PS Vita To Have 3G Download Limits And System-Specific Memory Cards

Sony has confirmed in a recent interview with ASCII that it's upcoming PS Vita portable gaming console would have 3G download limits and that its proprietary memory cards would be system-specific. Although not completely unexpected, it's a bit surprising that the device will require a completely new memory card format that will not be compatible with any of Sony's other products.

For downloads to the PS Vita over a 3G network, the initial file size limit will be 20MB. This limit could potentially be increased later on, but to start off, users will only be able to download files larger than 20MB via WiFi.

The proprietary memory cards for the PS Vita are specific to the device, meaning that it won't be compatible with any other future devices nor with other Sony products like its PSP and digital cameras. Sony did not explain why they chose a completely new format, but they did say that the format will be supported for the life of the platform.

In case you're not already familiar, the PS Vita was first announced at E3 2011 and features a 5-inch 960 x 544 OLED touchscreen display and an additional touchpad on the backside. It has dual cameras, dual analog sticks, GPS, Bluetooth, and WiFi. The device is expected to launch with 26 game titles in Japan on December 17, followed by a worldwide release on December 31. Pre-orders for the device have already begun with the WiFi-only version listed at $249.99 and the WiFi+3G version at $299.99.

[via TechnoBuffalo]