New PlayStation Vita Slim launches for $200 with Borderlands 2

Sony's handheld system gets a relaunch. The new PlayStation Vita Slim is now out in North America.

Image: Wikipedia Commons

The new system has a less bulkier look along with a better hands-on feel, easier PS Home and Start/Select buttons to press, and more. New Game Network details some of the features.

The new PS Vita system comes with a redesigned architecture that is approximately 20 percent slimmer and approximately 15 percent lighter than the original version, with new rounded edges that make the system more comfortable to hold. The system also has 1GB of built-in memory, an extended battery life for four to six hours of game play, and a new LCD display.

Its inclusion of built-in memory is a great choice for this system. It NEEDS some amount of storage with how large the community is online. You won't be able to download and install some full retail games, but the majority of games that are played on this system are from the indie community, which generally clock in at under a gig.

However, for those that want to play full titles, the Borderlands 2 bundle -- the only way you can currently get the system -- includes an 8GB memory card. Including a great game like BL2 doesn't hurt either, especially for those that haven't played the game yet.

Even if you haven't kept up with the Vita, there's tons of games that are available at your fingertips when you get it. And if you do, you might as well pick up the PlayStation Plus subscription if you don't have it. Assuming you have a PlayStation console, you're guaranteed a new free game to play every week.

PlayStation Update for 5-6-2014: Borderlands 2 on Vita, Activision sale, free Stick it to the Man

PlayStation Vita takes center stage as the handheld gets relaunched and bundled with Borderlands 2. Also, Activision holds a sale of some of their games including Prototype and Transformers, and there's two free games for PlayStation Plus subscribers.

New Releases

PS4

• Bound by Flame - $49.99 (Digital/Retail*)
• MLB 14 The Show - $59.99 (Digital/Retail)
• Sportsfriends - $14.99 (Digital)
• Stick it to the Man - Free** (Digital)
• Titan Attacks! - $10.79** (Digital/Cross-Buy)

PS3

• Bound by Flame - $39.99 (Digital/Retail*)
• Hakuoki: Stories of the Shinsengumi - $27.19**
• Sportsfriends - $14.99 (Digital)
• Titan Attacks! - $10.79** (Digital/Cross-Buy)

VITA

• Borderlands 2 Vita - $199.96 (Bundle only)***
• Broken Sword 5: The Serpent's Curse - $16.99 (Digital)
• Football Manager Classic 2014 - $39.99 (Digital)
• God of War Collection - $29.99 (Digital/Retail)
• Titan Attacks! - $10.79** (Digital/Cross-Buy)

*Comes out May 9th.

**PlayStation Plus price.

***Borderlands 2 on Vita released as standalone next week.

The big release this week is a semi-relaunch of the Vita with a thinner, cheaper edition of the handheld with Borderlands 2. Now the popular title from 2K Games is available for those that want to replay it and loot on the go. There are some limitations in this version, including two-player co-op, and there are some reviewers reportedly turned off by this version in their first impressions.

Elsewhere, PlayStation 4 gets its monthly free game with Stick it to the Man, a game that's already available on other consoles. Other highlights include MLB 14 The Show finally on PS4 along with Titan Attacks! released on all three platforms.

Strangely enough, no classics, imports, or demos are new this week.

PS+ Discounts

Activision is holding a sale on some of their games and downloadable content. The quality of both the discounts and the games on the list are left to be desired, but maybe those interested in messing with one of the Cabela hunting games can finally get their fix.

• Cabela's African Adventures - $17.99
• Cabela's Big Game Hunter: Pro Hunts - $17.99
• Fast & Furious: Showdown - $17.99
• Prototype - $13.49
• Prototype 2 - $17.99
• PT2 Colossal Mayhem / Excessive Force Packs - $2.69
• PT2 Radnet Access Pack - $6.29
• PT2 Ultimate Bundle (includes all DLC) - $22.49
• Transformers: Fall of Cybertron Dinobot Destructor / Massive Fury / Multiplayer Havoc Packs - $6.29
• TF: FOC Ultimate Edition - $40.49
• Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen Maps and Character DLC - $8.09
• Transformers: War for Cybertron Map and Character Packs 1 and 2 - $2.69
• The Walking Dead: Survival Instinct - $17.99

Also, Big.Trip Presents Runner2 is now available for $7.99 for those that didn't pick it up when it was free in the Instant Game Collection. Speaking of that...

