No more Vita carts. Where do we go from here?

As we announced earlier this week, the final nail in the Vita’s coffin as an actively supported device (I use the term loosely) has been hammered home: a mixture of Vita developers being ignored by Sony, and the end of physical cartridge production in Asia signify the last goodbye. But for us, die-hard fans, what is to come? What does the transition from current-gen to legacy mean for the Vita? Let’s find out.

Now, this is a bit clickbaity, but hear me out. I’m not saying you should rush out and buy the latest and greatest just because the Vita is no longer getting new games. But, one needs to take into consideration that moving forward, we might need to diversify, if not to get the latest and greatest, for preservation. I’d much rather have a beater Switch Lite and play Fortnite on it, than to carry around my OLED Vita and have something happen to it. Heck, I’d rather be placing esports wagers at Unikrn while other people play Fortnite or whatever kids play these days than to risk my Vita getting broken or stolen. It’s time we start thinking about the future, and putting the already limited quantity of Vita consoles at risk is unwise, in my view.

While it’s true that Sony are basically shafting developers and publishers on the Vita, it’s also true that in the past 4 months, we’ve seen almost 30 new game releases on the platform. So, it’s not quite over yet, and I think it’s very important that we show our appreciation to these developers. Many have expressed that sales on the Vita do not even cover the costs of porting, but that they do it because  of the passionate fanbase. One such publisher, Ratalaika games, has been putting out amazing content for years, and continues to do so. I strongly encourage you to seek out their games, and grab a couple to support them.

Please, please, for the love of all that is holy, take care of your Vita consoles. They are beautiful and rare machines, and deserve to be taken care of. Clean them regularly, keep them out of harm’s way. Of course, play with them, but now, do so with the eyes of a preservationist. It’s not about keeping it caged, but rather embracing its historical significance and caring for it accordingly. I personally keep mine indoors. This is not a knock against the Vita, but rather against my clumsy hands. I’m much more comfortable with my phone breaking than my Vita. I don’t go out much anymore, anyway, and I don’t think I’m alone, somehow.

We have to face the reality that sooner rather than later, the Vita will no longer have access to the PSN store. When that moment comes, our digital “purchases” (more like extended rentals) will be worth jiggity squat. So, I think it’s time we take a good, hard look at the games we feel passionate about, and start tracking down physical copies for those games that have them. I’m not a “collecting for collecting’s sake” kinda guy. I only collect games I love and will play. I’ve spoken before about my love for THE FLAME IN THE FLOOD, and after much consideration and saving up, I bought a physical copy on the Switch for US$50. It was worth it, though: I just had to make sure this game survived. If you have a game you feel that passionate about, start thinking about preserving it for future generations.