PS Vita TV Is a Game Boy Player For The Vita

[Steven Bogos]

PS Vita TV Is a Game Boy Player For The Vita

PS Vita TV will be available in Japan on November 14, for around $100.

Sony has unveiled a brand-new piece of PlayStation hardware at its special Tokyo press conference this week. The PS Vita TV is a small box that players can hook up to their TV, in order to bring their PS Vita and PSP games to the big screen. Basically, it's a Game Boy Player [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Super_Game_Boy] for Sony's handhelds that doesn't require the PS4 to run.

The PS Vita TV will be available in Japan on November 14, and will retail for 9,480 yen (which is around $100 USD), or a bundle featuring an 8 GB memory card and a DualShock 3 will retail for 14,280 yen ($150 USD). You'll be able to hook the DS3 to the device and play your Vita/PSP games using the controller. No pricing or release date information for any other territories was provided.

The actual device itself is tiny; just 6 centimeters by 10 centimeters, said Sony's Andrew House, and as well as the aforementioned Vita/PSP compatibility, will also allow users enjoy video services on their television, including Hulu and Nico Nico (Japan's answer to YouTube).

PS4 remote play compatibility will come to the device via a later system update. This should be a quite cool feature for those of you who have big houses with multiple TVs, as you won't have to lug your console from the living room to upstairs when someone wants to use the big-screen TV.

Source: Polygon [http://www.polygon.com/2013/9/9/4710078/ps-vita-tv-lets-you-play-vita-games-on-your-television-hits-japan-on]

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[Andy Shandy]

Okay, this is rather awesome. I loved the Game Boy Player for the Gamecube, and something similar for the Vita would be fantastic too. Will definitely consider picking it up if it hits the UK.

On a side-note, why hasn't Nintendo done something like this for the DS/3DS? The Wii U is perfectly suited for it, thansk to its Gamepad, and I know I'd buy the hell out of that too.

 

[Doom972]

I wonder just how well will Vita games look on a TV screen. Looks like a bargain at this price.

Also, looks better than the Ouya.

 

[Megacherv]

My biggest concern is how the touchscreen and touchpad controls will work, especially with with a DS3

 

[Teoes]

I wonder just how well will Vita games look on a TV screen.

Presumably better than the old Game Boy ones! With lots of people still playing older games and not caring about the graphics so much I'd say this is a great idea for a sort of cheaper alternative to a full-blown console purchase. In a way.

 

[SeventhSigil]

All in all, it's actually brilliant. It has the potential to considerably expand their user base, and greatly increase their software sales by reducing the barrier to entry. A non-mobile alternative for half the price of the Vita would be very attractive; The freaking thing is priced similarly to an Ouya (Though more expensive if you need to buy a controller as well) is very sleek and shiny, and it would have the advantage of the pre-existing games lineup. It could even be the equivalent to a gateway drug, drawing in new gamers that might eventually decide to spend a greater sum of money on a PS4 or other console.

Whenever this comes to North America, I might actually pick one up. And I'm speaking as someone who really had no interest in a Vita, simply because I am not a portable gamer by nature.

 

[Doom972]

I wonder just how well will Vita games look on a TV screen.

Presumably better than the old Game Boy ones! With lots of people still playing older games and not caring about the graphics so much I'd say this is a great idea for a sort of cheaper alternative to a full-blown console purchase. In a way.

You obviously haven't seen a PSP game on a TV screen then. The Horror. That handheld could've really used some anti-aliasing.

2D games make the transition to a bigger screen much better, so there's not point in comparing. Especially when talking about the Super Gameboy which was used with a CRT TV.

 

[Teoes]

I wonder just how well will Vita games look on a TV screen.

Presumably better than the old Game Boy ones! With lots of people still playing older games and not caring about the graphics so much I'd say this is a great idea for a sort of cheaper alternative to a full-blown console purchase. In a way.

You obviously haven't seen a PSP game on a TV screen then. The Horror. That handheld could've really used some anti-aliasing.

2D games make the transition to a bigger screen much better, so there's not point in comparing. Especially when talking about the Super Gameboy which was used with a CRT TV.

I haven't, but fair enough. I just got the impression from this that's it's not so much something someone gets for the shininess of the graphics.

 

[Doom972]

I wonder just how well will Vita games look on a TV screen.

Presumably better than the old Game Boy ones! With lots of people still playing older games and not caring about the graphics so much I'd say this is a great idea for a sort of cheaper alternative to a full-blown console purchase. In a way.

You obviously haven't seen a PSP game on a TV screen then. The Horror. That handheld could've really used some anti-aliasing.

2D games make the transition to a bigger screen much better, so there's not point in comparing. Especially when talking about the Super Gameboy which was used with a CRT TV.

I haven't, but fair enough. I just got the impression from this that's it's not so much something someone gets for the shininess of the graphics.

Of course, I completely agree on that one. I was talking about resolution and Anti-aliasing. Just making it so that the game doesn't look stretched and horrible to a point where playing it on a small screen seems like the better option.

 

[The_Echo]

This is supremely interesting.

I've been planning on getting a Vita eventually, and even though this is a 50% cheaper alternative, I probably still will just for the portability.

