AT&T announced data plans for the PlayStation Vita -a $14.99 plan featuring 250MB and a $25 plan with 2GB. Both plans will be month-to-month and will not require a long-term contract. The AT&T data plan will also have free access at more than 29,000 AT&T Wi-Fi hotspots nationwide.
The PlayStation Vita 3G/Wi-Fi model will be available in the United States on February 22 for $299. AT&T data plans are priced separately and will be available on a month-to-month basis. Users can activate a data plan directly from their PS Vita system.
Once PlayStation Vita owners activate their 3G/Wi-Fi unit with one of AT&T's data plans, they will be eligible to choose one free download from a list of select games available on the PlayStation Store.
PS Vita will launch with a wide range of social networking features developed specifically for the system that provide unique, handheld entertainment experiences:
- Location-based app "near" will allow users to find out what other PS Vita owners in their vicinity are currently playing and what titles are most popular in the area. "near" also enables location-based gaming features such as "gifting," in which a user can access virtual game-related items that other users are sharing by checking in at geographic locations. For example, in the popular kart racing series ModNation Racers: Road Trip, PS Vita users will be able to collect rare gift items provided through the game when visiting specific points of interest in 45 major cities around the world. They can then share them with other PS Vita owners through the "near" application.
- "LiveArea™" is an interactive interface for each PS Vita software title in which users can access the latest information for games through PlayStation®Network.
- In addition, a variety of social networking and communications services such as Facebook, Flickr, foursquare, and Twitter will be available on PS Vita.
PS Vita systems with an active AT&T data plan will also take advantage of software functionality developed specifically for the 3G-enabled model that allow users to game at the speed of their mobile lifestyle, including turn-based, asynchronous multiplayer gameplay, instantly updated rankings and leaderboards, immediate access to the latest downloadable add-on content, and real-time community news.