PlayStation Vita 3-Month Sales will be Ahead of Nintendo 3DS, Assumes Analyst

Game analyst Michael Pachter assumes the Vita's sales will be ahead of the 3DS, despite worse weekend launch, thanks to impressive launch lineup.

[TheSanchezDavid]

The 3DS's launch lineup is what kept me from getting a 3DS, but that's just me. The impressive launch lineup for the Vita (and it is pretty damn good, mind you) may attract plenty of fans. That said, the handheld's high price tag may put off some individuals.

[Snookies12]

The Vita's price shouldn't put people off, after all the 3DS was released with the same price tag. I mean, yeah it is hefty and all, but it's quite an amazing piece of hardware, no doubt there.

[TheSanchezDavid]

Oh, I definitely agree with you--the Vita is indeed a very impressive device. But I think some individuals won't want to shell out the cash for the Vita and the memory cards right from the get-go.

For me, I just won't be able to afford it at the time of launch, which is just a shame.

[Snookies12]

Yeah, unfortunately it's the same for me... I'm really looking forward to it, but I know I won't have the money to pick one up right away.

[ozstar]

IPad's sell better than competitors and guess what? They're less powerful, have less features, no flash.
"The Vita's price shouldn't put people off"

PS3 all over again.

[SoapShoes]

Wtf, ozstar? You do realize the iPad is also the most expensive? Your analogy does not work!

[tubers]

I couldn't agree more.

And the "3DS was 250 too" argument doesn't make too much sense "now".

Both are now offered in the market so VITA pricing does matter and has some negative impact to it.

The 250 3DS was only really palatable for not having the VITA competition during that time.

OFC, what ultimately decides the winner is our "subjectiveness".

Unless Sony announces they have met their sales projection/ target sales of both hardware and software.. then one should probably not call it a "win" nor "lose".

Can't wait for the heated "battle" internationally.. when the VITA is officially available in the US as well.

[Misterhbk]

Lol, I love how everyone below and above comments that Patcher sucks with his predictions and then goes on to make their own predictions lol

oh the hypocrisy

either way, regardless of Vita's sales numbers, I know I'll be picking one up day -7 with around 5 games. Possibly more depending on which 3rd party games are available on the 15th.

[lifesanrpg]

The PS Vita is impressive but I can't dish out that kind of money right now :(

[MAJ0R]

Patcher? I guess we should assume the opposite then

[Hicken]

As much as I'd like for this to be true, I just have no faith in anything Pachter says.

Edit: And since when do analysts "assume" things?

[Titanz]

Both handhelds can thrive in their related markets.

[Matrix2k]

1) Patcher
2) The psp outsold the ds for a full 1.5 years when they launched during the same week and look what ended up happening. It really doesnt matter at all.
3) Games are in the eye of the beholder, the vita launched with no games that push units long term in japan.
4) Its the same price as a ps3.

[a_bro]

"3) Games are in the eye of the beholder, the vita launched with no games that push units long term in japan."

umm, what? the vita launched with over like 15 games in Japan.

@Matrix2k
Im talking about the games here bro, it had Games at launch, not the sales numbers. I do get your point though.But dont just say it didnt have games at launch.

[Matrix2k]

and yet they couldnt even outsell the 3ds for the week. A LAUNCH WEEK couldnt outsell A REGULAR WEEK

Thats BAD, not good

The 3ds sold over 500k in 1 week in december. The vita couldnt possibly hope to deal with that especially with 5+ 3ds blockbuster push unit games before the end of the first fiscal year.

[NukaCola]

@matrix.

The 3DS didn't clear 500K the entire month. Not saying anything bad about the system, but the Vita launched very well and I believe it's got strong legs.

[Squatch83]

@Matrix2k

Especially when 1 of them is a Monster Hunter game, the franchise that practically kept the PSP alive for a few years.

Edit:
The 3DS had sold 3 million at the beginning of this month in Japan, and now its sold over 4 million.
That 1 million units in less than a month, just in Japan.

Edit 2:
''In a recent report from Gamasutra, it was revealed that Nintendo has now sold over 4.1 million copies of the 3DS in Japan, achieving record sales figures of over half a million units last week.''

http://deltagamer.com/21798...

[Matrix2k]

"no games that push units long term in japan. "

Thats what I said. Learn how to read next time dude.

@Nuka
In the first week of december it sold around 590k units for the week. Thats a fact coming out of enterbrain. Vita didnt sell anywhere close to that its second week as reports have sales decreasing

[radphil]

"The 3ds sold over 500k in 1 week in december."

Maybe cause...psh...I dunno..Monster Hunter helped with that.

And yes, comparing a system that's at $170USD to a $250-300USD of a regular week vs launch would bring a palm to the face by logical standards.

There's no consistency in that at all.

I mean the person below made more sense with the opening launch week numbers.

[ozstar]

@radphil,

That was 3 weeks after MH3G launched. The point is that in the height of the Christmas Shopping Period most people bought the 3DS, not the hot system, the Vita.

Someone apparently tweeted that last week (up to 25th) Vita only sold as many consoles as PS3 and Wii did in the same week. This is Vita's first FULL week, and thats a pretty notable concern. Game sales are another issue all together.

[radphil]

"The point is that in the height of the Christmas Shopping Period most people bought the 3DS, not the hot system, the Vita. "

That still classifies into what I stated. $170USD is much more appeasing than $250-300.

You see people on here stating they want a Vita, but not at the launch price point.

Christmas time is when people buy out many things. And given with the economical times we are at, again $170 is easier to manage than $250+

[Brownghost]

Want one but would rather get a ps3. Gonna wait for a price drop

[MasterCornholio]

I am cornholio and I need Vita for my bunghole. Come out with your pants down.

