Sony is launching its PlayStation Vita (PS Vita), the next generation portable entertainment system in the USA, Canada, Latin America, Europe and Australia.

Photo: SonyPlaystation Vita package, from sony.com

PS Vita costs $249.99 for the Wi-Fi model and $299.99 for the 3G/Wi-Fi model. Both models include six Augmented Reality Play Cards along with a voucher to download three augmented reality games from PlayStation Network.

Featuring a powerful quad core processor, PS Vita delivers gamers a brand new immersive playing experience. With help of a 5-inch high definition OLED touchscreen and front and rear cameras, gamers can dive deep into the augmented reality world.

Gamers are provided with access to music, videos, trophies, photos, web browser and more. The Content Manager app helps easily transfer data between PS Vita and computers. The Party application allows a cross game chat for communicating with up to eight friends. Communication on Facebook, flickr, foursquare, Skype, and Twitter is also available via PS.

Now there are 25 games available including Soccer, and Ultimate Marvel vs Capcom3 and Golden Abyss, with more than 70 games currently in development. Sony has so far sold 500,000 Vita units in Japan, where the console was released in December, says Reuters.

The launch of PS Vita is accompanied with the biggest advertising campaign in PlayStation’s history. With the official tag line ‘Never Stop Playing,’ and with the Twitter-influenced hashtag #GAMECHANGER the campaign will have presence on wallscapes, billboards, digital banners, and radio and television commercials. Additionally, Sony has teamed up with fast-food chain Taco Bell in a sweepstakes that dives away a Vita every 15 minutes. Last year Sony collaborated with Coke Zero to give away its PlayStation devices.