Because Sony can't rest until everyone over the age of 30 feels like a hopeless luddite, the company's unveiling of their forthcoming Playstation Vita reveals a device somewhere between social networking device, tablet computer and a Dreamcast VMU. Oh, and it actually plays video games, too–on two different systems! (It's a PS3 controller, too.)
Naturally, no overly communicative gaming device would be complete without the option to belittle one's fellow users, as explained by SCEE R&D executive Phil Rogers:
Party will give players cross-game chat capabilities, allowing them to invite friends to groups and launch games directly through the UI, which all party members will be invited to. The LiveArea is a tad more esoteric: it will display information about software as it is launched, and will allow users to "comment on people's activities within the game as well as publish your messages."
The Vita is supposed to hit stores sometime in late October. How people will manage to communicate until then is anyone's guess.
A. Darryl Moton is a high school debate coach, preschool bus driver, Black Iowan, and numerous other things that make you doubt his sanity. He's probably playing Marvel vs. Capcom 2 on his Dreamcast (GREATEST. PORT. EVER.) in Portland, Oregon.
[Source: Joystiq]
UPDATE: Wired is reporting that the wonder-device is having some production delays, and won't get to US shores before the holiday season.
The handheld will be available by the end of 2011 in Japan, and early next year in the United States and Europe, said Sony Executive Vice President Kazuo Hirai in Tokyo, as reported by the Associated Press.
PlayStation fans who watched Sony's E3 press conference this year might be a little surprised by the new launch date. After all, didn't Hirai say something a little different last June?
“This entire package of all these incredible features will be available starting from the holiday season this year,” Hirai said then.
Oh well … more money for pie, then.