Sony: Dedicated Fans Keeping Vita from Getting Shelved

Gameranx: "If it wasn't for the loud group of consumers preaching about the Vita, the handheld might not even be around."

[Xof]

Wow, I knew things were bad, but not that bad.

They really, desperately need to follow Nintendo's example and make certain they've got at least 1 high-quality release in every region, per month. And they really, desperately needed to have started doing that last year.

[iamnsuperman]

I think they should completely avoid what Nintendo are doing with their handheld. I feel Sony need to push the Vita into their Xperia Tablet division. Nintendo is going down a road that is starting to close and Sony shouldn't follow them down that road (expensive for them to do that). Sony need to make a mini tablet that can play games (either via Gaikai/online services or retail based) with offering a cheap controller peripheral with it for £10 (a token price).

edit: Back when the DS and PSP launched the market could accommodate 2 devices. Now it can barely accommodate one device. They both need to start offering more with the next handhelds (tablets) or making them super cheap (£100 launch)

[Joe913]

They need to put a lil money up pay for a few good titles if they paid Konami for a Metal Gear boom they will sell like crazy. There first party studios need to put more games on vita as well that is main thing with all the really good first party studios and all the AAA franchises Sony has there is no reason the vita should be doing this bad well other than the fact everyone was working on ps4. Gamers need to get there acts right as well I read a lot of comments where ppl say the vita just get ports like the uncharted game which is not true the uncharted vita game is a stand alone uncharted game it is as much a port as uncharted 2 and 3 was a port to uncharted 1.

[KonsoruMasuta]

Nintendo is pushing out 3DSs like nobody's business and you think what they are doing is bad?

[mcstorm]

I have to disagree that the road that Nintendo is going down is going to a close its far from it. The road sony picked is a dead end imo.
I rememeber when Sony showed off thr PSV and I could not wait to get my hands on one but ive never been blown away by any games. UCGA was a fun game but felt to controlled because you could not fall down when holding on to rocks ect. LBP was fun but for me LBP needs a change imo as it has been the same since the 1st one.

MNR was a let down for me as it did not have multi player. Resistance was a ok gem but I felt it was to short and I also felt let down by PSASBR.

For me Sony needs to look at the none core market as well as the core. They need to get some games out like Nintendogs and also try being some new IP's to the console that are not on the main console like Nintendo do.

Games like NFS, Fifa are not going to see the PSV to the masses as they are on console and games like KZ and Resistance are not big system sellers too.

I know this sounds like im bashing the PSV but im not I love the hardware I just feel Sony have not been pushing it the right way like Nintendo has been doing with the WiiU. I hope Sony can pull it around though.

[ChazzH69]

That would be a terrible move for Sony, and Gaikai is coming to PS4, PSVita, PSVita TV, Mobile and Tablet devices.

Not to mention Remote Play which will drive many more people to the Sony Platform.

[Conzul]

The recent and upcoming Xperia products are phenomenal. I just wish they'd share some of that tech and quality into a Vita.

[3-4-5]

"we're nowhere near that now"... meaning that they were thinking about it, but things have turned around enough to keep the train moving forward.

I hope it keeps on chuggin

[iceman06]

The issue with this is that developer support has slowed down. It's a catch 22. They need more people to buy the Vita in order for devs to take notice. They need more devs to release "high quality" games. At this point, I think the Vita TV is their best option to attract developer attention. With that, they can capitalize on the strength of sales and capture some of those developers. Plus they need to advertise because, unlike Nintendo, they actually need to keep the message fresh in the minds of the mass market. I expect that, after the rush of PS4 advertising, there will be a renewed focus on the Vita. It worked well for the PSP after it's price drop and initial woes. It should work well for the Vita...especially if they decide to bring the Vita TV to the West.

[Sanquine90]

Here am I! 50 Games bought for my vita ( Vita titles, Indie titles and psp titles). I think about 20 of them are vita titles maybe more.

[0ut1awed]

Damn, I salute you sir.

[jujubee88]

I salute your salute! :D

[gaelic_laoch]

SONY need to send you a bunch of flowers and a thank you card! ;)

[Sanquine90]

Haha, No i just support these guys because i always wanted a handheld with dual analog sticks. If we not support sony why should they support us with exclusive games. They need a Positive return on investment! That means a lot of software sales! Im doing my fair share.

[Wakkamole]

YOU ARE THE CONSUMER! You'll support a quality product, not a product that you want to see grow into quality! And don't get me wrong, the psvita has a lot of quality as a console, but i think the game library isn't as good as it could be. There is just so many AAA franchises they could exploit, like God of War, Resident Evil (only console that didn't get revelations), Devil May Cry, GTA. PSP was so much better with the game library than Vita.

[ChazzH69]

Make that the new 64GB memory card for Vita!

[FunAndGun]

Damn, I bought my Vita because they added the PS+ service to it. That was last Black Friday, to this day I have only purchased one Vita game (Pixel Junk Monsters HD).

I kinda feel guilty for not buying more games, but I get so many with Plus, that I just don't need to. I still haven't even played Gravity Rush yet.

