Sony will soon end the production of PlayStation Vita physical games, another move that signals the approaching death of the portable console.
Various factors have contributed to the decline of the PS Vita, and several signs have hinted that the end is near for the platform.
PlayStation Vita Physical Games To End In 2019
Sony's American and European divisions are planning to end production of the PlayStation Vita GameCards by the end of fiscal year 2018, which, for Sony, is on March 31, 2019.
In the message to developers that was obtained by Kotaku, Sony also asked for all PS Vita product code requests to be submitted by June 28 this year and for all final purchase orders to be entered by Feb. 15 next year.
Sony confirmed with Kotaku that PlayStation Vita GameCard production will soon end. However, this does not mean the outright death of the portable console, as digital distribution will continue for new PlayStation Vita games.
However, without physical games, it is hard to drown out the PlayStation Vita end-of-life chants. The portable console is definitely on its way out, but Sony is apparently killing off the PS Vita slowly.
The Pending Death Of The PlayStation Vita
The PlayStation Vita, which was launched in North America in early 2012, failed to rise from the shadows of the Nintendo 3DS and mobile games. Sony made things worse by making the portable console only support expensive proprietary memory cards and giving the system a price tag higher than what many gamers would pay.
Sony's message that it will soon end production of PS Vita physical games follows the announcement in February that there will be no more PlayStation Plus free games for the PlayStation Vita and the previous-generation PlayStation 3 starting March 2019. In addition, there is no mention of the PlayStation Vita in the platforms that will be featured in the upcoming PlayStation E3 2018 Showcase.
The PlayStation Vita is currently known for its library of JRPGs, niche Japanese games, and independent titles. The portable console is still very much playable, though, with one of the most exciting announcements recently being the upcoming Western release of Catherine: Full Body. A quirky puzzle platformer that will be a remake of the 2011 Catherine for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360, Catherine: Full Body has already generated controversy due to its slightly NSFW trailer.
PlayStation Vita fans, however, should start saying their goodbyes in advance of the inevitable PS Vita end support announcement.
