PlayStation Vita (PS Vita) Open to Hands-On Demos at 3,300 US GameStop Locations

[btarunr]

PlayStation Vita (PS Vita) hits shelves this month and GameStop (NYSE: GME) is giving consumers a first glimpse at the highly anticipated new handheld system. More than 3,300 U.S. GameStop stores now have playable demo units that provide a first-hand look at PS Vita's exciting new technology. In addition to the five-inch OLED multi-touch screen, front and rear touch pads, dual analog sticks, dual cameras and six-axis motion sensing system, players can experience a variety of games, including:

• UNCHARTED: Golden Abyss
• Little Deviants
• Hot Shots Golf: World Invitational
• EA SPORTS FIFA Soccer
• ModNation Racers: Road Trip
• Virtua Tennis 4: World Tour Edition
• Escape Plan
• WipEout 2048

"We are excited to be the first retailer where consumers can experience the PS Vita," stated Bob Puzon, vice president of merchandising at GameStop. "We are impressed with how the quad-core technology brings gaming to life and are confident consumers will be, too."

To help consumers trade up to the PS Vita, GameStop is offering an extra $25 on the trade-in of a Nintendo DS, Nintendo 3DS or Sony PSP system toward the purchase of the new system. To learn more about the trade up offer or to find a GameStop store with a playable PS Vita demo unit, visit www.GameStop.com/PSVitaDemos.

The PS Vita launches in the U.S. on Feb. 22, 2012, but eager gamers can get their hands on it a week early by pre-ordering the First Edition Bundle. The bundle, available on Feb. 15, includes:

• PS Vita 3G/Wi-Fi system
• PS Vita case
• Little Deviants game
• 4GB memory card
• AT&T DataConnect Pass good for one free 250MB data session ($14.99 value) upon purchase of one 250 MB data session
• PlayStation Network game voucher provided upon 3G activation on the AT&T mobile broadband network.

The bundle is valued at $435 and will sell for $349.99 - an $85 bonus value.

On Feb. 22, three additional PS Vita options will be available: a Wi-Fi model for $249.99, a 3G/Wi-Fi model for $299.99 and a limited edition PS Vita Launch Bundle that will include:

• PS Vita 3G/Wi-Fi system
• 8GB memory card
• AT&T DataConnect Pass good for one free 250MB data session ($14.99 value) upon purchase of one 250MB data session
• PlayStation Network game voucher provided upon 3G activation for $299.

This bundle is part of a promotional offer and availability is limited.

View at TechPowerUp Main Site

 

[claylomax]

What happened today? 9:00 in the morning till the first story?

 

[NC37]

Go get em early adopters. I'll follow in a year when prices drop, bundle packages flourish, and Sony's dreaded first gens are in repair centers all over the world. Yay!

 

[Shaitan]

Best Buy had a demo of the Vita over a week ago! I played it myself. Was pretty cool I must say. Going to get one on the 15th with Uncharted.

 

[Easy Rhino]

If it plays 1080p mkv files with hdmi out then I will get one.

 

[brandonwh64]

How does this compare to the PSP?

 

[JrRacinFan]

How does this compare to the PSP?

Think of it as a PS3 handheld.

 

[Deleted member 24505]

I'm gonna pawn my granny to get one And that is pawn and not pwn.

 

[Shaitan]

If it plays 1080p mkv files with hdmi out then I will get one.

It does not have HDMI out as far as I know.

 

[[H]@RD5TUFF]

When I played with it at CES I was not impressed at all, $ony needs to give up on the portable market all together.

 

[Easy Rhino]

It does not have HDMI out as far as I know.

then guess i will pass

 

[[H]@RD5TUFF]

then guess i will pass

smart move

 

[Easy Rhino]

smart move

plus im tired of sony's BS. one year into owning the vita they will probably disable half the features worth using because of hackers. anyone who buys this handheld needs to think again.

 

[[H]@RD5TUFF]

plus im tired of sony's BS. one year into owning the vita they will probably disable half the features worth using because of hackers. anyone who buys this handheld needs to think again.

Well at CES the guys at the $ony booth were touting all the new "security" features, and claiming it as "unhackable" which is little more than an open invitation to hardware and software hackers. SO you are likely right on that account. I personally refuse to use anything made by $ony out of principal because of things they have done to their customers.:shadedshu

 

[Easy Rhino]

Well at CES the guys at the $ony booth were touting all the new "security" features, and claiming it as "unhackable" which is little more than an open invitation to hardware and software hackers. SO you are likely right on that account. I personally refuse to use any made by $ony out of principal because of things they have done to their customers.:shadedshu

yup, i completely agree.

 

[nonkX3]

...But, will it run crysis??

 

[Bjorn_Of_Iceland]

You cant even watch youtube on it since it doesnt have flash player. Browser sucks as well from what Ive heard. Pretty useless imo. Id rather score a smart phone. If I want to game, Id play with my PC. If I want to play while waiting in line, Id whip out my android phone and play fruit ninja or something. I just dont see the appeal of dedicated handhelds for gaming anymore

 

[[H]@RD5TUFF]

You cant even watch youtube on it since it doesnt have flash player. Browser sucks as well from what Ive heard. Pretty useless imo. Id rather score a smart phone. If I want to game, Id play with my PC. If I want to play while waiting in line, Id whip out my android phone and play fruit ninja or something. I just dont see the appeal of dedicated handhelds for gaming anymore

While I can see the appeal of a dedicated hand held gaming device, I just can't see any value in this one as it seems to be missing soo many features.

 

[Steevo]

I have 4G, Wifi, bluetooth, multitouch, a large screen, hours of battery life,1Gb RAM, dual core CPU and a real GPU, 16GB of built in mem, plus a new 32GB memory card to replace my 16GB in currently, it plays almost anything, has HDMI out, ICS will allow for USB device hosting improvements like game controllers, emulators, flash, wifi file transfer, internet connection sharing, gorilla glass that has only sustained a couple minor scratches.


The smartphone is replacing the PSP/Gameboy as the player of choice, and its only getting better with games like GTA III available and more to come.

Sony fail.

 

[Deleted member 24505]

I have 4G, Wifi, bluetooth, multitouch, a large screen, hours of battery life,1Gb RAM, dual core CPU and a real GPU, 16GB of built in mem, plus a new 32GB memory card to replace my 16GB in currently, it plays almost anything, has HDMI out, ICS will allow for USB device hosting improvements like game controllers, emulators, flash, wifi file transfer, internet connection sharing, gorilla glass that has only sustained a couple minor scratches.


The smartphone is replacing the PSP/Gameboy as the player of choice, and its only getting better with games like GTA III available and more to come.

Sony fail.

I agree, I have played some good games on my phone, which has all things you pointed out on it, apart from mine has 768mb ram.

 

[Bjorn_Of_Iceland]

well sony also made Xperia Play, which imo was pretty good. Wonder why they didnt do an Xperia Play 2. Imo, xperia play has more value for the money vs ps vita.

 

[scoutingwraith]

I have 4G, Wifi, bluetooth, multitouch, a large screen, hours of battery life,1Gb RAM, dual core CPU and a real GPU, 16GB of built in mem, plus a new 32GB memory card to replace my 16GB in currently, it plays almost anything, has HDMI out, ICS will allow for USB device hosting improvements like game controllers, emulators, flash, wifi file transfer, internet connection sharing, gorilla glass that has only sustained a couple minor scratches.


The smartphone is replacing the PSP/Gameboy as the player of choice, and its only getting better with games like GTA III available and more to come.

Sony fail.

The games are certainly there for the mobile phone market however they are still (at least for me) not on par like some PSP, DS, 3DS games.