400°

3 Reasons Sony's PS Vita Will Crush Handheld Competitors

A Google search on the PS Vita yields hundreds of stories about Sony’s dual-stick, powerhouse handheld’s “disappointing sales.” It’s too expensive, lacks a decent library of games and worst of all, it’s irrelevant since millions of consumers play games for free on mobile phones and tablets. Truth be told, this author was close to selling his PS Vita for the same reasons. But now it appears Sony is ready to lay a serious smack down on competitors (and whiny gamers) thanks to three brilliant moves pulled off this week.

MariaHelFutura4161d ago

I don't know if the Vita will crush the 3DS (sales wise). But, the Vita is a great device that people should lay off on all the hating on it an allow it to grow and see where things go.

Griffin48714161d ago

It shouldn't have to grow. It's a monster of a handheld device that should have been very successful from the start, but it wasn't. It isn't hate toward the device, it's hate toward Sony for yet again making poor marketing decisions.

LOGICWINS4161d ago (Edited 4161d ago )

I wonder how many people saw the COD Vita commercial, thought about getting it, but saw the poor reviews on Metacritic and decided against the console altogether. Of all the games Sony chose to market Vita with, Declassified was one of the worst choices.

Sometimes I feel that Sony fans have better marketing ideas than Sony themselves.

pamelameyerso14161d ago

til I looked at the paycheck which had said $7984, I didnt believe that my friend was actualey erning money part time on there computar.. there aunts neighbour has been doing this 4 only 10 months and recently cleard the morgage on there mini mansion and got a gorgeous GMC. this is where I went,.. http://youtube.qr.net/jNUN/...

Kingthrash3604161d ago

Griffin.... Please tell me, what system WAS successful when it was first brought out?????? I don't recall any system being successful until its first price cut and that happens after a year. Not one single system has been killing in numbers right out the gates. Xbox nope, ps3 nope, wii nope, 3ds nope, ect. Developers are putting out monster games for the system already and it under a year old. A year from today it will produce games better than what it is now. The vitas potential is scary. Once that price drop comes it will sell better.

DivineHand1254160d ago

If memory serves, the wii did well at launch and also years following. Am I the only one that remembers how people were having a hard time finding a wii cause the supply couldn't meet the demand. Also the price for that console didn't drop until near the end of 2009.

Kingthrash3604160d ago (Edited 4160d ago )

@ divine
I never stated the wii or ANY console didn't sell well at launch. I stated that they weren't considered successful until the price drop. And what i meant by "killing out the gates" means it wasnt a like say,apple does. the reason the wii was sold out is the same reason every home console is sold out at launch, including the wiiu they make them slow just for the sold out headlines, making people believe they are missing out on something so they try to buy too. How many times have u heard of a system sellin on eBay for ridiculous prices because of the sell out? It happens to every home console. The wii btw came out costing lower than its other competitors at the time ( something the wiiU should have done again in my opinion) and there for sold good at launch.... So did n64 and look how ps1 crushed it. In America at least it all about the deal, lower cost better sales. Simple really, the company's know this so they launch a console at high price to get the hardcore gamers $ ( people who will buy it because they like to be " first" to own it) after a year or so depending on how sales are ( the wii sold well so Nintendo didn't have to drop as fast btw) company drop prices to continue sales then, and only then will a console or handheld be considered successful . It's far to soon for fail or success story's for the vita or wiiU because they are still in the infant stage in their life span.

@ logic.... Cod declassified is a very fun game in my opinion. I'm pretty sure u haven't played the game with that comment . Yes sp was wakk. But mp is super fun. thos reviews that u let make choices for you have taken u away from that fun. I'm not judging you or nuthin but play it first then make your opinion.

kneon4160d ago

It seems to be popular near me. I'm sitting in a McDonalds right now and the near app shows 18 people within 1 mile of here.

Mounce4160d ago

To me, I look at the Nintendo DS game library and I barely see anything that would count as top-quality games, beyond a few simple First-party games like Zelda/Mario and Nintendos' neverending brand name mascots, but it just didn't have what PSP had of a large diversity in strong 2nd party and 3rd party games that stood out beyond what Sony themselves made.

Killzone Liberations and MGS Peacewalker, FF7 Crisis Core alone made me buy a PSP, although a refurbished one as I sought PSP-2000 as I heard of the screen issues for 3000 due to hardware limitations messing it up. Peacewalker and Crisis Core had SO many god damn hours of gameplay that would alone trump the replayability and life of most other handheld titles on the market to this day. I think I have around 200 hours on Peacewalker, 70 hours on CC. Only thing on Nintendos' handheld that could compete time-wise would be Pokemon.

Ju4160d ago

Why Declassified got those bad reviews is beyond my understanding. I think it is a great game on the go. It plays like CoD and it has quite some game modes.

If you expected a full length game like on consoles you might be disappointed, but it has great visuals, "THE" CoD controls, and the typical game modis. Those reviews are idiots, seriously. The game was obviously targeted at a quick in and out mobile market and not the hour long online play a console covers. Everything else is top notch with that game.

+ Show (6) more repliesLast reply 4160d ago
XB1_PS44160d ago

The problem is exposure. A buddy of mine has a PS3, and PsP. I was talking to him, and he mentioned that if a new version of the PsP came out he would get it. He had no idea the Vita even exsisted. He was surprised when I told him it's been out for almost a year...
I don't see enough of it for it to be a household name. It needs a good advertising run. A catchy commercial that when you see it you say, "Holy shit, I want that".

XB1_PS44160d ago

I just caved. It's on it's way. :)

Knight_Crawler4160d ago

shouldn't the headline read crush handheld competitor?

Since you know its only Sony and Nintendo.

360ICE4160d ago

One reason it won't:
Branding.

