The Sony PS Vita Heats Up But In A Bad Way

The Sony PS Vita is getting hot, literally.

According to new reports, the PS Vita – the latest version of the portable gaming device from Sony – appears to have an overheating problem.

However, Sony is saying that the problem lies not in its hardware but in the practices of the owners of its latest handheld gaming console.

Meanwhile, an official investigation into the alleged overheating problem of the PS Vita is now underway in Japan.

According to Wired, the Yomiuri Shimbun reported on Wednesday that the National Institute of Technology and Evaluation (NITE) in Japan has launched a formal inquiry into the PS Vita, particularly its tendency to get so hot it becomes dangerous.

“Sony said that it is aware of 31 overheating cases in the Vita’s first six months on the market. 23 of those cases took place in Japan, and eight in the United States, Europe and Australia. Sony said it does not plan to recall any PlayStation Vita hardware,” Wired says.

For its part, Sony has said in a statement that:

“Rarely, when the PS Vita or multi-use terminal on its USB cable have foreign matter or liquids on them and are connected for charging, etc., a partial short that leads to the terminal burning out can occur. Symptoms of this can include the console becoming unable to charge or start up. However, this phenomenon is not a safety problem.”

Simply put, Sony is saying that those PS Vita owners who have experienced overheating units may have been charging their gaming devices wrong. They may be charging it with the connector being wet or clogged with some foreign materials.

According to the Yomiuri Shimbun, a representative from the Japanese company has said that “it is not a defect. In the case of a burned-out part, we will exchange it for a fee.”

Do you have a Sony PS Vita that is overheating? Tell us your experience in the comments below.

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Image from Dekuwa on Flickr (CC)