Games Thrist News Gamers Thirst For

We already knew this. Sony’s just confirmed the real name of codename NGP, and it’s…you know…PS Vita, and it’s releasing late this year..

Sony’s also teaming up with AT&T to bring WiFi service all across the US and are working with other carries on similar deals.

Sony also confirmed that PS Vita will also have cross-game chat for the members of PlayStation Network to communicate “no matter where they are” and “no matter what game they are playing”.

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.

Gameplay footage for Uncharted: Golden Abyss for PS Vita was also showed – we’ll have footage as soon as it goes live. Official website is here.

Official Specs:

CPU: ARM Cortex A9 (4 core)

Graphics: SGX542MP4+

External Size: 182.0width x 18.6height x 83.5depth (millimeters)

Rear Touch Pad: Capacitive Multi-touch

Cameras: rear camera, front camera

Sound: Built-in mic, built-in speakers

Sensors: 6-axis motion sensory system (three-axis accelerometer, three-axis gyroscope)

Location: 3G (optional), WiFi , Built-in GPS

Switches/Keys: Volume buttons, SELECT/START button, right/left stick, shoulder buttons, action buttons, directional buttons, power button, PS button

Wireless: Mobile Network Connectivity (3G), IEE 802.11b/g/n, Bluetooth 2.1+EDR

Console’s Full Lineup:

JAPAN

ACQUIRE Corp.

Jorudan Co., Ltd.

ALPHA･UNIT CO.,LTD

KADOKAWA GAMES, LTD.

ALVION Inc.

Kadokawa Shoten Publishing Co., Ltd.

AQ INTERACTIVE INC.

KAGA CREATE CO., LTD

AQUAPLUS Co., Ltd

Konami Digital Entertainment Co., Ltd.

ARC SYSTEM WORKS Co., Ltd.

LEVEL-5 Inc.

ARIKA CO., LTD.

MAGES Inc. （5pb）

ARTDINK CORPORATION

Mainichi Communications Inc.

ASCII MEDIA WORKS Inc.

Marvelous Entertainment Inc.

ASGARD Co., Ltd.

media5 Corporation

Aspect Co., Ltd.

NAMCO BANDAI Games Inc.

BROCCOLI Co., Ltd.

Nihon Falcom Corporation

Capcom Co., Ltd．

Nippon Ichi Software, Inc.

CHUN SOFT CO., Ltd

NOWPRODUCTION, CO., LTD

Codemasters Software Company Limited

Oaks co., Lｔｄ.

Crafts & Meister Co., Ltd.

PAON CORPORATION

CyberConnect2 Co., Ltd.

POLYGON MAGIC, INC.

CYBERFRONT Corporation

PROTOTYPE CO., LTD.

D3 PUBLISHER Inc.

Q Entertainment Inc.

DIGITAL WORKS ENTERTAINMENT INC.

SAFARI GAMES., Ltd

Dimps Corporation

SEGA CORPORATION

dorasu corporation

SilverStarJapan Co., Ltd.

Edia Co., Ltd.

SNK PLAYMORE CORPORATION

ENTERBRAIN, INC.

Sonic Powered co., Ltd.

FromSoftware, Inc.

Spike Co., Ltd

Gameloft K.K.

SQUARE ENIX Co., Ltd.

GANBARION Co., Ltd.

Starfish-SD Inc.

Genki Co., Ltd.

SUNCORPORATION

Grasshopper Manufacture Inc.

SystemPrisma Co., Ltd.

GungHo Online Entertainment, Inc.

SystemSoft Alpha Corp.

GUST CO., LTD.

TECMO KOEI GAMES CO., LTD.

HAMSTER Corporation

TGL

HUNEX CO., LTD.

TOMY Company, Ltd.

IDEA FACTORY CO., LTD.

TOSE CO., LTD.

Ignition Entertainment Ltd.

tri-Ace Inc.

IMAGICA DIGITALSCAPE Co., Ltd.

Ubisoft K.K.

Index Corporation （Atlus）

Views Co., Ltd.

IREM SOFTWARE ENGINEERING INC.

YUKE’S Co., Ltd.

76 companies in total

NORTH AMERICA

Activision, Inc.

Paramount Digital Entertainment

Capybara Games

PopCap Games

“CCP”

Powerhead Games

Demiurge Studios

Rockster Games

Electronic Arts

THQ

Epic Games Inc.

Trendy Entertainment

Far Sight Studios

Ubisoft®

Frima

Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment

High Voltage Software

2K Games

Kung Fu Factory

2K Sports

EUROPE/PAL

Alawar

Beatshpers

Allegorithmic, makers of Substance

Blitz Games Studios

Beatnik Games

Broadsword Publishing Limited

Catalyst Outsourcing

Rebellion®

“CCP”

Rockstar Games

Climax Studios Ltd

Rubicon Mobile

Codemasters®

Sanuk Games

Codeplay

SEGA

Electronic Arts

Sidhe Interactive

Enigma Software Productions, SL

Spinvector

Eurocom Entertainment Software

Stainless Games Ltd

Eutechnyx Ltd

StormBASIC Games

Exient

Sumo Digital Ltd

Firelight Tech

Tag Games

Fresh3D

Take-Two

FUN labs

The Game Atelier

Gameloft SA

THQ

Gameshastra

Tonika Games

Home Entertainment Suppliers PTY Ltd

Trine Entertainment Ltd

Honeyslug

Trinigy

Icon Games

Tru Blu Games

Impromptu Software Ltd

Ubisoft Entertainment SA

Just Add Water Ltd

Umbra

Kuju Doublesix

VeeMee

Lexis Numerique

ZAPPAR

Mobile Interactive Group Ltd

Zen Studios Ltd

Namco Bandai

2K

NaturalMotion

505 Games

Playerthree Ltd

Press Release:

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, PS Vita 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 PS 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 portable 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 PlayStation Vita and pre-installed on each system, “near” will allow users to find out what other PS 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 PlayStation®Network 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 PlayStation Vita while enhancing the social connectivity among the PS 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.