Sony Announces UMD Passport for PlayStation Vita Consoles

[PS3 News]

While it's not surprising news, today Sony announced that PlayStation Vita owners will be able to download a UMD Passport Registration Application for UMD support on PS Vita consoles, which uses both cartridges and digital downloads according to the official specs.

To quote from Kotaku (linked above): "Starting Dec. 6, the UMD Passport service will start in Japan. Here's how it works: Download a free app called "UMD Registration Application". After that, enter your UMD game disc into your PSP, and according to the on-screen prompts, register your UMD via your PSN Account. The UMD will then be available for purchase.

Once the PS Vita is released in Japan on Dec. 17, you can then download the title on your new Sony handheld. According to Sony, the games will be available at an "agreeable price".

Currently, 40 game companies are offering 200 UMD titles as part of Sony's UMD Passport program. The digital versions of the games are priced anywhere between ¥100 (US$1.29) to ¥2,400 ($31).

Here is a selection of titles to give you an idea of how much the downloads cost on UMD Passort: Patapon 3 (¥1,000 or $13), Gran Turismo (¥1,000 or $13), Hot Shots Golf Portable 2 PSP the Best (¥500 or $6.40), Colin McRae: DiRT 2 (¥1,000 or $13), Dynasty Warriors: PSP the Best (¥500 or $6.40), Persona 3 Portable: PSP the Best (¥1,500 or $19), and Guilty Gear: Judgment (¥500 or $6.40).

This is not a full list of titles, and other companies, such as Konami and Capcom, are participating. Expect pricing and titles at a later date. Obviously, Sony did not disclose U.S. pricing, but one could assume that games priced at, for example, ¥500 would be priced at $5 in the U.S."

For those curious, PSVita will be released in Japan on December 17 and both Hong Kong and Taiwan on December 23, 2011.

A European and North American release are currently both slated for February 22, 2012.



More PlayStation 3 News...

[HeyManHRU]

From what I understand you can convert your PSP UMD to a playable game on the PS Vita VIA PSN. Is that what this all means? I'm kind of confused

[PS3 News]

Yep, what I got out of it is PS Vita owners can download their old games via UMD Passport at discounted prices off the PlayStation Store.

In short, Sony intends on making you re-purchase the games you own again.

[HeyManHRU]

Typical move by sony, instead of giving us backwards compatibility they give us this. Couldn't they be a bit like Nintendo and give us free backwards compatibly with all consoles.

[elser1]

i've never owned a psp anyways but this seems rude.. like the ps3 bc crap all over again.. sony are greedy bastards!

[Tek9]

Sony are greedy as hell what kind of crap is that where people who owned the psp since launch and have like 40 to 50 psp games (umd's) have to repurchase the damn thing just to play it on vita that's just straight up robbery. Not to mention but i still think what's the point of playing psp on the vita when all you have to do is pick up your old psp dust it off and play psp when and if you wanna play psp that is

[fudgelmir]

okay... so there's something I really don't understand here. If they're charging us this much money, what is the point of registering the umd in the first place? Why not just have the game(s) available for download?

Purchasing UMD+this new fee wouldn't be a big deal if games were $1-2.

But when we start talking $10+, it's just silly.

Persona 3 UMD: 39.99 + Persona 3 digital vita conversion: 19.99 = $59.99

Persona 3 PSN version = $34.99

[absarhegde]

I Guess $ony is short of money to launch new games!! That's why they're discovering ways of earning EASY MONEY!!!..

[jarvis]

This company has lost its mind. There is zero chance of me ever purchasing this device and I would encourage others to avoid it as well. If we allow them to get away with this, there will absolutely be a similar system on the PS4. That will definitely be the end for me. At this rate, this company will want you to carry a special card that lets them know what games you purchase, and a GPS locator so they know where you take them.

I hope this fails miserably.

[Natepig]

There are so few good games for the psp, i'd be surprised if anyone wanted to play any Psp titles on a Vita, let alone pay for the privilege. Bomberman and Loco Roco for me are the two best on the platform.