“I just got back from the Vita event in Osaka,” writes a poster on NeoGAF, “and they gave us this little catalog with the launch line up of games and accessories. There also a FAQ section at the end, and that’s where I found this bad news.”
Here’s the apparent text from the FAQ, ad verbatim:
Q: PSNアカウントは、PSVita本体１つに対して何個まで設定できますか？
A: １つです。別のPSNアカウントで使用したい場合は、本体の初期化を行ってください。
The current translation appears to say that the machine only supports a single PSN account. Worse still? “If you want to to use a different account, you need to format the system to factory settings.”
This also, natually, affects anyone that would normally make use of multiple PSN Stores across multiple regions, such as downloading games from the US Store and then running them on a European account. And because we’re importing the console from Japan, this would mean that when the UK launch happens we’ll face a tricky decision.
So, whilst cart-based games will work across regions (and accounts) anything with an Online Pass won’t, and it’s probably save to assume DLC won’t either. Basically, if you have just the one account on your PS3 you probably won’t mind – the rest of us might have a few issues…
Chalk this up as a rumour just now – albeit a fairly sound one – and we’ll know for sure in just two weeks.
Source: NeoGAF.
teflon
*Sigh*
One day they’ll stop punishing legitimate customers constantly.
The sadomasochistic side of me is dreading this.
Kevling
Am I missing something here, isn’t this exactly the same as the current PSP?
Vaile23
i was thinking that…
InternationalGamer
I’m not sure, but I don’t think you have to format the PSP to factory settings, all you need to do is delete your current PSN account from the PSP and create/use another one.
colmshan1990
You have to deactivate it by either plugging it into the Ps3 or factory settings reset.
teflon
You can deactivate on the PSP’s XMB. It doesn’t matter, really. Just repeatedly activating the same PSP to the same PSN account doesn’t use up any activation. So you could just log out, remove the PSN account, then log in and activate the new one.
Hassle, but not too awful.
colmshan1990
Was that option always there?
I remember a great deal of hassle trying to switch accounts on my PSP a couple of years back…
JoshHood
That option has always been there, yeah.
colmshan1990
Great.
I feel foolish now. :(
hol
Odd but hardly surprising I guess? They want to sell as many as possible.
JoshHood
Erm, isn’t this the same as every other PSP? And I’m pretty sure it’s the same as the DS/3DS line too, why would Vita be any different.
PS3 is a home console, it makes sense to have multiple accounts – the Vita is a portable, and more personal thing. Yes, back when I had a PSP in the early days, I occasionally jumped on the other stores for the odd demo, but I think we’re way past that now.
Totally don’t see the complaint here.
GhostViper
Yes, that’s what I tought too, a more personal console. I’ve never heard of people sharing a portable device.
teflon
On PSP you could fairly simply log out and deactivate one account then in and activate on to another account. No need to wipe the entire system.
It’s just another layer of inconvenience to something where you just think “What’s the point of having done it like this?”
Foxhound_Solid
Josh…agreed.
colmshan1990
You wouldn’t be wiping the entire system here- there’s no onboard memory storage, so factory settings is just that- settings.
You won’t be formatting the memory stick.
There’s no difference to the way the Psp operates here.
teflon
Factory settings would mean you go through the initial launch and set up process once again. Pick your language, pick your time zone, grab the time from the server, and other minor little things.
As I said, another extra layer of inconvenience.
Crocadillian
It’s because of the way Sony segregates geographical markets, rather than having one global system and store that anyone can access, meaning that people who prefer and buy Japanese or American content, the places that usually get more diverse offerings, will have problems using it.
Why is a global market and online system such a problem?!
gazzagb
The more I hear about Vita, the less I want one. It started off as a ‘portable PS3’, now it’s merely an ‘expensive PSP’.
aerobes
That’s kind of what I’d been thinking recently. I certainly won’t be buying on day one but my wife has decided that’s what she wants as her christmas present (when it’s released here) so I’ll be getting close enough to support my opinions of the device.
Origami Killer
Im with gazza. Fair enough the games look great, the confusion over everything else is putting me off.
skibadee
the more I hear the I want one.
skibadee
the more I hear the more I want one great device imo.
jimmy-google
I didn’t think anyone was expecting anything different. There’s no hard drive so how would multiple account info be stored?
eye8have9you3
Well where do you think the first account details are stored? It obviously has some storage for the OS and firmware updates, the idea that they couldn’t fit two accounts on it is ridicuous. Much more likely that they want to cut back on game sharing given how they already cut the psn download limit to two
Awayze
I don’t think I can even have two users on the PSP anyway.
A2J7C
Another point to… not buy the Vita.
Really, what do they loose with this???
I have changed country since i’ve bought the PS3, so in the beggining i was in portugal and now i am in france, so my french Visa card doesn’t work in the original account. So i’ve created a new french account, to be able to buy things. But, still, i have a lot of content in the original account and not beeing able to have both content in the Vita… It a BIG step backwards for me…
GhostViper
I don’t really see the problem here.
Bodachi
Makes sense to have only one account on Vita. Shame I won’t be able to pick up American or Japanese demos.
nofi
Why does it makes sense? Makes ZERO sense to me.
Mythagoz
I agree. It makes zero sense except if you are Sony and want to keep price gouging people in non-US countries. Take the release price of the PSN version of Patapon 3. The Australia price was 2.4 times the US price in real terms. The UK price was 1.8 times the US price. This is what “broke” the PSP for me. I couldn’t in my right mind pay the Australia price and yet I wanted to play it under my Australia PSN account. No can do.
Now with the Vita having trophy support I’m going to what to play with it under my Aussie account so I can keep on collecting trophies under the same account. If I’m forced to pay Aussie PSN prices for every Vita game that is going to start to hurt.
If this rumor proves true it could be a Vita breaker for me.
When making decisions like this Sony really needs to take a look at the effects of their non-US pricing.
jediryan123
I know the Australian prices are disgusting, Deus Ex is on ‘sale’ at the moment for the equivalent of 52 pounds, it is 18 pounds off amazon uk.
MayContainEvil
Are you talking about PSN prices or retail? I guess it doesn’t matter they’re both kinda ridiculous over here…
Glad to see another Aussie on the site by the way :)
jediryan123
I mean on the psn, and this single account thing is going to be a massive pain in the ass for me cos I travel alot.Its annoying worrying about BLES codes and region locked dlc when buying games abroad.