The PlayStation Vita will no longer be produced in Japan starting 2019, and there are currently no successors to the Sony handheld console. This is according to a statement by Sony Interactive Entertainment Senior Vice President Hiroyuki Oda to Famitsu.
During the interview, Oda said, “Currently, we do not have any plans regarding a new handheld device,” adding that “in Japan, we will manufacture PlayStation Vita until 2019. From there, shipping will end.”
Not an entirely unexpected turn of events, truth be told. Sony has stopped the production of physical game copies for the Vita since March this year. With physical games production being halted, it was a matter of time before the console itself followed suit.
This marks eight years of the PS Vita’s life since it was launched back in 2011. A follow-up model was released in 2013 that featured a smaller body and better battery life.
In any case, digital games for the PS Vita will still be purchasable, and it’s unlikely that the digital store for the device will shut down immediately after Sony stops production of the Vita in Japan. Nevertheless, you might want to think of your next option if you are still holding on to your PS Vita.
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