I’m afraid I will no longer be updating PlayStation Vita Life and will be concentrating my efforts on My Nintendo News. I feel that you need to be passionate about a product if you wish to continue blogging about it and committing your time to it. Thanks to everyone who has visited and commented on the site. My Nintendo News will be running as normal so I hope to see some of you there.
Many thanks,
Sickr
The latest edition of Japanese gaming publication Famitsu reveals that Square Enix’s First Production Department is handling the development of Final Fantasy X HD. The game is only in the initial stages of development which is why Square Enix hasn’t released much information about the eagerly anticipated game.
NetherRealm Studios has announced that it’s brining the superb fighting franchise Mortal Kombat to PlayStation Vita. Mortal Kombat is due for release sometime in March and will bring with it some new gameplay additions tailored to the PlayStation Vita hardware. There isn’t much more information at present but it’s certainly one to look forward to.
Sony has announced that the PlayStation Vita has had its firmware updated to version 1.52. As with the previous PlayStation Vita firmware update this one just fixes a few behind the scene bugs but doesn’t add any additional functionality to the system. However, a few users have reported that the update fixes a version 1.51 bug where the 3G system would not recognize your SIM card.
Online gaming publication MCV was recently given the chance to interview PlayStation’s European president and CEO Jim Ryan and ask him a broad range of questions. Ryan was asked whether or not the PlayStation Vita’s slow start in Japan was a bad omen for the American and European launch next month. Here’s what he had to say:
One of the things we have learnt over a long period of time, is that whether it is PS1, PS2, PSP or PS3, it is dangerous to the point of impossible to take any experience from the Japanese market and try and extrapolate it, and propose upon what will happen in Europe or North America.
Not withstanding the fact that it is just way too early to make any conclusions. The markets are now just so different, I actually think they are diverging to a greater extent than they were different in the past – if that’s even possible. It is impossible to draw any meaningful conclusions of the Japanese launch in the context of what will happen in Europe. We are more focused on our stakeholder reaction, whether that is specialist press or the reaction from retail. The key task of allocating the supply that we have to the considerable demand, and just ensuring everything is in place for February 22nd.
Sony has apparently cut the PlayStation Vita shipment in France by a whopping 50% according to French gaming publication PlayPortable-Life. Instead of shipping 80,000 units for launch Sony will instead provide 40,000 units. 75% of PlayStation Vita units will be the WiFi model and 25% will be the 3G model.
PlayStation Vita sales in Japan have emerged and they are not looking good as Sony’s latest portable trails significantly behind the Nintendo 3DS, PlayStation 3, PlayStation Portable and the Wii. It’s not all bad news for Sony as sales for the console have risen by a meagre 0.06%. Here’s the Japanese hardware charts:
Japanese hardware charts
Peripheral manufacture Nyko has unveiled a range of accessories for your PlayStation Vita when it launches next month. The most interesting of these accessories is the ‘Power Grip’ which Nyko claims that boasts three times the battery life of Sony’s own Vita battery. This humongous monstrosity costs $24.99 but could prove to be a vital piece of equipment if you want to get more battery life out of your PlayStation Vita.
Sony’s UK marketing manager Mark Bowles has told online gaming publication MCV that the company is ready for its biggest marketing campaign ever with PlayStation Vita. The PlayStation Vita launch in February be supported by the biggest campaign Sony has ever created, and the campaign will continue to run throughout 2012.
“The PS Vita launch will be supported by the biggest campaign we’ve ever executed, and this level of activity will continue throughout 2012, reflecting our confidence in, and commitment to the platform long term.”
“Our campaign will target gamers primarily, but also the new generation of tech enthusiasts and entertainment consumers who are used to playing games on their smartphones or tablets. What sets Vita apart is its ability to deliver PS3 quality gaming, in addition to the range of globally recognised triple-A software titles, which simply isn’t possible or aren’t available on any other existing portable.”
Japanese publication The Nikkei is reporting that Kaz Hirai will be promoted and will take over the role as president of Sony, while Howard Stringer is expected to remain chairman and CEO of the company. Hirai could become Sony president as soon as April.
