Sony Corp. said Wednesday it will launch its next-generation portable game machine, the PlayStation Vita, in Japan on Dec. 17--earlier than in any other country--along with 26 software titles.
The new device will debut outside Japan some time next year, the company said without being specific.
In Japan, the Vita is expected to become a major competitor to Nintendo Co's 3DS handheld machine this holiday season. The 3DS, which debuted in February, plays games in 3-D without the need for special glasses. The Vita is equipped with an organic light-emitting diode touch-screen display, which is particularly suitable for high-definition graphics.
"This new device is packed with every possible function, and that's why we confidently call it the ultimate entertainment system," said Hiroshi Kawano, head of Sony's Japanese game unit, at a press conference.
The Vita comes in Wi-Fi and 3G network models. It is expected to become a key element of Sony's strategy of offering entertainment services such as videogames, movies and music on networked devices.
Earlier this year, Sony's videogame business suffered a serious blow when hacker attacks on its PlayStation Network caused a massive data breach worldwide and forced the company to temporarily shut down its online game service.
Kawano said the Vita will have its own Web browser, music player and photo and video applications. It will offer easy access to social networking services such as Twitter and Facebook.
