110°

The PlayStation Vita’s Past and Future

PlayStation Vita hasn’t had an easy go of it in its first year on the market. For as promising as the handheld appeared to be before its release, it’s failed to light the sales charts on fire both in its native Japan and in the west. As a result, questions about Vita’s future have already arisen in earnest as Sony continues to stand by its machine, seemingly unaware (or simply unwilling to admit) that anything has gone wrong.

jujubee884140d ago (Edited 4140d ago )

I guess they should. At the same time, if Orbis winds up connecting to VITA to the enth degree and there arrives to be a super affordable VITA+Orbis bundle at launch than we will see why it was SCEA way of marketing was not true to the tech and the ecosystem.

Seriously, it would make all the sense in the world for a VITA and PS4 (aka Orbis) bundle to be there at launch for, say, $400 and than all PS4 games, media, etc can be streamed to the VITA's display (with Remote Play 2.0).

If that's not the case, holy crap. Something went wrong.

Of course, I also look forward to actual VITA base games like "Soul Sacrifice", "TearAway" and (hopefully) "Gravity Rush 2" in the future.

post edit: Before any one says $400 is far too low for a VITA+PS4 budle, let's keep in mind VITA does not cost a lot to manufacture and it could be re-designed in a bundle to be cheaper than what one mind find right now at retail. Also, it is heavily rumored PS4 will not use Cell; which is what cost Sony to eat hundreds per each launch PS3 sold.

It wont be a huge risk if Sony even eat just $70 to $150 per VITA+PS4 bundle if they make such a thing a limited, secondary SKU at launch.

tubers4140d ago (Edited 4140d ago )

VITA's gonna take some pretty huge potential hit if it doesn't play well together with PS4.. unless Sony has some other great ideas for the VITA later on.

This sounds a little dumb but for some reason, I think the PSV will feel more like a PS3 after PS4 release.

Kevin ButIer4140d ago

I don't think that Sony will make such kind of effort to boost Vita sales. Still, I bet they will push the whole ecosystem idea on both devices.

rpd1234139d ago

I don't think the Vita should be so dependent on a home console. It's a portable device that stands up on it's own. The most they should do is work on getting every game to work with remote play.

admiralvic4140d ago

$400 IS far too low and the Wii U is "proof" of that.

While we obviously don't know the actual to make a Vita or Wii U, I can go off how much MSRP is. In the case of the WIi U gamepad, thats roughly $160 dollars in Japan, where as the Vita currently costs $250 in the US (far more in Japan). When you consider most people think the Wii U is "on par" with current generation consoles, it is impossible to fathom how anyone thinks both of them combined would cost $100 more than a standard Wii U...

jujubee884140d ago (Edited 4140d ago )

You will agree that when the PS3 first launched it would have been impossible to fathom the system cost close to $1000 USD on BoM first, but Sony retailed it for $600. Right?

You will also HAVE to agree that despite launching one year after 360, the PS3 is now "on par" to 360's lifetime sales and now Sony is able to make profit on their investment.

These are the facts. These are not just MSRP prices fitted by retailers (which as we know can be deflated at times like black friday) or words of rhetoric by some CEO standing on a stage about how they will take a hit (even though they never say how much, it's unlikely to be huge). Sony has the BoM and profits from PS3 starting at launch to today that shows its history.

No. It is not "impossible to fathom" a limited stock, launch bundle of VITA and PS4 for $400 USD. Even if it's just to test the audience, the type of diminishing return of a limited edition VITA+PS4 SKU vs a plain PS4 SKU will be so marginal that it wont hurt Sony at all. Infact, such a package will be more likely to increase the platform for VITA and (possibly) even increase awareness of the ecosystem so that it may raise the profile of Playstation to a wider audience.

p.s. It is proven that VITA's part are (for the most part) off the shelf and is nowhere near as customized as the PSP was.

http://www.eurogamer.net/ar...

So, it is not difficult to imagine SCE looking at other parts to make it even costs less when bundled with PS4 (i.e. like going with a Retina Display/BRAVIA Mobile like LCD display). Also, we do not know about PS4's manufacturing price but they have said themselves that they are not going to take a hit like the PS3, and (as was explained above) a limited edition PS4+VITA bundle will be nowhere near the risk of the PS3. Which, when you think about it, even that risk turned out well for Sony. :)

admiralvic4139d ago

Wow... I really have no idea how to reply to this, because you clearly have no concept of how marketing works or even branding, so you run your mouth like you know whats going on, but I got news... you don't.

Since you want to look at things "another way", you're not using ANY logic in your approach. First off you assume the PS4 will be cheap enough to make and bundle with a Vita for $400, when a PS3 and Vita would likely cost you over $400 alone. Also no matter how much it costs to make a Vita, to "look into things" costs money and they would need to keep it at the relative specs (or better), since it also has to function as a Vita. This aspect will take time / money for R&D, so in a lot of ways cost more than the current Vita (due to limited run, development and such), so if anything... they would release the new Vita model and simply phase out the older ones via this. Also the act of making it limited would further decrease their desire to do so.

"nfact, such a package will be more likely to increase the platform for VITA and (possibly) even increase awareness of the ecosystem so that it may raise the profile of Playstation to a wider audience. "

Also this is where you're MOST mistaken. This bundle would MOST LIKELY cause people to think the Vita is nothing more than a PS4 peripheral, like the Move. This was a HUGE problem with the Wii U gamepad, since many people saw the Wiimotes and merely thought it was a console add on. The S E C O N D this bundle would come to exist, N4G would get spammed with the following article types...

1) Sony lost faith in the Vita, bundles with PS4.
2) Vita is nothing more than a PS4 peripheral.
3) Sony is ripping off the Wii U.
4) Will the PS4 require the Vita to be usable?

and other such articles. This probably would be the future if this happened, but feel free to think that we would get a $400 dollar bundle and Sony would make enough profit to make up for their failing departments.

