9 reasons the Vita TV is Sony’s best idea in years
If you’ve been reading this blog for a while, you know I complain a lot about Sony. So in the rare occasion that they do stuff right, I feel I have to celebrate the event as much as I can. Today Sony unveiled the Vita TV (you can check the video below), a tiny TV Box that supports Vita/PSP games, a bunch of streaming services, and PS4 connectivity.
And I think it might be Sony’s best business ideas in years. Here’s 9 reasons why:
1. It makes total sense for Sony’s business
I’ve complained many times about how Sony failed at leveraging their ecosystem. They are one of the only companies in the world that own the content (Sony pictures for movies, Sony music for …music), the distribution system (the Playstation Store), and the hardware to distribute the content (PS3, PSP, PS Vita, PS4, tablets… hundreds of millions of users in the world). Given a similar situation, companies like Apple or Amazon would have already taken over the world. Yet Sony has consistently failed to gather momentum on that (who buys music or movies from the PSN? Don’t be afraid to raise your hand, we know you exist).
With the Vita TV, users might finally be welcoming a device where purchasing Sony content makes sense and is not too difficult. Sony are finally leveraging their content and distribution system with a device that is directly targeting “TV consumption”.
2. It helps the Vita when the Vita needs it
Let’s face it, the Vita hasn’t been selling so great, and I’m pretty sure game developers are seeing this too. Adding a new way of consuming Vita games for customers is exploring a new target and could help boosting the Vita game sales, bringing back developers interest. heck, it could actually help the Playstation Mobile program as well, bringing new ideas to hobbyist developers, who knows!
3. It bridges a gap in the Sony hardware
I love to watch Netflix on my ps3, but I would never think of having my PS3 on constantly: it is too noisy, generates too much heat, uses too much power. and my Vita is great, but it does not connect to my TV. The vita TV, if engineered properly, is a device that might stay on all the time and connected to my TV. It has a sleek design, seems tiny enough that you won’t have a problem putting it somewhere near your TV, even if the area’s crowed with 3 consoles and an old DVD player. And I won’t have to wait 2 minutes for my PS3 to boot before I can enjoy he content from Sony. This puts Sony one step closer to being the first thing you’ll think of using when it comes to purchasing digital content on your TV.
4. It will be available on time for the TV Box war
I’ve criticized Sony in the past for being late on understanding many signals in the industry, such as when they missed the “casual gaming” revolution that was brought by Apple’s Appstore.
This time, less than 2 years after the Vita launch, and when everybody’s still in the race to be the “one” TV box that everyone wants, releasing this product in 2013 is extremely relevant. Sure, the Apple TV and Roku are already here, and if you’ve been following me for a while you already know I’m in love with my Android miniTV, but none of these is the definite winner of the battle yet, so a new device this year is perfectly relevant, this is a war Sony could actually win.
5. It brings bad news to new competitors for the “cheap console of the year” battle
Despite what the naysayers tell you, the OUYA has captured lots of attention, and is gathering a growing audience. One of the major selling points of the OUYA is its low price, and with the Vita TV, Sony brings a huge library of games that everybody knows and likes, AAA titles, for the same price as the OUYA. When faced with the choice, at the same price tag, people will think about it twice before getting an “alternate” device.
6. It’s a TV box that brings something more to the table
at $100, the Vita TV will be competing directly with other TV devices such as the Roku or the Apple TV. Although these boxes all have their pros and cons, Sony brings support for video games in addition to roughly the same services as the other boxes, so it might be an instant choice for many people. This is not “yet another box”, it is “yet another box + 1300 ‘icing on the cake’ games”
7. It adds one more nail in Microsoft’s coffin for the control of the living room
The price tag of the vita TV was carefully chosen at about $100 so that for the price of an XBox One, you can get a PS4 and the Vita TV. One can easily imagine a bundle where both would be included, directly competing with the Xbox one, at the same price but with arguably a better offer. The PS4 in itself is already offering pretty much everything that the XBox one has to offer, but if you need to be convinced with a “TV TV TV” offer, the vita TV might be exactly that, providing Sony gives it the right support in the long run.
