Sony PlayStation Vita launched at midnight in London, marking the Japanese firm's most important product launch of the decade.

Hundreds of fans queued at the Game store on London's Oxford Street, and developer of launch title Wipeout 2048 Ami Ledger was also there.

Zohaib Ali, 21, was the first to buy the console. He had queued since Sunday.

Sony hopes the new PlayStation Vita portable gaming console, which goes on sale tomorrow, will convince users to play more video games on dedicated devices, rather than turning to the internet and mobile phones.

The Vita, which retails from £230, features a touchscreen similar to those found on advanced smartphones, as well as a unique touch-sensitive back panel that allows users to control games using all their fingers at once.

Despite advanced graphics and other new technology, Sony’s strategy of charging high prices for both the console and its games has been criticised by analysts, who cite the rapidly growing ‘casual games’ market of mobile phone users who play free titles that are usually supported by advertising.

The Vita also includes access to the web and social networks such as Facebook, as well as adding new web features to games.

In largely positive reviews prior to its release, the Vita was praised for its unprecedented technical qualities.

Daily Telegraph reviewer Tom Hoggins wrote in his Sony PlayStation Vita review that it proved “Sony was not giving up without a fight”. Sales in Japan, however, have dipped after an initial success when the device first went on sale late last year.