PS Vita is Japan’s most-desired console, says Famitsu poll

I know the games issue is difficult because without the userbase, no decent dev (unless paid handsomely) is going to want to touch the thing.
It’s a hard sell really, but, comparing the cost to other devices (iDevices, smartphones, full size consoles) I still think it’s great value. Great value as an avid gamer at least. Clearly the average Joe disagrees, or simply doesn’t see the benefit over their shitty time-sink smartphone games.

It’s an enthusiasts machine, no doubt. Which means it may NEVER sell as much as Sony would like. And who knows, it MAY have all support pulled in a couple of years time. It’ll be a sad day if that ever happens. With Sony one thing’s for sure – fucking anything could happen.

I spent some time with a friends, and really liked it. Nice graphics and and lots of features. Toss in PSN+ and it is very tempting. But it costs 245usd here. I know I want a 3DSxl because of the games line up on it, but it costs 200usd. Needless to say I don’t own either. For me to bite on a handheld it needs to be 150usd or less.

If I was in JPN it would likly be a choice between 3DS and Vita(because they have such a handheld focus). Alot of gamers prolly feel they have to pick one.

Price is everything. You can make the best _____(fill in the blank) but if your competitor offers something close for a better price, most people will prolly go with that. It is a pattern Sony seems to be in as of late. Look at the new PS4, I think they will do the same thing. Beat the XBox on power but prolly not on price.

Vita lost right out of the gate with price. A low price bring in users and games follow the users.

If Sony can offer the system for 150usd to maybe 200usd(with pack ins), that should help. But I doubt it will ever be more then a distance second.

Ok, it’s of my nature to ignore people with superiority complex (also know as troll).

And by the way I’m 19 and never played Tales.

Moving on.

#53, the line referring to you was the other one

I hardly need any complexes to note that Vita is a poor machine.

@51 And there’s the problem IMO, the console makers where used to charge absurd prices from their consoles and know that people would still buy it if they were really into gaming. But now you can have games anywhere, like you said, people are now playing in their smartphones, I play in a smartphone (I have a cheap one because I’m “deprived” you see) but since I’m a game enthusiastic I have my eyes on Vita. That’s why I think the PSP/3DS sold so much, we didn’t have mobile game everywhere.

@OG
I agree, these polls mean nothing, but I don’t want to hear that from you who just a few months ago defended wiiu pricing and adored it for topping a times magazine list, which was equally ridiculous.

Ofc you don’t Dragon, you hate Nintendo lol.

I do think Nintendo has the WiiU price at a good spot for launch. I expect it to drop pretty fast in the spring. But for dedicated early adaptors like me, I wasn’t unhappy with it. Same could be said for early Vita buyers. But to sustain long term sales you can’t sell these things at premium prices.

Take advantage of early adopters and buzz out of gate, lower price shortly after. But you can’t create hardware that you can’t afford to sell(at lower prices). You just can’t lose money anymore on hardware.

Its sad because the Vita is worth the money. The 3G model is bullshit and I don’t recommend that one because if you have an unlimited plan with your cell phone provider you can wifi tether with ease. The wifi only model is worth $250 though. Unfortunately tablets and smart phones are serious competitors against it and the Vita is heavily lacking behind these devices when it comes to a lot of things.

I hope SONY can slim it down more and drop the price soon so it can sell more units because its amazing playing games.

Now on vita, there are quite a few reasons why sony isn’t taking any corrective measures right now-
1.Financial situation. Sony isn’t in pink of health right now, so they will avoid taking any necessary/unnecessary losses.
2.Vita biz in itself is definitely profitable. And digital sales are REALLY HEALTHY.
Now I did some asking on official ps blog and found some good answers. In Nov, out of top 10 psn games, 6 of them were from vita. And in Dec, 3 vita games were in top 10 list (probably because of ps3 winter game sale). Those are really good figures for just a fraction of the userbase.
I think Sony knows that vita is not doing well (pretty terrible imo), but as its a marathon, not a race, I expect them to do something this year.
Ninty fantastically one-upped sony with price cut, which I reckon no one guessed as 3ds would have been dead at 250$.
Now, there are many games lined up for vita in japan, with some awesome exclusives for west too, but games wont cut it anymore. They need that price cut asap.

@57,
Ofc you don’t OG, you hate Sony lol.
At least you wont hear double standards from others.

‘Oldergamer – It (WIIU) even won a poll on a popular magazine.”
A few months later….
OlderGamer- What a joke.
Trust me, if they all wanted one (vita) , they would all buy one.

Cant you really see your own folly?

@OG I think, as of now, you need to be a hardcore Vita fan, to keep it or to buy it for P4G and the upcoming SS. WipEout is nice. Sine Mora is great on a handheld (still a port). And that’s about it. Nothing on the horizon and Sony need to push things forward. Somebody here stated that Sony may have a PS4/Vita ace up their sleeves…

Until then it’s shitty marketing of an expensive handheld with mostly unknown IPs and no killer-title.