Instant Game Collection

This week, there are two free games including the monthly free PS4 new release. As mentioned earlier, Stick it to the Man is free.

The other game is Pro Evolution Soccer 2014, just in time for those that are gearing up for Championship Sunday in the Premier League and the upcoming World Cup.

Enjoy your week, everyone!

PlayStation Vita Slim, Borderlands 2 bundle available for preorder on Amazon

Borderlands fans will soon be able to loot on the go. The PlayStation Vita Slim will release later this year, and a bundle that includes the Vita edition of Borderlands is available for preorder on Amazon.


The entire bundle includes a black PS Vita Slim, a voucher to download Borderlands 2, six DLC packs, cross-play support with PlayStation 3, and an eight gigabyte memory card for $199.99. Amazon sets the date to be released on May 31st, 2014.

Being able to port over a PS3 save and play on the Vita is a dream come true for BL2 fans. The definitive version could easily be the portable edition.

A question that remains is how many people are still interested in this game? Some fans may replay the entire experience on a handheld, but is it worth $200 for those that don't have a Vita yet?

Image credit: Flickr

PlayStation Vita Slim to US, includes Borderlands 2

The PlayStation Vita Slim is officially coming to the United States, and there will be a bundle that includes a memory card and Borderlands 2.



From the PlayStation Blog (via Gamespot):

Sony confirmed today that the PlayStation Vita Slim (also called the PlayStation Vita 2000), a lighter, smaller version of the Vita handheld will be coming to the US sometime "this spring."

In addition to the standalone hardware we're already familiar with, the wi-fi-only system will also ship in a Borderlands 2 bundle. This bundle will cost the same as the current Vita model ($200)[.]

No exact price has been given for the standalone product, but we can expect something around $180 (which is how much it will be in Europe).

Features in the new Slim model are an LCD screen instead of an OLED screen. This will give the handheld more battery life but will suffer in quality. I'm sure there won't be a difference to the untrained eye but there will be if compared side-by-side.

Personally, I'm a fan of the OLED screen and why I wouldn't give up my white, old Vita for anything. But the addition of one gigabyte of internal memory is a good idea for those that didn't want to spend the extra cash on an incredibly expensive memory card to save our games.

The bundle will definitely be worth the extra $200, however. It includes a fantastic game; those that already own Borderlands 2 on PS3 can cross-save with the Vita version and the bundle includes an eight gigabyte memory card and all the DLC for BL2.

This is definitely the best Vita bundle since the Assassin's Creed III: Liberation bundle on Amazon during Black Friday 2012.

Image credit: Flickr

Borderlands 2 not coming out March 18th on PS Vita

The handheld port of Borderlands 2 will not be coming out March 18th for PlayStation Vita, as falsely stated by the 2K Games International Twitter account.


According to PlayStation Lifestyle, @2KInternational tweeted that BL2 was set to release on March 18th for the Vita. However, that post was deleted and followed up with two more tweets announcing that "the release date mentioned is incorrect" and they were "sorry for any confusion this may have caused."

All three of those tweets have since been deleted on the account.

PSLS also gives us information on NewEgg's continuing change in their release date:

You may remember March 18th as the original date given by NewEgg, but they then changed it to April 15th, and now it reads December 31st, 2014 (clearly a placeholder).

Considering the game is still available for free on PlayStation 3 for PlayStation Plus subscribers, I don't see much reason to head out and buy this game immediately except for gamers that must shoot and loot on the go. But the game is aging, and if the publisher waits until late spring or summer, will there still be as big of a demand for another edition of BL2?

It's an incredibly fun game with lots of playing time, but you'd think even the biggest diehard fans are ready for the next installment of Borderlands.

Image credit: Flickr