wraggster
February 8th, 2012, 22:33
SCEA has confirmed that the UMD Passport scheme, which lets Japanese users buy Vita (http://www.edge-online.com/filter/all/tags/883) licences for their PSP games, will not launch in the US.
Announced last November, UMD Passport (http://www.edge-online.com/news/sony-unveils-umd-passport-scheme) is an application for PSP (http://www.edge-online.com/filter/all/tags/882)that allows users to register UMD games to their PSN accounts, and download them to their PS Vita for a nominal fee.
As Giant Bomb notes, it was a confusing system, with wildly fluctuating prices. Not all games were supported, and firstparty titlesPatapon and Gran Turismo cost ¥1,000 (£8.25) apiece, whileEverybody's Golf cost ¥500 (£4.12). It's little surprise, then, that Sony has confirmed that the scheme will not be available to US Vita buyers when the system launches later this month.
"SCEA will not be offering the UMD Passport programme," the company said in a statement. "US consumers who already own digital versions of select PSP titles will be able to seamlessly transfer those games to their PS Vita system.
"More than 250 PSP titles (including Minis) will be available at the launch of PS Vita, and hundreds of additional titles will be available post-launch."
While SCEE declined to confirm whether the same would apply to Europe, it's not looking good, with a spokesperson only telling us: "We haven't made any announcements regarding the UMD Passport programme for SCEE."
http://www.edge-online.com/news/no-umd-passport-us-vita-owners
Announced last November, UMD Passport (http://www.edge-online.com/news/sony-unveils-umd-passport-scheme) is an application for PSP (http://www.edge-online.com/filter/all/tags/882)that allows users to register UMD games to their PSN accounts, and download them to their PS Vita for a nominal fee.
As Giant Bomb notes, it was a confusing system, with wildly fluctuating prices. Not all games were supported, and firstparty titlesPatapon and Gran Turismo cost ¥1,000 (£8.25) apiece, whileEverybody's Golf cost ¥500 (£4.12). It's little surprise, then, that Sony has confirmed that the scheme will not be available to US Vita buyers when the system launches later this month.
"SCEA will not be offering the UMD Passport programme," the company said in a statement. "US consumers who already own digital versions of select PSP titles will be able to seamlessly transfer those games to their PS Vita system.
"More than 250 PSP titles (including Minis) will be available at the launch of PS Vita, and hundreds of additional titles will be available post-launch."
While SCEE declined to confirm whether the same would apply to Europe, it's not looking good, with a spokesperson only telling us: "We haven't made any announcements regarding the UMD Passport programme for SCEE."
http://www.edge-online.com/news/no-umd-passport-us-vita-owners