PlayStation Vita Launches In Japan, Requires Immediate Firmware Update

Sony's handheld PlayStation Vita console launched in Japan over the weekend, with queues of over 600 people ready to snap it up the moment the shops opened. The device was officially revealed at E3 earlier this year as the successor to the PSP, with two models to choose from -- one with Wifi and another with Wifi and 3G connectivity. According to reports from Japanese games magazine Famitsu, and as translated by Andriasang, the Yodobashi Camera store in central Tokyo had hundreds of people queueing as the store opened early in the morning, while other stores across the country also saw over 100 eager queuers. A number of Sony executives showed up for the launch, with Sony VP Kaz Hirai and SCE CEO Andrew House taking to the stage at the Tsutaya outlet in Shibuya to give brief speeches and show highlight reels to the crowds before the shops opened. The duo also visited the Akihabara Yodobashi, and then later showed up at the Bic Camera in Yurakucho. The launch was accompanied by the console's first firmware update, which all consumers must apply to their consoles before online functionality becomes available. Sony did not fully explain exactly what the reasoning behind the Version 1.50 firmware update was, reports Andriasang, and the update page for the firmware does not shed light on what exactly the update contains. The console has launched with a strong software launch line-up, that includes the likes of Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3, Army Corps of Hell and Little Deviants. It is priced at ¥29,980 ($389.80) for the 3G model and ¥24,980 ($324.79) for Wifi only. The console is launching early next year in the U.S. and Europe, with the Wifi only and Wifi and 3G versions priced at $249.99 and $299.99 respectively in the U.S..