170°

Amazon’s Kindle Fire Will Be PS Vita’s Biggest Opponent In 2012 And Beyond

Joel Taveras writes "A post-Christmas launch date isn’t the only battle Sony’s handheld will have next year. This isn’t an argument about which devices will provide better gaming experiences; that would be ridiculous. What I’m doing here is taking a look at the impact of Amazon’s entry into the handheld entertainment device space and what it means not just for those who currently inhabit it but also those that plan to like Sony’s PlayStation Vita."

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dualshockers.com
Letros4583d ago

Don't see how a tablet is any competition to a dedicated mobile gaming device.

fluffydelusions4583d ago (Edited 4583d ago )

Agreed. That said, for $199 Kindle Fire is not a bad deal and I may pick one up but not gaming...

7-inch IPS (!) panel, Gorilla Glass coating, a 1GHz TI OMAP dual-core CPU, 512MB of RAM, 8GB of internal storage and a chassis that weighs 14.6 ounces.

Abriael4583d ago

It does sound like a great deal, but honestly I'm not sure what kind of future this thing has, the market is getting overcrowded.

fluffydelusions4583d ago

@Abriael

Well it's running Android so it's only a matter of time before it gets custom ROMs and such.

iamnsuperman4583d ago

Not to you but the millions of casual gamers out there who take up the majority of the market nowadays.

sashimi4583d ago (Edited 4583d ago )

You mean those casuals who buy $1/$2 minigames on tablets and iphones? somehow i don't think Sony has much to worry about....

If anything all the tablets and smartphones are competing against themselves and the devs for those "app/games" are going to have more and more trouble making their product stand out with so much cr@p & multiply clones of games out there.
Leading to a very bad place for the casual market.

supremacy4583d ago

That could be so, but again I dont see big name companies making a profit selling 40,50 dollar games of social devices, because quite honestly they just wont sell like they do on dedicated gaming machines.

There's a difference between a phone/tablet and a handheld, people know first hand what kind of games are made and sold on handhelds in comparrison to the ones on phones/tablets.

The perception, the essence, the form factor of a dedicated gaming handheld just simply cannot be replicated by a phone/tablet. Why would you spend your time trying buy and turn a phone/tablet many mainly use for texting and calls and email into a dedicated handheld?

Phones/tablets arent built for games, if todays phones/tablets for example ran the games most dedicated platforms do, then that whole battery issue wouldnt be talk about as much even though it would present itself in a worst way.

Sure there will be new phones/tablets out there, more powerful than the one before it. But not everyone would be able to afford/optain or even feel the same way about certain units causing what most big name publishers fear, fragmentation.

You see, when a person buys a gaming handheld they know firsthand why they are buying it for. Gaming.

The same however couldn't exactly be said about people who buy cellphones/tablets. No one knows for sure why they buy a phone/tablet for, it could be for a number of reasons other than gaming or nothing to do with gaming at all for that matter.

It is these reasons above why big name publishers will keep developing for dedicated gaming handhelds as long as they(platform holders)keep making them People will keep buying them.

Parts are only getting cheaper and things are becoming more accessible with each passing year. So I am sure there will be new gaming handhelds in the pipeline, and I mean looking at the vita and its feature set. Its obvious Sony has been studying the market changes, bring over the social aspect you come to expect from a social device while maintaining the hardcore presence.

Xperia play is a phone with buttons, and so was the engage and we all know what they didn't do and have yet to replace.

Oxymoron0284583d ago

No. They don't take up the majority of the market.

They are part of a different market, why can people not tell the differences between markets and targeted audiences.

It's like arguing that Cars are going to fall out of production due to the rising number of bikers...

iamnsuperman4583d ago

@sashimi. Those $1 games actually make a large return compared to inital investment. Also a lot have a monitary mechanic that make even more money. The only worry should sony have is getting the casual on board. They needto advertise the vita to caiter this but still going to be hard considering the tablet is "in". Apple make a lot of money through the app store

+ Show (1) more replyLast reply 4583d ago
Prophet-Gamer4583d ago

Tablets are meant for simple gaming, physical buttons are needed for any serious game. The Vita will be just fine as long as SONY markets it right.

PirateThom4583d ago

I'm actually hoping for a Kindle app on Vita.

Oxymoron0284583d ago

Well, from what I've read, PSVita runs on android OS, makes sense that they'd allow access to the android market place and if so then there's already a kindle app on that. So may already have one!

heylo4583d ago

wrong, Sony uses a custom Linux OS since PS2

heylo4583d ago

how about you provide a source for that android OS claim first?

death2smoochie4583d ago

This will be a big threat to the ipad3.
That price alone even though it lacks half the features will turn heads.

Highlife4583d ago

I agree just look at what happened when the HP Touchpad had a $99 fire sale. They went in seconds.
I still think there is room for the dedicated handheld gaming machine. Physical buttons and devs that work on systems that are the same spec wise can get the most out of said system. And you just don't have that with android. To many different devices.

