ps vita

Next week, Sony's PlayStation Vita gets a much-needed shot in the arm as the company has revealed a selection of games for PlayStation Plus subscribers and new firmware that adds some mildly exciting new features to the handheld gaming gizmo.

After months of teasing, the upcoming PlayStation Plus ($49 a year) game collection for the Vita arrives on November 19. The first set of PS Plus Vita games includes Uncharted: Golden Abyss; Jet Set Radio HD; WipEout 2048; Gravity Rush; Tales From Space: Mutant Blobs Attack; and the PSP version of Final Fantasy Tactics: The War of the Lions. Many of those titles are top-tier gaming experiences and currently cost more than $30. … Read more

Those hoping to see a PlayStation Vita hack could have their wishes answered in a few months. Some anonymous programmers announced they discovered an exploit allowing them application-level (userland) access into the Sony gaming device.

Before you get all excited about the idea of illegally downloading full PS Vita games, you should know that this purported hack can't grant such abilities. However, if the group of developers creates a loader, the hack could open the door for homebrew, and more importantly, emulation. Which means that one day the Vita could play Super Nintendo, Nintendo 64, Nintendo DS, Sega, and many other games, similar to a hacked PSP. … Read more

Sony representatives couldn't stop talking about the Vita during the Gamescom gaming expo today in Cologne, Germany, ushering in the most announcements ever in one day for the handheld since its debut. In fact, most of the first half of the press conference spoke exclusively of new Vita games and features coming before the end of the year.

The event introduced new games for the Vita such as Tearaway (from Media Molecule, creator of LittleBigPlanet) and Killzone Mercenary, both of which look visually stunning. We also learned about some new features coming down the road for the Vita, including … Read more

Tuesday's top tech headlines are formatted to fit your second screen:

At the Gamescom conference in Germany, Sony announced several new PlayStation games and new methods for playing. Sony talked more about PlayStation Mobile for Android devices, but we still don't know exactly when it'll hit the market or how many games will launch in the store.

And there are some perks for those that own both a PS Vita and the PS3. For one price, you can get a game for both systems, starting with "PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale," "Sly Cooper: Thieves in … Read more

If you've shopped around for a case for your PlayStation Vita, you probably know that they can get pretty pricey. In fact, I recently wrote about WaterField Designs' Vita cases, which are sweet but retail for upward of $50.

Shifting gears, I decided to go the budget route and checked out Monoprice's $5.28 Brushed Aluminum Clamshell case in silver (alas, that price doesn't include shipping, which brings the total up to $7.82).

The verdict? … Read more

LOS ANGELES--If E3 2012 is The Year of the Second Screen, then what does that make Sony, a company that seems to have one too many solutions to a single problem? The PlayStation Vita and the PlayStation 3 form a perfect hardware tandem, theoretically: with as many inputs as a Wii U tablet and a screen just an inch smaller, the Vita could the PS3's best friend. … Read more

More details of God of War: Ascension? A cloud gaming acquisition? A reason to care about PlayStation Move?

We've already outlined what we expect Sony will announce at this year's E3 press conference. To see the news as it happens, heat up some dinner and check back here on Monday, June 4, at 5:45 p.m. PT/8:45 p.m. ET.

While you're waiting, feel free to peruse our ongoing coverage of E3 2012.

A total of 1.8 million PlayStation Vitas have shipped to date in the U.S., Japan, Asia, and Europe since launch, according to Sony.

CEO Kaz Hirai revealed that figure during a follow-up to an earnings call today in which the company posted a record loss.

The latest Vita figures --which Harai called a "good start" -- indicate a surge of nearly 600,000 units shipped between late February and March 31 (back on February 28, the Japanese company said it sold 1.2 million Vitas worldwide). While the new numbers seem like a silver lining in Sony's dark financial cloud, however, Vita sales still stall in comparison to the competition. To put things in perspective, it only took a month for Nintendo to ship 3.61 million 3DS gaming devices worldwide after its debut. … Read more

Following in the footsteps of a colorful PSP lineup, Sony has announced a white PlayStation Vita set to be released in Japan on June 28.

The white Vita (PCH-1100 AB02) will sell at the same price as the original black base model, contains identical innards, and comes in Wi-Fi-only or 3G/Wi-Fi configurations. … Read more