster Hunter maker Capcom are not supporting the UMD Passport service yet.

As of now, Sony Computer Entertainment America and Europe have not announced a similar service.

 

[Entropy]

Is that the same Kristof that used to post here ages ago?

Yes.
On the internet, it's never safe to assume that whomever you're dealing with share your level of ignorance.

 

[tuna]

Yes.
On the internet, it's never safe to assume that whomever you're dealing with share your level of ignorance.

Is this an insult or something?