Early PlayStation Vita Models Had Clamshell and Slide Designs

Sony has revealed a few more interesting details about its upcoming PlayStation Vita handheld console, including some interesting tidbits about early versions of the device, which featured different designs such as sliding ones, like on the PSP Go, or clamshell ones, like the Nintendo 3DS.

The PlayStation Vita is already on sale in its native Japan and Sony is now getting ready for its release in the rest of the world next February, when it will appear in North America and Europe.

Now, after revealing quite a lot about the device and its games, Sony Computer Entertainment Europe’s blog manager, James Gallagher, shared some more peculiar details about the Vita, as experienced by him when he attended the Japanese launch of the device.

During this event, he talked with Takashi Sogabe, a member of the Sony Corporate Design Centre, and the man responsible for the original Walkman, who worked on crafting the Vita and talked about some of the earlier versions of the device.

“He revealed that the team went through various designs, including one with a sliding back like PSPgo and a clamshell, before settling on the final model after discussion with developers. He also said that he originally wanted the exterior to be entirely metallic but that proved impossible due to the antennae required for the Wi-Fi and 3G connections,” Gallagher posted on the PS blog.

He also added that a few of these earlier designs were shown to him, with one device using touch pads instead of the dual analog sticks that are now part of the Vita’s final design. According to Sogabe, the sticks were decided in the last minute, largely because they offered a more accurate experience than the touch pads.

As you can see, while the PlayStation Vita may seem like a pretty natural progression from the current PSP, Sony explored quite a lot of different ideas before deciding on the current device you see above, which will be out in February, 2012.