Ben-DutkaThe PlayStation Vita is quite the slick little unit, and it really caters to hardcore gamers (which we love).
However, many claim the device is just too expensive right now. Although nearly as many said they just aren't into portable/handheld entertainment in our latest poll, the majority said the biggest issue they face is the cost.
So why don't they have the Vita? It's not necessarily the lack of games, and it's not because they think the competition has the edge. Basically, it's just a matter of how hard a Vita purchase would hit their wallets, which is understandable. Currently, the 3G model retails for $299.99 and the Wi-Fi-only goes for $249.99. Some analysts expect a price cut before 2012 is out, but if sales aren't great, it might happen sooner; Nintendo made the move early with the 3DS.
This week, we want to know what you think about God of War: Ascension . We don't have a ton of info just yet, but you've got the baseline details (such as the fact that it's a prequel) and very soon, we should have a lot more in the way of specific information and even gameplay . So maybe you want to wait a few hours before casting your vote…
Another factor that borderlines on being equally as important as the price of the Vita itself is the price of the proprietary memory cards. I'm not sure if many people consider that when they purchase their Vita but they quickly find out that it is a real price gouge.
I use my Vita to perform Party Chat. It makes playing single player games a whole lot more fun when you talk to your buddy about wassup in the world.
GOWIV, i know that santa monica studios wont dissapoint. I have played GOW1-3 and i love them all. Very creative, action games that fit my gaming style.
Promised PS3/Vita connectivity? Did Sony ever actually promise perfect, seamless remote play on every PS3 game? Or was it one of those capabilities that was rumored strongly, but never confirmed or denied? I don't remember Sony ever committing to remote play for every game on PS3. Unless the games support it, there is a problem with that in any case. Plus the game must render at a remote play friendly resolution that matches the Vita screen.
Some people seem to add features to the pre-requisite list that were never listed by Sony as real features.
From way back in November how's this?
"Back at TGS, President of Sony Worldwide Studios Shuhei Yoshida demoed Killzone 3 running on the Vita, suggesting that certain PS3 titles would be playable on the handheld.
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a future PS3 firmware update will allow all PlayStation 3 games to be streamed to the Vita at 480×272, which was the resolution of the PSP. In the future, developers will have the option to include 480p modes in games specifically for Vita play.
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For now, the idea of remote play for all PlayStation 3 titles is only a rumor. We've reached out to Sony and will update with any comment we receive."
There was a rumor at the time that it would support all titles, but I suspect that rumor was an exaggeration of the truth. the Truth being that all PS3 games made after a firmware and SDK update for PS3 may support it – if coded to support the 480p resolution for streaming to the Vita. Plus those older titles that are patched to support it.
I remain vehemently against prequels made for consoles to grab cash before the next numbered entry. That behavior belongs on handhelds.
The price is more than fair for what you get. Times are just tough right now. If the economy was better, I imaging the Vita would be selling a lot better.
I'd agree that the price for the Vita itself was fair, but not for the memory cards. $100 for 32 gigs…… that's just wrong. I can see them lowering the price soon though, they'll have to if they want decent sale numbers to come in, either way I'm not going to bite until I can get a Vita with a 32gb+ mem card for $250 or less, and until they put out some games that intrest me.
Yea, that's one of the biggest reasons I'm holding off. When I get a memory card I want to go big but $100 for 32gb is a complete rip off. After all that is said and done, I'll end up having dropped over $400 for a Vita, memory card, the games and accessories I want. Had Sony even thrown in a 4gb with a Vita for free I probably would have one by now. I mean c'mon! Even the 3DS comes with a 2gb SD card.
To be fair, while I voted for "too expensive" it was more like a "placeholder vote" since my real reason were not amongst the listed. A lower price makes *any* product more interesting, and if it is cheap enough one might just buy it even though you don't really want it. I could buy a second bicycle too, had it been cheap enough. To put it that way.
