Launched in Japan under PS Vita TV in 2013, the small portable console was unveiled for Western audiences at E3 2014 under the simpler PlayStation TV name. Capable of streaming games from PlayStation Now and the PS4, the new addition to the PlayStation family may also be looking for an identity change in Japan.

According to the Japanese Patent and Trademark Office, Sony has filled for the “PlayStation TV” trademark in Japan and the rest of Asia. This would align its name with what the console will be called this Fall, once it launches in the US and Europe. Till now, Sony has always used unified names for its consoles across different territories.

The PlayStation TV has marked an exception where the PS Vita has continued to enjoy modest success in Japan. In other countries, demand for the portable console continues to diminish with gamers opting for home consoles or smartphones and tablets for their gaming habits. With a shift in consumer interest, Sony seems to be making the right choice by renaming the console in Japan.

Whether interest in PlayStation Vita was high or not in the US and Europe, PS Vita TV has a confusing sound to it. Does it only work with the PS Vita? Is a PS Vita required? With PlayStation Now, Sony can capitalize on the PlayStation brand without bogging down the product name.

Till now, the PS Vita TV has only been available in white. When it launches in the West later this year for $99 or $139 for the bundle, the PlayStation TV will come in black instead. It remains to be seen if this will hold true for Japan as well.

Discuss:

Do you think dropping PS Vita TV in favor of PlayStation TV is a wise move?

[Via Dualshockers]