PlayStation Vita Memory Cards Officially Priced. Cheaper Than Earlier Reported

Sony officially announced the PlayStation Vita Memory Card prices which come in at a much lower prices then originally thought of.

[smashcrashbash]

Wow. if this is true then there goes the memory card reason not to buy a VITA. This is peanuts compared to what people thought originally. A VITA and a 4 GB memory card won't even pass $300.00. This would even squash the multiple accounts complaint.Having two or three accounts will barely even put a dent in my wallet.Like I said IF this is true this is a punch in the face for all haters and a welcome discovery for VITA supporters. Why isn't this being approved faster? This great news.

[Dante112]

True, wonder why this isn't being approved? Vita's looking like a great buy now (I'm getting a 16gb now). Much more in line with cards already out in the market.

[superadvanced]

CALLED IT:

"...also the 32 gig memory card is not going to be 124 dollars in the US. yes 9500 yen is about 124 dollars but the wifi only vita costs 24,980 yen. that's 325 dollars. does the wifi vita cost 325 dollars in the US? No. it costs 250 dollars. using simple mathematics: 250/325=x/124 we find that x=95 dollars. therefore the 32 gig card will not exceed 100 dollars. similar proportions can be set up for the other capacity cards and you can even use the price of the 3g model as your proportion (300/390)."

posted by me here 93 days ago lol

http://n4g.com/news/848785/...

[dedicatedtogamers]

Yep, it's on the official Playstation Blog.

Haters gonna hate, but this is yet another bullet in the brains of the idiots who have been preaching the "Vita is dead on arrival" nonsense.

[Dante112]

Some of the Vita games seem cheaper too now.

[blumatt]

The Vita is THE handheld to buy if you want the best of the best graphics, console-quality games, cross-platform gameplay, and the most flexible gameplay controls (touchpad, touch panel, 6 axis motion, etc. etc.).

I WILL be buying one day one and I've never done that before on any console/handheld. I've always waited but this thing is just wonderfully well thought out and is a very attractive piece of kit.

Care to explain, disagrees??

[PSPEE]

So the majority of you are claiming that piracy is the sole reason why Sony's using overpriced proprietary SD cards?

Why isn't Nintendo using them, then? The 3DS also launched with an SD card "bundled" with the hardware, and I can buy 3rd party battery packs for the devices, plus it's BC with NDS software (which I don't have to rebuy to play what I own).

You can purchase a Xbox 360, PS3, Wii with a couple of software titles, an iphone, or an ipad for whatever Vita cost when you bundle everything together.

Vita isn't a mass market device, and if the 3DS couldn't sell at the $250 (which was bundled with an SD card) launch price - I don't believe the Vita will.

Please post a serious replay, if you want to debate on this issue.

[DragonKnight]

You want a serious reply? Very well, but don't say you didn't ask for it.

First of all, none of us are inclined to take the opinion of someone with an obvious troll name such as yours seriously at all. To us, your opinion is about as wanted as a bullet wound, as useful as trying to light a match underwater. But setting that aside, let's deal with your "points."

Piracy is definitely one of the reasons Sony is using proprietary SD cards, that coupled with the irremovable battery. It's documented fact that those are well known avenues of piracy, and if you can't see that then you're blind and naive. Why should Sony allow pirates an easy time at their device? Sony's trying to make money, not give everything away for nothing after having spent millions on Vita's creation.

Nintendo isn't using them for their own reasons. Likely because they have their own method of combating piracy, have gone through enough trouble with the fact the 3DS is just an NDS.5 priced too high, and they need to give absolutely every option they can to entice people to buy it since it had huge stigmas of poor game selection and high cost from the get go. Factors the Vita doesn't suffer from. As for BC, you need to shut the hell up about that because it's people like you that were b*tching about UMD's from the start and wanting downloadable games, and are now complaining that Sony has listened to you. Plus, the Vita is BC in its own way. May not be a popular way, but it doesn't mean the feature is absent.

Sure, you can purchase all of those things, but if you're thinking of buying a Vita it's likely because you already have those things. Your comparison is thus completely invalidated. It is further invalidated by the fact that the Vita has things that none of those consoles or ridiculously overpriced Apple products have.

Vita has proven with just the launch week that it IS a mass market device, and the 3DS couldn't justify it's price tag with content and features. What people are looking at in the Vita is that it's worth MORE than the price tag of $250, has a lot more games at launch than 3DS, a lot more anticipated launch games from the get go, and features that the 3DS can't hope to match. The 3DS is also a very marginal upgrade of the DS and has not given anyone a legitimate reason to say "this is a very different handheld and I should purchase it." The Vita is completely different from the PSP with so many in demand features that there is really no comparison to any other handheld dedicated to gaming out now.