Vitas real problem is *not* the price.
i dont think the price is the main problem.
the main problem is the lack of games, stupid pain in the a$$ restrictions, capabilities and expense and requirements of accessories!
as ive said many times before allot of the games available for it are so similar to versions available for ps3 years ago!
rayman origins, MNR, fifa, ninja gaiden sigma +, UGA, ect, ect, are so similar to their ps3 counterparts.
people just cant justify spending 350 bucks on the WIFI system, plus 70 for each game, plus 70 for a decent sized memory card, plus 40 for a case, plus 20 for a screen protector.
especially when the games are so similar to things they already have!
not to mention the pain in the a$$ restrictions like limited to 1 PSN account activation, memory cards locked to vita AND account, unable to run games and web browser, unable to pause games and open another like the GO and IOS devices can.
problem is when people buy a product that releases 3+ years after another product they expect the new product to have the same features!
its like buying a brand new car in 2008 and it has ipod connectivity and bluetooth, then spending the same amount of money on a brand new car in 2012 and it does not have it.
if IOS devices had the ability to run multiple games what, 4 years ago?
then shouldent a 4 year old newer device have the same thing?
not to mention the pathetic battery life!
$ony claims up to 4 hours but i was lucky if i get 2!
just sitting the vita on standby having the brightness at its lowest setting, and in flight mode so all radio signals are disabled, in the most power efficient mode possible, just sitting it on sleep and not touching it id go through its whole battery 100% – 0 in under 2 days!
my iphone sits at full brightness, 3G on, WIFI on, with 5+ applications open and it lasts at least 5 days!
then theres the expense of the necessary accessories.
id be ok if you did not need a memory card, but you do otherwise you cant save or start some games!
$350 for the WIFI model is expensive but its not that bad, what pushes it over the edge is the 70+ bucks for a decent sized memory card, 40 bucks for a hard case and 20 bucks for A screen protector.
to put that in perspective i bought a pack of 20 from the markets last week for 10 bucks!
problem with the vita is when you sit down and work it all out the cheapest one you can get away with is over 500 bucks!
i could buy a 32GB ipad 3 which can do SOOOOOOOOOOOO much more then the vita for that price!
and the ipad is ALREADY seriously overpriced!
350 for the WIFI, 70 bucks for a 16GB card, 70 dollars for 1 uncharted golden abyss (come on sorry but its illegal to buy a vita and not buy uncharted!), 20 bucks for a screen protector, 40 bucks for a case to protect it the vitas piano black finish gets scratched SO easily!
thats the bare basics, the least amount of things you could get away with and your still looking at 550!
and thats the bare minimum, i ended up spending 419 for the 3G vita, plus 30 per month for 250MB of data, 140 for a 32GB card, 40 for a hard case, 20 for A screen protector, and about 400 bucks on several games.
thats 1049, over a grand just for a handheld device and a few games!
OUCH!
100 bucks more and i could of bought my 7.1 home theatre setup!
its not the price of the vita thats the problem.
its the price of the vita, AND its accessories, AND its incompetency.
as the saying goes products are always a sum of their parts, if everything has a weak point then the overall product is flawed.
thats not a problem when your paying flawed money for a flawed device, but here your not, your paying premium money for a flawed device.
typical $ony charging premium prices for mediocre products.
people dont mind paying a arm and a leg for something as long as they feel its worth it!
$ony is charging for a Ferrari, and only giving you a ford.
if you pay 350+ bucks for something then you expect to get 350+ bucks worth of equipment, but your not your getting maybe 250 bucks worth of equipment.
THATS the problem!
as for ascension im really interested to see where they take it.
ive always wanted a prequel to the original GOW, go back to kratos origins where he first started with the gods and working over to where he became the ghost.
ive always wanted to see how he trained for the army, the stories told in GOW1 how kids were sent out into the woods to fight for themselves and if they came back then they were trained to go into the army.
then one day both kratos and his brother were fighting and the gods come.
id be cool if you could play through certain key parts in the past leading up to kratos getting into the army, where he first met the gods, then his ascension from being just a army grunt to being the leader and all the way up to where GOW1 started kratos begging ares for help.
Just too much… can do summary posts instead? Please… it would really help with the speed reading!
Q!
"play.experience.enjoy"
You know, people only read long posts if it's worth their time. You proved the other day, to one and all here that your long posts are very much NOT worth the time.
and i care WHY?
My problem with the whole objection to price thing is;
1) It's a brand new product, early adopters are not as pric4 sensitive as most buyers.
2) It's a high specification product. I just got a Droid 4 phone that has a dual core CPU, single GPU and a 4-inch active matrix TFT. My PSP has quad core CPU, quad GPU, 5-inch OLED screen>Both have wifi and GPS. My Droid 4 costs $600 without a 2-year commitment. My Vita cost $249.99 without a 2-year commitment. Even if you look at the 3G version which has everything that the phone has except for the high resolution back camera, it's still only $300 which is half the price of the phone with a poorer spec. Frankly, people need to stop whining ab out price on premium items.
