PlayStation Plus and the Vita
Sony is at it again, this time updating the PlayStation Store with new games, as per the usual Tuesday. These new releases include PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale, Disney’s Epic Mickey 2: The Power of Two, and Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning among others. However, what is more important and much more exciting is the expansion of the PlayStation Plus program to include PlayStation Vita content, specifically the free downloaded titles included, which are as follows: Uncharted: Golden Abyss, Gravity Rush, Wipeout 2048, Tales From Space: Mutant Blobs Attack, Jet Set Radio, and Final Fantasy Tactics.
For a relatively meager $50 for a full yearlong subscription, PlayStation Vita owners now get close to $150 worth of games. This does not include free PlayStation 3 titles from the instant game collection or any discounts on the PlayStation Store, which clearly make the PlayStation Plus program a magnificently cost effective manner to consistently play new titles. Even further, this does not include other bonuses like early access to certain titles, automatic patching, or online storage.
As I mentioned in an earlier post concerning patch 4.3 and the PlayStation Store update, the PlayStation Vita seemed to be lacking the support it needed from Sony. But this really helps push the PlayStation Vita, into the minds of the players. Combine this with the release of the white PlayStation Vita included in the Assassin’s Creed 3 Liberation bundle or black PlayStation Vita with the Call of Duty Black Ops: Declassified bundle, both selling for $250.
Images via GamerXChange.net
The recent attention Sony has brought to both the Vita and the new PlayStation Store leads me to believe they are hoping to move a significant number of systems this holiday season. Currently, the major drawback behind the Vita is the lack of support from developers preventing any large volume of games from being released. Without games many consumers avoid buying the Vita, but without those users, the developers have no inclination to release Vita games. Sony’s actions in releasing these bundles and including them on sale, plus offering several “free” titles through the PlayStation Plus Instant Game Collection, shows promise in creating a solid foundation for a truly impressive handheld with plenty of future potential.
