Sony on the eve of the PlayStation Vita‘s first US wave has kicked off a record $50 million ad campaign to recapture its place not just from Nintendo but from Apple. The most Sony has ever spent on any PlayStation launch in the US, the campaign includes both online spots as well as traditional billboards and TV spots. Where PSP ads focused on younger gamers, though, Sony’s new Vita ads will focus on adults, where the allure is to “never stop playing” PS3-level games while on the road and with others.
The system is the most advanced dedicated handheld to date and has technology that might not be ready for smartphones for months, such as a quad-core processor with matching quad-core graphics, and a five-inch OLED touchscreen. It keeps the dual analog sticks and physical buttons of a TV-bound console and adds more exotic control like backside touch. A higher-end version will have 3G and fulfill some of the role of a tablet or high-end smartphone.
Most early looks at the Vita’s US arrival, which starts with the First Edition Bundle preorder releases Wednesday and the general release a week later, have praised the hardware and launch titles.