3) It really hasn't had a chance to prove itself yet. There are games, more are coming and there are a lot of good PSP titles available for it too.
The price will fall, as it has with other consoles in the past. It will probably fall in time for the Holiday season, but it's not time to hit the panic button and initiate a fire sale yet.
A few things Sony could have done to help;
1) more PSP games compatible.
2) PS1 Classics working.
3) 4GB if internal storage on every model.
4) Better back facing camera.
5) suite of non-gaming apps including basic things like an alarm clock.
I think they should leave the price where it is until October.
Thought about getting a Vita, but decided to use the money to add to what it would cost to get the Asus Transformer Prime tablet… which I absolutely love…
64gig of memory, Quad Core Tegra3 GPU… plus the fact it is essentially a computer with all the services I need. I can also dual boot Linux on it if I root it. The system is completely open and Asus permits rooting 🙂
If interested, do visit the Tegra3 game zone. You can see some of the fantastic HD games out for tablets that support Tegra 3 hardware. I have bought a few and thoroughly enjoying them. I can tether my console controller to the tablet and play the games, including a host of emulators etc…
For now, don't have use for a Vita, but will seriously consider it when I can get it cheaper at a later date…
Realise the art of this is too wait patiently and then swoop in for the deals… I am in no rush!
I have many years of enjoyment left on my PS3 as well, so no rush to purchase a PS4 unless Sony pull something spectacular out of the bag…
What do you think of the droid phone Highlander?
Q!
"play.experience.enjoy"
Last edited by Qubex on 4/30/2012 9:39:12 AM
I like my droid, it's big, which I actually like, and has a real keyboard, which I like. But the screen is really a disappointment. OLED should be minimum spec on a device like the Droid 4. Battery life is less than stellar, and the speaker phone isn't very loud, but sound quality if otherwise good.
Last edited by TheHighlander on 4/30/2012 9:44:25 AM
For me, I'm just not into Handheld gaming. I'd rather game on the big screen with a controller in hand.
As for GoW, I know the gameplay will be top notch. I know it'll visually be top notch. I'm just not sure I'm on board with the story..The MP action I saw had promise.
I spent 250 bucks for the system. Then I spent another 100 bucks for the 32 gig memory stick, which you will need. THen I had to buy a game.
Look, 44 bucks for a new HANDHELD game is really pushing it. paying 50 bucks for a handheld game is over the top. I think Gamestop wanted 50 bucks for the Uncharted game is just, well, crazy. At least imo. But there are some who will in fact pay that price.
I bought it so I could download and play a lot of the new RPGS coming out. The online store is so easy to navigate and buy stuff. I bought these games for Vita on psn:
Final Fantasy tactics:The war of the Lions.
Final Fantasy IV The complete collection
Tactics Orge: Let us Cling together
Lunar: Silver Sar Harmony
Wild Arms XF
Ys SEVEN
Zenonia
YggdraUnion
Class of Heroes
Crimson Gem
Adventures to Go!
I bought them because I love to play classic RPGS and SRPGS on my handheld, and many of these were as cheap as 9 bucks and the most was only 24. You cant beat that.
Hotshots Golf is fun too.
But buying into the Vita is really an investment. To me it is worth it. But is it worth it to the masses. That is the question.
If you are an RPG lover you have no choice but the buy the greatest RPG handheld system that will ever live.
There are tons more RPGS that will be made available from the PSP to the Vita. NOt to mention all the NEW rpgs that are coming, say like the new MOnster Hunter and Phantasy Stay Online 2!!
Let us not forget that they will, eventually, let us play our PS1 RPGS on there too. YOu KNOW about those games form that era. Just freaking epic!
What is even scarier is that they MAY put the ps2 RPGS on there. If they do then I will make my Vita and RPG sanctuary.
But I am a rare nerd who loves all sorts of games, but especially RPGS. Maybe, just maybe, Sony is focusing on us instead of the masses.
But to end on a sour note, if Sony thinks they are going to charge 50 bucks for a game on a handheld all the time, they will kill the Vita.
@ethird1
Dude, you have got a great selection of games there. It's nice to see a fellow RPGS player.
Sony, before you cut the price of the PS Vita. You should fix a few key features and see if that won't drive sales.
1.Flash,html5 video or a Youtube app.
2.Please reconsider your UMD program for the states and europe
3. Speed up your PSP,PS1 backwards compatibility program for PSN. How come nintendo seems to be the only company that gets BC right?
4. Fix Remote Play.