Shuhei Yoshida reassures gamers that PS VIta is region-free. This was already sort of known, but having Sony Computer Entertainment’s Worldwide Studios president taking about it on Twitter is close to a sure guarantee.

Not to play system wars — just pointing out standards other handhelds should meet — but Vita’s promised lack of region-locking is a huge advantage, from a gamers’ perspective, over the 3DS. Though JC and I have already talked quite a bit about our loathing of this practice, I have to emphasize again how much it kills me that my American handheld won’t be able to play some of the interesting Japan-only 3DS titles that will be coming out.

Other nice Vita pluses revealed recently that Nintendo would do well to replicate: a first-party extended battery (not the most elegant solution), markerless augmented reality, and the ability to take in-game screenshots.

Preorder: PS Vita

See also: More PS Vita coverage

[Via @lonelypessimist]

tags / ps vita / psp / region-locking / gaming / nintendo 3ds / 3ds / imports / ec