The Wii U uses a screen built into the console's controller to bring new experiences to gaming. However, one of Sony's top dogs are saying that the anything the Wii U can do, so can the PS3 when combined with a PS Vita.
Naughty Dog game director, Justin Richmond said in a recent interview:
To be honest with you, the idea of it is very, very cool. But there's nothing that the Wii U has that the Vita and PS3 doesn't…
Richmond did eventually admit that he was wrong in the past about the Wii, so anything is possible:
…but to be fair, last time I was skeptical of the original Wii, and look at how that did.
While it is true that the Wii surprised everyone, people seem even more unsure about the Wii U. It's not quite what we'd call a "Next Gen" console, and the combination of the PS3 and the Vita have already shown some interesting connectivity that could rival Nintendo's tech.
Could Sony mimic the Wii U's functionality using the Vita as a screen-equipped controller? Sony won't rule out the possibility. Either scenario would come with some significant investment.