In a move which definitely seems to be sending jitters down the spines of smartphone makers, Sony announced on the PlayStation blog that the PlayStation Vita will possess various social networking capabilities including apps for Facebook, Twitter, Foursquare and Skype. Franchises like Assassin’s Creed, Resistance and FIFA have also been confirmed to feature on the handheld’s list of compatible games.
Buyers of the PS Vita will be able to download the social networking apps via Sony’s PS Store. Moreover, these apps will be completely free of cost. The next generation portable will house separate icons for each of them and gamers would be able to select them by tapping the device’s touchscreen.
Fans of the Resistance series will be happy to know that Resistance: Burning Skies has been confirmed for the Vita. The game is touted to be made with an intention of taking ‘full advantage of the system’s dual analog sticks and features.’ A new storyline has been penned for this title by science fiction author, William C. Dietz. He has to his credit books like, Resistance: The Gathering Storm and Resistance: A Hole in the Sky.
No big details about the Assassin’s Creed and FIFA titles have been announced. Hence it remains to be seen how they pan out. Another title named Escape Plan will be making its way to the handheld. Describing it as a ‘touching adventure,’ Sony explained that gamers will be able to use the device’s touch panel to control two characters – ‘Lil’ and ‘Laarg’ as they move past puzzles and traps.
For gamers who just can’t handle the enthusiasm surrounding the PS Vita, all they can do currently is pre-order the device and wait for 2012 to arrive. The handheld is priced at 249.99 USD (approx Rs. 11,347) for the Wi-Fi model and 299.99 USD (approx Rs. 13,616) for the 3G/Wi-Fi one.