UMD Passport Service

[dividedbyn1ght]

UMD PASSPORT SERVICE WILL NOT BE OFFERED TO THE US

According to Joystiq, Vita "UMD Passport" will not be offered to the US.

It will not be possible to get discounted Vita downloads of the disc-based UMD games you bought for PSP in the US. A Sony representative told Kotaku that the "UMD Passport" service will not be available to American Vita owners.

Of course, you'll still be able to buy any digitally-distributed PSP games through the Vita's PlayStation Store and play them on the new hardware -- and you'll be able to play the PSN games you already bought on your PSP. But those UMD games will be of no use unless you keep your PSP.


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Vita 'UMD Passport' won't be offered in US | Joystiq

So, you have to pay for your already owned games to transfer them to the PS Vita. Wonder if Sony will start charging for future Firmware releases?

Starting Dec. 6, the UMD Passport service will start in Japan. Here's how it works: Download a free app called "UMD Registration Application". After that, enter your UMD game disc into your PSP, and according to the on-screen prompts, register your UMD via your PSN Account. The UMD will then be available for purchase.

Once the PS Vita is released in Japan on Dec. 17, you can then download the title on your new Sony handheld. According to Sony, the games will be available at an "agreeable price".

Currently, 40 game companies are offering 200 UMD titles as part of Sony's UMD Passport program. The digital versions of the games are priced anywhere between ¥100 (US$1.29) to ¥2,400 ($31).

Obviously, Sony did not disclose U.S. pricing, but one could assume that games priced at, for example, ¥500 would be priced at $5 in the U.S.

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Here Is Sony's UMD Solution for PS Vita Owners

[Psikorps]

I'm not thrilled about the pricing, but at least they are actually doing what they stated this time, as the UMD passport thing was supposed to be there for the PSPGo, which..well..we all know how that turned out.

I still have my PSP's though, when I wanna play PSP games I'll play them on PSP, having the option of rebuying at a discount is nice, but dont think I will do it, as I'm getting a Vita for...as shocking as this might be to some people....

Vita Games.

[Psikorps]

Originally Posted by dividedbyn1ght

I'm guessing a little warning next time for someone going to buy a Sony game is asking too much? I nice warning on the game saying "We retain the right to charge you additional funds with the involvement of playing one systems games on a different system?"

There should be no warning needed, people bought PSP games to play on PSP.

To outright expect those titles to be available on future handhelds years down the road that are not PSP makes no sence, even if it is from Sony.

I fully expected to pay for the conversion of formats from one device to another, I'm just not thrilled at the prices for doing so.

[dividedbyn1ght]

Originally Posted by Psikorps

There should be no warning needed, people bought PSP games to play on PSP.

Damn my lack of common sense. You're right.

[Zallera]

I think i'll just keep my PSP instead of re-buying my game library.

I can't blame Sony for ditching the UMD format tho, it was terrible idea when the PSP came out and is still terrible now. They should have gone the flash cartridge format in the first place on the PSP. Less moving parts in a hand held device is always a good idea.

[mcmangone85]

unless those psp games have trophies .... whoooooooooooooooooooooo cares =D

1 more week till vita =D

[redknightalex]

Originally Posted by Psikorps

I still have my PSP's though, when I wanna play PSP games I'll play them on PSP, having the option of rebuying at a discount is nice, but dont think I will do it, as I'm getting a Vita for...as shocking as this might be to some people....

Vita Games.

Pretty much this. I hate the idea of re-buying games I've paid for all over again, even if they add trophies into the mix. It's much like the PS2/PS3 backwards compatibility problem except, this time, Sony is trying to do something smart with the two different formats.

If they upgrade the PSP games to Vita graphics, then maybe I'll bite. Otherwise, I'm thinking of upgrading my PSP 1000 to a 3000 when the Vita comes out. Dirt cheap and still a good system.

[Veritas7Ax]

The "registration" step seems... unnecessary. If in the end, you're paying to download the PSP game to your Vita, then why even go through the trouble?

[dividedbyn1ght]

Originally Posted by Veritas7Ax

The "registration" step seems... unnecessary. If in the end, you're paying to download the PSP game to your Vita, then why even go through the trouble?

It's necessary so that you can be charged for downloading the PSP game to your PS Vita.

[Veritas7Ax]

You have to pay for it anyway, so if the UMDs are just there to be paid for and downloaded, why bother with the registration?