FORBES: How Sony's Big Gamble With The PS Vita Will Lead Them To Victory

Gamers across the UK, Europe, and America, all have February 22nd marked in their diaries.

[PSVITAlitysensor]

I think Nintendo will continue to dominate Sony throughout the 8th generation..

[mistajeff]

well, it's like they say in the article, what does sony consider a victory? you certainly don't have to outsell your competitor to be successful. maybe coke sales dominate pepsi sales, but enough people buy pepsi to make pepsi an extremely successful product. obviously sony wants to outsell their competitors, but when all is said and done, as long as they break even and a profit is turned, it's a success from a business standpoint. i'm no professional when it comes to this stuff, but like you, i could certainly see the 3ds selling more than the vita over their respective lifetimes. but i definitely think the vita will be a success, a 'victory'.

[MaximusPrime]

Nintendo is good at aiming younger audience thus dominating handheld market. IMO, regardless of whether Sony dominate or not, PS Vita will be around for a long time. As long Sony keeps supporting it like PS3 and PSP

[mistajeff]

I agree. And frankly, I couldn't give a crap if they dominate nintendo in sales or not, so long as it does well enough that they support it like you say. I'm so pumped to get mine, and to see how the device transforms over time. I hope they flick the remote play switch to 'on' sooner rather than later. People have been doing it with ps3 custom firmware, so it can't be that far off.

[BattleAxe]

I think the real victory will come when the Sony Entertainment Network has the same brand recognition as Apple's App Store. Sony has the tools to be a leader in content distribution (Video/Music/Games), and I think the PS Vita is going to be a huge part of their strategy. Also, their mobile division will play a major role, but Sony has to get their phones out to as many distributors as possible. Right now in Canada you can only buy a Sony Mobile Phone through Rogers(which I can't stand). It would be nice if Bell and Telus carried their phones also. Virtually every distributor now carries the iPhone 4.

[Blaine]

@BattleAxe

I like your vision! If the SEN can get huge brand recognition, then Sony will be able to offer us more awesome content. They definitely need to start by pushing the "PlayStation certified" line they started.

Btw, I have an unlocked Xperia Arc myself. I went with Rogers first, since I had their sim card by default (bought my phone at BestBuy), but I changed FAST. Their service was HORRENDOUS. I'm with Virgin now.

[sikbeta]

@PSVITAlitysensor

Handheld, sure, Home Console, you don't know yet ;)

[DA_SHREDDER]

I agree with you to an extent Mistajeff, but the thing is Sony was the leader for years and they have been living off of their former glory for way too long. We aren't talking Walkman's anymore, which btw, doesn't even exist anymore. The problem is Sony needs to wake up and be more realistic of their vision. They dominated for decades, and now if they wanna have that success again, they need to change alot of their old business practices and get practical.

The Vita isn't gonna sell cause its simply a games machine, and it doesn't have Mario. Even Nintendo hurt when they didn't have Mario games on the 3DS, how do you think Sony is gonna survive when all it does is games. Games that are much better on your tv set I might add.

I think if Sony was serious about being a competitor in the handhelf market, they should have made the premium version of the Vita a cellphone. Sure you people on here might like carrying more than one device, and have the wallet to do so, but millions of people want a machine that can do it all, if not most of it. Tabs can pretty much replace pc's, can the can Sony say the Vita can do that? At least smart phones get on facebook, and since they are phones people will take them wherever they go, Can Sony compare it to phones? Really can they? No of course not, and they will forever be in Apples even Samsungs shadow till they unify all their products that can be used for practical purposes. And no, Sony's tab was not an answer. It barely holds up to budget tabs you can buy for 150 bucks.

Sony is trying to swim up river, and for what?! To be a laughing stock among execs? Something is fundamentally wrong and Sony will not gain any ground till they figure it out. God speed Sony.