Sent from my HTC Incredible

Highlife4583d ago (Edited 4583d ago )

Double post. How the hell did that happen.

lumley6664583d ago

oh please dont make me laugh lol gameplay on any tablet is just crap, ps vita gameplay is far better then a shitty tablet lol

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280°

Sony Taps Bungie's Head of Revenue to Lead Live-Service Games

Sony has recruited Bungie's head of revenue Jaremy Rich to head up its live-service gaming division, Rich has announced on social media.

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techraptor.net
ChasterMies11d ago

Please do not put Destiny’s monetization into Sony’s first party games. The monetization is what’s driving players away from Destiny.

just_looken11d ago

The new temp boss is the sony cfo bean counter so i can see this being a thing get every penny.

Cacabunga11d ago

PlayStation officially losing it.. fans will never support gaas games

just_looken11d ago

@car

The new boss did a interview in japan he wants to tap into the mobile market like nintendio so he give 0 fucks about gamers/fans

https://www.pushsquare.com/...

Redemption-6411d ago

@Cacabunga
You only speak for you and those who think like you, but most fans will support what they want. Playstation and PC fans are literally supporting Helldivers 2 and that is a gaas. Maybe you wouldn't, but many more would if they like it.

Huey_My_D_Long11d ago

@Redemption-64
Look, Im not making any judgement calls about this guy, but I will say that Helldivers 2 GaaS model is unique to Helldivers, and legit the only other game I can think of thats similiar was the Avengers game except HD2 pass is still better.
The fact that you can earn in game currency in a way that doesnt make you feel like you have to grind forever, as well you being able work on that pass that you bought...on your own time without a time limit...that right there is fucking huge to me, and I can't name any game other than avengers that avoided trapping players with FOMO logic...I think GaaS on HD2 shouldn't be compared to the rest of the industry...it should be copied.

Einhander197211d ago

Cacabunga

Helldivers 2...

Redemption-64

In Europe it's a 60 40 split favoring PC.
In the US its a 60 40 split favoring PS5.

So PlayStation owners supported the game just fine, it's not getting carried by PC or anything like that.

FinalFantasyFanatic11d ago

@just_looken,
I'm perfectly fine with the way Nintendo entered the mobile market, I never touched their mobile games, meanwhile, the console/handheld stayed the way it is. As for being a bean counter, he's probably going to reel in these massive budgets that Sony's studios have had lately, I haven't played Spiderman 2, but I cannot see how they almost tripled the budget for that game.

@Redemption-64,
That's an exception to the rule, I'm expecting a lot of these GAAS games from Sony to fail, to be fair, they only need a few to succeed, but I would have preferred that they put more of their resources into other types of games.

+ Show (3) more repliesLast reply 11d ago
DivineHand12511d ago

True their monetization is driving players away and at the same time, their decision to chop out content and convoluted systems is keeping new players away from the game.

Joe91311d ago

I don't think that will happen based on how things worked out at Naughty Dog now that we know what we do, seems they had the option to fully commit to live service games or stay making single player experences so they gave up on their live service game. We are not sure how things came about with Bend making a live service game but I hope that was not a forced situation. Sony doesnt seem like they are forcing studios to switch up but we will see, Sony's bread and butter is single player games it is how they dominated the console market.

Obscure_Observer11d ago

Yeah, I though Sony learned something from all their failures in the LS segment under Bungie´s disastrous leadership and supervision which led to games been cancelled, studios closed and all the people laid off.

Looks like Bungie still plays a major role in Sony´s LS initiative and Sony is not backtracking on their GaaS plans.

S2Killinit11d ago (Edited 11d ago )

Are we forgetting that Destiny is also a highly successful franchise? I feel like that definitely deserves mention here.

Besides, there is no reason why a person cant learn from past experiences.

Joe91310d ago

I agree, people act as if Destiny flopped when it came out lol it took 9 to 10 years for the numbers to fall yet people are still playing it add the success of Helldivers 2 no wonder Sony is going forward down this path.

S2Killinit10d ago

Personally, I see no problem with Sony also having service games as long as they make good ones, and more importantly they deliver the AAA story driven games that they are known for. So yeah, I agree 100% with you.

+ Show (2) more repliesLast reply 10d ago
Christopher11d ago

I mean, this person made some pretty bad decisions at Bungie. I hope they've learned from them because I definitely don't see those type of ideas as good for PlaySation in general.

CrimsonWing6910d ago (Edited 10d ago )

Honestly, what’s to learn from? How to make people happily continuously dump money into a single game over its life-time? Buy season passes continuously for several years with a smile on our faces?

