140°

Sell The PlayStation Vita Yourself, Sony

GR: As if PlayStation Vita sales figures weren't bleak enough, even Sony is beginning to show signs of distress. In a new promotion, Sony is offering a $20 PSN card and "tons of Sony Rewards points" to PSN users who can convince their friends to purchase a PlayStation Vita. Except, this doesn't come off the way Sony intended—it comes off as desperate.

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gamerevolution.com
doctorstrange4102d ago

Anyone want to be my 'friend' whose in the mood for a vita?

007Bond4101d ago

And here you guys want ports of grade A console games on vita when it doesn't even sell haha. Honestly nobody walk around with a handheld unless your 12 years old.

sexbobomb914101d ago

Right, the Vita is meant for 12year olds and UFC fighters: http://imgur.com/a/wUDnl .

Baylex4101d ago

I have mine in my backpack, i take it with me in my car and when I ride my motorcycle i have it inside my jacket! And I'm 22... so the only kid with 12 years that dosen't take their handheld with him is you... because:
1- you're not 12 years old... maybe 11 or so..
2- you don't have a Vita.. maybe a 3DS and you keep it at home!!! God you're pathetic lol

iamnsuperman4102d ago (Edited 4102d ago )

It isn't like that. It is like the Sky box adverts which gave you Marks and Spenser vouchers every time you recommend a friend to join Sky.

It is a standard marketing tool used quite a lot by companies.

jimbobwahey4102d ago

Yeah, I've always considered the whole "Refer a friend" and such marketing strategy to be commonplace. Seems odd to see people shocked and alarmed by things like this given the tremendous amount of successful companies that utilize these kind of promotions.

iamnsuperman4102d ago (Edited 4102d ago )

Like the Sky example. Sky is doing phenomenally well in the UK yet they did such an offer because it just brings in much more customers. It really makes me worry about the people on this site/submitted to this site

Good_Guy_Jamal4102d ago

You have to admit it does seem rather desperate, all things considered (vita sales performance, first time a gaming company does this for hardware)
I want alot more than just 20 bucks for convincing someone to buy a VITA.

admiralvic4101d ago (Edited 4101d ago )

Just because you can spin something to be bad, doesn't mean it's actually bad. Plenty of sites give you bonuses for inviting a friend, several companies offer you a nice little extra (like Direct TV and the 100 bill credit) and even some contests give you extra entries for inviting others / tweeting / facebooking (basically the same thing). The is a common marketing tactic because it is common knowledge that people don't usually talk about good experiences, but will complain about bad. This marketing tactic offers you a reward for hyping the system, so people are MORE likely to speak highly of it, over simply saying nothing. Nothing desperate about it and even if you view it as "desperate", I still think any topic about it are even more desperate for hits.

EddieNX 4101d ago

It's like sucking off people for crack..... /s lmao

Wedge194102d ago

This is sad. I'm a staunch Vita supporter, but really, like you said, Sony needs to sell their own products themselves. You shouldn't need to offer me an incentive to tell my friends about the Vita, your product should be so good, and SUPPORTED that it makes me want to pitch it to my friends myself. That, or well advertised enough that they already know about it without my input.

alexcosborn4102d ago

It really is sad.

The Vita really is in trouble.

-Alpha4101d ago (Edited 4101d ago )

Look, that's true and all, and I can see why people are poking fun at it, but this is nothing new, and nothing most companies don't try to do, regardless of the success of their product. There is nothing wrong with the method, and you can't fault them for advertising.

Wedge194101d ago (Edited 4101d ago )

I agree, and as pointed out in other comments, DirecTV and other companies do it too. The difference is in the execution. Other companies promotions are a successful product that they want you to tell your friends about. In this case, it's a last ditch effort to get customers to support the Vita.

Get support on the developer side of it, and people will come in droves, without needing to offer money. The Vita really is an amazing piece of tech, truly a marvel in handheld gaming. But I can't be expected to sell my friends and colleagues on something that I don't see the developer offering a lot of support on.

If this was better supported on Sony's end, I would be handing out flyers on street corners and convincing everybody I know to purchase one.

ftwrthtx4102d ago

Someone's gotta sell it. The developers aren't helping.

Belking4101d ago

You can't blame this on developers. It's sony's responsibility to ensure that the hardware has great software support. They really need to get out of this"if we make it people will buy it" way of thinking because it really doesn't work that way with everything.

Hicken4101d ago

Care to look over the list of games for the Vita and say Sony isn't giving the damn thing great software support?

Uncharted, Unit 13, Sound Shapes, Gravity Rush, LBP, Sly Cooper, MLB The Show, Super Stardust, Wipeout, Hot Shots Golf, Escape Plan, PS All Stars are all great FIRST PARTY games, and a wide variety, to boot. That's an average of one first party game per month, and that excludes the smaller games like When Vikings Attack, Little Deviants, Treasures of Montezuma, and Hustle Kings.

Seems like Sony's giving out great support, to me. Maybe you should actually do research. Oh, but then, you'd just say it in full knowledge that you were telling lies.

... which is probably what you were doing, anyway.

Troll harder.

-Mezzo-4102d ago (Edited 4102d ago )

So i'll take it that the writer has never heard of a thing called, 'Affiliate Program', what Sony's doing is not different to an 'Affiliate Program' run by, say... Amazon, Ebay or Best Buy.

Everyone that sells stuff does this.
----------------

Sensationalism At It'S best.

iamnsuperman4102d ago

I know right. I am still surprised by some people on the internet

Good_Guy_Jamal4102d ago

People called microsoft desperate for giving microsoft points with every Gears and GTA V sold. Shouldn't be suprising that this move by Sony is evoking the same thoughts. Amazon, Best Buy and Ebay don't make a handheld game that is struggling at the moment though. Just as an after thought. . .

tachy0n4101d ago

its not distress, i got the feeling like sony is waiting for something, PS4 perhaps?

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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.

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techraptor.net
ChasterMies15d 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_looken14d ago

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

Cacabunga14d ago

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

just_looken14d 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-6414d 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_Long14d 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.

Einhander197214d 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.

FinalFantasyFanatic14d 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 14d ago
DivineHand12514d 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.

Joe91314d 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_Observer14d 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.

S2Killinit14d ago (Edited 14d 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.

Joe91314d 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.

S2Killinit14d 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 14d ago
Christopher14d 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.

CrimsonWing6914d ago (Edited 14d 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.

S2Killinit14d 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_Mal14d ago (Edited 14d 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.

Christopher14d 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_looken14d 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

Einhander197214d ago (Edited 14d 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.

FinalFantasyFanatic14d 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.

romulus2314d ago

Correction, they have no issue playing good live service games

shinoff218314d 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.

S2Killinit14d ago (Edited 14d 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.

mastershredder14d 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.

crazyCoconuts14d 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.

blackblades20d ago

Sony is like the only ones outta the 3 that has atuff like like this pop up changing thing in ways.

just_looken20d 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.

blackblades20d 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_looken20d ago (Edited 20d 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.

Kaii20d 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.

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gamesindustry.biz
S2Killinit22d ago

Big victory for Sony. And a long time coming.

DarXyde22d ago (Edited 22d ago )

Crazy to think the savings from this lawsuit allows them to develop one AAA game.

Make it Bloodborne 2, please and thank you.

22d ago
Profchaos22d 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

Pyrofire9522d ago

Patents suck. Most of them are complete garbage.

Knightofelemia22d 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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