PlayStation Vita TV, more commonly known as PlayStation TV, is effectively no more in the U.S. and Europe. Just over a year after it was introduced in the West, Sony has confirmed that it will no longer be shipping the microconsole to either market.
The news was confirmed by a spokesperson who revealed that PS TV shipments were terminated at the end of 2015 in both SCEA (Sony Computer Entertainment America) and SCEE (Sony Computer Entertainment Europe).
"PlayStation TV shipments were terminated at the end of 2015 in SCEA and SCEE," a Sony spokesperson told Gamespot. "Shipment is still continuing in SCEAsia (as of the end of February, 2016), and we have nothing to announce regarding the timing of termination."
"PS Store for PlayStation TV will continue to be accessible, and PlayStation TV-related information will continue to be updated. In terms of applications/service for PlayStation TV, we will make further communications to users as necessary."
Initially launched in Japan in November 2013 before coming to North America in October 2014 and Europe a month later, the PlayStation TV seemed destined for greatness from the moment it was released. It featured the ability to play an assortment PlayStation Vita games, as well as PlayStation One and PSP games. Furthermore, through the use of Remote Play, players were able to stream PlayStation 4 games from one PS4 console to a seperate television that the PS TV was connected to.
However, while it had the ability to perform a plethora of functions, it couldn't do many of them well. For example, despite its ability to play Vita games, it lacked the the rear touchpad function that so many games relied on, rendering a large portion of the system's library nearly unplayable.
There were other issues that extended beyond its gaming capabilities, such as the fact that its output was limited to 720p - effectively making it a low- tier "Netflix box," and it relied on Sony's brand-exclusive memory cards for storage.
What could have a slam dunk wound up becoming a relative failure, so much so that its price has been cut from the launch price of $99 to a meager $50. As noted however, the discontinuation only applies to the US and Europe, with locations in Asia still receiving its shipments.
