PlayStation is seeking to take on Microsoft's Xbox Game Pass with a revamped version of PlayStation Plus, splitting the program into three distinct tiers depending on the needs of its customer base. The current iteration of PlayStation Plus will become PlayStation Plus Essential, while PlayStation Plus Extra will add access to around 400 PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5 games that can be downloaded to the console at a price of $14.99 per month. PlayStation Plus Premium, meanwhile, bundles everything available in both the Essential and Plus packages with 340 additional games dating back to the PS1 era, as well as titles from the PS2, PS3 and the PSP.

While pretty much every PlayStation console is somewhat represented across at least one of Sony's rebranded tier systems, one notable omission has been the much-maligned handheld device, the PlayStation Vita. Plus Premium members are able to gain access to a host of classic favorites included in their subscription. However, the lack of Vita games is a damning indictment of the now-defunct console's lack of popularity and thin catalog of attractive titles.

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The most likely explanation for this absence is that the Vita and its accompanying exclusives never commanded the love and respect to make it commercially viable for Sony to consider including in an amalgamated online library. One of the major drawbacks of the Vita was that it often either relied on properties that were popular on more mainline consoles, or else it lacked the enticing exclusives to really get fans on board in the first place. Despite a few successful spin-offs from more respected brands, such as Uncharted: Golden Abyss and Killzone: Mercenary, most titles were never strong enough in their own right to merit much contemporary hype.

Uncharted The Golden Abyss PS Vita

Worse still, the Vita's library was perplexingly shallow. It boasted a catalog of fewer than 100 games, none of which really set the world alight, especially compared to other handhelds of the time. The fact that many of the Vita's most popular titles, such as Undertale, Rayman or Little Big Planet were, and continue to be, available from their time on other consoles hasn't helped the cause of the Vita's small pool of exclusives from which to choose.

That said, there were certainly some PS Vita exclusive titles that could certainly merit inclusion in the hallowed annals of PlayStation history. Uncharted: Golden Abyss and Uncharted: Fight for Fortune proved that Nathan Drake's adventures were no less enjoyable when transferred to a slightly smaller medium, while innovative RPG Soul Sacrifice was met with a strongly positive reception at the time of release. The handheld console's library may not be particularly extensive, but Plus Premium players are still missing out on some underappreciated gems given the absence of many of Vita's quirky releases.

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Asphalt Injection 3 PS Vita

The omission of PS Vita titles from any of the new PlayStation Plus membership strata represents yet another nail in the coffin for one of Sony's most misunderstood and unloved consoles to date. Despite the relative success of the PSP, the Vita ended up being a commercial failure due to its lack of games and a striking absence of faith on behalf of its manufacturers. Sony's disregard for Vita, from a lack of proper software updates to a complete neglect in any appropriate levels of marketing, left the system overlooked and utterly without a proper champion. When, in early 2021, Sony made it harder for players to even make purchases on their handheld console by removing PayPal and credit card support, it seemed obvious that the studio was far keener for customers to start spending their money on its other products.

Still, it seems as though the Plus library will be missing an important part of the PlayStation back catalog if it follows through with its decision to omit Vita titles from its revamped service. This misunderstood console may have been a commercial disappointment. However, it is arguable that this doesn't justify the complete omission of enjoyable and often popular releases for players looking to delve back into the annals of PlayStation's storied and impressive past.

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