Sony is going the UMD Passport Program is not in Europe offer. That means that European gamers their old games on umd are not able to convert it into a download for the PlayStation Vita. There is, according to Sony, no need for the service.
According to Shuhei Yoshida, head of Sony’s Worldwide Studios, Europe has no interest in the UMD Passport Program. It would not be profitable to the service here. European gamers can the games they have on umd so have not online to be converted into a version that they can download to their PS Vita. Sony chose the umd as a medium for games that appeared for the PlayStation Portable, the predecessor of the PS Vita, which as of today in the shop. Sony offers service to in North America. In Japan the service is available. The transfer to the Vita is not free. Sony charges an amount that each game is different and can vary from 1 to 23 euros.
According to Yoshida, the service in Japan to be profitable, because the PSP in the home country is a lot more popular than outside of it. There are still games for the PSP. Also in the previous years, there are in Japan many more games for the PSP appeared abroad. European gamers who are a game and want to play them on umd already in possession, must now re-purchase if Sony had the game available to download.
