Ben-DutkaThe primary complaint about the PlayStation Vita? As expected, it's the price.
Although Sony insists you get a lot of bang for your buck, many gamers see the $250 and $300 price points (for the Wi-Fi-only and 3G versions respectively) as prohibitive. And it seems that viewpoint has gotten back to Sony, 'cuz they've reacted.
Now, you have a lot more incentive to pick up the pricier of the two Vitas that will launch on February 22 in North America. You've got to act quickly but if you do, you can get a special bundle that features an 8GB memory card (a $30 value), a 30-day, 250MB AT&T DataConnect Pass ($15), and a free PlayStation Network game. The basic 3G package includes nothing but the Vita itself, and it's great to see the memory card being offered as a bonus.
But it doesn't end there. If you're pumped for Sony's new portable, you might be considering the First Edition bundle, which retails for $350 and lets you grab the Vita a week earlier. This already includes a 4GB memory card (and that will remain the same) but now, Sony will toss in the aforementioned goodies; the 30-day DataConnect Pass and the PSN game. By the way, once activated, those Passes will automatically renew for a $15 fee every 30 days, but you can cancel that and upgrade to the 3GB plan if you so choose.
This is probably a damn good idea.
Personally, the price wasn't really the problem for me. I just expected the Vita to be a better, entertainment mobile device. For one, it can't even do a proper internet browser. What's the point of 3G if you can't access the internet? Yeah, it's great for games, but nowadays, when you spend money on a mobile device, it better do more things than just games. Those days are over now.
Nice offer but for me price isnt the issue Vita lacks the games I want to play. Only issue I have against vita is you can only have one psn account and that sucks.
Ya the fake restrictions like that really annoy me.
I will be waiting to see how it all works out before I get a vita
I was debating which portable system to get since they both have plenty of games I want, but its looking like the artificial limits and restrictions have pushed me towards the 3DS
There are a lot of things to like about the Vita, but a few things seem to be a little too restrictive in my opinion. The gamer is being penalized for possible system protection, if it fails, then it was all for nothing.
AT&T's limited data plans is what hurts the 3G. Just get the Wi-Fi.
I was already sold and planed on getting this ASAP. so the bundle is just icing on the cake.
I bet u there is going to be more sales on the wifi version.
Im going to wait for a nice price drop.
Me too. With the first big price drop comes a 2nd gen model of hardware too, which is often revised and improved for stability and performance.
THAT is the day I will buy my Vita. 🙂
Look at what happened to people who waited for a PS3 Price drop. Yea it happened and it was a huge drop, but compared to the launch console it was really gimped.
… But what can they possibly gimp from the Vita, Main?
I'll definitely wait for a price drop too. That, and after some games I *really* want are released. No need for the device until there are plenty of games to play on it.
good point. I guess it'll just be a wait and see moment.
I changed my pre-order right after I heard about this. Damn I've got the Vita fever! (scratches arms and neck) I don't know if I can wait.
For those who are interested in the UK, Play.com are doing their own bundles 🙂 £274.99 For Vita (Wi-Fi only), 8gb card and Uncharted. There are cheaper ones depending on what game you get.
http://www.play.com/Games/PSP/4-/28737166/-/Product.html
There is going to a price cut most likely this year just based on Japan's response to the Vita. Just look at the 5 weeks sales trend. 325,000 in its first week down 18,673 in week five. That is a 94% decline in weekly sales since launch and1/5th of 3DS' sales. I don't want to sound grim but if Sony can't sell a hanheld to the Japanese something's up. It's probably a combination of price point(I'm basing that off the fact PSP sales remain strong) and lack of system selling games for Japan.
I think I will sit back and see how this all plays out. I very much suspect we will see some kind of price cut in an attempt to restore confidence in the product at some point this year.
Last edited by Excelsior1 on 1/28/2012 7:20:28 AM
I think it's the fact that Sony have focused on more Western-focused games for the Vita at launch, along with a relatively high-ish price point for a handheld gaming unit. Looks like Hot Shots Golf is all that appealed to Japanese gamers, not Uncharted or Wipeout.
Many who buy handhelds don't really look at the high-end specs of the Vita and see it as worth the money. Fans like us see the value though.
Once Monster Hunter and the first price drop rolls round in Japan, I wish Sony luck in keeping Vita's in stock. 🙂
Monster Hunter is a system seller in Japan. There's no doubt about that. The week Monster Hunter 3G came out in Japan for the 3DS there were 483,000 3DS handhelds sold in that same week. That was the biggest week ever for a handheld in Japan according to Media Create by the way. Japan defintely has a substantial and thriving handheld market. If I were Sony I would not overlook the substantial market sitting right there in their on backyard in an attempt to play to Western audiences. There probably is something to the Vita's launch titles being more tailored for the West. Maybe a more targeted approach for Japan would have been a better way of going about it.
Iwata recently said consumers are now waiting on new home consoles. I wonder if that could affect Vita sales.
Last edited by Excelsior1 on 1/28/2012 7:50:00 AM
ALL new PlayStation hardware experienced a massive drop after launch day.
