Sony's latest attempt of regaining its market edge in the gaming industry, the PlayStation Vita, will hit Australian shelves on February 2012 but the giant consumer electronics firm said that pre-orders for the upcoming release is now accommodated.

Touted as the successor to the million-selling PlayStation Portable (PSP), the new Vita, according to Sony, will regale Australian gamers with its vastly improved processor that allows for a slicker gaming experience for would-be buyers.

Sony Computer Entertainment Australia managing director Michael Ephraim described to the Sydney Morning Herald (SMH) the new Sony-gaming environment as "deep, immersive and rich," which he noted would exceed the experience offered by Android and iOS powered handsets.

The portable handheld, Ephraim added, has been deployed with a 5-inch OLED touch screen that doubles as an ultimate eye gaming treat and game-manipulation control, apart from the full-pledged touch pad located at the back of the device and the peripheral analog sticks that have standards on every Sony gaming gadgets.

Marked improvements from PSP is the Vita's new motion sensor and its high-resolution dual cam, with the console's connectivity upgraded via the 3G network. Wireless connection has been retained, Sony noted.

While PSP was designed to satisfy mobile and casual gaming requirements of the market, Ephraim said that Vita's features have been engineered towards the core gaming environment that demands multi-entertainment value.

"The core gamer that wants immersive gaming in their hand, all the social connectivity they expect from a handheld device," Ephraim was reported by SMH as saying about the Vita's rich and multiple features.

For maximum enjoyment, gamers can also use the device logging on to their social networking accounts and its online gaming features, Sony said, also mean foes and allies abound as Vita is almost seamlessly connected to the PS3 network, with its 3G and Wi-Fi connectivity.

Sony promises premium freebies for Australian gamers opting to order Vita in advance and the package includes an $8 coupon voucher for Vita games, Vita avatar and Vita items that can be accessed on the PlayStation Network and a metallic headphone.

3G connection for the device, which is priced at $349.95 for the Wi-Fi only edition and $449.95 for the 3G version, will be exclusively provided by Vodafone, which along with EB Games and JB Hi-Fi, will accept pre-orders from customers.

As of press time, Sony listed the following as some of the available titles: LittleBigPlanet, Uncharted: Golden Abyss, Wipeout 2048, FIFA, Assassin's Creed, Call of Duty and Resistance: Burning Skies; though more games are expected to be relased even before Vita is commercially issued.