PS Vita Production To Halt In Japan Next Year With No Plans For A Successor

While the console has faded from view almost everywhere around the globe, the PlayStation Vita has soldiered on in its homeland of Japan, where portable gaming and a healthy trickle of Japan-centric games has kept its audience entertained. However, all good things must come to an end, and seven years after its initial release, Sony will halt production of the Vita in Japan in 2019.

This was confirmed by Sony Interactive Entertainment senior vice president Hiroyuki Oda at Tokyo Game Show, who also addressed the possibility of a successor to the console: “Currently, we do not have any plans regarding a new handheld device. In Japan, we will manufacture PlayStation Vita until 2019. From there, shipping will end.”

Certainly, given the handhelds inability to really compete with the 3DS, it’s no surprise that Sony are focussing on current successes with the PS4 and areas like VR where they can continue to grow and dominate the market. The Nintendo Switch has shown that there’s still a healthy appetite for portable gaming, but it doesn’t sound like Sony really have the appetite to fight Nintendo on their home turf.

Source: Gematsu

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7 Comments

  1. Be interested to know the stats on Switch. How many people leave it permanently docked? How many play handheld, but only in the house? How many use it outside the home?

    Personally speaking, I’ve never been a fan of portable gaming. I’m more than content with silly iphone distraction games for train journeys, etc..

    • I’ve never taken the dock out of the box, and rarely play at home.
      It’s my commute toy.

    • I believe the early stats suggested a near 50/50 split, which makes sense I guess; for every person who has picked up a Switch as an upgrade to the 3DS, another has brought one as an upgrade to the Wii-U.

      I use mine mostly as a portable, in the evenings while the Mrs is watching shite on TV or when I’m traveling to/from work. Our office also has monthly FIFA and Mario Kart tournaments, which are a good laugh.

  2. Sad times, what a great little machine. It wouldve been wonderful to see Sony pitch a new PSP up against the Switch, but they’re doing the right thing by reigning in their breadth of products.

  3. I bought a vita two years ago for around £100 with a memory card and have loved it for using on journeys ever since.

    It d be great if Sony could give us another Vita. It would be a great success if only they could just make sure it isn’t as expensive on launch as the vita and pack it in with the proprietary memory cards!

  4. Loved the Vita. Would’ve loved it even more if it had L2/R2 triggers and clicky L3/R3 sticks. Other than those two things, I thought it was the perfect handheld. Shame they aren’t making another but understandable really.

  5. Loved the Vita but it never got the first party support it deserved.

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