While PS Vita fans have been holding out and avidly supporting the platform for years, it seems like Sony’s handheld console is finally nearing its end. In a recent interview with Famitsu, Sony Interactive Entertainment’s Senior Vice President Hiroyuki Oda confirmed that production will be ending next year.
In the interview, which was translated by DualShockers’ Giuseppe Nelva, Oda-san specifically stated that production on the handheld will continue “until 2019” in Japan, with its shipments ending after that. Considering that Japan is the PS Vita’s biggest market, the end of production there truly signifies that the end of the platform’s lifespan is near.
Even though the PS Vita never reached the heights of something like the Nintendo 3DS, or even the PSP, due to things like lackluster first-party support, the system is still supported by several Japanese and indie developers and will end up having a lengthy seven-year lifespan. That being said, those of you holding out for a successor will also be disappointed.
During that same interview, Oda-san also said that Sony does not have plans to announce a portable successor to the PS Vita. While those plans could always change, the PS Vita’s lackluster sales and the dominance of Nintendo Switch and mobile gaming right now might have scared Sony away from producing another handheld console.
If their plans change, you can be sure that DualShockers will let you know. If you want to pick up the PS Vita in its final year for games like Catherine: Full Body, you can currently do so on Amazon.