PlayStation Vita Not Coming To US Or Europe Before 2012

Tweet

Don’t expect to find a PlayStation Vita under the Christmas tree this year, because Sony’s Kaz Hirai says that it won’t be making an appearance in the US or Europe until sometime early next year. This bomb comes after the news that the PS Vita has passed FCC testing, which is normally the final step before electronic devices are allowed to ship in the US.

So, why the decision to wait until 2012? It seems that the botched launch of the 3DS has made Sony and Hirai nervous, with Hirai telling the Associated Press that they want to make sure they have a solid software lineup ready to go when the PS Vita actually does launch.

Hirai said that the handheld will launch before the end of the year in Japan, but didn’t give specific dates for any region’s release. When it finally makes it to shelves, Hirai says don’t expect the price tag to be any different in response to the 3DS price cut:

We packed so much into the device and made it very affordable. There is no need to lower the price just because somebody else that happens to be in the video game business decided that they were going to lower their price.

It’s certainly a bummer to hear that the PlayStation Vita won’t release outside of Japan before the end of the year, especially after that Blockbuster flier that claimed it would be out in the UK on October 28th. However, while it may not be good news for consumers, this is great news for Nintendo, because that means the 3DS will be without a major competitor going into the holiday season. With the recently-announced price cut, Sony’s delay of the Vita into 2012 might be just what Nintendo needs to see 3DS sales rise.