[dredgewalker]

@Shredder

I have to disagree, the Vita isn't aiming at regular people, it's aiming at gamers. You can sell a lot of smart phones but those people who buy them aren't in it for gaming. Right here the Vita community is growing since it was available in my country. I have a smart phone and an Ipod touch but I rarely use them for games. I am drooling at my brother's Vita since I am unable to purchase it in the meantime since my budget does not allow it. I assure you that it may even if it may not outsell the tablets and smartphones but Sony will be able to make money on this portable console.

[Mikhail]

As long as it sells 50 million units in its lifetime, it is considered to be a massive success.

[GraveLord]

As long as Nintendo doesn't have 100% market share, Sony wins. Sony is probably happy with ~30%

[dcortz2027]

That's what people have a hard time understanding. Sony doesn't have to own one hundred percent of the handheld market for their handhelds to be considered a success. Nintendo has dominated the handheld market for years, and Sony was brave to go up against Nintendo who dominated the handheld market for years and snatch a nice percent of the handheld market share.

[Jio]

With a username like yours, I can't tell if you're trying to troll. As Mistajeff said, Sony doesn't really hope to outsell the 3DS, but in my opinion, the PS Vita is the better machine and will thrive.

[fluffydelusions]

Console wars are stupid, the real winner is gamers.

[Megaman_nerd]

no one is winner if the console is forced out of the market because of poor sales like the Dreamcast did.

[SilentNegotiator]

Obvious troll. You would have been less obvious if you named yourself "I-Am-a-fanboy-that-hates -playstation"

Enjoy your sales charts and single thumbstick controls, I guess.

[Godchild1020]

I have the Vita and have had it for the pass 3 days. I bought the trigger grips(i advise those that are buying the Vita to get one).
Compared to the 3DS, the Vita’s web browser is better(typing from the browser). I love the screen on the Vita, I can see everything without it hurting my eyes. Its kind of like a mini tablet with buttons and games that I want to play.

I have played asphalt on both platforms and the Vita is way better. Rayman is great and UMVC3 is great, but i really want Mortal Kombat.

I wouldn’t get rid of my 3DS, but my Vita has replaced it as the handle I choose to leave the house with.

My bluetooth works with it and i can use my Wireless Headset and listen to my music and game on the go. I wasn't going to put music on the vita, but i did just to see how well it worked with the game and I fell in love.

I can’t wait for the 22nd to get the other games that come out that day.

[brolik86]

How was the sound quality when you put music on?

I love the psp (still use my 1000 series to this day over ipod/ itouch etc). My only gripe with the system was that the sound quality was sub-par to other mobile devices

[Thatguy-310]

Were you around last gen or the gen before that?

[Guwapo77]

I don't have anything awesome to say other than I'm really happy to have finally read a positive article about the Vita. Really really tired of the biased reporting I have seen from so called "gaming" sites. A big nod to...Forbes.

[CarlitoBrigante]

Sony is the future and the future is Sony

Make.believe

[Ethereal]

Wow its not a doom and gloom article....I got the 15th circled 100x on my calender.

[longcat]

my thoughts exactly.

Its been a long time since a major western media company said something this positive about a sony product.

This thing must really be awesome

[BitbyDeath]

That's cause Forbes is a respectable business website and not relying on hits for made up titles unlike 95% of everything else that comes to N4G.

[Blaine]

I know right! So few positive articles nowadays, especially about Sony, ESPECIALLY about the Vita.

[hellzsupernova]

thats because the in thing atm and for most of this gen was to hate on Sony every article always had a negative spin, so now the in thing is to back Sony it comes and goes

[pbasson]

This will sink. All these articles supporting it, goes to show how much free promotion sony needs. The device is like a hybrid between PSP and DS, this is not original or innovative in anyway. Yes you have things like iPad which innovates and changes up over time, but cost a arm and a leg. This is not the 80s, 90s or early 00s. The time of smartphones and tablets is on the rise and the handheld market is being hell of tough to take over as even Nintendo is feeling Apple's breath down its neck. Not the mention the whole package is looking to cost £300+ you could get a PS3/Xbox 360 for £200. The current economy look out will also affect sales. This is one of many reasons.