But uh... might pick this up too anyway. Very interesting piece of hardware.

On a side-note, why hasn't Nintendo done something like this for the DS/3DS? The Wii U is perfectly suited for it, thansk to its Gamepad, and I know I'd buy the hell out of that too.

I'm wondering that myself.

Maybe we'll see one come around now that this happened. Maybe a "DS U" attachment could actually sell their console. It would certainly improve its available library.

 

[fix-the-spade]

I wonder just how well will Vita games look on a TV screen. Looks like a bargain at this price.

I assume they'll look like late model PS2 games since the resolution of the Vita is pretty similar. Still, for $150 it looks good, maybe a bundle version with the PS4 will come along, that would kick off some Vita software sales...

 

[Soxafloppin]

This actually seems really cool..

Will it have full vita functionality? Like online, trophies etc?

 

[Mr.Mattress]

So wait, now there are going to be TWO Playstation Home Consoles released around the same time, which are both a part of the same generation? That screams of desperation to me. I mean, yes, it's just a home console version of the Vita.... but it's a home console of the Vita! There's never been a handheld that's been converted to a Home Console, this is a first. It might end up screwing over the Playstation 4, if people think "Oh, here's a Cheaper but still new Playstation console!"

 

[Lil devils x_v1legacy]

So wait, now there are going to be TWO Playstation Home Consoles released around the same time, which are both a part of the same generation? That screams of desperation to me. I mean, yes, it's just a home console version of the Vita.... but it's a home console of the Vita! There's never been a handheld that's been converted to a Home Console, this is a first. It might end up screwing over the Playstation 4, if people think "Oh, here's a Cheaper but still new Playstation console!"

PS4 remote play compatibility is coming soon. It can be used as an accessory for the PS4 as well.

 

[Mr.Mattress]

SNIP

PS4 remote play compatibility is coming soon. It can be used as an accessory for the PS4 as well.

That is true, but this thing here is not PS4 Remote Play, it's PS Vita TV. From what I just read, it's an actual console in and of itself that plays PS Vita games (Without the Need for the PS4, which is what it says in the Article). PS4 Remote play is not a desperate move, as it's basically a Super Gameboy or Gameboy Advanced Connector between the PS4 and PS Vita. But when you turn your Struggling Handheld into a Home Console, the first time that's ever happened, that to me means that they don't want to be in the handheld Market anymore (Even though they announced a Redesign for Japan).

 

[Drummodino]

This looks pretty interesting! I wonder though, can you play your digital Vita and PSP games on this? Hopefully you can insert your memory card with the games installed on it?

 

[Lil devils x_v1legacy]

SNIP

PS4 remote play compatibility is coming soon. It can be used as an accessory for the PS4 as well.

That is true, but this thing here is not PS4 Remote Play, it's PS Vita TV. From what I just read, it's an actual console in and of itself that plays PS Vita games (Without the Need for the PS4, which is what it says in the Article). PS4 Remote play is not a desperate move, as it's basically a Super Gameboy or Gameboy Advanced Connector between the PS4 and PS Vita. But when you turn your Struggling Handheld into a Home Console, the first time that's ever happened, that to me means that they don't want to be in the handheld Market anymore (Even though they announced a Redesign for Japan).

They are releasing the PS Vita TV in Japan and then spacing out the PS4 Release for Feb in Japan, allowing them to have time to 1) adapt the vita for the PS4, and 2) allow them to buy both easier by spacing the releases out, so they will own the coolest accessory for the PS4 before they get the PS4. Japan gets the PS4 later, but the PS vita TV will tide them over until they get both. They have to at least have a cool toy for Japan at the same time the PS4 is released elsewhere too.

 

[bkd69]

Called it.

Six years ago:
http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/read/9.88967-PS3-Is-it-worth-the-money?page=2#1381213

Seeing how large a segment streaming boxes have become, that would have given Sony a huge lead in the market, but knowing Sony, they would have saddled it with their own proprietary server software and media format.

 

[rob_simple]

So wait, now there are going to be TWO Playstation Home Consoles released around the same time, which are both a part of the same generation? That screams of desperation to me. I mean, yes, it's just a home console version of the Vita.... but it's a home console of the Vita! There's never been a handheld that's been converted to a Home Console, this is a first. It might end up screwing over the Playstation 4, if people think "Oh, here's a Cheaper but still new Playstation console!"

I prefer to be optimistic and see it as Sony releasing a budget alternative for the next generation. I think, if the PS4 does everything it looks set to do, then there will be no danger of this overshadowing it's launch.

OT: This sounds pretty cool, but since I've literally just bought a Vita I doubt I'd be interested in picking one up for a long time.

 

[Scrythe]

There two things I'm most concerned about this:

1) Does this work via Ad-hoc or some other means?
2) Didn't this functionality already exist since the PSP Go? (Har har, yes I know no one owns one)

Called it.

Six years ago:
http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/read/9.88967-PS3-Is-it-worth-the-money?page=2#1381213

Seeing how large a segment streaming boxes have become, that would have given Sony a huge lead in the market, but knowing Sony, they would have saddled it with their own proprietary server software and media format.

Are you a wizard? Because I'm pretty sure you're a wizard.