While the new Sony Mobile division is busy at the Mobile World Congress the company took the time to release sales figures for the new console. According to an article over at Forbes Sony has shifted 620,000 PS Vita units in the US, while in Australia and Europe a further 578, 812 PS Vita’s were sold by the company.

When these latest figures are added to the total units sold in Japan since the device was launched late last year, it means Sony has sold over 1.2 million units of the PS Vita so far. Andrew House of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. said that the company is working with 3rd party developers and publishers to continue the momentum the console is seeing, and to provide “the best games and franchises” for the new handheld console.

Sony is promising that the rest of the year will see titles for everyone around the world on the PS Vita. The company has revealed that they have sold over two million games so far for the device, with 25 titles currently available. There are also around seventy new titles currently in development for the Vita to further widen the choice owners have.

But as we reported before some analysts feel if Sony were to cut the price of the device, it could generate estimated sales of 12.4 million around the world for 2012. Added to software sales it could generate around $2.2 billion for Sony from the PS Vita in 2012.

Meanwhile respected Wedbush Morgan Securities analyst Michael Pachter doesn’t think Sony will be making any price cuts to the device in the near future. He is estimating that Sony will shift around 4.3 million units in 2012, with 1.5 million being sold in both the US and Japan, with a further 1.3 million being sold in Europe.

As with any new device early adopters will rush out to purchase the new hardware, but it’s the following weeks and months that tell the true success of any new device. Sony has undoubtedly developed a great new console, but mobile gaming has changed in recent years with increased competition to tempt gamers.

Have you got the PS Vita? What do you think of it?

The company recently had some planned maintenance to its PlayStation Network, and now has some more planned on November 18th that will bring with it a change to the amount of systems users can activate games too. Currently after purchasing a title users can activate the game on up to five separate systems, but after November 18th and the maintenance this will drop to only two according to a report here.

Any new game bought by gamers after this date will be restricted to two consoles, but any titles purchased previously can still be enjoyed on up to five systems. The changes look to be affecting all regions. Currently gamers can purchase a game and play it on up to five systems, which have led to many sharing a single PSN purchase across systems owned by other gamers.

The company is also making the process of deactivating games easier, as currently owners can only activate or deactivate games on the PSP or PS3. After the maintenance there will be a PlayStation Network account management website, with users getting the opportunity to manage rights there.

Sony said the changes were coming to get the balance right between consumer convenience and copyright. The timings of the PSN maintenance will be announced at a later date.

Sony has announced today a new bundle for US gamers that will keep interest in the aging console before the Vita arrives. The new bundle will be arriving on November 15th and contains the standard PSP-300 unit for $160. Along with this Sony are offering consumers a UMD based copy of EA Sports FIFA 12, and according to Electronista a code coupon to download a digital version of Disney’s Pixar Cars 2 title.

You will also get a 2GB Memory Stick Pro Duo along with the other goodies in the box as well so you have something to download Cars 2 onto. The console itself is the standard black model with built-in Wi-Fi.

The bundle does work out more expensive than purchasing the console on its own at $130, but is less than buying Cars 2 and the PSP separately. It is thought to be available all the way through to the holidays, so could be the last one of its kind for a while. Sony does normally keep older consoles available for a while after new ones arrive, but so far this has only been for home consoles.

Sony may be releasing a variety of bundles around the world to shift any stock it has left of the PSP, and could provide a nice opportunity to get a nice gift for someone. The PlayStation Vita when it arrives will cost more at $250.

Sony has recently posted on its official PlayStation Blog the news of the package being available and how to get the free games. You not only get some free time on the PlayStation Plus service you can choose some free games to keep. You can choose two free games for the PS3 from a list of five, and if you own a PSP as well you can have a further two games.

Here is how to claim your free games; first you need to go over to the PS Store and you should see the Welcome Back banner on the Storefront. You then have to enter the Welcome Back category and choose the PlayStation 3 Free Games option, and then select Get Now on the next screen.

You are then taken back into the Welcome Back area and this is where you can choose the free games you want. The instructions are the same for both the PS3 and PSP. There are also some movie rentals up for grabs for this weekend only and can be found in the On Us section. Head over to the PlayStation Blog for more information.

Which games will you be downloading?

In the build up to the debut a rumored list of game titles that may be available for launch a=has been released which we were able to bring to you as well as what people think of the device’s new name.

Other news that has been confirmed today was that the new Sony portable will feature backwards compatibility which means you will be able to play games from all previous PSP devices on there. This feature has been said to be included since the NGP was first announced but was not official until today.

The news was announced in a press conference today which was reported at PlayStation LifeStyle. This feature will upscale and smooth the older games so as to get the most out of the new model, optimizing gaming experience.