@Dragon Check this out and tell me how *healthy* the Vita games are doing.
http://translate.google.com/translate?sl=ja&tl=en&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.m-create.com%2Franking%2F

@61,
If you cant read my comment properly then fine. I said digital, and with proof too.

@61
Does Media Create also count digital sales? Because that is what he is saying is healthy. Don’t really agree with him, but your link doesn’t counter his point unless it does.

Dragon, I think you are reaching.

When I posted that it (WiiU) was on Times list at number two most wanted xmass gift, that was in response to guys like you claiming that no one wanted/liked the WiiU. Clealry that isn’t the case. Also, the system has sold fairly well at launch.

Secondly JPN is a handheld dominated market. There are two new choices for dedicated handheld gaming devices. Excluding tablets and Phones there is Vita and 3DS. Between those two, 3DS dramaticly outsells Vita. My point was simply that if JPN had actualy wanted to buy Vita, they would have been making that choice.

In the case of the Vita no one is saying(well, almost no one lol – there is DM)(But I am not saying) that Vita stinks. I never said it sucks and that is why it isn’t selling. That, btw, can’t be said about what you say about the WiiU. And why must every thread in which I post be responded to by you with the words Nintendo or WiiU?

I think most folks accept the trouble with Vita was the price. If the price of Vita was the same as the price of 3DS, I bet Vita sales would be fantastic. But Sony always try and sell luxury ticket iteams in an economy ticket market. It seems to be a trend, and looking at PS4 speculation, they might just do it again. Ofc speculation is just that and shouldn’t be taken too seriously. Actualy, lol, none of it should be taken too seriously. Just video games after all.

@OG
Why do you think they are continuing the trend with PS4? You keep on with the new machines from MS & Sony are going to be expensive but actually the spec point to good power with price/budget very much in mind. What is your evidence for expecting them to be expensive?

Well Doc, I don’t know what the final prices will be. None of us do. But I do have a feeling that MS will sell its new system for less then Sony can afford to sell their new system. I also think that 400usd to 600usd is likly. Multi skus etc etc.

What I don’t know, but wonder about is if a 400usd+ system will sell beyond dedicated fans? I don’t think the masses will support that price point. I am expecting a very slow adoption rate for all next gen systems. And mostly because of price points. I suspect a lot of people will stick with their PS3s and XB360s. Maybe they make the jump after a year or two, but maybe they move on to tablets or PCs instead. Like everything price matters the most.

Start asking your more causal friends what they think about a 400usd/500usd new system. Even my dedicated gamer friends have told me they aren’t biting.

@OG
You haven’t given any response as to *why* though – apart from a “feeling”.
People including yourself have expressed a feeling that the leap in performance isn’t going to be that great either – so again why would they be so expensive?

@OG
Gimme a link where I said no one wants wiiu. I thought ninty will meet its initial targets, but not sell out as some of your esteemed friends said and they lost the bet.
@DrDamn
Isn’t top 6 good for a device that sold just 3 m units then? I asked this to the blog manager, so info is 100% trustworthy.

@Dragon246
Possibly but without actual sales figure then position in a top ten isn’t conclusive.

Why won’t they Doc? Turn it around. There is nothing to go on for either side of the fence. Beyond having a feeling. I can ask you this when was the last time a system launched with a lower then expected price?

If Ford could somehow, tomorrow figure out a way to make a new car for half the cost of their current cars, would they lower the cost of that car? Nope. The idea is to sell the systems for as much as the market will support. Do you really believe that a new system will launch for less then 400usd?

I doubt it.

I think at most MS will have two skus one stripped down for 350usd and one Deluxe for 400usd(at the lowest on both systems could be higher). I think Sony comes in at 450 base and 500usd premium. I will be absolutly blown away if either company can put out a new system for 300usd or less.

Plus we know MS is planning on a Xbox branded mutli media device release before the full blown nxtbx. That will prolly release for 200usd.

Do I have anything more then a feeling to go on at this point? Not really, does anyone? But I think if you look at history, you can understand why I doubt we are seing anything less then 400usd.

Dragon, i am so sick of agreuing with you day in and day out over Nintendo. I get it, you hate Nintendo. Prolly because they out sell your beloved Sony. Your a smart guy, a decent guy, don’t make me add you to the list of posters I have to ignore.

Not everything is about Nintendo. Let it go.

“Plus we know MS is planning..”

No we don’t. We don’t actually know anything. We know rumours. And leaks. And speculation. There are zero facts to be known at this time. Neither Sony nor Microsoft have even acknowledged the existence of successors to their current platforms. People are taking guesswork, adding opinion, and running with it. And, boy, are they running hard.

Based on the facts at hand, you might as well be talking about who will win between Batman and Superman.

JM

Really JM? Do I need a link on this one? MS have already stated they plan to release a Multi Media Lite system.

@70
Why not? Because history says they don’t sell above a particular price point. There is a sweet spot that people are happy to pay and in the UK that sweet spot is £250-£300. When ever a console has launched over that price there have been problems.

“I can ask you this when was the last time a system launched with a lower then expected price?”

