At Tokyo Game Show 2012, Sony Computer Entertainment announced that the PlayStation Plus premium service will be available for PlayStation Vita. The service will be cross-platform, so existing PlayStation Plus members will be able to enjoy the benefits on their PS3 and Vita. Only one subscription is required for both or either platforms. Now it’s time for some press-release bullet-points (get excited!) that outline the benefits of Plus:
- Games: Members will be able to play the full versions of designated content for PS Vita available on PlayStation Store as long as membership is effective, at no extra cost. The lineup of games that will be offered and other details will be announced at a later date.
- Discounts: Members will have access to exclusive discounts on designated content for PS Vita.
- Online Game Save: Members will automatically or manually be able to upload game save data files for compatible games to Online Game Save Storage with 1GB of space on the PlayStation Network.
- Automatic content downloads and updates: PS Vita will automatically download designated game demos and game updates, and also download system software updates. PS Vita will automatically start up to download content and will enter standby mode after the download has completed.
- Automatic Trophy sync: PS Vita will automatically start up at a designated time to sync Trophy information with PlayStation Network servers.
While the Vita is an impressive piece of hardware, the device has faced some difficulties. Many consumers are satisfied with the gaming experiences offered by their Android or iOS devices. Compounding matters is a lack of content for the device, which some argue is real and others argue is perceived. Either way, PlayStation Plus bolsters the Vita’s content offerings and capabilities. It’s a smart move that should inject some life into a platform that needs it. It makes the Vita more attractive to PS3 owners that are Plus members and don’t have a Vita, while it gives gamers that only own a Vita some outstanding benefits.
Does PlayStation Plus for Vita change your mind about Sony’s portable console?