Your words suggest you don't want to debate, you just want to bash the Vita and try to hype up the 3DS. If you like the 3DS, fine. But it's really just a poor excuse for a "new" handheld and Nintendo is counting on the impulse buy mentality of the ill-informed casual crowd to make it fly off the shelves. They don't give a damn about core gamers, and the 3DS is continued proof of that.

[zeeshan]

Pspee got OWNED!!

[--Onilink--]

well even though the prices are lower, which is apreciated, it doesnt change the fact that they are still way overpriced compared to other formats and worst of all, that we are being forced to buy them to play certain games

[PSPEE]

"They" don't get it.

[blackburn10]

Its not your fault. You are just one of those people who will complain no matter what.Nothing they do will ever change anything. Someone will always find something to complain about. It is the forte of the modern gamer

'The memory cards are way over priced'. 'They are way lower then you thought' 'Well um they still are ummm. just a second I will think if something. Oh i know.They are too black.

Even if they lowered the cards to 5 cents each people would wonder why aren't they free. When you don't really want something it is easy to find fault in everything.If it had the Apple icon marked on it you would see how fast everyone would grab it no questions asked. Every company charges more for each memory upgrade of their devices. This is no different.

PSPEE . No you don't get it at all. You are just blowing hot air. People spend $600.00 and up on other devices willingly. Why should buying a VITA for less be a big problem?

[Jihaad_cpt]

no one is forcing you buy a PS Vita. Go play your cheap iPhone.

[--Onilink--]

i dont see why the replies are talking about iphones or other $600 devices that im not talking about. All im saying is that the cards are still overpriced, just do yourself a favor and check the prices for SD cards, you can even buy a 64GB for $85, 4GB $4, 8GB $6(really, check amazon if you dont believe me) and also the fact that i dont see any reason whatsoever as to why some games allow you to save into the game card but others force you to buy an extra memory card.

Im not going to complain about something that doesnt exist, but if there is something i dont like, why should i just pretend its ok because someone else thinks its fine to spend $600 on a tablet or phone....

Perhaps one of the people disagreeing can explain why some games can be saved to the game card and some dont, because i dont see why

[-Mika-]

People still gonna complain.

[CynicalVision]

People always complain. T_T

[The Iron Sheik]

It's a Sony product of course they will complain. The Vita could cure cancer and people would still complain.

[CynicalVision]

'The Vita could cure cancer and people would still complain.'

I can just see some of the complaints now;

"Oh great, now the world is going to be even more overpopulated, thanks Sony!"

[deadreckoning666]

Why are people complaining about the complainers?

EDIT:

Kaveti, did you just use cold hard evidence to prove a point on N4G instead of utter lunacy and blind loyalism? Sir...I applaud you.

[kaveti6616]

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref...

Here is why the complaints are justified.

[CynicalVision]

@kaveti6616

If you want someone to blame for the price of the memory cards then take it up with the people like Geohot, thanks to people like that Sony can't use a generic memory format.

[RBLAZE1988]

@ kaveti...look at all those prices. Amazon always slashes price and even heavier cause It's Christmas. Nice try tho but in stores those prices would be way higher and in line with vita card prices but you probably won't see it that way.

[radphil]

@kaveti6616

You do realize people can see the crossed-off original price, and since it's amazon they give deals on just about anything.

In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if you can get a deal on the cards when the Vita comes out.

[blumatt]

Well maybe someone should have directed MS to THIS amazon page when they were pricing THEIR harddrives for the 360:

http://www.amazon.com/Seaga...

Instead, they overpriced their harddrives too at around $99 or more. So, Sony is not the only company to ever do this.

I would have loved for them to put in internal storage like the iPhones have, BUT I know Sony didn't do that so that the price would be better, so the memory card solution was the only way.

Plus, I for one will be buying most of my games on "hard copies" anyway.
----------------------------- ----
Also something I don't think people are thinking about is that there will most likely be third party memory cards too, from MadCatz and other companies. And those will be cheaper, I'm sure.

[kaveti6616]

Guys guys guys. Relax. I'll address all your concerns.

CynicalVision, Generic memory cards aren't any more vulnerable to security risks than Sony-branded cards.

