Here's To the PS Vita, which halts production in 2019

The announcement of the PlayStation Classic was a pleasant surprise to many. It was received fairly well, garnering hundreds of thousands of views on PlayStation’s YouTube channels. It got me thinking of another device that could legally play original PlayStation games, the PlayStation Vita. Ironically, the beloved handheld made a cameo in the media joint interview with Mr. Hiroyuki Oda. For those who don’t know, he is the Senior Vice President of Sony Interactive Entertainment Japan.
“There is such a thing, as too much of a good thing”. Sure enough, during the interview regarding the PlayStation classic, a stray question regarding a successor to the PlayStation Vita was asked. Thanks to Famitsu and Gematsu, we received word that there is no successor to the PlayStation Vita in the works. Worst yet, the PS Vita will discontinue production in Japan come 2019. This is a massive blow to the system as it is most popular in Japan.

A decent run

The PSP2/NGP and was officially announced as PlayStation Vita at 2011’s E3. It became commercially available in Japan in December 2011 and to the rest of the world in February 2012. It came with a strong game lineup, such as Gravity Rush, Uncharted: Golden Abyss, Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3 and even promises of a Bioshock game.
Many Vita-related projects did not follow through, however. Talks of a Skyrim game and even the aforementioned Bioshock game were abandoned and never heard of again. Several games announced for the Vita had their ports removed, such as Broforce and Final Fantasy Agito.
Despite so, the Vita library grew steadily, adding powerhouse games such as Killzone: Mercenary, World of Final Fantasy, Persona 4: Golden, and so on. It was responsible for creating powerful and dedicated fan bases that still hold weekly community events together. Games like Freedom Wars, Soul Sacrifice Delta and Killzone: Mercenary still have relatively active lobbies.

Popularity?

Despite its subjectively weak library, the charming handheld amassed a popular following and dedicated fan support. Big game publishers such as Atlus and Bandai-Namco are still releasing games for it due to dedicated Vita fans. Upcoming titles for the Vita include Catherine and Timespinner.
The PS Vita also served as a powerful tool for the PlayStation 4. The Vita is capable of doing remote-play, a feature in which users can stream the PS4 through their Vita via the internet connection, allowing for a powerful handheld experience. Watch this entertaining Japanese Remote Play advertisement here.
Undoubtedly, the statement from Mr. Oda was very much expected and was due in a matter of time. If anything, its surprising the announcement of the discontinuation wasn’t earlier. Here’s to a good run, and to a hopefully more successful successor in the distant future.