Chris Schilling:
“Is the Vita on life support?” “Will the Vita really die?” It’s fair to say the irony of its name hasn’t been lost on critics of Sony’s portable. Such headlines may be a little premature, but nor are they entirely wide of the mark: twelve months after its Japanese bow, Vita is undeniably struggling, faced with the twin threat of a resurgent 3DS and Apple’s continued dominance of the mobile space.
It all started so promisingly, too. Around 325,000 units were sold in Vita’s first 48 hours on sale in Japan last December: slightly less than 3DS’s 375,000, granted, but given Vita’s position as a premium device – with a game and accessories, many were paying ¥40,000 (£328) for their new console – it was considered a very healthy start.
Second week sales weren’t quite so robust: Vita sales dropped by 77 per cent in the week before Christmas. Not only was it outsold by its forerunner, but, more gallingly, by a ratio of almost 6:1 by its closest rival, Nintendo’s 3DS. By the third week in January sales had dropped to 18,361 units, as Vita reached just over 450,000 sales. In its first month on sale, it had shifted over 40% less than 3DS in its first month, and we needn’t remind you that Nintendo considered its own sales in that time so disastrous that a massive price cut was deemed the only solution. Sony had been selling Vita at a loss since day one: following Nintendo’s example was clearly out of the question.
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BC is actually a selling point for some of these platforms. for anyone who may not have one previously, buying into something like the 3ds effectively quadruples the library of available games thanks to the DS selection.
I know it may be hard to think there are those who DONT have a ds but given the choice between the two, the 3ds is the better because it does everything the ds does as well as its own 3ds library.
Vita just doesnt have the same level of BC like a 3ds does. And too bad on sony for not making the digital psp library price competitive to being $10 ea so people could buy into some great psp games if they didnt have a psp. They still can but many titles are still quite pricey when compared to their umd versions.
the vita is a great unit but it came out with some very strange ideas behind it. No direct BC, no TV out, no direct controller support,...
Where i think it would help the vita extremely would be the inclusion of vita games on the same ps3 discs. That way you pay one price and can play either on the tv or copy a version to the vita like they do with digital copies of movies.
back when the psp was first brought out, there was rumblings of a USB type of UMD drive that worked on the PS2. This was all before the PS3 came out of course but the drive was simply a UMD drive that had a USB interface cable and allowed the play of PSP games on the TV.
All of that R&D went to the side when it was later revealed that the PSP 2000 would have tv out. So it basically let you play your PSP games on a tv but using the psp as the controller instead of an actual dual shock one.
when the GO came out, it had lots of neat features that gave way to improvements on the Vita but its biggest problem was the lack of a UMD drive as well. It did offer TV out but also added real controller connection with a sixaxis or DS3 although the motion/rumble portion wasnt used.
The vita, in many ways is the spiritual successor to the GO in that it was a digital DL type of device if need be but added in the use of the M2 like game cards. Still, the lack of tv out and bluetooth controller support was a big turn off for me. I still like the unit but those are things they could likely add to a revised Vita 2000 (for lack of a better name).
I can see sony making a revised Vita that you can dock to the TV and use regular controllers, perhaps even Move controllers to use with the front facing camera.
The power of the vita is certainly capable to allow for upscaling to 720p via an HDMI equipped docking station. I mean we are seeing more and more phones and tablets and even the newly released NeoGeo X gold have TV out via HDMI to plug into a HDTV.
The phones/tablets are able to display in hdtv res of at least 720p but the neogeo x is still 480p but they went with the hdmi because it was a standard and easy to build in to the unit/docking station rather than use a regular A/V type of split cable design.
So in the end, no-one really knows if that USB based UMD drive actually exists but it certainly seems plausible that sony did at one time actually make such a part. It could be in someones drawer back at Sony HQ. It would eventually make its way onto ebay like the prototype of the dreamcast zip drive did.
OT
I have a Vita, and I'm enjoying it. I especially like how the PS1 games I like can be played on the go without some sort of modding the system; just wish they had more titles to release however I'm fine with what's there for now.
If graphic is not the way to go then why didnt nintendo just stick with the Wii instead of releasing a entire new system with the Wii U? They did so because they need to keep up with the graphics of the PS3 and xbox360? I pretty sure you will not be happy to play a racing game with 8 bit graphics even if the gameplay is fun? Even if you did, how long would it last?