Check out the full article by clicking the link above where you will find more details about the feature and the PS Vita itself. What do you think of this feature? Do you like the NGP’s new name?

As noted over on the electronictheatre.co.uk website, One Epic Game – which will be released as a PS3 exclusive – is a continuous motion action game in which the player has to constantly run through randomly generated levels, while shooting enemies and avoiding the obstacles.

The game’s story mode sees the hero Alpha Dog chasing the villain across all of the levels, while exchanging dialogue that’s full of humor and references other popular games, movies and clichés. One Epic Game includes aliens, fantasy, WWII and even zombies.

One Epic Game has been described as a combination of both platform and heavy action gameplay. The gamer has to run through the level and fulfill a specific task such as kill a certain amount of enemies, reach a given distance or don’t kill any enemies at all.

Players will have a wide variety of weapons to kill enemies with, including a flame thrower, a machine gun and a rocket launcher. One Epic Game also features a Free Run mode, which enables players to run for as long as they are able to keep up with the increasing tempo.

As Alex over at<a href="http://www.thesixthaxis.com/2011/05/30/first

According to Crystal MacKenzie (associate brand marketing manager, hardware) over on the blog.us.playstation.com website, the PSP bundle comes with a ‘piano black’ PSP-3000, a 2GB Memory Stick PRO Duo and two of the biggest Sony PSP titles: Gran Turismo and MLB 11: The Show.

The PlayStation portable version of the MLB 11: The Show game comes complete with updated rosters, AI improvements, new stadiums, revamped animation and personalized batting stances. It also features the updated Road to the Show and Rivalry Mode.

Meanwhile, the popular PSP title Gran Turismo features 35 different tracks and over 800 cars from international automakers. Players have the ability to compete in races, time trials and even drift mode challenges. Using the Ad Hoc wireless mode, gamers can challenge their friends to 4-player races.

The PSP Limited Edition Entertainment Pack will be available this June for $159.99. Is this something that you would consider buying your dad for Father’s Day?

According to a recent article over on the guardian.co.uk website, the Lego Harry Potter: Years 5-7 game – which is not being released until the winter – will be heading to multiple platforms, including the PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, PC, Nintendo Wii, Sony PSP, Nintendo DS and 3DS and the upcoming Sony NGP.

The upcoming game, which is based around the last three Harry Potter books and the final 4 movies, features a variety of new environments, including Godric’s Hollow, the Ministry of Magic and Grimmauld Place. It will also feature brand new spells, lessons and enemies.

Video game developer TT Games has also promised fans that it will come with a wealth of bonus content. The Lego Harry Potter game is set to be the 3rd Lego tie-in released this year, what with Lego Pirates of the Caribbean and Lego Star Wars III having previously been released.

Are you a Harry Potter fan? If so, will you be buying the Lego Harry Potter: Years 5-7 game?

According to a recent article by Sam Marchello over at rpgamer.com, the upcoming game – titled Growlanser IV: Overlord – is said to have similar features as those found in the 2009 Growlanser PlayStation Portable game. However, the game will include a few changes.

Japanese gaming publication Famitsu has recently detailed the upcoming changes, which is said to include new characters, new and re-mastered event scenes and new character paths and story routes. Two of the brand new characters have also been detailed.

The 2 new characters are: Trishia, described as a bright and cheerful girl with a positive attitude, and Familiar Spirit D-MD, who’s been described as a familiar spirit who feels that both she and her kind are being treated like tools. The game is expected to arrive in Japan sometime this summer.

Are you familiar with the Growlanser IV: Wayfarer of Time game? Would you buy the upcoming PSP title?

According to the latest figures from Media Create via Andria Sang, the Nintendo 3DS sold 50,710 units last week, which only narrowly managed to beat the Sony PSP which achieved 50,479. Considering that this a comparison between the age old 1st gen PSP and a brand new piece of Nintendo hardware, should this be cause for concern for Nintendo?

Just so you’re aware, the previous week Nintendo shifted 61,394, as reported from Eurogamer, so it’s obvious that gamers are not taking to the Nintendo 3DS as perhaps Nintendo had hoped. On top of that, they’ll also have to face the prospect of Sony’s NGP handheld launching at the end of this year as well, which based on the way things are going now, is likely to topple the Nintendo 3DS in the sales charts without lifting a muscle.

Will Nintendo be able to reverse their fortunes by the time the NGP comes on the market, or is this a clear sign that it’s going to be a ropey period for them towards the end of 2011? What are your thoughts on this – have you bought a Nintendo 3DS? Happy with it, or are you starting to wish you saved your cash for a PSP2?