Rblaze, Amazon is able to slash prices on cards because they can get them in bulk. Sony can also do this. Purchasing memory cards in bulk reduces the price per unit. Secondly, I think you guys are assuming that these Sony branded memory cards are somehow different than other memory cards. They're not. They're manufactured by the same company that manufacturers memory cards for Sandisk and PNY. Sony just slaps their label on the memory card.

Blumatt, your argument is either, "Guys, don't focus on Sony. Look at Microsoft" or it's, "Guys, since Microsoft nickels and dimes consumers with proprietary hardware components, Sony should also be able to do it without receiving any complaints."

Considering that Microsoft receives a ton of criticism for screwing people over with their hard drives, I find it ironic that those same people who criticize Microsoft are unwilling to criticize Sony.

As long as Sony allows for PS VITA owners to use third party drives, then I don't care how much they charge for their proprietary products, but if they're forcing customers to purchase these insanely priced cards, then they deserve criticism.

[BlmThug]

So only Sony products get hate now? My god there is no conspiracy against Sony. OT: Im getting a 16GB, should be more than enough for my songs, a few films and apps.

[fear88]

I don't really care about the price so much but if people want to bitch...

http://www.amazon.com/SanDi...

[smashcrashbash]

I looked on The official Playstation Blog. It is true. Awesome.8GB card for me. That should do for now.

[DarkBlood]

ok the 32 gb is becoming acceptable but it turns out i have to actually little bit but price is no longer the reason at the least

[Majin-vegeta]

An 8gb should do good for now.

Edit:Once again Sony proves haters are full of it.

A present from Sony to all the haters.
http://youtu.be/y33AGvLKmzM

[CynicalVision]

I think the 8GB version will become very popular, I know I'll be getting it.

[Optical_Matrix]

Where are the haters now? 16GB for me.

[a_bro]

awesome. Vita's future shines bright now.

[ksense]

well if the whole games bought on psn is cheaper thing is true then i am buying the 32 gb one and then backing up games i am done with on my ps3 and have a good selection of games on the go without having to carry anything with psvita.

[rexbolt]

XD 10 CHEAPER whooooo

[consolez_FTW]

Unoffical 8gb price: $44.99
Official 8gb price: $29.99..

45.99 - 10 = 29.99???

cool math skills bro /s

As for me: I think the 16gb should last me a while. Feb22. woo!

[rexbolt]

it was a estimate not actuly numbers XD GEE relAX

[MasterCornholio]

Im going to get the 32GB stick, screen protector, neoprene case and a digital copy of touch my Katamari.

Oh and I told the idiots many times that US and Europe don't pay the same prices as the Japanese. Seriously they were idiots to think that the 32GB card would be 120€.

I hate gamestop for starting the rampage.

XperiaRay

[Series_IIa]

Calling people idiots, then saying that you are gonna squander your money on an over priced repackaged M2 card...

[MasterCornholio]

Well im sorry if I offended you. But those people who claimed that Japans prices are equal to the rest of the world are a bunch of morons. Seriously if that was true the WiFi Vita would cost 320€ here.

Oh and it isn't an M2 card. It's a new proprietary format designed by Sony so while it's flash based it isn't an M2 in a different package. Anyone can see that. However I do agree with you that they could have made them a bit bigger and that would reduce the costs of miniaturization.

Again I apologize for offending you.

XperiaRay

[wicko]

100$ for 32GB is still 3 times as much as a 32GB SD card. Regardless of their reason, it's still a ripoff.

[joeorc]

For instance.

To transfer 1 Gb of data onto a class 2 Sd flash at min speed its about 9 min

To transfer that same 1Gb of data onto a class 6 Sd flash at min speed is about 1.9 min.

Yes transfer rates can be sped up. But the test speed at lower rates gives a better stable transfer of data in a test.

Also this is for write speed only but if you are going to be saving multi Gb at a time you would want a higher classed card for better read/write speed the further the flash card gets its data space used up. Yes you can erase data, but remember there is so many times you can rewrite to a flash drive.

We donot know what class flash speed Sony has used or required for game software. Uncharted for vita may require a higher Transfer/write speed for the card. Yes Sony could have verywell used the standard Sd flash drives on the market but, on the very same token they sold over 70+ mill PSP's but the level of piracy UMD dumps was so high software sales dried up. Some may turn around an say the software was not that great anyway.
so pirate it anyway? Its one thing to say the software is not good an its not worth the price but its another thing to completely not pay the developer anything for any part of his work.

What many overlook is The developers have to manytimes look for VC's to invest into their project. Than when the project releases the numbers of downloads get shown many times to be greater than the Store sales try getting the investment for future project from VC's they see people will down load it but not really pay you for it.