Yuuuup

fatstarr4160d ago (Edited 4160d ago )

*throws up powder*
Delusion... Delusion everywhere

lmao I wish I can find those articles and quote some n4g peeps
on some of the things they said about the vita

I remember words like
Destroy
Domination
kill Nintendo
lol ahahah

its like wiiu is off to a better start than the vita and it gets tons of hate,
vita is failing for almost a year now and people just pat it on the back and tell it to try harder and then n4g users attack the ds and the 3DS lmao. comedy all over man.

comedy and delusion = this thread.

FriedGoat4160d ago

I own a 3DS, had it since launch. The Vita might not be selling well but it blows the 3DS out of the water. and we're only 8 months in.
Here's a pic of my 3DS, http://i.imgur.com/fGMaj.jp... pretty dusty.

younghavok4160d ago

Its cool to hate Nintendo, its cool to like Sony. Vita is selling like crap but if you say something about it you get attacked. WiiU seems to be selling good, but if you say anything good about it you get attacked. The internet is a weird place.

FriedGoat4159d ago

I don't neglect my 3DS because its cool to neglect it, I neglect it because I have nothing to play besides 5 hour long games with no content, when I have my Vita with 20+ hr games with loads to do. I will however be picking up prof. Layton soon so I'll have to get the pledge.

+ Show (2) more repliesLast reply 4159d ago
NastyLeftHook04161d ago

well this is news for gamers so as a gamer who likes games i want a awesome game device that playes great games and gaming is what i like to do alot so if my games can be in hd and my games are high quality a gamer like me can be happy with playing games on this gaming device.
game>sales.

Cosmit4160d ago

No sales = Less/No games.

Gaming_Guru4160d ago (Edited 4160d ago )

There has to be a game before the sale, if there is no game sales cannot exist.

The chicken or the egg ordeal, lol, so there will always be games, but there can be only less games.

Hx3KinG4160d ago

lol how many times do you wanna use the words gamer, games and gaming in a sentence, lmao

shutUpAndTakeMyMoney4161d ago (Edited 4161d ago )

Who approved this positive vita news? must be a mistake?

Neckbear4161d ago (Edited 4161d ago )

Yet a journalistic report on the fact the Vita didn't hit top 100 on Amazon even with the black friday price drop got deleted without much word, lol

DarkHeroZX4161d ago

actually The vita was on gamestop's best sellers top 5 and the 3ds was nowhere in site. Who actually uses amazon to buy video games?

j4re4161d ago

I primarily use Amazon for all my gaming related needs. They have the best prices, free shipping, and no tax in my state. It's a triple win in my book.

Norrison4161d ago (Edited 4161d ago )

@DarkHeroZX
A lot of people use amazon for video games, they match steam sales and sometimes even surpass them, you're missing out on a lot of sales. Also the vita bundle did sell, it got sold out..
Gamestop is shitty btw.

CalvinKlein4161d ago (Edited 4161d ago )

PROBABLY BECAUSE THAT IS FALSE BRO. I ALWAYS look at the amazon top 100 selling videogames as my default amazon page to see what new game may be on sale and see whats selling hot.

The AC VITA bundle made it up to around number 40 when it first came out and was the highest the vita has been in a while.

LOOKS LIKE THE AC VITA BUNDLE IS NOW #2, yes #2, on the top selling videogames on AMAZON and is now sold out to buy from amazon. so I guess your info was incorrect.

http://www.amazon.com/best-...

This might be this highest a vita has ever been in the amazon top 100 selling videogame items.

EDIt--- HAHAHAHAH I just have to laugh again that you call it a "FACT" and I checked and it was at NUMBER 2 bestsellers, easily the highest the VITA has EVER been on amazon, even when it first came out. I look at taht top 100 page almost every day so I would know.

Edit 2-- I got mine in faburary and have barley played my PS3, 360, or PC since; only for the occasional must play game. I like the vita so much because you can just pause whenever and then pick right back up where you left off. I hope everyone enjoys their new vita as much as Ive enjoyed mine.

BigStef714161d ago

@CalvinKlein
#1 now and the deals been over for hours lmao. This is a great thing to see that vita is selling really well over the holidays

Jazz41084161d ago

I just left the black friday sale at walmart and they still had tons of vitas in stock and 2 expensive ps3s and no 360s and most of its games were gone. Looking from what I see from the usa biggest store the vita is not doing well even with the bundles as they had ple ty and i left the store 24 hours after the lines and madness began.

GamingGuru4160d ago

@CalvinKlein

I want to live in a world where Faburary is a real thing.

kikizoo4160d ago

@xteampro, like every dumb haters : "psp is dying" "bluray is dying" "ps3 is dying" "vita is dying"

Reality is always telling you that you are wrong..

They can't be gamers with that kind of stupid hate for sony (most important brand in the game industry) ..probably shareholders, employees, or worst, americans who hates japaneses.

+ Show (6) more repliesLast reply 4160d ago
xtreampro4160d ago ShowReplies(1)
DarkHeroZX4161d ago

well all I know was the ps vita and ps3 500 gig models sold out in almost every major retailer in m area and they both are in the top 5 best sellers on gamestop's website. Guess that $199 price tag is the sweet spot for consumers.

BigStef714161d ago

This is what I like to hear!!! Sony went full out advertising this device this holiday season with ads and commercials. It looks like the price drop on Black Friday will turn out to be very successful for them especially that amazon one which I was able to get and from the looks of it that has already sold out. Also the free vita games from ps+ are very nice addition. I'm excited to see what developers are making for this system

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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.

Read Full Story >>
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.

FinalFantasyFanatic10d 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 10d 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.

FinalFantasyFanatic10d 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.

Read Full Story >>
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

Pyrofire9518d ago

Patents suck. Most of them are complete garbage.

Knightofelemia18d 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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