See I can be serious just like Patcher.

Anyways there's no way in hell that the Vita will outsell the 3DS. But I still love the Vita despite this.

XperiaRay

[Squatch83]

The 3DS launched with no games (according to some) and yet, it still outsold the Vita (a 3DS beater according to some)

Edit: Outsold at launch.
3DS launch weekend - 371k sold
Vita launch weekend - 324k sold

[forevercloud3000]

You are forgetting that this is also at a higher price point for Vita. Which all in all means it is doing fine.

P.S. I thought I heard 3DS did 371k in the first Week(as Nintendo released on a Sunday the beginning of the week while Vita was on a Friday or whatever).

[Ddouble]

3DS came out with no competition.

Vita came out the same week as Monster Hunter on the 3DS.

I won't be suprised if people planning on getting the Vita got the 3DS that week due to Monster Hunter.

[MasterCornholio]

Yep that's due to the huge fanbase that Nintendo had with the DS which sold 150 million units while the PSP only sold 70 million. But it doesn't matter because the Vita finally proves that anyone can make a great handheld with great games. Can't wait for the Vita.

XperiaRay

[Yangus]

No.

Blockbuster games 2012 Vita?

[thehusbo]

Call of duty
Assassins creed
Bioshock
FIFA
Metal gear solid
Plenty of games from Sony first party studios
Tonnes of unannounced games from third party developers..

Sounds good to me.

[Rockdown]

The PSP was released with similar fanfare and great support. This faded within a couple of years. Sony themselves made the decision to reduce their support for the PSP to focus on the PS3. The vita will likely meet the same fate, because of its vast price, expensive software, ill advised memory card system, PS4, competition from the resurgent 3DS or competition from smartphones/tablets.

[Rockdown]

Handhelds should never cost more than the publisher's home console, it's puts people off buying. The world is suffering a financial crisis. Therefore, sales of the vita will probably only amount to only a fraction of the lifetime sales of the PSP.

[GirlyGamer]

I don't get this. I used to think that because of the price point the console and the handheld would compete aagainst each other. But then i thought one's a console , the other's a handheld. They're really two different things.

[Rockdown]

" But then i thought one's a console , the other's a handheld. They're really two different things."

GirlyGamer, you have a truly powerful intellect...

[GirlyGamer]

@Rockdown lol . Just realized how redundant it sounds, oh well. Basically one's portable one's not.

[iNFAMOUZ1]

pather is a joke, he guesses alot, I too believe psp2 will do better than 3ds, but come on, this guy makes a living off reading forums like this about games and copying from a few of the elite-knowledgeable, most of the time he goes off the record and guesses himself and most of the time he's wrong.

[Pyscho_Mantis]

I think the Vita would have easily outsold the 3ds (in that period) if there was no price cut.

[forevercloud3000]

I think the fact 3DS did that price drop will have some ramifications for Vita. I believe some consumers who might have normally purchased it 1st day are now going to wait 6 months rather than be burned by a price drop shortly after.

Personally I will adopt early, hopefully day 1. It is consumers like myself that drive markets because if everyone waited for the cheaper price, it would immediately tank. I am disappointed with two things at US launch tho....
-Uncharted:Golden Abyss at 49.99(WTF SONY?!?!)
-Gravity Rush Launch Window instead of Day :(

And these are Sony's probably two most anticipated titles for Vita. FIX IT SONY!!!!!

[death2smoochie]

Price is the number one factor for sales of consoles and ESPECIALLY hand-helds as those are bought mostly by average consumers.
Then factor in a global recession still lingering on...not too many average consumers are going to immediately buy a handheld for $250+ when the larger console version is the same price and cheaper in some places.

You will see great initial sales of the Vita as hardcore/core/enthusiast buy the system. Once the early adopters purchase the Vita sales will decline at those prices and those insane prices for memory cards.
Average consumers will wait for a price reduction of the Vita before jumping in.
The 3DS was a prime example of this.
Sold well at $250 to early adopters and sales dropped off once those consumers had it.
Sales rose when the price dropped and were bought by average consumers...Average consumers make up most of the purchase buying for hand helds and consoles...

[cs798]

I went over to Pachter's house and stuck his head up his ass.

[GirlyGamer]

Thanks for the visual aid

[cs798]

You are welcome.
I wish N4G had a 'Related sounds' option. ;-)

[raytraceme]

Well the vita is going to be good for a maximum of 2 yrs. With the advancement in mobile tech i can see a replacement within 2 yrs.

[saint_seya]

with that theory u could say that ps3/360 should had stopped selling like 5 years ago, when the pc got more advanced.. and wii should have never sold ...
Why wasnt that.. simple, consoles are maded for games, with devs taking time to make games for it, with first party games also, thats why pcs or cellphones wont take the market.
PD: Pcs has a big market but its different.. pc players are the one who likes graphics and a few other things included only on pcs (im a pc player also) and cellphone players are the same guys that play games on facebook, just casual players that love to do something when their bored.. that market doesnt affect consoles.

[raytraceme]

in 2 years I imagine 16 core phones devices etc. I can't imagine the vita still popular after 2 years. The psp was powerfull for many years after its release but now the tech is advancing too fast and also getting cheaper. PC's are still too expensive and new stuff comes in yearly rates. Smartphones and other media devices come in quarterly updates and you see people flocking to them in no time. I still support my stance for wanting a 2 year update with 16 core cpu gpu and 2gb ram.

[mamotte]

Analyst? What analyst? Oh, you say Pachter, that guy with the electric ball from the future...