PixlBit

Gamers opting into AT&T's service will get more than just data for their dollars.

At E3 earlier this year Sony announced that AT&T would be providing the 3G service for its newest handheld gaming device, the Vita.  Today AT&T revealed how much the data plans would cost US gamers and what perks, if any, they would get with them.

The data provider plans on offering two different data plans: one for $14.99 per month that offers 250MB and a $25 per month plan that covers 2GB.  Both plans are contract free, month-to-month offerings that can be cancelled at any time.  No details were offered about whether users would be able to exceed their plan's data restrictions and, if so, how much it would cost.

The statement also outlined some of the social networking applications that would benefit 3G users:

• Location-based application "near" will allow users to find out what other PS Vita owners in their vicinity are currently playing and what titles are most popular in the area. "near" also enables location-based gaming features such as "gifting," in which a user can access virtual game-related items that other users are sharing by checking in at geographic locations. For example, in the popular kart racing series ModNation Racers: Road Trip, PS Vita users will be able to collect rare gift items provided through the game when visiting specific points of interest in 45 major cities around the world. They can then share them with other PS Vita owners through the "near" application.
• "LiveArea™" is an interactive interface for each PS Vita software title in which users can access the latest information for games through PlayStation®Network.
• In addition, a variety of social networking and communications services such as Facebook, Flickr, foursquare, and Twitter will be available on PS Vita.

The most interesting aspect of the announcement is that users who opt into one of the data plans will be eligible to download a free game from a select list of titles.  That list of games has not yet been revealed, though we wouldn’t be surprised if something were announced at CES which is going on this week.