PlayStation Vita can double as a PS3 controller

By Adam Rosenberg Published August 2, 2011

playstation vita — Image used with permission by copyright holder

Nintendo doesn’t quite have the market cornered on tablet-powered next-gen video game experiences with its Wii U after all. Sony‘s upcoming PlayStation Vita portable gaming device is apparently capable of performing many of the same feats in connection with a PlayStation 3 that we’ve been told the Nintendo tablet will offer.

The confirmation comes straight from Sony Europe’s R&D manager Phil Rogers, speaking at the Develop Conference 2011 (via Eurogamer). “You could drive a display from a PS3 game, for example,” he said. “PS3 can send data down to Vita and Vita can display it. You could use the unique features [of Vita] – gyroscope, touch front and back – as a control device for a PS3 game.”

Recommended Videos

The possibilities open up considerably from there. Games with Wii U-exclusive features could conceivably be made to work with a PS3/Vita combo as well. That obviously requires a larger investment on the player side, but perhaps some of these elements could be worked in a la carte, in the same way that Sony already does with Move functionality.

“You can run software on both devices and use the network to sync the game states,” Rogers added. “And that’s pretty good, because you then have the processing power of PS3 doing that work, Vita [doing] fancy graphics – however you want to do it. You’re not sacrificing the PS3’s CPU to be able to have a rich experience on Vita.”

The new platform will also support a number of other features, including cross-platform play and remote play, with the Vita receiving content from the PS3. There’s also continuation play, teased at Sony’s E3 press conference with the RPG Ruin, which allows players to save their game on one platform and pick it up on another.

Former Gaming/Movies Editor

Previously, Adam worked in the games press as a freelance writer and critic for a range of outlets, including Digital Trends…

Topics

Gaming

I tried ASUS’ ROG Xbox Ally X20, and the 171-inch screen changes everything

Asus made a handheld gaming bundle that thinks it’s a home theater

ASUS ROG Xbox Ally X20 Bundle with XREAL R1 20th Anniversary Edition

Gaming handhelds are great because they are portable (basically small). But that is also one of its biggest weaknesses. I was reminded of that while trying Asus’ new ROG Xbox Ally X20 bundle at Computex 2026. On its own, the Ally X20 is already a more polished version of the ROG Xbox Ally X. It arrives with nice updates that sound minor on paper but make a device feel more complete in your hands. The real surprise, though, was the bundled ROG XREAL R1 Edition 20 Gaming AR Glasses.

I walked in to try the 20th anniversary edition of ASUS' handheld console, but the massive 171-inch screen trick surprisingly stole the show.

Computing

From Handhelds to Monitors, these were the biggest glow-ups at Computex 2026

I walked into Taipei expecting spec bumps and walked away convinced four entire categories had levelled up.

Biggest Glowups at Computex 2026

Every year, Computex promises the next big thing. Sometimes that means another processor with a few extra cores, a laptop that's 200 grams lighter, or a monitor that's somehow even faster than the one before it. But every now and then, a trade show surprises you not with a single product, but with an entire category that suddenly feels new again. That's exactly how Computex 2026 felt to me.

After spending days walking the show floor, trying products, talking to engineers, and inevitably getting lost between booths more times than I'd like to admit, one thing became crystal clear. The biggest stories weren't about incremental upgrades. They were about categories, finally shedding old compromises. Monitors became smarter, handhelds became more mature, creator laptops became more versatile, and ARM processors started looking like genuine powerhouses instead of niche alternatives.

Gaming

Nintendo just made life harder for Switch 2 scalpers

Playtime history now decides who can buy a Switch 2

Mario Kart World plays on a Nintendo Switch 2 screen.

Nintendo is introducing a new account-history requirement for Switch 2 purchases in Japan to keep consoles away from resellers. The move targets the multi-language Nintendo Switch 2 sold through the official Japanese Nintendo Store, which scalpers have been buying in bulk because it can be bought for less in Japan and resold abroad.

The price difference explains why scalpers are interested. In Japan, the multi-language Switch 2 is considerably cheaper compared to some other markets. That gap gives resellers room to import units and mark them up overseas, especially while official stock remains limited. The Japan-exclusive model, which only supports Japanese text and characters, is not affected by the new rule.