Thats not just the only issue but its just one of many. To say its a rip off may be your opinion an one shared by many it seems but, what im showing to you its not so clear cut an dry all the time just putting this out there.

[wicko]

I realize all these things - but to put it into perspective, we're getting marginally better read/write speeds (supposedly, like you say we have no idea how they match up to SD cards) for triple the price? I'd take slower speeds thanks.

Also the piracy argument is a worthless one. They're protecting themselves from piracy (or at least attempting to) at the expense of the consumer. That is not okay in my books, and judging by the hatred for restrictive DRM, I think others would agree.

Also pricing these cards so high seems like a good way to discourage PSN sales, which makes no sense to me considering they've just cut out the retail middle man and they make more money from game sales than they would accessories.

I would be okay with spending a premium of say 1.5 times the price. $50 for 32GB would not be unreasonable, but $100? I'll pass.

[WooHooAlex]

Wow, (if this is true) nicely done Sony.
I was originally planning on getting a 32gb, but after hearing the prices I decided to get a 4gb at launch and wait until I can get a 32gb on sale.

At the very least, I'll be getting a 16gb now.

[despair]

you should look into the starter pack, its 40 bucks and you get a bunch of stuff that I consider essential as well as a 4GB card. I think I'll get that and later get the 32GB.

[DivineHand125]

Why couldn't the vita use SD cards in the first place? I would like to know what advantage does the sony cards give over whats already cheaply available on the market.

[Wintersun616]

Piracy & money. That's pretty much all the reason they have to make the Vita memory cards proprietary.

[NukaCola]

Yup to combat pirates and control profit. You can complain but if Sony doesn't profit you lose out. Gamestop's used games only hurt the industry, and pirates are destroying everything we all love about gaming. It might seem lame, but its a step in the right direction. This is why we have Steam, DRM, Profile limitations, format control, save locks, trophy control...all this is across all platforms. It's a sad fact that since there are so many dishonest people out there, companies have to do everything they can to survive. So support your passions and your developers.

[NukaCola]

a dupe post...ooops sorry

[GamerGuy153]

Think about it, we are going to be storing whole games on these cards so possibly Sony went proprietary to ensure that we get the same speed as if the game were on an actually game card. Some SD cards are very slow and would create a slow game experience for the games stored on them. A quick gaming experience may be another reason along with piracy and money

[Wintersun616]

No surprise here. Did anyone actually think that the earlier prices were not placeholder prices? Anyone other than the trolls? Good to finally have confirmation on this.

[chadwarden]

Hopefully this will shut up all those idiots at engaget and cnet

[raytraceme]

ahh them and their crapple devices LOL

[jneul]

they are sponsored by ms what did you expect, seriously and ms are alot more worse than sony im mean its £160 for x360 with a 4gb card, you have to upgrade the storage if you want to be online, so by the time you finished forking out, you may as well have bought a ps3 for £190 you get a 160gb ps3 with a game... but you know it's ok for ms to do it

[Series_IIa]

Cheaper than what everyone was saying, but still too much for the 32gb considering you can get a 128gb SDXC card for a similar price

[Ddouble]

£39.99 for the 16gb at Amazon is not a bad price for the UK but the 32GB is no where to be found.

[GraveLord]

Good prices. 16gigs for the price of a PS3 game. I can live with that.

[BrutallyBlunt]

Sony sure learned quick from the high price of the Playstation 3 back in 2006. Now they get consumers to think Vita is going to be super expensive. Some thought up to $400. Then they officially announce it starts at $250 and people act like that's a real bargain. Now there's a frenzy these proprietary cards will be very expensive (when compared to generic ones). Low and behold the price isn't as high and now everyone thinks it's a super deal.

Welcome to marketing 101. I'm surprised they didn't pull the old rabbit out of the hat like Nintendo is famous for and have limited supply in order to increase demand.

[nikoado]

Well, Sony didn't officially announce the price until now. People just directly converted the official Yen prices and came up with the $400 price.

That's not how things are priced, it's rarely a direct conversion.

[yabhero]

So instead of an costing and arm and a leg it only costs an arm

[erivera1994]

Good job sony on droppping the price on the overpriced Vita memory cards, this system will be a beast

[tubers]

Still expensive atm.

Then again, I never was a first adopter.. I tend to wait for at least one price drop.

Hopefully the reason these proprietary cards are expensive atm is because of production issues.

It's still a tough pill to swallow.

I wish.. just wish ofc.. that the 16 gb was just 50 dollars tops.