8. It makes perfect sense if you’re already in the Sony ecosystem
Sony are used to coming up with new proprietary hardware every time they design a new product. If you owned a PSP, half a dozen 32GB memory sticks, and realized (like me) you’d have to buy a new format of memory cards for the Vita, you probably know what I’m talking about. Here, the vitatv will make sense if you already own a vita (same game cartridges), or a PSN account (you’ll be able to play your PSN games on it), or a PS3 (you’ll be able to use your Dualshock on it). Basically, if you already own any Sony product at this point, there’s good incentive for you to get the vita tv instead of any other tv box.
9. It has lots of hidden potential
I’m also seeing a few things that I like in the promotional video that Sony released. The PS4 connectivity is of course a nice to have for people who have several TVs, but I am also seeing 2 players mode in the video (which was not guaranteed given that the Vita is, by definition, 1 player only), and this could make a huge difference for people considering this versus, for example, a OUYA.
Conclusion
The Vita TV bridges a gap in Sony’s content ecosystem, adds interesting connectivity with their existing hardware, and manages to bring trouble to most of their competitors thanks to a great price tag and set of functionality. It almost looks like the Vita TV is the final piece of some gigantic puzzle, as if Sony had been planning this for years (hu, could this be why the Vita doesn’t have TV output, when the PSP did?)…
This could be Sony’s greatest business decision in years to appeal to non gamers. But they also have many ways to turn this into a disaster: lack of support or updates (such as what happened to the PSP phone… the PS4 connectivity for example could be a fake promise), failure to implement things that will become the norm in a few months (the Chromecast DIAL protocol comes to mind), incompatibility with the most popular services (Netflix?), or simply forgetting to sell the device outside Japan for obscure reasons…
We’ll see, but I must admit I haven’t been that excited by Sony in years. The PS4, and now the Vita TV, are on my list for Santa this year.
2 player mode in video was from some random PS1/PSP game (with 4:3 ration, so its most likely PS1). Vita can emulate those games easily, and metric ton of those old games have 2 player modes.
If I remember correctly, that game they were playing is either Bombastic for PS2 (which is probably unlikely as PS2 games aren’t put on psn very often) or Devil Dice for PS1 (Much more likely). The more you know *cue rainbow effect*
…Can’t we just have a $15 video-out cable for the Vita? T_T
Yes, this please. :/
Exactly… This makes absolutely no sense to me. Why not just make it so the vita could connect to your TV and you could watch Netflix and play your vita games anywhere you go. This is just as inconvenient at lugging around a ps3 but I would rather bring my ps3 BC of the better games.
Preach
I doubt that its possible to just release a cable for the Vita that allows TV-out. It would probably require a hardware revision, and then you have to buy a new Vita. Now, Sony did do a Vita hardware revision, but that was made to cut costs. Adding TV-out would probably add to the cost, and it might also hurt the sales potential of Vita TV. I fully agree that it would be more convenient with a TV-out function on a Vita compared to using a Vita TV, but at least it makes some sense business wise.
You must not be very smart. You realize that the Vita has an accessory port, don’t you? That accessory port has nothing that attaches to it right now. Take a Vita and look at the top where the Game cart door is, now look to the right of that (directly in the middle of the top) and there is another door. That is the accessory port.
Sony made a TV out cable for the PSPs… Why would they suddenly drop the idea when the Vita came out?
Once this comes out, Sony probably will release a TV out cable for the handheld Vita.
Yes, i’m fully aware of the accessory port on the Vita. No need to act like a smartass, it just makes your post look dumb, no offence, but its no need to come with insults. Please show me that it is technically possible to allow for video out through this port.
The PSVita Slim doesn’t have accesory port. Check Mate.
Some people just don’t care about the portable device itself, but still wanna play those Vita / PSP / PS1 games for cheap. This is for them. And it WILL benefit regular Vita users as well, since developers will certainly be more interested on creating Vita games now.
And no, it’s not nearly as inconvenient as lugging around a PS3. This could easily fit on your pocket.
Just wait for PS VITA Slim with integrated TV-OUT/etc. new functions like the PSP back then.
This actually sounds great, I’d like to play some vita games, however, I cannot justify buying yet another mobile gadget, but this sounds sweet, even better if could use my dualshocks. If it has decent media player capabilities it would be absolute killer.
