PlayStation Vita release date: Sony strikes back at Xbox in February

January 18, 2012 by Bill Palmer

by Bill Palmer

Sony is striking back in the gaming market with the PlayStation Vita handheld, with a release date in late February and a product which throws in the kitchen sink in an attempt to revitalize its position in the post-PSP landscape. After having steadily lost marketshare to Microsoft and its Xbox in the non-portable console market for some time, and seeing thought-dead rival Nintendo find resurgence with its Wii platform, Sony is looking to retain some level of mastery over the portable gaming market. The move comes even as iPhone and iPod touch buyers who are casual gamers are increasingly transferring their gaming experience to the iOS platform. But with the PlayStation Vita, Sony is clearly targeting the kind of hardcore gamers who will never settle for doing their high-end gaming on their phone…

One question Sony faces with the Vita is just how many hardcore gamers fit that description. The gaming industry is at an all time high in terms of popularity, but such increases tend to merely add mainstream and casual participants to the existing hardcore base, precisely the types who are less inclined to carry a dedicated portable gaming device in addition to their phone. But with the multitude of features packed into the Vita, as documented by Beatweek Gaming Editor Brandon Tucker when he tested out the device at CES last week, Sony may be looking to reverse that trend and convince even moderately enthused gamers that the Vita experience is overwhelming enough to warrant adding a dedicated portable gaming device to their personal arsenal…

Meanwhile, Microsoft has yet to make an Xbox splash on the portable side, with one of its execs having stated no interest in doing so as recently as six months ago. If that holds true, then it’s up to Sony and its PlayStation Vita to fight it out with Nintendo and its handhelds like the 3DS for portable gaming dominance – along with smartphone and tablet gaming, of course.