[yesmynameissumo]

The free promotion comes from people being excited for a fair priced, awesome piece of kit being DEDICATED to games. As well as being able to supports apps like Netflix and Twitter. Smartphones are great, but games like Mario or Uncharted are not ever going to appear on smartphones in their current form. Tap, Tap, Tap games are what excel and should. There's plenty of people that can and do enjoy both. I don't want to make calls from a Vita or 3DS and I don't want to tap myself into frustration trying to play the rare "core" game on Android or iOS. The entire smartphone argument is tired and really a grasp at straws.

[gamingdroid]

I do wonder about the PS Vita and I guess in about a month the numbers will start trickling in.

Nintendo came out slow with the 3DS and managed to turn the business around. That's show promise for PS Vita turn-around if necessary. Unfortunately, it is a double edged sword... as 3DS also eats out of the same market.

We will just have to wait and see....

[ginsunuva]

What supporting articles? They all usually say Vita is dooooomed.

And did you say ipad innovates? Iphone innovated, but ipad is a big ipod touch that "innovates" with a new processor each year that's all. And for a tablet, it does nothing out of the ordinary.

[extermin8or]

the original iPhone innovated the iPhone's after have been your usual run of the mill yearly hardware upgrades since then :/

[xursz]

Apple devices aren't made for gaming and they're way overpriced.

[tarbis]

Economy? You're talking about economy? I don't see the economy affect the millions of people buying terribly overpriced iphones and ipads.

[TBM]

OMG bingo someone who says what i say all the time about people who keep buying overpriced iphones/ipads every 6 months.

if people think vita is expensive at 250/300 then what the hell do they consider the iphone/ipad?

in 2 wks i'll be playing games the way they should be played on a great dedicated handheld system instead of poking, and swiping at a tablet/phone.

[smashcrashbash]

I don't remember either Sony or Nintendo ever claiming they were competing with tablets and phones. I always thought they were competing with each other for gamers not phone users. Also you, like most of the other non thinkers, have failed to realize that the point of handheld gaming is that it is PORTABLE. Of course I could buy a system for a certain amount of money but it's not PORTABLE. I can't take my PS3 anywhere with me. But I can take the PSV with me. You see how that works?

And to top it all off by your logic I could buy a console or two with the money I buy a smart phone or tablet with, so why buy them for gaming? You say the VITA is expense and you could buy consoles with the money and yet you are here advertising tablets and phones that cost more saying they are better?

[CarlitoBrigante]

How the FK is this a hybrid between a PSP and DS? What thinks of those handhelds are in the VITA? WHat thinks of the iPad are in the Vita? Dont open your filthy mouth if you dont know what you're talking about troll

[UltimateIdiot911]

Don't know how old you are but with enough experience in gaming, you'll know the whole tablet/smartphone gaming cannot replace or replicate the experience you get from true handheld/console gaming. It's day and night.

I grew up with handhelds as many gamers in their 20s+. There is something special about handheld gaming, it's a social experience. I remember Pokemon Red/Blue, and how all my friends and I just gather to chat and play together. Battle and trade. There were competition in games like Tetris. You meet new people when you whip out your gameboy. People ask what games you have to see if there is a common interest. To see if there is a game where they can play together. With smartphone/tablet games, that experience really isn't there.

I have a high end smartphone (far more expensive than getting a handheld) and I absolutely hate playing games on that. It's not ergonomic friendly (hands feels like it will get carpal tunnel after 20 minutes of gaming anything non flick and tap.)

Yes, let's compare a brand new handheld device (with a lot built in) to a 6 year old system. I'm surprise you haven't demand that smartphone to be the same price as a flip-phone.

[Ethereal]

Sorry, Vita has several innovating features. Rear touch pad...The 3DS has shown that the portable gaming market still exists when a unit is priced appropriately.

[Yangus]

Vita never lead handled(console)market its 100%.

