The Vita's Problem Is Not Its Price

GXC: "The PlayStation Vita is approaching its one year anniversary here in the West and the system has received its fair share of praise and criticism all throughout. Most people who own, or have used a Vita are more than happy with the system itself. Still, the handheld has struggled to sell itself within that time period – selling just over 4 million. In comparison to the sales of its predecessor (PSP) and current competitor (3DS) within the same period of time, the Vita looks as if it could be facing quite a bit of trouble. Some attribute these failings to a number of things including the memory cards and games. One of the most common criticism the system receives is that the price is just too high. This following post will just go through some fleeting thoughts of mine, the reasons why I believe that price is not the reason the Vita is not selling well."

[ThatMiamiGuy]

Eh. If you really look at the price for what you get, it's fine. But considering the economy, competition, and all that other stuff, it still would be nice for a price cut sooner rather than later.

[Outside_ofthe_Box]

Sony is mostly likely going to announce a price drop and Vita redesign on the 20th anyway, but I agree that the price isn't the problem.

[TheGrimOfDeath]

Redesign? Ha, when did Sony become Apple? XD

[CaptainPunch]

You are aware that Sony has redesigned the PS1, PS2, PS3, and PSP?

[TheGrimOfDeath]

^ You are aware that the redesigns didn't happen in a year correct?

[AznGaara]

@GamingFeud

Playstation released in 1994 redisgned in 2000

Ps2 released in 2000 redesigned in 2004

Ps3 in 2006 redesigned in 2009 and again in 2012

Psp released in 2005 redesigned in 2007

There hasn't been one redesign a year after a console has be released.

[Outside_ofthe_Box]

^^ This will be the first ;)

[NastyLeftHook0]

advertise

[Xof]

The problem isn't pricing. Nor is it advertising.

The problem is a lack of a steady stream of games. Sony should have at least 4 retail releases per month; they should not be going consecutive months without retail releases.

Sure, better advertising would help. Sure, a better price point would help. But even so simple a thing as Sony encouraging localization of Japanese Vita games, or encouraging third parties to put up their digital PSP and PS1 games would do a lot more.

Right now in North America, for example, the Vita has only 6 games set to release before May. That's total games--only 4 qualify as significant; only 1 is not a port. The 3DS, conversely, has 12 total releases before may. Again, total games. The 3DS isn't perfect, either: of those releases, only 6 qualify as significant; but only 1 is a port).

That's not cutting it.

Yes, I know the Vita has great games for it already. I'm not talking about quality here, I'm talking about quantity and constancy. The latter is, perhaps, more important.

Think about the casual gamer. The gamer who goes into Walmart or Gamestop every week or so. What's he gonna buy? The console that he always sees new games for... or the console he always sees the same games for?

...

And what's really sad is that this is really only a problem in North America and Europe. In Japan, the Vita has a much larger library, with many more titles, and a much more constant release rate.

To go back to the facts... Right now in Japan, the Vita has 25 games set to release before May.

Twenty-Five.

Another fact: In Japan, the Vita has never gone more than 2 weeks without a retail release. In North America, the Vita has never gone more than five months without a retail release.

[Sanquine90]

Funny thing is: Europeans are a far better supporter of de vita than America and Japan however , we are getting less games than everybody else... Europe always fucked!

[sdozzo]

You did lose that war. You know... That war.

[RioKing]

Again Japan won?? 0.o

[WeAreLegion]

Wait... The Vita doesn't go very long without a retail release in ANY region. We've had many in the past two months. I don't understand the problem...

[knifefight]

Your points are good, but you speak as if the Vita is selling well in Japan. It isn't. The PSP outsells it routinely, and the 3DS outsells it by a margin of about 10-to-1 in many weeks.

It sells less than 10,000 units in a week, which is less than what the Dreamcast was doing when it failed at retail. Everyone was talking about the 3DS's low sales when that machine was still selling more than the Vita is now.

Here in Japan, Vita is relegated to a small corner of any given game shop, and there's rarely any promotion of the product. There was at first, until stores caught on that no one was buying it. It's sad but true. Sometimes I feel like the only guy in Japan who has a Vita.

[Canary]

Dragon Quest and Pokemon sell systems. Ports of games available on cheaper systems do not.