This looks great , hope I find a job soon and have money to buy this :))) thanks for the info wololo 🙂
I think this is awesome. Especially if you can adhoc play with someone using the PsVita Tv, where one is using the Tv and one is using the PsVita. Or if you can sync with the PsVita TV to use PsVita as a controller but use the TV for a bigger screen and better immersion. Unlike “kuagelo” and “gmfeny” up there I think the Video out cord would drive me nuts and the port is too sensitive to justify that(which is why the mod that actually allows you to video out is micro usb (a more stable port)), in my eyes. But that might just be me. Ive gotten too used to cordlessness (360, Ps3, remote controls, netflix streaming to cordless devices..ect) So I would rather the option of connecting the PsVita to the PsVita Tv via wireless means and control the interface using the PsVita in my hands, over using a dual shock for the touch control and OLED screen.
That would be awesome!
Can I pre-order one somewhere, maybe play-asia? I’m from Europe.
Or is it region locked?
Thanx 🙂
This is an amazing price point! I hope it succeeds, though I wouldn’t be surprised if this ends up being one of those items that doesn’t make it out of Japan.
It seems like it could be a good alternative to cheaper or prior gen consoles, though of course this will depend on its support for enough Vita and PSP games. (the entire library would be best, so hopefully we’ll at least get the entire *digital* library) I’d like it more with a UMD reader or UMD reader add-on, though.
But, really, as someone with a lot of Sony stuff that price point will be hard to resist.
One other hope, though this might be in vain: I’d really like it to treat accounts the way a PS3 does, rather than making it a pain to run multiple accounts like the Vita. There are a large number of Japan exclusive games that I’d be far more likely to play on a TV, as that is an environment more conducive to using translation guides and FAQs. (I can do the same with a Vita/PSP, but of course that isn’t as simple if I’m out of the house or traveling, unless I have already memorized the menus and really don’t mind missing plot elements/dialogue)
sony i hate you for this …
why dont you give us the ability to connect the ps vita to a tv and the use of an ps3 controller ;(
maby a cheaper vita tv box which allows me to connect my vita to my tv but that…
If i hadnt bought the vita yet…
this is great news im really liking this bu i do agree a simple vita tv cable would be nice as well
well, on the plus side this wouldn’t require you to update for Video out compatibility and probably lose any Vita hacks you might have. And a Vita video out cable would probably be more overpriced than one for a PSP, as the Vita connections are proprietary.
I thought i saw ps4 remote play in there, it looked like the room where they where watching the movie had the ps4, and the room where the kids went had the vita tv. cool way to play ps4 in multiple rooms without moving the system.
do i need to buy ps4 to use Vita TV
No, you do not.
Actually I think its a terrible thing for the Vita.
Vita game sales will be assisted, but the Vita handheld will have its sales cannibalized by a half-price home device.
Additionally, while DS3 controller has an accelerometer, it has no touch sensitivity. This means that games that use front and rear touch would be less likely to be developed, as the VitaTV market cannot play them.
And on your #7 point about a bundle, there was news a few months back about an upcoming PS4 + Vita bundle for $500.
I’m willing to bet that that “Vita” is actually a VitaTV, as you suggest.
This would likely devastate handheld Vita sales even further, as anyone interested in Vita games can just get one for sit next to their PS4 for cheap.
Its a good idea, and could save the Vita games, but not the system. Handheld users may find support for touch screen, ad-hoc, and other mobile features rapidly disappear from future titles.
If this succeeds, this will ensure more actual PsVita games. The back touch would just be Pvita exclusive. I see no down side to this as long as PsVita ends up being able to do all that the PsVitaTv does AND Sony actually starts promoting the PsVita as well. Look at it this way, for one they have no plans of abandoning the PsVita since a new lightwieght, longer battery life PsVita was announced in the same conference; Developers will be more likely to develop for both PsVita and PsVitaTv if the PsVitaTv is a hit (aka more installbase); PsVita is doing alot better in Japan; PsVitaTv is a home based console, making it more appealing to many gamers that dont like handhelds. Because the handheld market is dominated by Nintendo and smartphones anyway and will never change. This could could be Sony’s attempt to make PsVita more relevent. I welcome it.
I have to disagree. If the Vita slim is sold at 150€ how most people think, then this makes perfect sense. People who like Vita games but don’t like portable consoles will get the $100 Vita TV, people who prefer all the vita has to offer will get the $150 slim Vita. And people who prefer OLED screen will get the $200 fat Vita. Or do you think the 3DS XL and 2DS will affect sales of the normal 3DS?
