Your PS Vita Is More Powerful Than Ever Before

Sony unlocks extra memory

by Sammy Barker Mon 13th Apr 2015

PlayStation Vita firmware update v3.50 seemed like a bit of a non-event for Sony's handheld format, removing more features than it added. However, as part of a presentation at the Unite Tokyo 2015 event – as spotted and translated by NeoGAF member Parakeetman – the platform holder revealed that the new patch enables 30 per cent additional memory for usage with games.

What does this mean? Well, we're not engineers so we can't say for sure, but it sounds like the Japanese giant was reserving a portion of the platform's memory should it decide to implement new hardware intensive features in the future. By giving that power back to developers, it means that studios will now be able to push the system a little harder than before. Of course, they've got to actually make some new software first...

[source neogaf.com]

As the Editor of Push Square, Sammy has over 15 years of experience analysing the world of PlayStation, from PS3 through PS5 and everything in between. He’s an expert on PS Studios and industry matters, as well as sports games and simulators. He also enjoys RPGs when he has the time to dedicate to them, and is a bit of a gacha whale.

1
get2sammyb
Mon 13th Apr 2015

@Bad-MuthaAdebisi I've certainly got my fingers crossed.

2
Melucine
Mon 13th Apr 2015

Those days my Vita feels more like a Binding os Isaac portable machine than anything else

3
eLarkos
Mon 13th Apr 2015

Not entirely sure how it all works but maybe this memory was reserved for Near integration, similar to how StreetPass has CPU reserved specifically for it. Now that Near is out of the picture its not an issue.

4
Weskerb
Mon 13th Apr 2015

How about a Borderlands 2 patch? Get that framerate up... Make it playable...

5
get2sammyb
Mon 13th Apr 2015

@eLarkos Could well have been, yeah.

6
kyleforrester87
Mon 13th Apr 2015

Final Fantasy 9 seemed to be running slower than before yesterday. Not tried it since this last update.. Anyone else having any problems with ps1 games running on vita per chance?

7
KALofKRYPTON
Mon 13th Apr 2015

Interesting. So in theory it could be that sub-native resolution and or lower framerate games could be patched up?

8
Jazzer94
Mon 13th Apr 2015

To bad this has happened way too late, would have been cool to see how developers who made games like KZM, Tearaway and Gravity Rush utilised the extra memory.

9
Beaston61
Mon 13th Apr 2015

@kyleforrester87
Yo man! I began playing FFIX the other day (for nostalgia) and it seemed to be absolutely fine for me... but then I did do a fresh install after the new patch. Maybe that counts for something?