GaaS is a design decision that is everything wrong with this industry. The fact that Helldivers 2 did so well and people defend the monetization because it was $40 and is a fun game, scares the sh*t out of me to see that the door is open and all shift will probably be to replicate that in future games. We already know the ROI for traditional game dev cost isn’t doing it for them.

I thought with Jimbo leaving we’d see a change for the better… I’m not so sure now.

S2Killinit10d ago

Service games are being offered by everyone. Sony cannot afford to only create single player AAA games. No one can. They already said they will be doing both.

Abnor_Mal11d ago (Edited 11d ago )

Ps5 gamers in 2023 seemed to play more live service types of games, so regardless to how people feel about them, numbers don’t lie and Sony is going where the money is. I mean look at the excitement around Helldivers2, people are showing that they want live service games.

Christopher11d ago

They play long-time existing live service games like CoD, Fortnite, Apex Legends, Destiny 2, and the like. Mass majority of new live service games are considered failures and aren't moving gamers away from older games.

just_looken11d ago

Yep the huge issue with live service is they need paid players along with a reason to play them.

You forgot mobile market that also taps into that player base as well as the eve online style games there is only a certain amount of krakens/whales blind supporters compared to the amount of live service games we have its not sustainable math wise.

700 restaurants making food for every seat for 1000-3000 eaters just does not work out

Einhander197211d ago (Edited 11d ago )

Christopher

I am not a big live service fan and literally own zero of the games you listed, but that is not true, unless you call games that aren't the top games to be failures.

There are tons of live service games that are profitable.

Games don't have to be the biggest game ever they just need to make more than they cost.

I challenge you to show professionally prepared data that shows that more live service games fail than make enough to keep going.

Because all the data that I have seen shows that live service is less of a gamble than making a big AAA budget game which needs to survive off retail sales.

FinalFantasyFanatic11d ago

I sometimes wonder if we're at saturation point, where it's hard for a new game to join those ranks unless it's particularly exceptional, people only have so much time and money to devote to these types of games.

romulus2311d ago

Correction, they have no issue playing good live service games

shinoff218311d ago

Lol it's not even a quarter of the ps5s sold. Helldivers may have been a hit but let's not say most are enjoying it because truth is most(the real most ) don't care about it.

S2Killinit10d ago (Edited 10d ago )

I play what is fun. If a live service game is good I’ll play it as long as its not a money scheme which Helldivers is not.

And Im a single player gamer.

mastershredder11d ago

How do you kill a franchise that already been killed?
Destiny’s grind, cash-in-on-playbass-cha-Ching, and pop-culture-insertion mainstream-me-too bs totally killed any rep Bungie had. Sony/Bungie, if you are doing this to ward-off players, it’s already working.

crazyCoconuts11d ago

Headline truncated:
"... off a cliff"

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80°

Sony May Soon Let You Decide How Much NPCs Talk In Games

Sony has patented to add multiple dialogue modes to let players switch between how many conversations with NPCs they want in the game.

blackblades17d ago

Sony is like the only ones outta the 3 that has atuff like like this pop up changing thing in ways.

just_looken17d ago

Sony in the past has always been first at bat with new ideas/tech but in the end never fully use it or just toss it away.

blackblades17d ago

I think they did use some but yeah most usually never happened but at least they thought about it. Sony seeks things like this and other, Nintendo seek different ways of playing going by there different controler designs and console designs.

just_looken17d ago (Edited 17d ago )

some of the other stuff sony want's/owns never used
https://gamerant.com/sony-p...
https://gamerant.com/sony-p...
https://www.eurogamer.net/s...
https://metro.co.uk/2023/03...
https://decrypt.co/114754/s...

monitor/adjust game difficultly as you play
https://www.techradar.com/g...

Sony nfts
https://www.theblock.co/pos...

Pay ai to play the game for you
https://thebusinessofesport...

Oh all the above last 12 months

I just imagine a evil scientist with test subjects when it comes down to sony recent patent reports.

Kaii17d ago

Will we get dialogue options that won't spoil puzzles in a matter of seconds? :p

280°

Judge rules in PlayStation's favour in $500m patent infringement lawsuit

Genuine Enabling Technology was seeking damages, claiming the tech allowing PlayStation consoles and controllers to communicate infringes its rights.

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gamesindustry.biz
S2Killinit19d ago

Big victory for Sony. And a long time coming.

DarXyde18d ago (Edited 18d ago )

Crazy to think the savings from this lawsuit allows them to develop one AAA game.

Make it Bloodborne 2, please and thank you.

18d ago
Profchaos19d ago

Sounds like patent trolling they tried the same thing against Nintendo with the same pattern.

Motion and control input traversing over higher and lower frequencies seperate from each other allowing the controller to do both

Pyrofire9519d ago

Patents suck. Most of them are complete garbage.

Knightofelemia19d ago

So to recoup the money Genuine is going to take on Nintendo or Microsoft next. I hate patent lawyers they are some of the worst bottom feeders out there.

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