Xbox 360 – UK launch price was £230 & £280. It did very well at those prices.

There might be a difference in monitary systems Doc I am speaking in USD. I don’t know what the current exchange rates are. My xbox360 purchase price was 300usd for the arcade one(the HDD ones, 350usd, were sold out). My price for the PS3 was 600usd.

What I am suggesting is that the new xbox will retail for 50usd higher on both skus then the xb360 did. I think the PS4 will retail for 100usd to 150usd ish less then the PS3 did.

@OG
Yeah that’s what it worked out. So in US terms I can’t see the PS4 or NextBox launching without a usable system available at ~$400.

Yeah basicly. And again, just a feeling at this point, like you said.

@72, Depends on what you mean, currently Batman is more popular but superman would kick his arse in a fight without kryptonite. We all truly know that goku is the real winner of that fight- even when he’s not participating, his awesomeness level of over 9000!!! dictates that he’ll win regardless.

-Nerdism Over.

@73 Links can mean very little. #34 shows us that people will happily dismiss information that doesn’t suit their personal view or ‘feeling’.

Additionally, my comment above was not referring to that single instance of ‘what we know’. People are excited and passionate, yes. But they’re guessing all the way at the moment. They don’t run corporations or multi-million dollar R&D projects. Passion and excitement doesn’t make their words any more factual or their views any less partisan.

JM

@77
What is it about PS4 speculation which makes it more likely?

@71
I am also sick of your double standards, only coming to other articles to say, ‘ninty won and moved on, winner is decided’. I get it you hate Sony, since they destroyed ninty dominance and dominated for 2 successive gens, 1st to do so. You have probably played tons of games more than me, so don’t make me add to the list of people on my ignore list.
Not everything is about Sony, let it go.

@69
Just a perspective, but you are right too.

That is all and nice JM, but I never claimed it did. Never claimed I knew something others don’t. And never claimed that I was right. I was only expressing my thoughts on it.

Dragon I am not a Nintendo loyalist man. I just own and play their games. The same way I own and play Sega, MS, Capcom, Namco, Sony, EA, Acti…you name it. They make good games that I enjoy. So I buy their system/games.

I don’t blindly support them while shunning all else, how sad would that be?

@82 You alluded to supposed ‘facts’ to substantiate your view. People do it all the time. The facts to opinion ratio is about 1:1000 at present. Which is fine. But there’s a lot of assertion going on when really all there really is to work with is opinion and vapour. Its like this every hardware cycle. All over the internet.

We’re all guilty of it. You included.

JM

JM it is a fact that MS have a multimedia Xbox device that they are working on.

OG, I am not Sony loyalist man. I play the best games of all systems, espcially jrpgs.
I don’t blindly support them while shunning all else, how sad would that be?

Given they have yet to acknowledge a successor to the 360 I’m more inclined to believe that it’s a fact that it’s been rumoured that someone has speculated it.

JM

lol Dragon? That is like “I know you, but what am I” gradschool stuff copy cat stuff. Next you will be telling me your dog could beat up my dog.

lol OG? That is like “I know you, but what am I” gradschool stuff copy cat stuff. Next you will be telling me your dog could beat up my dog.
Thanks for commenting for both of us

just put him on the list already og. he has some good moments from time to time but most of the time it´s like talking to a teenager.

my dog is definitley faster than your dog tho og…it´s a sighthound.

And so the official nintendog with “seal of quality” around here has arrives…….
OG, no hard feelings, see you next time.

woof woof

I’m buying a Vita this month. Every little helps, right?

Also I tend to take what Famitsu say with a pinch of salt.

@91, depends if the race is endurance or sprint. Grey hounds, while quickest, don’t run very far. You’d find that herding & sled dogs & especially wolves will win over long distances.

@Dragon, grow up please, all I ever see you doing is harassing Nintendo fans, you’re not much better than Da “Man” right now.

@91: mine is an old fart anyway…but she was fast as hell when she was younger…it´s a galgo espanol…not the fastest sighthound there is…

My dog is a ShiZu(Sp?) Weighs about 7 lbps soaking wet. But she is quick as lightening. Poor cats!

@CJ,
See the”how can next gen succeed “thread and then talk. Also unlike you, I don’t wish to ” swift kick in butt’ anyone who doesn’t personally attack me.
Grow up and stop whining please about the troll on every thread. Why don’t complain about him if he irritates you so much.
Read that thread definitely and tell me your opinions.

@ 94 I’d hold out for about another month. Vita will be a year old then and may get a price cut. If you can’t wait or don’t care then its still worth the $250. I don’t recommend the 3G version. I have that version but refuse to use AT&T milking rates. If you have an unlimited plan for your smart phone just wifi tether and you’ll get decent to good speeds to use the other online features.

Vita was the wrong product at the wrong time.

To cool for us mere gamers, but aimed at hipsters.

To bad hipsters don’t have any money left to buy one after getting sailor jerry tattoos, and ironically the ones that can can’t fit the Vita in their skinny jeans because the dual analog sticks stick in their thigh.