It’s already been available in Japan for nearly a year, but finally, the West will soon be able to get their hands on PlayStation TV! The micro console will be available on Tuesday, October 14th in North America. European gamers have to wait an extra month though, as PlayStation TV won’t launch in European territories until November 14th.
The PlayStation TV, at its simplest functionality, is an extra affordable, non-portable version of the PlayStation Vita, essentially. It also draws inspiration from Apple’s affordable and successful Apple TV device. With it, players can stream PlayStation 4 gameplay to a separate HD television (which works similarly to the off-TV play functionality in Nintendo’s Wii U console), as well as select PlayStation Vita, PlayStation Portable, and PS One Classics games. Be advised however that not every game available on these catalogues of the PlayStation Store will work on PlayStation TV, though it is capable of running compatible PlayStation Vita game cards, as well as digital downloads.
The micro console can be operated with either the PlayStation 3’s Dual Shock 3 controller, or the PlayStation 4’s Dual Shock 4 controller. It can be purchased standalone for $99.99, or in a bundle for $139.99, which also includes a Dual Shock 3 controller, an 8GB memory card, and a digital download voucher for the PlayStation Vita version of The LEGO Movie Videogame. For a limited time, Wal-Mart will also exclusively host a PlayStation TV bundle for the same price of $139.99, which comes with the additions of the other bundle, plus a digital download voucher for Sly Cooper: Thieves in Time for PlayStation Vita.
PlayStation TV will have a combined sum of compatible games totaling almost 700 even at launch, which will include big PlayStation Vita hits like Persona 4 Golden, Killzone: Mercenary, Dragon’s Crown and Rayman Origins, along with PlayStation Portable favourites like Patapon and Final Fantasy Tactics: War of the Lions, and timeless PlayStation classics such as Metal Gear Solid and Twisted Metal. Sony has also confirmed that the in-development PlayStation Vita version of Minecraft will also be compatible with PlayStation TV as soon as the game launches, despite creator, Mojang’s recent acquisition by Microsoft.
As if that weren’t enough, PlayStation TV will also eventually support PlayStation Now, allowing players to stream PlayStation 3 games to the device on a rental basis. The timetable for PlayStation TV supporting PlayStation Now is currently unknown however, particularly since the streaming service is still in beta, and is so far only available for PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 3.
If you already own a PlayStation Vita, it’s doubtful that you would ever need to own PlayStation TV, unless you happen to be an avid collector of PlayStation goods. If you’ve held off on purchasing Sony’s handheld over concerns with pricing however, or perhaps failing to justify owning a portable dedicated gaming device for yourself, PlayStation TV offers you a simple, affordable way to enjoy many of the best PlayStation Vita features and games.
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