The Vita is an incredibly awesome device and I love it, but I already have a backlog.

[Sanquine90]

Buy Persona 4 golden, Killzone mercenary, YS seven ( PSP game but one of the best ever) and dragon's crown:D

[Thehyph]

Oh man, there's some gems that you're missing. I can't say I've bought 50 games, but there's been a good few.

I can't check because the other half is playing Rayman Origins (free on plus, Tuesday passed) at her work.

There are lots of great games on Vita. If you just had the free plus games as well as buying games that go on sale for $5, then you'd have a pretty extensive library already.
I think I bought Mortal Kombat, Silent Hill, and Lego Batman 2 all at $5. Probably some other games at good discounts, too.

[WeAreLegion]

I'm buying, on average, at least one game a week for my Vita. Why doesn't every gamer have a Vita at this point?!?

[Sanquine90]

Because some gamers stay 1 one platform. I have all consoles. Thanks to having a girlfriend who also loves gaming. We got a Wii U , ps3 , xbox 360 , vita , 3ds and pre ordered the Ps4 ( Waiting for xbox one without kinect bundle)...

[WeAreLegion]

You could be waiting awhile, but that's awesome! I wish my girlfriend enjoyed gaming. :/

[Thehyph]

@WeAreLegion You gotta work at it, man. Mine didn't for the longest time. She started enjoying watching some games that I would play, and then we started playing some easy co-op stuff.

We played the poop out of the Phineas and Ferb game on PS3, and we'll play the poop out the Adventure Time game when it comes out.

Also great: get Sleeping Dogs, GTA or Saints Row and then just take turns going wild until you're busted or dead. You wouldn't believe how much fun it can be.

Lately our evenings consist of her playing NFS:Most Wanted on my Vita and me playing Diablo 3 on ps3.

[Misaka_x_Touma]

no cause Vita doesn't really have that BIG must have killer app that will make people buy one regardless.

I will get one next year in summer.

[0ut1awed]

I've been strictly a pc gamer for a few years now (ps4 on preorder though).

I've had my Vita for around a month and I choose daily to play my Vita instead of PC games. It's quite a powerful device for it's size and the OLED screen really showcases colors.

[WeAreLegion]

Totally understandable why you'd go only PC for a long time. I game on my PC all the time. I think it would be crazy not to, with how cheap you can get PC games for. Lol. I game on PS3, Vita, PC, and every once in awhile on my Wii U.

EDIT: @IcicleTrepan - I own a car. Every Vita owner I know owns a car. We all play the Vita either at home or just out and about with friends.

[IcicleTrepan]

Some gamers have cars. When you drive your car you eliminate a lot of the time you could use playing a handheld system.

For example, in Japan or some major cities in north america, a lot of people use the subway/transit systems instead of buying a car. Great time to use a handheld.

If you own a car, your handheld will most likely gather dust.

[HakatoX]

music unimited andmaps are my main driving tools I use on the Vita.

[0ut1awed]

No reason to hate on him because he brings up a valid point. That is probably one of the larger contributors to the sales difference between regions.

Even if you drive your own car as your only mode of transportation (I do), you still have downtime in places foreign from where your gaming console is. It could be 10 feet or 1000 miles. Either way the console isn't in front of you.

That's what portable gaming is for and the Vita does a damn good job of it. If remote play for PS4 actually works then that Vita should become a necessary addition for any semi-hardcore gamer.

[iceman06]

I agree that the transit system does have a lot of handheld gamers. However, you discount other types of gamers. The first handheld that I purchased was at the end of high school. Why? I was going to college. What better break in a study session than a quick game of...whatever. Then, there are those that game at work. I know, it sounds crazy, but there are some people that don't have the job that requires their attention the entire time. I know an IT guy that basically just "monitors" systems and waits for problems. Instead of surfing the net, he plays DS and Vita. Then, there are those that just enjoy playing games...no matter what device.

[Drekken]

I think Vita is great... I just don't have any time to play a handheld. Only time I would ever use it is on the toilet and I really would rather not take longer bathroom breaks to play games! The remote play with PS4 looks really cool though.

[gaelic_laoch]

I thought I would regret picking up a vita, I have not!

Remote playing PS4 games is my biggest draw followed closely by indie gaming. I am not interested in big games releases for the vita but I hate playing Indie Games on big LCD's so its perfect for me!

I see the Vita as an Indie Gaming Machine/Argument Stopper (wife wants TV, I want use Big TV for PS4)

[kizzle32]

I love my Vita...I wish there were more games that I wanted to play for it, but I own 15 games and I love them all. They have some great exclusive titles on it, I just don't think they do a great job of marketing it. I rarely ever see a Vita commercial or even an internet Ad.

[jackanderson1985]

handy little device alright... that being said spelunky has me in her grasps again... damn u spelunky

[jXales]

sony should stop procrastinating and make a ps4 vita bundle... thats what im holding out for...

[fOrlOnhOpe57]

It's good to know that Sony listens to and appreciates its customers feedback and support.
From a slow and uncertain start, Im sure Vita will get a new lease of life come PS4 launch.

