Sony’s new handheld console, the PlayStation Vita, will be available for a hands-on demo in all stores owned by GAME Group, it has been announced.
In the UK, this will consist of all GAME and Gamestation stores which can be found in most major towns and cities. This totals to over 600 stores.
This announcement is hardly a surprise, as sampling in stores is now commonplace for most new consoles. However, it does mean that any uncertainty as whether or not to buy the product can be dispelled in-store.
The store versions will be preloaded with WipEout 2048, Uncharted: Golden Abyss, ModNation Racers: Road Trip, Reality Fighters, Little Deviants and Everybody’s Golf for potential customers to try out.
There are still many questions hanging over the PS Vita. The Nintendo 3DS have immediately proved itself as a market leader, and the Vita’s innovation may take itself in the opposite direction. Sony want to bridge the gap between tablets and gaming it would seem. Despite the love for all things Apple, gaming on the slightly-bitten systems is not the same. There is nothing like holding a controller, and feeling in complete control of the game. That point though is what, for me anyway, was the downfall of the PSP. It just didn’t feel the same, as one hand always felt like it wasn’t being used as it should be. The Vita though has two analog sticks. Therefore, the only difference to the PS3 controller is the L2/R2 bumpers (which for sure I’ll moan about sometime soon). On the up side, it looks beautiful, and the launch titles are far better this time round compared to the PSP launch. F1 2011 and FIFA are just two titles you can pick up on February 22nd.
There’s a massive difference though, it has to be said, between the anticipation for the PSP, and for the Vita. We now know what to expect, and not to get our hopes up also. Fingers crossed that this finally cracks the portable gaming system in the next-gen era, otherwise we may have to resort to Pokemon on the Game Boy Colour!!
The PlayStation Vita hits stores in the UK on February 22nd. The RRP will be £229 for the Wifi only version, and £279 with additional 3G coverage.
