When Sony teased the news we had “been waiting for” yesterday, I wasn’t sure whether to believe them or not, and whether it would be worth getting up at 6:30am to report the news on TSA if there wasn’t going to be anything exciting aside from a Japanese PS4 release date.
And I’m still not sure they gave us the news that we had waited for – that would’ve been The Last Guardian, for the majority of people – but they definitely gave me the news that I wanted, news that I felt as though I should’ve been waiting for all along; something that might not have been a big deal before but feels like one now that they’ve found a solution.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ata90Y92UeI
You see, I’m about to move into a flat that’s on the other side of this (relatively small) country of Scotland. I’ve done this from September to June for the past three years of University, and I’ve always had to bring my PS3 with me if I’m ever visiting home, or face missing out on gaming and Netflix on the TV for a while.
That’s not a big deal, sometimes I’m content with my laptop, but when I do bring a console with me it usually means carrying an extra bag along with me on my long journey home. Of course, the PlayStation Vita’s Remote Play will already solve this issue in some ways, allowing me to play my PS4 games over WiFi at home, but I’d still be missing out on the full screen experience.
So that’s why PS Vita TV is perfect for me; I’ll now be able to put a 6cm by 10cm object in my bag, along with a DualShock 3 controller left over from my PS3 and play my PS4 – or even my Vita games – on the big screen. I could even take it around to a friend’s house for a game of FIFA or CoD, without the requirement of lugging around a big black box. How cool is that?
And, on top of that, I can leave the PS4 in the living room and hook up the Vita TV in my bedroom. I’ve seen people with similar PS3 throughout the house set-ups before, but only with standard definition through complex cabling. Now, all I need is something about the same size as a portable hard drive and a decent WiFi signal and I’m ready to go.
It’ll be interesting to see how its own operating system fares too – I can imagine this being a fantastic Netflix machine and hopefully even something to replace PlayTV. If Sony can create something stable enough, then this device might be worth buying even without all that PS4 and Vita interplay.
I don’t think it makes the Vita obsolete either; that’s still going to be great for on the go or for using your PS4 while something else is on the TV, as well as offering plenty of touch-based games that you can’t really emulate with PS Vita TV, despite their attempts. I can, however, see me playing games such as Killzone: Mercenary and WipEout 2048 on the big screen rather than the Vita most of the time.
There are a few downsides though. Firstly, how fast will my internet connections need to be to stream games over at 720p? Although I’ll have 60 megabit fibre at my flat, I only get two or three Mb at home on a good day, so would that be enough to stream a PS4 game to this tiny little box? I’m not convinced.
And then there are the PS4 games – there’s no way I’m going to be able to change discs from almost a hundred miles away, and although Sony are pushing downloadable copies heavily next-gen, I’m always more inclined to buy physical media.
But still, those are relatively small problems compared to the merits of the system. I’m sold if it’s under £100 (it currently translates to about £70, before import taxes and such), and of course providing it actually makes it to the West any time soon.
Regardless, Sony gave us (well, me at least) exactly what we needed but didn’t quite know we did. And the next generation is going to be very exciting indeed.
tonycawley
Are you sure your vita will be able to remote play ps4 over wifi on a separate network? I was under the impression the vita and ps4 would both have to be connected locally over the same router.
Anyhow, you’re right I wasn’t waiting for this news as I hadn’t even thought about it, but now they’ve revealed this I find it incredible. Awesome stuff!
Blair Inglis
No, it can work anywhere, just like the PS3 remote play can, I’m sure.
94jdh
If you watch the video further down on the sixth axis news it shows you a girl remote playing knack at college – so I am guessing it will work depend on speed of connection
tonycawley
Thanks man. I thought otherwise but I’ll definitely take your word for it.
jonny_bolton
If at all. The remote play on PS3 is plagued with issues, and a lot of routers just aren’t compatible. The BT home hub ones aren’t and that’s a massive pain in the arse
ron_mcphatty
PS3 remote play is awful for me, way too much lag todo anything but watch low quality video, but I still love it because it works :)
YOURMUMANDME
It only works within wlan or lan for now, when Sony iron out their cloud gaming kinks it’s an area they want to cover. Or so I’ve been reading elsewhere.
Still a genius bit of kit :)
salvodaze
Hopefully, since the Vita clearly will be, as seen on the other video. The streaming possibilities alone gets me excited to have a Vita. I just hope that Sony fully delivers what it promised this time.
HunterGatherer
It’s so cute how people think last guardian will be a monster hit game. It was put on ice because it would always be a niche game that v would never make back it’s development costs.
Any writer that fails to understand this needs to go to business school.
TheShepanator
What about the other niche games by team ico? They were pretty damn successful.
HunterGatherer
They were well received in reviews, but sales sucked, because they were niche games.
ron_mcphatty
Ico got re-released in the west in 2006, then both games were re-released in Asia as budget versions for emerging markets. I don’t know how well they did but I think they were a bit more than niche games to get re-released like that :)
bunimomike
I don’t know anyone who thinks TLG will be a monster hit game. Nearly everyone here knows the sales were modest at best (for Ico and SOTC). I’m sure Blair is very much aware of this but he’s echoing and enormous amount of love we have for Team Ico’s output, even if it’s slower than Polyphony Digital!
