No UMD Transfer for the Vita

The Wooster

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Jul 15, 2008
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No UMD Transfer for the Vita


If you're hoping to transfer your collection of UMD-based PSP games to your shiny, new PlayStation Vita, then you're fresh out of luck.

According to Kotaku, Sony has confirmed that there will not be a North American equivalent of the UMD Passport program that launched alongside the Vita in Japan.

The Passport system allows Japanese users to register their PSP games and attach them to their PSN (Now SEN) accounts. They can then use their Vitas to download a digital copy of the game for a fee. That fee varies dramatically, but most full-price games can be downloaded for around $13. To reiterate; that's $13 for a game you already own. It's hardly an ideal solution, but it's better than what North American PSP owners are getting, which is absolutely nothing.

Without a way of transferring UMD games to the system, the Vita's backwards compatibility is effectively crippled. The handheld can still run PSP, Minis and PSOne games purchased through the PS Store, but over half the PSP's library is only available on UMD.

Thus far the Vita has performed poorly in Japan, [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/115242-Slow-Vita-Sales-Dont-Bother-Sony] with sales dropping below 20,000 a week [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/115688-Sony-Still-Thinks-the-Vita-is-Doing-Well]. Sony is presumably hoping those numbers will pick up when the device is released in western territories on February 22nd. I'd argue that this isn't the way to attract that particular audience, especially given the disastrous performance of the digital-only PSP Go. On the other hand, the PS3 has gone on to become a success despite the lack of backwards compatibility in later models.

Source: Kotaku [http://kotaku.com/5883089/sony-you-wont-be-able-to-bring-psp-discs-to-vita]

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Something Amyss

Aswyng and Amyss
Dec 3, 2008
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Yeah, this is just crap. especially when the west is your last, best hope for your console/portable.
 

Worgen

Follower of the Glorious Sun Butt.
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Apr 1, 2009
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Whatever, just wash your hands.
Well there goes any chance of me giving a damn about this system at all.
 

Atmos Duality

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Mar 3, 2010
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Sony...have you EVER NOTICED what Nintendo has done with literally EVERY NEW GENERATION OF THE GAMEBOY? Did you ever stop and wonder why they did that? Even just once?

They're #1 in handhelds for a few big reasons; and this is one of them.
 

Rad Party God

Party like it's 2010!
Feb 23, 2010
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I think it was the right decision to skip this generation's handhelds entirely. I think I'll be seeking greener pastures in cellphones.
 

Redd the Sock

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Apr 14, 2010
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Sigh. I think Sony's trying to make bad decisions at this point. I know they're desperate to move new game software, but neutering the primary benefit of digital distribution isn't the way to go.
 

Eve Charm

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Aug 10, 2011
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Wow ok now I would have actually used the passport program, not for everything of course but to honestly I wouldn't mind paying and getting a discount on a few of the games i would have loved to carry around with me like the personas, final fantasys and few other rpgs. ((buying the damn vita for the p4 remake)) now I doubt i'd buy 1 or 2 if even, and I guess I won't need some big new memory card like 16 or 32gb.

So thanks for not wanting to take my money I guess??? Great business model.
 

vxicepickxv

Slayer of Bothan Spies
Sep 28, 2008
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Sony doesn't want my money either? The potential 100% DRM on Microsoft products makes me not want their hardware either, and I've already got enough Zelda, Mario, and Pokemon to last me forever.

I guess that leaves indie games and gog. This is bad news, for the Desert Bus crew.
 

Harker067

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Sep 21, 2010
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Eve Charm said:
Wow ok now I would have actually used the passport program, not for everything of course but to honestly I wouldn't mind paying and getting a discount on a few of the games i would have loved to carry around with me like the personas, final fantasys and few other rpgs. ((buying the damn vita for the p4 remake)) now I doubt i'd buy 1 or 2 if even, and I guess I won't need some big new memory card like 16 or 32gb.

So thanks for not wanting to take my money I guess??? Great business model.
Hehe yeah the P4 remake is the only thing vita has going for it. Pretty much the only reason i have a psp is for p1-3. Its just not that good a console.

Ok the vita's not selling well we really need to get the american market if we don't want this console to be lumped in with the ngage and dreamcast. I've got it! Lets remove as many selling points as we can! Then they'll be selling like hotcakes!
 

RatRace123

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Dec 1, 2009
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And no sale for me.

Hey Sony, you know how your Vita is sucking in sales, yeah, that may have something to do with it. Obviously it's not the only reason, but at least for me, it's a damn big one.
 

Skunktrain

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Nov 19, 2009
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I think Sony doesn't quite realize that Backward compatibility is a huge system seller for new consoles. After a few years the back catalog doesn't matter nearly so much because all the early adopters have their backward compatible system and newcomers don't often care. The Vita seems to be a series of design and marketing decisions I can't agree with (AT&T partnership, no attempt at backward compatibility in my region, and, most egregiously, the proprietary memory cards). I want to play the P4 remake and give Sony a flying finger; I will settle for one of those.
 

Zen Toombs

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Nov 7, 2011
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Grey Carter said:
If you're hoping to transfer your collection of UMD-based PSP games to your shiny, new PlayStation Vita, then you're fresh out of luck.
That's really nice of them.
 

theultimateend

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Nov 1, 2007
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Man, the only thing that could get me on the PSVita Train now is a FF12 release on it.

Otherwise its sadly bust :( and I want to like it.

How do game companies make me not want something I'm totally for :/...magic I swear to goodness...
 

Ninedeus

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Feb 26, 2010
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Do they really want to make the Vita increasingly unappealing to PSP owners?
No UMD support: check
No improvements in battery: check
Single PSN/SEN account: check
Proprietary Vita Memory cards: check
 

NerfedFalcon

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Mar 23, 2011
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...Wow. I didn't own a PSP, but this is still pretty damn dumb of Sony to do this. Nerfing the Western Vita compared to the Japanese one, when you have to rely on American sales to save your portable hardware division from getting axed...I'll stick to my 3DS and PC.
 

Flight

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Mar 13, 2010
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That's a mistake. I wasn't really planning on buying the Vita to begin with; now I really don't have a reason to. I'll just stick with my PSP.
 

joshuaayt

Vocal SJW
Nov 15, 2009
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"President Sony, the Vita is doing terribly here- The west is our ONLY HOPE!"

"Sorry, I can't hear you over the sound of me screwing with western gamers. Did you say "Screw over western gamers harder?" No problem!"

Well, at least I'm in the clear. Persona 3 Portable FINALLY was released on our PSN. Pisses me off that I'll have to buy it again at full price if my PSP breaks, and I'll be sure to sigh as noisily as possible as I do that, but at least I'll be able to play the thing.
 

Skops

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Mar 9, 2010
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Well, this is at least nice for me. I have a PSPGo, all my games were purchased from PS Store. I'll still hold off for a year before I get one though, the games library is just too small.... And lacks Monster Hunter. Actually it just lacks Monster Hunter. Gimme that and I'll buy one next week.

Also, can we please refrain from calling the Vita a 'failure'? Give the platform some time for christ sakes, the PSP didn't do well at the start either and its at what now? 70+ million?


EDIT: John have you actually written anything positive about the Vita? I've seen 4 Vita articles from you now and all of them are you giving us an update on how 'bad' the Vita is doing. It hasn't even released outside of Japan, yet you've bashed it 4x already. It just got some new features the other day and you've made no mention of them. Why not? It doesn't help the platform anymore by writing bad news after bad news. I'm not accusing you of bias, just saying that there's gotta be more to say about the Vita on the good side.