Pokemon sells because it has 15 years of history... also why was black and white 2 on the DS?
The reason 3DS sells is because nintendo uses established franchises like Mario, Zelda, Pokemon etc.
Where as Sony has games like Sound Shapes, LBP, and Uncharted. Games that don't have as much reputation, but are still very good
Also all I need to say is PERSONA 4: THE GOLDEN
Sure its an expanded port, but there is so much gameplay its ridiculous. I never played a game in the series, but I spent 11 hours straight playing that game.
And before you call me out as a Sony fanboy, I was a strict nintendo only gamer, I have bought 2 3DS's (since one was stolen) the first on day 1. Bought a vita 5 months after it launched and I have more games for it than the 3DS. Hell the first sony console I ever bought was a PS3 and I got it 3 years after it launched, where as I got the wii day 1.
Nintendo's 3DS games aren't more "interesting" than the vitas. They are just established franchises that have had years of time and fans. If anything the vita has more interesting games
However Nintendo knows how to market there stuff (except those recent 3ds commercials)... something sony really struggles with, another reason why people don't know much about the vita
THANK YOU! They seriously need to change up the formula big time. I'm all for a 3D open world Pokemon game. I'm not sure if it'd be possible to do it for the 3DS, but it's totally be possible on the Wii U and would be a huge system seller.
Sony needs to put a memory card with every Vita. Should have been that way from the day it launched. Games aren't an issue as there are already plenty of games and more to come like Killzone. Rockstar is also making a Vita game as well I believe. So the Vita's library is looking good. Sony did say they were working on a redesign for the Vita in order to drop the price so we'll just have to wait and see what happens in 2013. I expect the Vita to be in a significantly better position around this time next year.
Or was that a lie?
http://n4g.com/comments/red...
Edit: I jumped to NO conclusion. I'm aware you have more than one kid(you even made it known by saying "children" in your original comment). If you truly thought it was a waste of money, why get it? Sure, children tend to get what they want on Christmas, but not EVERYTHING.
Usually, parents weigh what the child wants against what's practical. And you've made it abundantly clear that the Vita is impractical in your eyes. A waste of money, as you've said.
But you bought one anyway?
Some convictions you've got there.
http://thatschurch.com/wp-c...
As far as I see it the Vita was and still is a waste of mobey compared to the tablet.
It really pains me to see it like this.
2013 Will be a big hit or miss for the Vita.
If sony plans to release the ps4 next year they need to blast out a price cut(on the memory cards aswell),MARKET the damn thing with GAMEPLAY from it's GOOD games, and SUPPORT the vita with some 1st party games atleast to get it pumping more.
I can't see how other devs will support it if sony themselves aren't giving any.
And if the ps4 releases 2013 with none of those things being done this won't be a happy year for the Vita :s
what i want is less limit in vita and more famous games such as gt / gta / rpg games / real cod and bf / TTT2..etc
that's what the vita and the owners deserve ..
Vita is great and this video proves it , it just needs to be free from sony's new limiting policy..
http://www.youtube.com/watc...
The price just isn't right, all things considered.
It doesn't have a new MH, Mario, Pokemon, Animal Crossing, Disney Princesses and Gordon Ramsey games (lol).
Not saying its not worth it , its an incredible machine but like i said they competing against a lot of other devices and hardware, also they should havd called it psp2, not just for moms but i got a lot of peoples asking me what a vita is then i tell then psp2 the they get it.
I picked up the vita on launch day got uncharted and super star dust On same day. Then MvC, mutant blobs, MLB, Madden, gravity rush.... Picked up shinobi 3ds somewhere in that time too.. then took it back and got ninja gaiden.
I can go on and comment on the holiday titles (ac,p4,nfs,sr,sinemora, strangers rath, RO,nlks,asbr,ect) .
My point is unless I go back and buy ds games to play on a 3ds the 3ds sadly doesn't compare. Playing shinobi made me want to buy ninja gaiden because it was better, same for Pokemon it made me want to buy a more innovative RPG like persona golden. Both are practically remakes but persona kills Pokemon. What has the 3ds done really, most people turn off the 3d feature and none of the ds games are in 3d.
IMO the vita needs a price drop that's all just like the 3ds did. So soon we forget the doom articles the 3ds sufferd. but after the price drop its all good in Nintendo land. I say drop the price and sells will greatly increase. Also MARKETING Sony is lacking in that category.