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PlayStation Vita lands in Japan

The gadget's launch in Japan has apparently gone off without a hitch. But long lines or no, will Sony's decision to release the Vita so late in the year--and, indeed, delay its U.S. launch till February--put the kibosh on a post-PSP Sony comeback?

Edward Moyer Senior Editor
Edward Moyer is a senior editor at CNET and a many-year veteran of the writing and editing world. He enjoys taking sentences apart and putting them back together. He also likes making them from scratch. ¶ For nearly a quarter of a century, he's edited and written stories about various aspects of the technology world, from the US National Security Agency's controversial spying techniques to historic NASA space missions to 3D-printed works of fine art. Before that, he wrote about movies, musicians, artists and subcultures.
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  • Ed was a member of the CNET crew that won a National Magazine Award from the American Society of Magazine Editors for general excellence online. He's also edited pieces that've nabbed prizes from the Society of Professional Journalists and others.
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Sony's launch of its PlayStation Vita portable gaming device in Japan has apparently gone off without a hitch.

The Associated Press reports that the gadget landed in stores today, with thousands of anxious gamers queuing up hours ahead of time to get their hands on it.

"I'm so happy to see so many people lining up for PS Vita so early in the morning," the AP quoted Sony Computer Entertainment Japan President Hiroshi Kono as saying on his official blog. "I can tell they had anxiously waited for today's launch."

That may be, but Sony's decision to release the Vita so late in the year--and, indeed, delay its U.S. launch until February--could certainly undermine the overall splash the device makes and curtail Sony's efforts at a post-PlayStation Portable comeback.

In terms of the casual gamer and consumer, Sony faces increasing competition from smartphones, tablets, and games-as-apps like Angry Birds.

Still, the Vita has the advantage of Sony's technological expertise and the promise of integration with the PlayStation 3 console.

So, will the Vita have legs? Check out the following CNET and CBS Interactive pieces for insight:

"Can the PlayStation Vita succeed?"

Hands-on first take: Sony PlayStation Vita

"Get to Know the Vita Launch Lineup" (from CBS Interactive's Gamespot)