[Skate-AK]

Man, that is a hit seeking title.

CVG: "Even though PS Vita sales haven't exactly been fantastic, we do notice on CVG that a lot of people who own the handheld swear by it. How crucial has that positive owner feedback been for Sony?

Fergal Gara: "Oh yes, I mean, if that wasn't the case I think we would have good reason to lose confidence in the device and shelve it. We're nowhere close to that decision now."

In response to CVG saying they hear a lot of people on their website own a Vita, Fergal responds by basically saying yeah if a lot of people didn't own one we would shelf it. Then that gets turned into-Sony: Dedicated Fans Keeping Vita from Getting Shelved.

[WeAreLegion]

Thanks for the clarification. I have yet to meet a Vita owner who didn't absolutely love his or her Vita.

[tubers]

Well, if it weren't for the "small but dedicated fanbase" (Jack Tret himself saying), who else for the most part?

Certainly not the "mainstream" unless you count mainstream as the smallest part of the comparable group.

CVG didn't say a lot of people own a VITA. They said a lot of the people who OWN a VITA swear by it.

[bryam1982]

Man i play more on my vita then on my.ps3 i swear dat little device is consuming me i can't go to.bed on time not even gta 5 can.make me go back to my.ps3 i have the game.since launch and i.barely have 6% beat and whit ps4 remote play is Gonna b worse to.the.people dat don't have a vita you guys need to give it a try

[Protagonist]

My story for almost two years now.

[SuperWeeb]

Better here than anywhere else.
4chan send their regards... If you own a Vita, then you should get what's on this list.

Edit: Looks like they're screwing up the image quality. I'll upload it in 5 mins and manually link it.
http://i.imgur.com/cUAyuX1....

[Protagonist]

Awesome, thanx 4chan members ( gonna use that img for recommending to new members of the vita club ) and also a big thank you! to the neogaf vitabros and sis for doing a tremendous job...

[SuperWeeb]

There's a new, updated one here. But I can't be bothered to see what changes they've made.

http://i.imgur.com/sIbh0b7....

[tiffac008]

Sony if you want more of our money localize those most requested Japanese games over and have a freaking plan to get VTV out west as well.

[Protagonist]

True true true!!! it is freakin frustrating.

I need My Dead Body 2 localized as soon as it is released in JP.

[tiffac008]

Speaking of Dead Body 2. They still owe us number 1 of that.

[TongkatAli]

The best dedicated handheld gaming device. I laugh at hardware sales that tell me other wise.

[TwilightSparkle]

I have a vita but I only play rpg games so now im just waiting for some of them to be localized

[buynit]

I have a vita and the only thing im excited for it is remote play on ps4. Thinking about getting a 3ds to enjoy a boat load of great games and this may be the last Sony handheld i ever buy..

Its like someone else here said, with all those damn studios Sony has their is no reason for vita to be so damn dry on great games..

And why doesn't anyone ever talk about memory card Prices? They are tucking insane for such little gigs i cringe when i think about downloading a game and i shouldn't have To!

[Hicken]

You should be excited for the next Soul Sacrifice and Gravity Rush, and Ys, and should have been excited for Killzone and P4G and LBP, and should be excited for Tearaway and many others.

But you mention none of these. Not one of the games that anybody else with a Vita would say is a good game. Not even anything being okay.

When I see comments like yours, where there's not a single game mentioned, I can't help but question its veracity. There isn't a console out there that doesn't have at least a handful of worthy titles, and the Vita is no different. So you not having one game- despite there being a slew across multiple genres- is rather suspect.

[buynit]

Lol youre telling me what I should be excited about... I dont like shooters on a heandheld and I never could get into lbp. If it make u feel better yes I have enjoyed some games uncharted and gravity rush thanks to ps+ I also like that black and whit game with the skinny and fat dude you control them by swipes.. so yea a few games I like but im not all that happy with it..

Wanted in bpt send a request to me and tell me u from n4g then u can see all my games and maybe realise that not everyone is a certain brand fanatic..

[SuperWeeb]

I wouldn't get a 3DS. Take it from an idort, it seems like it has a large library, but once you actually get rid of the childish junk, cheap knock offs and uninteresting games, you're left with very little to actually play.
And even those are generally low quality, sluggish games.

Honestly, I can never touch a 3DS again after owning a Vita.

[Rageanitus]

They should have put 4 gb internal memory from the start and only mark up the proprietory memory by 10$

Lastly their remote play for ps3 was a failed feature, I am hope it makes wave for the ps4

[paul-p1988]

Vita is like having a PS3, PS1 and PSP all in your pocket in one handy device. I absolutely love it, and have a mixture of the different systems games on it at once. I just flick between F1 2011, God Eater, and Silent Hill all in one lunchbreak. (Other games as well, but they were the ones i had a quick go of today lol)

If it werent for GTA5 i would still be playing it more than my PS3, it's just an amazing piece of hardware!

[Protagonist]

Dedicated fan here ;)