While Sony’s new microconsole, the PS Vita TV, has been granted with a Japanese launch, the company is reportedly considering a western release after the audience response in North America and Europe exceeded expectations. That’s according to Andrew House, Sony’s Group CEO, who believes that the lack of competition in The Land of The Rising Sun will allow the minute hardware to carve out its own demographic.
Speaking with Eurogamer at the company’s TGS conference, here’s what House had to say regarding the PS Vita TV.
“The reason we wanted to launch PlayStation Vita TV in Japan first was because we think that there is a significant gap in this market even for a pure streamed TV box. There isn’t really a competitor here that’s staked out a claim. And frankly, in my own view, Japan is a little behind the adoption curve in video streaming services.
Though the PS Vita TV will grant users the ability to access PlayStation’s catalogue of titles from different consoles – close to 1,300, in fact – the device also has an inherent appeal for the casual consumer. This appeal can be traced to the streaming ability, which appears to be acting as the proverbial boundary for entry in western markets; what with devices such as the Apple TV and Roku player already holding a significant share of the market.
In terms of a firm release date for Europe and North America, House admitted that Sony “needs to look at each of those markets and how we approach them.” Currently, the PS Vita TV is planned to launch in Japan November 14th, 2013, before propagating onto other Asian markets such as North Korea and China. The $99 microconsole has accumulated a lot of support for its streaming functionality, particularly with the PlayStation 4, though it’s unclear whether western audiences will receive the device anytime soon.
What do you think, though? If the PS Vita TV was localised and made available in North America and Europe, would you consider picking one up? Let us know in the comments below.