Why do you care how many handheld vitas will sell? You get a share or something?
And touch screen, while useful for general use in games it is just a gimmick and it rarely enhances play. Started playing Uncharted today and many a time I have missed a melee kill opportunity because I was to slow moving my hand from normal buttons to a touch screen.
Gimmicks generally do not sell well in game consoles world (Wii was special in that regard). Playstation Eye, Kinect, Playstation Move, heck, even Nintendo is releasing 3D-less 3DS.
All in all I am looking forward to Vita TV as it may give a great boost to VITA userbase and fun device for its users.
Yeah, you got what I was saying. I dont know why ppl care about sales. In the end, the more versions of PsVita, the better the install base is. If the install base gets better, the AAA titles will come. More developers will WANT to develop for it. Who care if ppl are playing on a PsVita fat? Who cares if ppl are playing PsVita on PsVita Tv? Who cares if ppl are playing PsVita on a PsVita slim? As long as ppl are playing PsVita, we ALL reap the benefits. I dont know about anyone else but I cant stand the stupid touch controls. If this stops me from having to do touch motions that could have easily been mapped to a button, so be it. Touch features are almost ALWAYS horrible. The only time I seen them useful is how they were used in Metal Gear Solid HD Collection. Other than that, I dont wanna have to ever have to do a swiping QTE
Plus if it gets bigger and better money wise, more people will want to hack it, which is better for us in the long run!
the 2DS is a way to get children into the nintendo world at an earlier age, as the games for it are supposed to be simplified.
The 2DS runs the same games as the 3DS and the DS. The games are not simplified. It seems to be aimed at younger kids in that it is supposedly harder waring (lots of problems with broken hinges on the clamshell design) and it is more affordable.
Actually, you know what I see happening?
Sony will release a dock for the Vita with HDMI out. Dock will ship with a DS controller.
Instant Vita TV.
Be complete in your words your confusing readers with DS controller as Nintendo DS controller… but what you actually mean is Dual Shock right?
lol, I thought Nintendo DS to start with too 😛
I don’t get it. Now people are going to buy this instead of a Vita. If you can play Vita games without a Vita, who is gonna buy a vita?
The same person who wants quality handheld games like myself.
Playing on a big screen with a dual shock is cool, but in the end, this should already have been compatible with the first gen Vita without this extra device that looks(is the same?) like an Apple Tv hardware. Charging us, the consumer more.
I personally just learned about Crackle, a service not unlike Netflix that is supported/funded by $ony and it’s free. Where’s this app for the Vita? They announced this happening long ago, granite that it’s ad supported but….they really need to get all their hardware on the same level with the same support.
Um….most ppl that buy a PsVita get one so they can game when they are out and about lol
Now we can say, war is over and there is only one single champion, SONY! What a magestic movement, this was the final piece to make me buy both ps4 and vitatv, along with ps vita this is gonna be epic. Omg
Bottom line for me and many others, lets hope this catches on so our Vitas can have tons of games(from free/99c to AA price range) more on the lines of cell phone gaming(IOS?)
The premium price for a cellphone/mp3 player game on the Vita is outrageous when compared. There’s a total disconnection.
…WHOA! (butterflys in stomach) thx god I thought I was gonna have to sell my Vita at a yard sale for 20$ to a 6yr old…
I wonder what VHBL or eCFW will be like on this…
Did anyone see the PS vita 2000
For me, this is an easy no.XBMC is THE media center, no others compare. So why in the heck would I get a device that doesn’t support XBMC? Add that to the fact that the VitaTV is the only device like it that doesn’t support XBMC, and I am out. Any other TV box, be it apple, android, or arm/mimps/whatever box running linux can do XBMC.
Yes they have games. Games don’t matter in a TV box for me. Well, at least not much. I have my vita if I want to play vita/psp games. I would like to be able to play some emulated games on a TV box, for some SMB when family comes over, but that is about it. Other then that, media. Which this can’t do as well as any others due to them using their own OS.
VITA TV is a cool device but they are also bringing new VITA model and 64 GB memory cards.
64gb will be expensive but its worth when you have many games to download,New psv sucks with the LCD screen,1gb great but why the LDC screen? it wont sell that good trust me only if they say “new ps vita suport more quality games” then will be great but still no woth it.
