CES 2012: AT&T has announced its data plan pricing for the 3G-enabled model of the Sony PlayStation Vita portable entertainment system, for which the carrier is the exclusive U.S. wireless carrier.
The connectivity is key for the gaming experience: PS Vita will launch with a wide range of social networking features developed specifically for the system. AT&T plans to offer two data options, a $14.99 plan for 250MB per month, and a $25 plan with 2GB of data per month. Both plans will be month-to-month and will not require a long-term contract. PlayStation Vita customers with an AT&T data plan will also have free Wi-Fi access at more than 29,000 AT&T Wi-Fi hotspots nationwide.
The PlayStation Vita 3G/Wi-Fi model will be available on February 22 for $299.
Applications include the location-based “near" app, which will allow users to find out what other PS Vita owners in their vicinity are currently playing and what titles are most popular in the area. “Near" also enables location-based gaming features such as “gifting," in which a user can access virtual game-related items that other users are sharing by checking in at geographic locations. For example, in the popular kart racing series ModNation Racers: Road Trip, PS Vita users will be able to collect rare gift items provided through the game when visiting specific points of interest in 45 major cities around the world. They can then share them with other PS Vita owners through the “near" application.
Meanwhile, “LiveArea™" is an interactive interface for each PS Vita software title in which users can access the latest information for games through PlayStationNetwork.
In addition, a variety of social networking and communications services such as Facebook, Flickr, foursquare, and Twitter will be available on PS Vita.
“With a mobile broadband connection, gaming enthusiasts will have seamless access to LiveArea," added Lurie. “Users can check on their friends’ accomplishments with LiveArea when they’re playing the same game, triggering real-time communication," said said Glenn Lurie, president, emerging devices, AT&T.
PS Vita systems with an active AT&T data plan will also take advantage of software functionality developed specifically for the 3G-enabled model that allow users to "game at the speed of their mobile lifestyle," the companies say, including turn-based, asynchronous multiplayer gameplay, instantly updated rankings and leaderboards and immediate access to the latest downloadable add-on content.
