Sony Computer Entertainment America LLC (SCEA) and AT&T today announced that AT&T, which powers the nation’s fastest mobile broadband network, will be the exclusive service provider in the United States for PlayStation Vita, Sony Computer Entertainment’s (SCE) next generation portable entertainment system.
The PlayStation Vita system offers a revolutionary combination of rich gaming capabilities and social connectivity that will bring users closer to each other and closer to their gaming experiences wherever they are. Blurring the lines between interactive entertainment and reality, the PlayStation Vita system provides unparalleled portable gaming experiences with dual analog sticks, front and rear cameras, front multi-touch display, multi-touch rear pad, GPS, six-axis motion sensors, and three-axis electronic compass. The speed and coverage of AT&T’s mobile broadband network will ensure that PlayStation Vita users will remain connected to content and each other on the go. PlayStation Vita customers with an AT&T service plan will also have free access at more than 24,000 AT&T Wi-Fi hotspots nationwide.
“AT&T’s mobile broadband network excels at delivering data with high speeds nationwide, which is what we need for powering the social and connectivity features built into the PlayStation Vita entertainment system,” said Jack Tretton, president and CEO of Sony Computer Entertainment America. “PlayStation Vita will give users the opportunity to engage and connect with one another while delivering the kind of rich and immersive gaming experiences unimaginable on any other portable device on the market today.”
“AT&T consumers are accustomed to being the first to have access to the most cutting-edge mobile technologies available on the market today,” said Glenn Lurie, president, emerging devices, AT&T. “We are thrilled to continue this legacy as the exclusive provider for PlayStation Vita in the U.S. market. By pairing the nation’s fastest mobile broadband network and the nation’s largest Wi-Fi network with this highly anticipated portable gaming device, PlayStation Vita users will experience a new era of portable gaming that will connect their entertainment and their lives more closely than ever.”
AT&T wireless connectivity will enable infinite possibilities for PlayStation Vita users to “encounter,” “connect,” “discover,” “share” and “play” with friends on the go. Within the device are a range of social networking features that provide unique, next generation portable entertainment experiences, including a new application called “near” and an interactive interface called “LiveArea.”
Developed specifically for the PlayStation Vita system and pre-installed on each system, “near” will allow users to find out what other PlayStation Vita users in their vicinity are currently playing and what titles are most popular in the area. Users can meet with friends and new players virtually – regardless of what games they are playing – simply by sharing their game information across PlayStationNetwork on the go via AT&T’s mobile network, or when they’re at a Wi-Fi hotspot. “Near” also enables location-based gaming features such as “gifting,” in which a user can access virtual game-related items that other users are sharing, through checking in at geographic locations that others have also visited. The virtual items can include content unlocked from games, such as character costumes, weapons and treasures. Sharing these items between users adds a unique dimension to the portable gaming experience on the PlayStation Vita system while enhancing the social connectivity among the PlayStation Vita community.
“LiveArea” is an interactive space for each PlayStation Vita software title in which users can access the latest information for games through PlayStation Network. Additionally, users will be able to view an “Activity” log that is constantly updated with accomplishments from users who are playing the same game, which in turn can trigger active real-time communication among users. The AT&T wireless network will enable “LiveArea” users to connect to their games on the go.
The PlayStation Vita system will have both Wi-Fi and 3G/Wi-Fi models in the US for $249 and $299, respectively. Additional details about AT&T data plans and pricing will be announced later.