If if gets a bigger base of users and makes developers produce decent games, I’m all for it. But I’m very glad I’ve got my shiny OLed screen XD
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=abRveeP_PzM
another 10000 pennies spent…
Nice!
They could have left the Vita out of the name maybe, just Playstation TV.
‘Playstation TV’ already exists and naming it as such would not only be confusing, but would not imply it’s part of Vita’s ecosystem.
@EJ: It’s a good thing, they call it “vita” because, so everyone knows, that you can play Vita games on it (and also PSOne and PSP, if you are enough into it, strangely enough, most people react surprised when I tell them, you can play PSOne and PSP games on the Vita too).
That’s less confusing. I suppose from what I saw, It’s actualy a real vita without a screen or input, but an HDMI-out and a DS controller instead.
Hmmm… $ONY (pun intended) is infamous for sc*** over their European user base (or should i say their world userbase) or have the board of directors finally woken up after they got h4x0red!? Have they finally figured out that a huge amount of small transactions is a huge pile of ca$h at the end of the day? I’m with wololo on this could be the best thing Sony ever did. I would still buy it even if it only enabled PS4 play on a different TV, saves me buying another PS4 for my kid. Also Sony why the f make ur memcards so effin expensive!? The more *** u can store the more it will make u buy! And I didn’t even go to Harvard to figure that one out ~_^
Another Fail for Phoney .. oops Sony
and the ps vita-2000 is here, as expected -_-
Just wait for the PS VITA SLIM like the PSP back then with TV-OUT/ new functionality.
with the release of this, it is highly unlikely the vita will have any type of tv out
its pretty cool, and should have been released a while ago, but i dont feel is that great because psp games can be played on pc already with ppsspp or on tv with psp video out, there are currently no vita games that are not on ps3 that i would like to play on my tv, and i have like a dozen other gadgets where i can watch netflix, so its ok….i guess.
This is a win win situation for $ony and vita owners. It may spark more hardcore game development and ios/android type games for vita tv. There is nothing wrong in increasing the game count for the vita, it needs all the help it can get.
As for a media center, xbmc is the best, i would love to see a day that xbmc would be ported to the vita tv, that would be awesome.
for the people that dislike this and think the vita should have this ability already with an accessory port upgrade and bluetooth support i agree with.
the vita tv is still a great alternative. i am glad it includes a usb port, i would love to use my arcade stick and play my fighting games.
i also hope there will be a vhbl or tn-v exploit for this, it may bring more features to the vita and vita tv and may gain interest by developers. its all about choice and as a customer thats what sony is giving us. i want one…..
this Vita TV will make the Touchscreen Useless
And I’m guessing any game that uses the touch screens wont work on it so there is a very limited list of games that will work on it.
It should be called the PS2 TV as thats going to be more compatible with PS2 games than Vita games.
Question, when is it useful? If your hands are remotely wet or sweaty the touch screen wigs out and and you have to shut the system off and back on to regain touch functionality. The way developers have implemented touch in there gameplay just comes off as annoying or completely unneeded (~cough~ Uncharted’s and Killzone’s pointless sliding QTEs). And thats just referring to the front touch screen. The back touchscreen is an annoyance, on games that have buttons associated to it, annoyingly frustrating or pointless on games that require you to swipe it or use it for precise touching (Escape Plan) because the back touch screen isnt the same size as the front screen. Weirdest design choice ever. The ONLY good thing I can say about either of the touch screens is I like using my fingers to select options and I completely love using the back touch screen to scroll while using the browser (if only the browser was quicker) I actually wish the Twitter and Youtube apps allowed scrolling with the back touch screen tbh.
I don’t understand why the poster is so excited about this.
Seems alot simpler to just add an HDMI cord to the Vita.
Just another ridiculous way for sony to straight out rip people off. Glad I don’t actually pay for any of their games
“Glad I don’t actually pay for any of their games”
And that’s why you don’t know ***, I hated the PSP 2000 TV out because wiring a TV out cable 5-6m across your lounge room is just ridiculous and dangerous.
Agreed. Unless the vita starts getting dualshock support too, a cable is not convenient at all. Tried on the psp3000 and hated the experience.