Blair Inglis
Oh, I don’t even care about The Last Guardian personally, it’s just that the general consensus any time Sony are going to announce something is “please be TLG!”.
bunimomike
“I don’t even care about The Last Guardian”
I knew there was something weird about you. ;-)
TSBonyman
I haven’t put much thought into what the gameplay will be like, i’m more interested in seeing that amazingly realistic and engaging, yet completely made-up creature Toriko, moving about my screen in real time. And i’d still like to see that happen on PS3. For me TLG is all about that moment where the boy pets Toriko’s head. That is at the heart of the experience i’m expecting from the full game. A boy and his dog, sorta thing. :)
BombPin
The vita and ps4 won’t be like the ps3’s remote play… What it is just as the trailer suggested and 94jdh mentioned is with a internet connection and a vita you can play ps4 games anywhere. What this vita tv does is what the vita does, difference is simple…. It’s on a tv. Unless you can find a way to carry around a tv…. vita will be used to go anywhere. The vita tv will be used to go to your friends tv or tv’s around your house.
gazzagb
I think this will give Vita a fighting chance – 3rd party Devs are neglecting it due to low sales figures, which I think primarily is down to the price of the console (just look how good the summer promotions were for it).
Getting a console that can play Vita games for sub £80 will surely enlarge the consumer base for Vita games, and thus make Devs think twice about the bombed handheld.
Stealth20k
its a bad idea in retrospect I cant even say
Foxhound_Solid
Incredible :-)
tactical20
If the price is right then I’m definitely sold, but I think I’ll wait until it’s bundled with a DS4 controller.
ron_mcphatty
There was a bit after the announcement video that said in Japan you’ll be able to get just the Vita TV, or a bundle with a white DS3 and I think it was an 8GB memory card, the bundle being 1.5 times the number of yen as just the console.
DividSmythe
To me the idea of this sounds great in concept. I’m looking into maybe getting a static caravan for next summer. So it would save room in our small cars and good for rainy days. It would be great for remote play as long as it would work through 4g which I’m hoping it will be fully up next year all over UK, as long as it’ll work through 4g. But also I’d have problem that would it be required as 1 of your Vita systems registered as you only can have 2. I have 2 registered on my account. These would be the only flies in the ointment to me.
bunimomike
“4g which I’m hoping it will be fully up next year all over UK”
Hahahahahaha! I love your humour. Seriously, though. Not a chance in hell, fella. We still have 3G slipping away from us once in a while although that’s very rare these days.
Irrespective of me sticking my tongue out, I share your enthusiasm of having a robust enough network where you could do that, as that would be nothing short of awesome – come those rainy days. :-)
DividSmythe
I’m ever the optimist me. Where I was the other in Prestatyn I was lucky if I could even get 2g. I would try it out via my Vita where I’m intending get the caravan before any such purchase would happen any way. B-)
Kennykazey
I can see this being fantastic between different houses and such, but within the same household as a PS4 and a normal Vita it’s basically useless. So I understand why people want one, but I’m giving it a pass.
I’d kill for PS4 streaming on PS3 though.
hazelam
i think it’d be great to be able to play Vita games on my big tv screen.
nice thought the Vita screen probably is, it can’t compare with a 40 inch HDTV.
Kennykazey
Some games should work well on a TV and picture resolution will be similar to the original Wii (slightly better actually) which isn’t bad. But I like the Vita for what it is; a handheld.
It might well do wonders for Vita adoption though.
Bilbo_bobbins
It’s not really useless is it? It means saving me buying another ps4 or moving the one in my living room, so I can play anywhere in my house. I can also take the Vita TV to my mate, who can’t yet afford a ps4, and play my new ps4 games on his TV.
It’s fantastic.
Radboud
What about taking the Vita TV to a mate who owns a PS4 and put two big screens next to each other for a little local “on the same sofa” co-op with games that only have online co-op modes?
Or a “LAN” party with a bunch of mates, each with there own Vita TV. All you really need are a couple of screens and an internet access.
Love the idea!
Kennykazey
I guess useless was a bit harsh. It does save you buying another PS4 (if you are so inclined, I’d rather spend my money on a different system). I guess it comes down to how good Remote Play is, but the way I see it, if I have a PS4 then I’d rather walk into another room to use that. And get better quality and likely a better setup for gaming (as you would probably hook up the ps4 to the best TV setup in your house). And if I really wanted to play it somewhere else, then my normal Vita comes into play.
deadwelsh
How will the graphics translate from the tiny vita screen to a 40″ living room tv?
As much as i like the idea of this, i cant see this being much more than a gimmick really.
hazelam
i guess it would depend on the native resolution of the Vita.
mind you, the quality of the games would also be a factor, Xenoblade on the Wii is gorgeous game, and the Wii only outputs to something like 480p, through a component cable.
of course a game that looks awful on the Vita is only going to look worse on the big screen.
Kennykazey
Vita is 544p @ native res, but many games render at less. Wii games still look decent on my 55″ (blurred and jagged, yes, but you get quickly used to it), so it should be fine. But don’t expect HD crispness.