Why The PS Vita Will Be The Last Handheld Console

"Handheld gaming consoles have been around for a more than twenty years now, but will they be around for another twenty, even ten?

With the seemingly overnight invasion from the smartphones, dedicated handheld games consoles are seeing themselves pushed aside in favor of whatever is the latest fashionable item in the mobile market, everything from the iPhones and iPads to the Samsung phones and HTC’s are slowly but surely eating into the market share." - TGC

[WrAiTh Sp3cTr3]

Not as long as Nintendo is around.

[-Mika-]

That's the scary thing. We all know how Nintendo is. Their products always uses the cheapest parts and the hardware is weak. Look at the 3ds and the XL.

The XL has horrible sound compared to the regular 3ds and there a yellowish tint on the screen. As well as an horrible screen that can easily be scratch.

No disrespect to the people who like Nintendo but I don't want to be stuck with them. If Sony leaves the handheld scene. Than Im moving to ios gaming.

[darthv72]

yeah like that is a smart move.

Android gaming seems to offer more than ios but to the topic at hand. Vita will not be the last handheld console. Nor will whatever nintendo brings out.

If anything, both companies will see the viable need for a dual purpose platform. one that doubles as a handheld when on the go and a console when at home.

Technology is getting smaller, faster and lower in power consumption. The days of big bulky boxes are coming to an end. Maybe not tomorrow or next console gen but the days are numbered.

A good example to use would be the psp GO. by no means a success in the PSP family but it represented many interesting ideas that can prove worthy in the future.

It offered direct controller link up via bluetooth. It also offered TV connectivity. Two things that would make a big difference to the success of the Vita had Sony opted to include them.

perhaps a revised vita that offers not only controller and tv hook-up but also move support via the front camera for games that used a more touch/motion interaction.

in any case, we are seeing mobile devices double as connected devices where needed. The idea of a console/handheld combo is very possible. Convenience is the key and there isnt anything more convenient than a console that fits in your pocket.

[miyamoto]

The Last of Us Gaming handheld console....so what do you call this?

http://www.archos.com/produ...

It sure looks like a handheld gaming console to me in all intents and purposes. Dedicated for the main purpose of gaming specially old console games from Atari to PS2.

And it just came out.

Will it not be considered a handheld gaming console because it runs Android OS.

Aren't the 3DS and Vita not allowed to do the functions of a tablet or smart phone?

What if the PS Vita uses Android OS or its current OS and can do all the stuff tablets does will it not be disqualified as a handheld gaming console?

You see this article has lots of problem and is flawed.

[sdozzo]

Agreed. Nintendo DS and 3 DS sell like mad.

[kreate]

Lets go ask Michael pachter /s

[psp2roundup]

Ooooh psychic mumbo jumbo... one handheld in Japan has now sold 8 million (and will do 30 million+ lifetime), if the Vita hits its stride, that'll be another 10 or so. You think someone won't launch another one (in Japan at least) to compete with or replace them in a few years time?

[tubers]

Nope.. if Sony starts to become smart and make the VITA a true PHABLET competition, they'll see a good chunk of market for it.

It's got great hardware that can easily run most apps out there (Photoshop app, word, etc.). This will greatly increase the VITA's lifespan and marketability.

They're just being stubborn because they hold back the VITA for such to differentiate from their less than stellar Sony tablets and phones.

Down the years they could easily BUMP up the RAM and Clockspeeds for the VITA making it still viable.

The VITA's great but Sony either have something up their sleeves for it in the long run or just being stubborn.

[Pillsbury1]

You act like vita is competing directly with tablets, it's a GAMING machine. Sony makes tablets it doesn't need to be just like tablets, I have a tablet for that. Sony just needs to be a little smarter with pricing, black Friday sales proved it will sell at the right price. I see next Xmas as its best sales when it drops sub 199$.

[miyamoto]

i will just leave this here

http://www.youtube.com/watc...

for proof handheld gaming consoles will thrive very well

heh heh

[meatysausage]

can i ask, does anyone really want to play games that are graphic intensive
on their phone?

i have hated and hated games that use touch screen to play them, not to mention it always feels like my iphone is about to overheat.
This is why i love the vita, a portable device that is a gaming machine that does not act as a phone, purely for gaming only

[Belking]

Probably the last one from sony since it isn't doing so well. The 3ds is doing very well though.

[TongkatAli]

I like Sony handhelds they're efffing awesome.

[Tewi-Inaba]

IF handhelds die it will just be in the west
Japan loves handhelds
infact the 3DS is already close to outselling PS3s lifetime sales in japan

Yeah, japan loves handhelds that much

[TongkatAli]

I hope the Wii U picks up steam and the Vita.

[Belking]

"infact the 3DS is already close to outselling PS3s lifetime sales in japan"

Close to? How about already surpassed....lol Now lets hear fanboys talk about head starts.

http://gimmegimmegames.com/...

[TongkatAli]

Good for Nintendo, but its a fail on their part not to make 3DS region free they got amazing games in Japan.

[imXify]

Instead of just counting and comparing the sale numbers. I would do a sale/price ratio.

I mean come on, 3DS is two time cheaper then a PS3 -_-

[Hicken]

... seriously, WHO compares handheld sales to console sales?

And if you're gonna talk PS3, why don't you talk 360 and Wii, too? Or would it have been entirely too embarrassing for you to admit the 3DS probably surpassed the 360's lifetime sales in Japan during its launch weekend?

(edited for typo)

[LOL_WUT]

Sony should just give up on handhelds. I think their biggest mistake was not calling it the PSP 2 in my opinion. The vita isn't doomed but, it's nowhere near a success either.

[Pillsbury1]

There will always be a place for handheld dedicated gaming machines as long as humans are away from home. As much as I love Sony they have not been in the handheld market for a while they are in there infancy. They learn and evolve. At the right price handhelds sell well, 3ds proved it and so will ps vita

[DivineAssault]

itd be great if they somehow integrate gaikai into vita to work flawlessly on wifi & good enough off 3g (doubtful on the latter).. Then it will remain relevant for a very long time as tech advances.. I have high hopes for some good RPGs on vita & cant wait for soul sacrifice & dragons crown next yr.. A lot of others too as well as many PS3 titles.. If PS4 launches too, sony will own 2013 with limitless entertainment.. I cant even keep up now but since school is done for a bit, i can get back to PSABR & Persona 4