Sony announced today that they're releasing a new Aqua Blue model of the PlayStation Vita. A welcome addition to Vita enthusiasts, this blue model is the first Vita officially retailed in the US (if not the first outside of Japan) in any color except Black. It's good news for fans, but it begs the question: what took you so long to think of this, Sony?.

An image of the new Vita model

A left side view: notice the clear d-pad

Right side view. Again, clear buttons

A rear view of the new system

Click here if you want to preorder it. Yes, Sony should pay me

Now to hope that the Vita receives even more updates, like maybe Japan's Lime green/white model? Are you reading this, Shuhei?

The new Vita model comes during a time when the future of the handheld seemed uncertain to Westerners (though not to Easterners: they love the thing in Japan), and is quite possibly related to the rising popularity of the system in comparison to it's sales in prior years. And indeed, the Vita seems to be emerging as a more well known system in the West finally. I for one didn't even know the thing existed two years ago, and now we find articles and reviews popping up across all manner of websites with a mainly Western following.

Will a new color and the hype that comes with having one of the nation's largest game retailers (GameStop) personally advertising a new model of the system exclusive to their store bring the Vita more attention and get it in the eyes of those who had no prior knowledge of it? Of course it will. Will it be enough to make the system double in sales? Doubtful. Still, it brings to mind to all that there actually is a good handheld out there that doesn't have "Nintendo" stamped on the front (no hate for 3DS though). Maybe Sony is finally stepping up and considering the Vita a worthwhile push in the West again. While it isn't likely, we can hope that Sony will begin publishing first party titles on the Vita again someday. Oh well, at least it has an amazing third party title lineup.

What do you think? Is this new model worth a purchase for a current Vita owner? Will it lure non-Vita owners who already know about the system into buying it? Will it serve to increase public awareness of the system's existence? Is my hair amazing? So many questions left unanswered...


To see the source for all information contained in this article about the new Vita model, click the link below.

http://blog.us.playstation.com/2015/08/31/aqua-blue-ps-vita-coming-to-gamestop-this-november-2/

NOOOOOooooo.... I want it but ill never be able to afford that or be able to bother with all the hassles of trying to find a place where I can re download everything.

Man I want this so bad but I already bought my vita.

What do you think? I think it's cool but most people will only see the color change and that's all they will really think about it.

Is this new model worth a purchase
for a current Vita owner?  Maybe if you have ALOT of money to spend or blow on things.

Will it lure non-Vita owners who already know
about the system into buying it? Probably not...

Will it serve to increase public
awareness of the system's existence? I'm not really sure .. it may indeed do just that.

Is my hair amazing? It really is, you have the best hair ever! :3

Honestly I wish I would of waited and got this vita because it's blue :3!

If I were to get a Vita, I would totally want to get it in that color. Blue is my favorite color, especially brighter blues like that new model. For now though, I'm more interested in getting a PS4 first, and I don't even know when I'll do that. That will probably happen next year or something like that.

zanderlex : Yeah, that price tag -while understandable- is still slightly out of my reach for now. Though honestly I can see myself buying a used Vita this month and then in a few months going to GameStop and buying this one too. I may be addicted to PlayStation though.

As for redownloading, you should be able to just swap your memory card between the two, no?


Bintsy : Tell ya what: mail me yours for $50 and then you'll have the perfect excuse to buy this one! I'm amazing, I know.
In all honesty I'm torn on whether I should get this or the one I wanted before. I still want my OLED model...but this color is amazing. :3 Knowing me I'll eventually bag both, just because.

I also agree with all of your answers, especially the hair part and I do think it will get some attention to the Vita, but not persuade anyone who already knew about it to buy one. Still, I'm hoping enough people (including current Vita owners) will buy this that Sony will be encouraged to really market the Vita in the West. They haven't been simply because of a lack of interest compared to the PS4.

Eirinn : I don't think it works that way. I tried swapping memory cards with my 3ds and it doesn't allow it.

The ps vita is dead; the handheld was ahead of its time. i have one and only use it for the rare instances of remote play on ps4

That color looks really nice, really, really, really nice. =D

But !

I already had a vita and sold it a while ago. I don't see much of a reason why I would want another one. The main reason why I sold my Vita in the first place because there were barely any games at the time. I brought it when it was fairly new and only had Street Fighter x Tekken and Disgaea 3: Absence of Justice. Those games were fun to play but a gamer need's new games at some point. With my Vita just sitting there collecting dust I eventually wiped it down and sold it at Gamestop and got almost half my money back. Probably the only time I got so much money back from Gamestop, those guy's are so cheap.

Even if there are more game's out for the Vita now I still wouldn't buy it back, not even for shiny new color's. To me the Vita has passed it's time.

TristanTehGamer1 : Actually the Vita has a ton of new games headed it's way this year. In fact it's always had games, it's just that they don't fit everyone so nobody really seems to notice or mention them. Also a lot of it's games are digital only. Really the Vita is quite alive and vibrant, it just doesn't sell like the 3DS does in the West because everyone here thinks of handheld gaming as Nintendo. lol
Thank you for checking the article out though.



cnw64 : I can respect the opinion since you've had one and didn't care for it. No system is a fit for everyone after all. I for example, don't think the 3DS has any games, but that's just me.

Thanks for reading and commenting.