Tultras4140d ago

In my opinion, i think the Vita was built to have some sort of partnership with the Ps4.

KangarooSam4140d ago

Right now the PSP can cross-play more PS3 games than the Vita. So if old hardware can handle streaming that then I assume Sony's just slacking off with PS3-Vita support to fully enforce it with PS4.

tachy0n4140d ago

agree, check out the PSVita mystery port thats on top of the system!

there is ABSOLUTELY no use for it right now!

black9114140d ago

Vita needs free or a cheap yearly price like $70 4G and one amazing exclusive single player game like san andreas stories and one amazing online game that will draw everyone in.

abzdine4140d ago

Vita clearly doesn't have support from third party developpers. Sony cannot afford developping games for Vita forever. This machine has a potential, but it's still very far from seducing the crowd.
I showed the Vita last week to a guy i know and he tried uncharted on it for a couple of minutes. He was blown away and he never could imagine Vita being capable of such level of performance and he definitely wants one.

The problem is, on top of no support from 3rd party, is a crual lack of INFORMATIVE ads!!!

Sci0n4140d ago (Edited 4140d ago )

Got my vita and it has given me countless hours of fun, uncharted golden abyss gets heavy playing time, PS all stars, ragnorak odyssey, little big planet vita, assassin's creed. I am also usually in a cross game cross party chat room with up to 8 friends while gaming listening to music looking at photos, taking pictures, downloading, watching YouTube videos, watching Netflix or whatever else. This thing is a beast and the ultimate multitasker. I see these articles and laugh to myself because I remember all the same articles when PS3 launched before it was even a year in its time the web deemed it as being doomed. Silly rabbits.

Fez4140d ago Show
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150°

Sony Patents To Prevent You From In-Game Harassment By Reading Your Emotions

A new patent recently published by Sony wants to gather biometric data of gamers to track whether one is being harassed using AI tools.

Profchaos11d ago (Edited 11d ago )

I hope this is one of those patents that never comes to fruition.

I already dislike the fact you can pay a significant amount for a online service buy associated games and content on said service and get banned from that service over potentially a misunderstanding the bans are already handed out for flimsy reasons

I'd rather see money invested in a ban that simply removes the offensive players ability to communicate with unknown players allow them to continue party chats with friends but not with Joe blow on cod.

exputers11d ago

Agreed. Blizzard recently banned a college Overwatch 2 player who's dependent for saying "shit." Pretty harsh.

Profchaos10d ago (Edited 10d ago )

How rediculas really. You can't say a word that's allowed in most PG films and prime time TV but the game is based around killing the enemy team using guns, explosives etc.

It's just backwards.

just_looken10d ago

What your talking about is called block list

In 2006 a spaceship dropped of the playstation 3/xbox 360 i say that that generation was the last great gen with game functions/tech that has yet to comeback

Anyhow the playstation 3 if you block listed a id they could not talk to you in chatroom with either text or voice. But that was pre mind fucked 2018 when people were more human than sheep.

But hey gta 6 is coming out billion dollar budget without a single player custom character creator and without singeplayer coop off/online something saints row 1-3 had on the xbox 360.

z2g10d ago

Take my social security and bank account numbers too! Here’s a picture of my wife and our address.

phoenixwing10d ago

Cmon where's the pictures of your children. Don't hold out on them.

H910d ago

At this rate I feel Sony will eventually sell a room to play games in it where they can monitor your every breath

jambola10d ago

I genuinely get a bit worried sometimes when a friend says something that could be offensive In a party
Because I have no trouble believing some bans would happen when in a private party for saying something wrong

SegaSaturn66910d ago

I want them to censor erotic content by measuring my groin temperature so i dont get too distracted while playing black ops 2.

Popsicle10d ago

Terrible idea. Not only do I not consent to providing my biometric data, the potential for mishandling biometric data is almost a certainty. Positive stress and negative stress can produce similar changes in biometrics. Interpreting the precise emotion a person is feeling is not only invasive but could be easily misconstrued. I hope this never comes to fruition.

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130°

Sony Could Increase Your Game's Difficulty If It Sees You Complain About It

Sony has recently published a new patent that wants to dynamically handle the games' difficulty and gameplay based on the player's emotions.

jznrpg11d ago

This is something I might use. Sometimes I play some good games but they don’t have difficulty option and are a little too easy.

Profchaos11d ago

Souls games will be like that players struggling make it harder

PassNextquestion11d ago (Edited 11d ago )

I think if used correctly it could work well

jambola11d ago

cool idea
cool idea for horror games especially
the way it's explained here sounds like it could never be forced hopefully, so that's ok with me

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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
ChasterMies31d 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_looken31d ago

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

Cacabunga31d ago

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

just_looken31d 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-6431d 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_Long31d 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.

Einhander197231d 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.

FinalFantasyFanatic31d 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 31d ago
DivineHand12531d 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.

Joe91331d 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_Observer31d 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.

S2Killinit31d ago (Edited 31d 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.

Joe91330d 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.

S2Killinit30d 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 30d ago
Christopher31d 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.

CrimsonWing6930d ago (Edited 30d 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.

S2Killinit30d 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_Mal31d ago (Edited 31d 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.

Christopher31d 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_looken31d 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

Einhander197231d ago (Edited 31d 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.

FinalFantasyFanatic31d 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.

romulus2331d ago

Correction, they have no issue playing good live service games

shinoff218331d 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.

S2Killinit30d ago (Edited 30d 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.

mastershredder31d 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.

crazyCoconuts31d ago

Headline truncated:
"... off a cliff"

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