It's called logic. All those interested got it on launch day, and anybody who planned to wait will wait a lot longer than a month. Same goes with games. Call of Duty sales fall like mad; it'll sell a good 6 million in the first two days but of course, it can't maintain that rate. If you look at Modern Warfare 3 and see that it sold 8 million copies in a week or something, and then look at week 4 and see that it sold 2 million (a 400% drop), are we calling that a failure?
Judging Japan's reaction to the Vita based on the first month of sales is a fallacy. You base that on initial reaction – which was very good – and usually the first half-year. It may indeed do poorly. But we don't know that yet.
Last edited by Ben Dutka PSXE on 1/28/2012 10:05:57 AM
Yes, it's still early. Here is what I've read. After the first 2 days of sales -which are great- there was every reason to believe and analysts were predicting the Vita would sale around 180,000 in its next full week in Japan…It missed that forecast badly and only sold 83k in it's second full week. That's almost a direct quote from what I read in a Forbses piece two weeks after the Vita's launch. Sales keep eroding and I have seen so many negative articles associated with Vita sales. Maybe these guys are jumping the gun but I have been keeping track. I'm sure you are seeing the same articles I am. The figures I posted above came from an article I read on Neoseeker. I did double check those numbers and they are 100% accurate.
I'm just surprised how much weekly sales have dropped. I actually thought the Vita was going to give the 3DS a run for it's money in Japan.
For the record. I don't think it's the end of the world for Sony. I'm sure the Vita is a superior product in every way to the 3DS. It just might be lacking system selling games and be at the wrong price point.
I really do want 1 at launch but ill wait for the COD Bundle….
I'm contemplating getting a Vita as soon as I can. But on there isn't any major game than I want right now. I really can't wait for the reviews to come in. That might be a turning point for me. Otherwise I might have to weight for a price drop.
A FFVII: Crisis Core or a Peace Walker caliber of game would do me in.
… or just forget 3g all together save even more money on bills and use wifi hotspots. (which almost all smart phones can broadcast at this point and the 3g limitations are no longer in effect).
sorry, but this isnt a good deal
Handhelds aren't really my thing, but I like this deal. If I was interested in the wifi model, it would definitely convince me to upgrade.
No Go right now, I need an unlocked VITA to use with my verizon unlimited data plan. other wise its a wait for a pricedrop, I'll get the wifi version, I use a droid right now. It has to play, at least ,my current playstation downloadable library.Im still playing some 20-25 UMD's I cant find time for.Its a nice, but un necessary gadget right now.What I should do, is buy another 3000 for my boy to go head to head on some games.
anyone preferring the 3ds over the vita is an ignorant idiot… i hate my 3ds so much i want to throw it against the wall…
from the lame 3d to the cramped design and one analog stick while coming out with an "accessory" for another is ridiculous not to mention we got ripped off by the huge price tag.. drops 80 freakin bucks and all they do is give some cheap ass games i already have played 40 times or can grab on an emulator.. thanks nintendo
see here sony is doing right by its customers like they ALWAYS have done.. (kinda screwed us on their "own" memory card instead of making it a micro sd… but yea you just have to opt for the 300 dollar price tag (50 more than the 3ds launch)
but look at what you get ..seriously
8gb card a month of using 3g so you can try it out and see if you really want it… and a psn game the only thing that will make it a bit sweeter is letting us choose from a selection of triple A titles or new games and removing the one accunt restriction
well i think im set for the unlimited 3g just using my rooted android with wireless theether free internet woot on my 4g network can't wait
DAY1 with uncharted thats what sold me and as a gamer i really dont care about the internet function on the vita i can see someone will have 3rd party apps maybe firefox will make a vita browser who knows
The only benefit in getting the First Edition Bundle now is that you get it a week early, other than that the normal 3G SKU is now a better deal. Sony has pretty much cannibalized the demand for it with a lot of people dumping the FEB in favor of the normal 3G SKU. They've got a good number of WiFi only buyers to switch thanks to the memory card but at the same time I'm sure they've lost many people and pushed some who pre-ordered either the WiFi model or FEB to just cancel and take a "wait and see" approach as to what Sony will be doing in the coming months, especially if sales are flat. I'm kind of in that group as well.
I get why Sony is pushing the 3G model here and the FEB was fine. But now it's annoying, especially this close to launch. Sony pressed the panic button on the 3G model and I'm starting to want, more and more to just wait and see how much more they're going to hit it, especially if sales numbers reflect Japan's or are some how even worse.
If that were to happen with such a western friendly launch it'd be a disaster.
Last edited by PHOENIXZERO on 1/30/2012 4:18:25 AM
I don't think the price of the US version of the vita is to much (Don't want any hate I just wish that the EU version was priced similarly $1 is not equal to £1!!). My biggest issue though is the cost of the games. There is no way I'm going to pay £40 for a game I'm going to play for 15 minutes a day whilst on the train. I'm not going to be playing it at home that's what I have PS3's for.
Not a good enough reason to get locked in a contract with AT&T. WiFi only for me.