[Donnieboi]

But the steady stream of games won't come if the system doesn't sell. So a lot more systems need to be sold so that games can be sold for play on them. So a price drop is needed first. And the expensive memory card thingy needs to stop. My Vita plus 32G card, screen protector, wrist strap, and 1 game (persona 4 golden for me) cost enough for me to buy both a Ps3 and 360. THAT IS TOO MUCH MONEY! I had to buy all those things just to protect my vita and make it worth while (must have a 32gig card and at least 1 game). Plus insurance (another $30) in case I ever drop my vita on the floor. There's not a single thing I could have avoided buying, without risking damaging my Vita or not having anything to play on it. I kinda regret buying it. I'm being 100% honest >_<.

Btw, I have 67 games for my Vita from the old ps plus games I got (ps1, mini, and new monthly Vita games). I've even bought great psp games like Monster Hunter, Valkyria Chronicles 2, etc and been getting the free PS Mobile games that came out each week for the last 6 weeks.

A total of 67 games that makes (but most are old ps1 games I already had installed and play in my ps3 already). Yet I still feel like the price was kinda steep. We're not all rich. Many of us are feeling the harshness of this economy. The system needs a price drop. It's too late for me, but at least a price drop means more systems sold, which = more new 3rd party games, which in turn means new games for an early adopter like me to play.

I only bought it because I believe in Sony and the fact they defend the hardcore. Plus I just plain wanted Persona 4 Golden. But still, that kinda money is NO JOKE for someone like me.

[Megaton]

The price is one of many problems.

[WeAreLegion]

1) Advertising
2) Price
3) People don't know how to use it. It has no games? Then, why do I have TONS of games on my Vita?!? People don't know that much of the library is only on the PSN. That...and you can download PS1, PSP, Minis, PS Mobile, and ALL full retail Vita games from the network.
4) No Pokemon. Many people are buying/have bought a 3DS JUST to play Pokemon. I probably will when X and Y come out. Most people will buy a handheld for just one game...and Pokemon is that game. The Vita has some of the best games of the past year, yet people don't know that they exist. Gravity Rush was my 2012 GOTY. LBP Vita is the best in the series.
5) More CRAP. The 3DS gets tons of games on a consistent basis, much like the DS. Most of it is just complete crap though. It doesn't matter! People don't look at the quality, if there are still a few good games releasing. They look at quantity. People are sheep. They buy this junk all the time, just because it exists. That being said, there are obviously some incredible games on both the DS and 3DS. :)
6) AGAIN WITH THE ADVERTISING!!!

[AdvanceWarsSgt]

If you ask me, the price on those memory cards are a bigger detractor than the actual price of the 3DS unit. Why Sony didn't just opt for the much cheaper SD card support is pretty baffling.

[MorfiTM]

easy - To protect Vita from people like Wololo.

[tachy0n]

which in every way is entirely useless.

[AdvanceWarsSgt]

Damn i meant to say Vita unit. Now the comment reads a bit funny loi

[MorfiTM]

I somewhat agree with this article. One of the problems with Vita is connected both to games and marketing. It's what Xof has written in #4 - no steady stream of RETAIL games.
Here in Poland (Central Europe) if you go to to chain-stores like Empik, Saturn or Media Markt you will see that the games and the console has some place reserved (one little bookshelf and there are even times that it shares the place with PSP).
The problem becomes apparent when you want to buy a game copy from local used-games shops - they have only like 10-30 game copies from 8-10 titles for PS VITA. Why? Many of them decided to stop the support for this platform because the last retail games were LEGO LoTR and PSASBR, since then? Null
Earth Defense Force 2017, Dokuro, Ragnarok Odyssey have been or will be released only digitally. Which retailer would be reserving place for games that lie there for months, and which have been published months ago? It's better for them to keep them in a dusty carboard box in a corner behind the counter and use the space for PS3 or XBOX360 games, isn't it?

[LOL_WUT]

It sure is just look at how the 3Ds was rescued from being a huge flop after it received a price cut. If the same where to be applied here i'm positive the Vita would see an increase in sales, guaranteed. ;)

[sdozzo]

It doesn't have games that people want or we wouldn't be talking about how it's not selling. Talk all you want about games like a chick and her floating cat but that doesn't sell.

[nevin1]

Memory Card prices.

[AO1JMM]

Memory card price do need be cut.....by alot

[Krew_92]

They do.

$100 for 32GB is borderline stealing.

[stragomccloud]

Price of the system is just fine. Memory cards however, are killer. That said, assuming all goes well, I'll be picking up a Vita tomorrow!

[o-Sunny-o]

PS Vita Slim will show up! Also known as easily breakable version.

[LAWSON72]

I think it needs must play games because i have yet to see any

[tubers]

They can charge what they're charging right now as long as the majority of the handheld marketshare deems it worthy of the price (software; games; applications)..

Obviously, that's not the case ..yet