Skip to main content

PlayStation Vita complaints prompt official statement, firmware updates

The PlayStation Vita sold over 300,000 units in the first two days it hit shelves in Japan, but a barrage of complaints about the new handheld gaming system has already prompted an apology from Sony.

“Currently, our information centre regarding PlayStation Vita as well as our usual customer service centre are receiving many enquiries,” reads the official statement on Japan’s PlayStation homepage. “We apologize if your phone isn’t connected straight away.”

Vita users have posted numerous complaints on Twitter and YouTube regarding sudden freezes, problems with wifi connectivity, and problems starting the system up. Along with posting an extensive troubleshooting FAQ on the PlayStation site, Sony released a mandatory firmware update for the system intended to address some of the issues.

“Some issues regarding PlayStation Vita can be addressed by simple procedures at home,” reads the notice on the PlayStation site.

While these early issues aren’t likely to have a long-term effect on sales, U.S. and European gamers should probably take solace in the fact that many of these early problems are being addressed well before the system hits the market outside of Japan. At this rate, many of the system’s most troubling problems will be dealt with well before February 22 comes along and the Vita hits shelves in North America.

Editors' Recommendations

Rick Marshall
A veteran journalist with more than two decades of experience covering local and national news, arts and entertainment, and…
Best PlayStation deals: PS5, controllers, headsets on sale
PS5 and DualSense art.

Next-gen gaming has delivered on expectations, with the Sony PlayStation 5 offering some serious gaming capabilities. Its popularity has made it difficult to find Sony PlayStation 5 deals, and this seems to be the case whether you’re shopping for the PlayStation 5 console itself or games and accessories. We’ve managed to track down some PlayStation 5 deals, and we’ve included them below. It’s also a bit of a deal simply to find a Sony PlayStation 5 in stock, and we’ve managed to do so. We’ve include those links as well, so reading onward you’ll find what we consider to be the best Sony PlayStation 5 deals on the internet right now.
Sony PlayStation 5 Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 bundle — $450, was $600

If you’re looking to get your hands on a PlayStation 5 console with a game to get you going, try this bundle with Marvel’s Spider-Man 2. This console features the PlayStation 5’s slim design, yet still has 1TB of solid state storage built in. It also comes with one DualSense Wireless Controller, and of course, a digital voucher for Marvel’s Spider-Man 2.

Read more
This PS5 Pro leak reveals a massive jump in performance
The Playstation 5 system standing upright.

Sony is indeed working on a more advanced version of the PlayStation 5 that could feature a more powerful GPU that's potentially up to three times faster for specific tasks compared to current PS5 models.

YouTuber Moore's Law is Dead claims to have obtained a technical overview document for the PS5 Pro, code-named Trinity, and Insider Gaming's Tom Henderson has confirmed the leaked specifications' accuracy, which suggests a holiday 2024 release window for the console.

Read more
PlayStation VR2 production reportedly paused by Sony
PlayStation VR2 headset on blue background.

Sony is reportedly pausing production of the PlayStation VR2 headsets because it has a backlog of unsold headsets.

This report comes from Bloomberg, which claims that PSVR2 sales have slowed every quarter since its February 2023 release, causing stocks of the device to build up. It says Sony has produced 2 million headsets but reportedly hasn't sold through them yet. As a result, it's apparently pausing the production on new units until it works through some of that backlog, according to Bloomberg's anonymous sources.

Read more