So, that’s really your excuse wololo? “Boo Hoo, I don’t want a cable to trip on it and die in an accident… it’s so inconvenient”
Lame. Try harder next time.
Where were you before the wireless era?
Lol.
I actually tried to use the psp connected to the TV, and I’m telling you, it’s not convenient. It’s even more dangerous here when your controller is the stuff that is directly connected to your TV, there is actual risk of damaging either the TV ports or the console in a very exciting game. Your controllers on the NES were not directly plugged into the TV, but into the NES. You could therefore damage either the controller, or (worst case scenario) the console. Here, you either damage the console, or your TV. This is much more expensive.
Also, an probably more importantly, I moved away from wired controllers 8 years ago. Good for you if you still like those, but I don’t. My Sofa is very far from my TV, because guess what, my TV is about 20 times bigger than the one I had the last time I had to use wired controllers.
Finally, the vitatv will support 2 controllers, which a “regular vita” would not do.
Don’t get me wrong, a TV out port on the old Vita is something I was expecting, and I don’t know why they don’t do it. But it’s not the same discussion
I’ve always been excited by Sony’s products, and got disappointed afterwards by their poor execution. This hasn’t changed, and I call that off at the end of the article: there are many ways they can fail with this. I still believe the idea is great.
I did say I would not buy anything from them again, and changed my mind on that, basically to keep the blog active I have to follow up on their products, so that was the main reason to keep buying their products. So on that, I clearly lied to myself. I can still sleep at night though: when they sued geohot was when I was looking for a life insurance. Their offer was the best but I went with the second best. They lost a lifetime $40’000 contract with my family, so that’s it for that.
Your comment about the ads is irrelevant, ads have been here forever on this site, and they are (obviously) not paid by Sony.
That being said, some things have changed on this site: we have guest bloggers, and they blog about what they want. I started getting guest bloggers when it became obvious to me I didn’t have enough time anymore to cover everything I wanted to cover. One side effect of that is that some of our bloggers prefer to blog about gaming related news, rather than hacks. This brings a bias to more “gaming” and less “hacking” oriented news these days. That, and the fact that new consoles are much harder to hack, so of course I’m not gonna blog about Vita homebrew, for example…
So you don’t need a Ps Vita to use the Vita TV, right?
A feature that will make me buy it is the ability to connect the Vita to the TV. I dont want to play my Vita games on it I want to stream the Vita to the TV so I can see the Vita on the big screen just like the Apple TV does to the iPad.
They say this device is in direct competition to the ATV so why is it missing one great feature of the ATV? Thats why I got a ATV is because it could stream from my iPad to the TV. That will be the reason I buy a Vita TV. If it cant stream then its useless to me and I will save my money.
I agree. Although being able to insert the Ps Vita game/memory card is a good idea, a better one would me to stream the vita to the tv. Since many of us have put VHBL or Ark on our Vitas it would be better if we can view and play games that are not available to download from the PSN store on a bigger screen.
If you add the cost of dualshock controller and 8gb memory card to that Vita TV it will you cost around 150 bucks. I’d rather buy a PS3 12gb ($199) version with a great lineup of games
Then you just bought yourself a PS3 that has barely any space for games and will eventually lead you to upgrade it, meaning more costs.
See where this is going?
or just buy an xbox and stop whacking it to japaname
Hey this is a playstation website where every member is assumed to at least own one playstation device, mentioning any device other than playstation is a sin worse recommending to buy one lol. Besides Xbox is dying, no one wants a dying console
You can buy a 250gb internal HDD for PS3 at around $50. Now go buy yourself a measly 32gb proprietary memory card for your Vita at around $79.99
See where this is going?
sony is releasing PSVita TV and PSVita 2000…can anyone tell me what is the use of the accessory port of the PSVita 1000..
Just like what the name implies, it is just an accessory lol
This is good news for the Vita scene!! Hopefully more worthy PSVita game titles released a few years after PSVita TV launches! 🙂 Whooo I might get me a PSVita Slim for the new games and PSVita TV 😛 But damn it I have to save up and stop spending so much.. Ugh lol.
In the meantime, this looks like a nice cheap way for the software hackers to advance their work 🙂
Lol at the idiots who bought a PS Vita to run *** VHBL stuff.
According to video,
2 players mode wasn’t for PS VITA game.
That game, Sonic, seems to be PS1 Port.