The end of the line is finally in sight for the PlayStation Vita, just over seven years after it launched.
As Gematsu has spotted, the official PlayStation Japan website now lists shipments of the PCH-2000 ZA11 and PCH-2000 ZA23 as “scheduled to end soon”. This refers to the black and aqua blue models, which are the only versions still available.
As US and European production ended some time ago, and Japan is the handheld’s biggest market, it finally looks like the Vita is being put down. That’s hardly surprising given that Vita games will no longer feature in PS Plus from next month.
Still, seven years and two months isn’t bad going, considering how little support Sony gave the handheld after an initial flurry of triple-A titles – including Uncharted, WipEout, Assassins Creed and Call of Duty – gave prospective buyers hope of a long-term commitment to the platform. But by 2013 things were drying up and the Vita was looking better for its Japanese and indie titles rather than the big-hitting titles that would offer mass appeal in the West.
As a portable for indie games, I’ve had a lot of fun with mine, mind. Without the Vita for extra practice, I doubt I’d ever have completed a full Hell run on Spelunky. And in between those deaths by spikes, yetees and angry shopkeepers, the Vita offered super delights like Hotline Miami, Super Meat Boy, Shovel Knight and Don’t Starve.
Related: Best PS4 games
It’s not clear exactly how long the Vita has left in production, but if you want to see what all the fuss was about, you’ll probably want to act quickly. They’re pretty cheap right now, but once production dries up they may become something of a collector’s item.
Do you still play your PlayStation Vita? Let us know on Twitter: @TrustedReviews.
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Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
