The PlayStation Vita is now available in Japan, and early adopters are reporting problems with their systems. The number of complaints about unresponsive systems or even frozen hardware has caused Sony to issue a patch to update the Vita, as well as an apology for the issues experienced by gamers. This isn't the best start for a dedicated gaming platform in the world of smartphone gaming.

"Currently, our information center regarding PlayStation Vita as well as our usual customer service center are receiving many inquiries. We apologize if your phone isn't connected straight away," the apology stated, as translated by the BBC.

The note also listed a number of fixes for issues that customers could attempt at home. There was also an issue with the patch itself for at least one gamer, making the updating procedure trickier than it needs to be.

"The Vita needed a system update right at launch, and I guess the Vita OS developers didn't realize their setup would stop those who already had a PSN account to use it AND get the update," David "CheapyD" Abrams, the founder of Cheap Ass Gamer, told Ars. "So you have to select 'do not use' when it asks if you want to use an existing PSN account."

This isn't really explained anywhere, and proved an annoyance as Abrams tried to figure out how to use his just-purchased system. He had to set up a temporary account, download the update, and then use his existing account.

Here is a short video detailing the issue:

The update only took a few minutes, and after that the system worked fine, although Abrams did tell us that the overall experience lacked polish. "It's functional, stuff loads fast, but it's going to take a while before it gets up to the level of an iOS or Android phone," he explained.

What's frustrating about this situation is that the company was already aware of problems caused by software updates to Sony hardware. Shuhei Yoshida, President of Sony Computer Entertainment's worldwide studios, has admitted in the past that the PlayStation 3 had issues with system updates, and assured gamers that the company was working on the problem.

We can only hope Sony is paying attention to these issues and will be able to launch a more polished system in North America this coming February. We've had a chance to play with the PlayStation Vita at E3, and I have an appointment to see more at CES this January; the hardware feels and looks great while it's in your hand. The Vita may be the only portable gaming device aimed at the "core" gaming market to be released this generation, giving Sony a unique opportunity to make the device successful.