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Vita PSN Accounts Tied To Memory Cards, Not The Handheld

If you’re a fan of bringing your gamer profile and a bunch of downloadable games over to a friends’ to show them off, you’ll probably like the Vita. PSN accounts don’t bond with the hardware itself, but rather the memory card they’re downloaded to.

“Your PSN ID is bonded to your memory card and your memory card is bonded to your Vita,” Sony associate brand marketing manager Crystal MacKenzie told Wired. “So if you wanted to change different PSN users but use the same memory card, you would need to go factory reset.”

So accessing your PSN account and games is as easy as swapping out the memory card they’re installed on. Sounds simple enough. If you have too much media for one of Sony’s spendy storage devices, you can have your PSN account linked to multiple memory cards.

One question I have is how often do you think you’ll be swapping out memory cards on your Vita? When would you ever be toting around your memory card without your Vita?

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Comments
  • I use to take arrows to the knee, But then I got the first comment on an article. But seriously though can't wait for the vita.
  • second.
  • This really isn't better. This just gives an excuse for Sony to milk $ out of family members that share 1 device.
  • That's pretty neat.

  • ......SWEET!

  • I guess that good for many people.

  • Well this is better than what we heard last time, "It'something".

  • Actually this relieves some of the problem with the 1 psn account per vita thing, if you have multiple memory cards you could switch them out and use one vita, no? Sony you rascal, why you gotta be so smart at making money? Yea, this is going to make anyone who wants to use one vita for the multiple people buy more memory cards, which are expensive = profit for sony. Honestly a smart business tactic, people aren't going to like it though haha

  • This would seem like good news, until you realize you need to buy more ridiculously overpriced proprietary memory cards.
  • i guess that explains why the memory cards will be expensive. also if you buy more memory cards does that mean you will be able to have more than one account?
  • I still see a few issues that could arise from this. For instance, my girl friend and I both have PSN accounts. If we were to purchase items through the PS3 (remember that "transfarring" is meant to be a key component) would we be able to play the games on the same vita afterward. The problem I am seeing is that accessing this data might be locked to the account and would make it unplayable for another account on the Vita. I'm all for them trying to protect their software, but this really sounds like it could royally hose the consumer.
  • Its better then the first idea that was out, but *** why are the cards so *** expensive, i belive that Sony will see that they wont sell so many of the big ones and drop the prices after afew months, but hey. the Vita will be a day 1 buy for me!

  • i want one of these.

  • Wow, that's...actually quite convenient.  And I'll probably make multiple copies of my account to memory cards just to deal w/ my inherent absent-mindedness and messiness.

    Good job, Sony.

  • so would we still need to register the hardware?

    good concept otherwise.

  • Sounds beter then before but wat if u sell ur memory card for a beter memory card
  • Too bad their memory cards are INCREDIBLY overpriced.

  • is a good idea, but he's memorys need a discount if they halved the prices of his memorys will be a succed
  • Smart idea on Sony's part. Plus they can make more bank by selling more memory cards.

  • Sounds good, but i hope there will be no issue. but i will not speculate until release date.

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