[Agent_hitman]

VITA will sell more that's my predictions for this year..

[ZippyZapper]

What is Sony going to use... magic?

[gamingisnotacrime]

I tried to play all macho and white telling me myself skip the vita launch butwho am I kidding, and this thing is a beauty to look at.. Playing it will be great.. Got the 3g bundle pre ordered for the 15 cannot wait

[cstyle]

I predict that it will struggle at launch then sales will pick up by summer or fall.

[Blaine]

Wow, a lot of positivity from Forbes today! It's been so long since I read anything positive from any news medium that I feel a funny feeling inside me... It's like optimism is catching, or something!

[pythonxz]

Didn't forbes talk about nothing but doom before?

[ForROME]

vita will not reach mass status they are hoping for 100mil plus, its the psp all over again

[mechanicleman]

ForROME<<<<doom and gloom....

[Ethereal]

PSP was a successful platform for Sony. Despite never reaching it's true potential.

[TBM]

i love how people think selling 70-80 million units, and grabbing a very good share of the handheld market a failure lol.

that is why they are here making comments on this form and not running a multi-billion business.

[Ethereal]

Yup...

[gamer7804]

you have to remember nintendo has been doing this for much longer than sony. if someone is dominating the market in an erea, you don't try to release something to compete against it, you release something that solves a different need in the best way possible, for a slightly different type of market in the same sector.

[BubloZX]

22nd is my birthday! But I already have the Hong Kong 3g model. Maybe I should get another one with that $200 gift card I got at radio shack

[notimetobeidle]

Thought it was a very short article. Turns out that the link leads to page 3.

[mechanicleman]

No way no doom and gloom article? amazing!

Everything written in this article is the truth, The PSN store is the app store for games expensive ones and small mini games the PS VITA interacts with the PS3 with cross platform gaming, streaming, picking up game saves and taking them on the go, browsing the web and real gaming controls the touch screens the near application its just all aamzing truly a one of a kind device

[ZippyZapper]

Good luck taking Nintendo

[miDnIghtEr20C_SfF]

I love how MS gets destroyed by turning to Kinect for more popularity and all that stuff for gaming right now, yet Sony is turning to handhelds to turn the tide?

Not a home console?

I would think that the PS4 would be the tide turner. Are we resorting to handhelds now, as to what is the "it" factor?

I'll take a home console any day over gaming on a small handheld.

[MySwordIsHeavenly]

You haven't played the Vita yet.

[dukegodtezza]

what is it ??a hand held

[RevXM]

There is only 1 true complaint to be had for the vita.
Expensive proprietary cards, but its still a steal.

Any app or software feature can be uppdated, so it sure will support, PS1 games, FULL remote play, HTML 5, FLASH and boosting browsing performance soon Im sure. extended file format and codec support might come as well.

And its cameras are ok, not great but will do for games and casual use though there is no denying most phones beats the vitas camera quality by a longshot, but a decent camera doesnt cost much so people who really cares about pictures will get a real camera.

Its games ranges from simple and cheap to full console type games that is sold for less than AAA homeconsole titles. 40-50 bucks verus 60...WHY are some people even bringin it up and complaining how the games are expensive?
yes the mercedes isnt attractive at 20% off at all since the old rusty Datsun with a nice coat of paint is 1/5 of its price HERP.

AND Vita is half the price of any decent smartphone, that alone makes it a steal, but that its so well suited for games makes its that much better. so Smartphone fanatics GTFO. :)

[Rageanitus]

lol alot of ppl believe if sony is not #1 they will fail... just shows none of these h8rs know much about commerce....

as long as they make a certain amount of money and retain and increase their repeat customer base they will continue making the product.... if t wasn't for sony's percieved direction of SUPPORTING their product for the long term with gr8 exclusives you would not see that many repeat customers for sony....

BMW does not sell as much as toyota and GM YEAR BY YEAR for the longest time .... does that mean bmw should just jump ship and cal it a day.

[Ascalon94]

offtopic, BMW is the shit