14 DAY TRIAL // Nintendo might be emphasizing the way the new GamePad controller will change the nature of gaming but according to Sony the same possibilities are open to those who are using both a PlayStation 3 home console and a PlayStation Vita handheld.
John Koller, who is the vice president in charge of marketing at Sony Computer Entertainment of America, told Endgadget that, “We tell our PlayStation fans all the time that what the Wii U is offering is something that Vita and PS3 can do quite easily.”
The executive believes that his company needs to be careful about the kind of games that use both the PS3 and the Vita in order to make sure that the mechanics are suited to the dual-screen setup.
Koller also revealed that retail chains are interested in creating bundles which pair up the two devices, possibly with games that show how the cross-player mechanics can work but, so far, Sony has not been interested in offering them.
The reason is that many of those who own a PS Vita already have a PlayStation 3 home console and Sony would like to see the rest pick it up as a separate package as well.
The Nintendo Wii U requires all video games to have some kind of functionality for the second screen of the GamePad controller, although not all game developers actually create compelling mechanics for the device.
The Wii U home console is designed to offer more computing power than the current generation of devices from Sony and Microsoft, while also introducing innovation via the touchscreen-enabled GamePad.
It’s not clear whether Sony has plans to introduced more integration between its home console and its handheld in the next generation of hardware.
The Wii U arrives on November 18 in North America, November 30 in Europe and on December 8 in Japan.