PSP and Vita Play Nicely Together

[Marshall Honorof]

PSP and Vita Play Nicely Together

Whether you have a PSP or a Vita, you're good to go for ad-hoc multiplayer.

If you're planning on getting a Vita but your friends are stuck in the PSP era, never fear. Sony realizes that since Vita will have access to the same downloadable library as the PSP, there will be a lot of crossover between games. As a result, it's designing the Vita with the capability to engage in ad-hoc multiplayer with both Vita and PSP systems.

Ad-hoc multiplayer games like the Monster Hunter series generally aren't as big in the West as they are in Japan. Even so, Western PSPs have a fair selection of local multiplayer games, with series ranging from Star Wars to Ratchet & Clank. Not every downloadable game with have Vita/PSP support, however, and Sony has not indicated whether UMD games on PSP will work in multiplayer with downloaded games on Vita.

Sony has confirmed the feature for Japan, although this does not necessarily mean that it will see a Western release. Still, unless the feature ends up costing Sony more money than it's worth, Western Vita/PSP pairs should be able to enjoy cooperative Killzone: Liberation just like their Japanese counterparts.

Source: Siliconera [http://www.siliconera.com/2011/09/20/playstation-vita-and-psp-know-how-to-talk-to-each-other-in-ad-hoc-mode/]

Permalink

 

[Jack and Calumon]

Well, I'll love this is Sony figure out a way for the Vita to accept store bought PSP games, somehow. If not, the only game I can play is Monster's (Probably) Stole My Princess! and let me tell you now, I like my Kingdom Hearts and Peace Walker, and I'll damn Sony if they deny me access from them with Vita! My PSP lost the big thumb pad so it's just an uncomfortable stick and has a small crack in the middle!

Do you expect me to play with that? Will you subject me to this Sony instead of the sexy looking Vita?

I pray you don't.

Calumon: If you don't he'll never be quiet, so pretty please? : (

 

[Furioso]

Please Sony, you already have a contract written in blood that I will give you my money, you no longer need to improve the deal, though I won't complain if you do

 

[vrbtny]

What is this now? A company that is actively doing something which says "Hey customers, if you don't want to upgrade, or you simply don't have the money to update from a PSP, then don't worry. We're not going to pull a massive dick move which forces you to upgrade if you want to play with your friends. We're actively gonna support your old console!"

What has become of console developers nowadays?

 

[Andronicus]

What is this now? A company that is actively doing something which says "Hey customers, if you don't want to upgrade, or you simply don't have the money to update from a PSP, then don't worry. We're not going to pull a massive dick move which forces you to upgrade if you want to play with your friends. We're actively gonna support your old console!"

What has become of console developers nowadays?

The PSP was a bust, and they're in the ring with the kings of handheld gaming, Nintendo and Apple. Every possible thing they can think of to appeal to a wider audience, they're going to need to pull off, if they want the Vita to stay relevant for an extended period of time, especially at that asking price.

At the moment, I'm pretty much sold on the games alone, but news like this is just icing on the cake.

 

[GeorgW]

This is nice, it's odd that it isn't an obvious thing. It'd be funny to see them compete, the vita should have an obvious advantage.

What is this now? A company that is actively doing something which says "Hey customers, if you don't want to upgrade, or you simply don't have the money to update from a PSP, then don't worry. We're not going to pull a massive dick move which forces you to upgrade if you want to play with your friends. We're actively gonna support your old console!"

What has become of console developers nowadays?

This was a great point, it's a shame how people nowadays have no respect for the old ways.

 

[Korten12]

What is this now? A company that is actively doing something which says "Hey customers, if you don't want to upgrade, or you simply don't have the money to update from a PSP, then don't worry. We're not going to pull a massive dick move which forces you to upgrade if you want to play with your friends. We're actively gonna support your old console!"

What has become of console developers nowadays?

The PSP was a bust, and they're in the ring with the kings of handheld gaming, Nintendo and Apple. Every possible thing they can think of to appeal to a wider audience, they're going to need to pull off, if they want the Vita to stay relevant for an extended period of time, especially at that asking price.

At the moment, I'm pretty much sold on the games alone, but news like this is just icing on the cake.

the psp has sold 71.4 million, it's hard to call that a bust.

 

[Jodah]

So...ummm...yeah. Sony, could you do me a tiny favor. Its not much and I doubt you will be in pain from it.

Spoiler

 

[Andronicus]

snip

the psp has sold 71.4 million, it's hard to call that a bust.

moar snip

If it was a bust, why would they bother supporting it to begin with?

Sorry, I should have explained that better. I meant a bust relative to the success that DS sales experienced. Compared to the DS's 146 mil, 71.4 is positively measly, and that doesn't even take into account the combined sales of handheld games across Apple's appstore and Android. On top of that, I can't imagine Sony considering anything less than dominance over the handheld market as successful, but I guess that is just speculation on my part.

Yes, 71.4mil units is nothing to be sneezed at, but there's no denying that Sony is currently the underdog in the handheld market, and I'm willing to assume that they're not going to be simply satisfied with retaining that status; they want the Vita to be top dog.

 

[GeorgW]

This is nice, it's odd that it isn't an obvious thing. It'd be funny to see them compete, the vita should have an obvious advantage.

What is this now? A company that is actively doing something which says "Hey customers, if you don't want to upgrade, or you simply don't have the money to update from a PSP, then don't worry. We're not going to pull a massive dick move which forces you to upgrade if you want to play with your friends. We're actively gonna support your old console!"

What has become of console developers nowadays?

This was a great point, it's a shame how people nowadays have no respect for the old ways.

What old ways? When have consoles ever had cross-platform play with the predecessor consoles?

What is this now? A company that is actively doing something which says "Hey customers, if you don't want to upgrade, or you simply don't have the money to update from a PSP, then don't worry. We're not going to pull a massive dick move which forces you to upgrade if you want to play with your friends. We're actively gonna support your old console!"

What has become of console developers nowadays?

The PSP was a bust, and they're in the ring with the kings of handheld gaming, Nintendo and Apple. Every possible thing they can think of to appeal to a wider audience, they're going to need to pull off, if they want the Vita to stay relevant for an extended period of time, especially at that asking price.

If it was a bust, why would they bother supporting it to begin with?

It was a joke. I was saying that console manufacturers rarely do anything to support their failed and obsolete consoles, and that Sony isn't keeping true to the old ways.