E3 2012: Anything Wii U Can Do, PS Vita Can Do Better

Well, maybe not necessarily better (since Wii U has time to prove its worth), but definitely sooner! Last year, Nintendo no doubt stole E3 with their announcement and official unveiling of their next console, Wii U. However, the highlight was the console’s controller. In fact, the multifunctional controller was focused on so heavily that many people were confused and believed that Wii U was just the tablet-styled controller. That should speak leagues about how much Nintendo believes in their newest offering and the possibilities it contains, but is Sony already moving in on their market?

Sony believes in the PlayStation Vita (despite some less-than-impressive sales numbers), so much in fact, that they are finding ways to pair the handheld to their existing console. We’ve seen Remote Play, cross-platform play, interesting cooperative mechanics and video service announcements for the handheld. Just take a look at PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale, Sly Cooper: Thieves in Time and the newly-announced patch for LittleBigPlanet 2 for an idea of the PS3/Vita connection. All of these features are exactly the same as the features Nintendo has been proudly going on about for a year now. The issue lies in the fact that Nintendo is trying to hype people about features and mechanics that their new console is built around when Sony is making all of these available now.

Let’s take a look at what the Wii U controller offers. It has a camera, gyroscope, accelerometer, mic, ability to suspend games, touch screen and access to video apps (Netflix, Hulu, etc.). Vita features all of the above. Games can be suspended while other apps are opened and then resumed afterward. We’ve already seen nearly every game utilize tilt and touch controls. The handheld has a built-in mic and access to the popular chat service, Skype, for connecting to others. Also, we’ve just received the announcement that other services, such as Hulu and Crackle, are coming to the Vita to join the other already established options (ex: Netflix). Lastly, Nintendo has been very adamant about how they are “revolutionizing the living room” by allowing players to continue their game on the controller’s screen while someone else watches something else on the TV. Anyone who has taken part in Remote Play on the Vita knows that the exact same option exists and produces the same “revolutionary” result.

So, where are the differences? Obviously Vita doesn’t have access to the Miiverse, but if Sony’s newest portable device received Home, it’d be the equivalent of Nintendo’s social option. Although it is worth noting that Near and Street Pass are very similar social features. Wii U’s controller, as far as I know, can not be taken outside and carried around. The PlayStation Vita can be taken on-the-go and then brought back home for some PlayStation 3 connectivity. Sure, the Sony route requires dishing out more money, since you’re buying two different systems, whereas the Wii U console bundles its tablet controller at a (hopefully) reasonable price.

Because of these reasons, it’s hard to put much weight on all of the “innovation” talk Nintendo is throwing around because everything they claim they’ll give us in the future, we don’t have to wait for thanks to Sony.

18 thoughts on “E3 2012: Anything Wii U Can Do, PS Vita Can Do Better

  1. I totally a agree & have thought this from the start. I’m surprised that this comparison hasn’t been the main Focus of the Wii U from the start. And can’t you connect 4 VITA’s to a PS3 all at the same time too? I really can’t find anything about this in google search.

    Nintendo’s U console. Anything U can do VITA can do better, indeed.

    Don’t buy a U, buy a PS3/4 & a Vita together, if you have the cash to spend & enjoy!

  2. This would be true if remote play actually worked for more than a handful of games.

  3. YAY! My 300euros were not wasted …not!
    This announcement did’t make my buyer’s remorse feel any better.
    And since Sony decided to focus on a “Wonderbook” than PSVIta the future for this expensive junk looks grim :(
    And no-one is willing to buy it for a decent price. I guess I’m stuck with it.

  4. Nice article well said agree with everything if u want a controller with a screen buy a PS Vita :P right now not on 1 year and at least PSV can play on it’s own games and u can take it wherever u go.

    PS Vita > Wii U :P

  5. Why would devs take the chance, you need to have both to use it. The WiiU pad is a dedicaited part of the console its the controller nothing else and it just been showcased as well as gave you glipses of what could come in the future. I also think they are talking about using the 3ds as a controller for the wiiU too so… yea.

  6. If Sony made Cross-Controller work for The Last Of Us as far as quick access to your inventory via touch screeen… It’d be one glorious day.

  7. great article. i was hoping for wireless mirroring of ps vita games to my hdtv…..
    but it seems i can do this sort of thing provided i have a ps3 ,which i do, so i am all set!

  8. really excited how lbp 2 ps vita dlc will show us the power of the vita on ps3

  9. The sad part is as soon as wii u launches it will have a bigger install base than vita

  10. Finally a journalist says it lol i said this last E3 that sony had planned on using Vita as a controller much like Wii U but everyone laughed and went no its just another PSP finally and i knew it would take awhile this is new tech after all and thank to firmwares and things like that the Vita is totally upgradeable so nice this is finally happening…GOD 2 years i’ve been dealing with naysayers

  11. Just STOP this stealth marketing by $ONY already.. Vita is not a real gaming choice for the world, but only for mad fanboys’ who think competitors suck

  12. Ah, nothing as opportune as an article like this.

    Have you not realized how little attention Sony gave the PS Vita during their conference? Announcing a whopping THREE games before shoving a 15 minute demo of a crappy PS Move game?

    I mean, you have to wonder why Sony’s heads are – they’re obviously not thinking.

    Furthermore, if Sony could do asymmetric gameplay with PS3/Vita, why not do it. I mean, an investment of $500+ is sure enough to entice the common gamer, right?

    Either way, Sony’s “loss” is Nintendo’s gain.

    Until Sony takes PS Vita seriously, what you’ve explicitly stated will never happen. Stick that in your fanboy pipe and smoke it.

  13. Journalists have been saying this since the remote play feature was first shown. It’s all very nice and the Vita and PS3 are great machines, but the Wii U comes as a complete unit, both console and second screen together. Every Wii U game will utilise the second screen, even if only in basic ways. Can the same be said of every PS3 game? Of course not. Nintendo still has the advantage in this scenario.

  14. Pheww i was waiting with crossed finger wondering if my PS Vita was a good decision thinking the E3 will just dropme dead but nuh once again sony proved me right Yippie

  15. “Anyone who has taken part in Remote Play on the Vita knows that the exact same option exists and produces the same “revolutionary” result.” Vita’s remote play is still non-existent, can you run Killzone 3 or Uncharted 3 on your Vita through the PS3, because I can’t. I bought my Vita largely for remote play and it still hasn’t been implemented.

  16. for those who are saying you have to buy both the vita and the ps3, and it’s a lot of money to buy, you have to buy the Wii U and the Tablet is a separate buy as well, it doesn’t come with the console. the price for the Wii U is RUMORED to be about $300-$350 plus the price of the tablet. I think it’ll be even price for both the vita and ps3. 299+250. 350+(i don’t know 100?) . so yes. I own a vita. i own a 3ds. love both companies, but the wii u doesn’t seem like it’s going to be strong. it’s a weak concept in my opinion and i feel the big N could have created something a lot better.

  17. @feku, you’re incredibly wrong. The Wii U and the controller come as one unit under one price. If a vita costs 250 and so does the PS3 at Gamestop then you’re paying $500

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