Ben-DutkaBased on the current numbers, this seems to be an absurd question.
Sony is having real difficulty selling the PlayStation Vita, while the Nintendo 3DS, despite recently missing internal projects, is still a hot seller every month. Sure, the PlayStation 4 was the top console in the US in January, even beating out the 3DS, but where was the Vita? I don't think Sony wants you to know.
But just for the sake of argument, what would have to happen for the Vita to eventually catch the 3DS in the sales department? Let's just consider that it's possible (even though it doesn't currently appear feasible). What's the sequence of events that would have to happen, short of Nintendo inexplicably going bankrupt sometime soon? I think it hinges on price and games, and whether or not Nintendo will indeed license out their legendary mascots. If we can play our Mario and Zelda games on smartphones and tablets, for instance, that could have an impact on 3DS sales.
The Vita really needs a price drop and a lot more exclusive software. One important thing to remember is that the PSP needed several years before it started to become relevant on the sales charts. It wouldn't be too shocking if the Vita started to have a few good months here and there, especially if the games began to flow and the price was agreeable. Thing is, the Vita is a very capable device, far more technically proficient than the 3DS, so that has to be worth something . It's an obvious edge, if Sony could only market it correctly. And again…games. Needed. Lots of them.
What do you say?
1) Lower price
2) Drastically lower prices on memory cards if they seriously want digital downloads on the Vita.
3) Better games. Sony is obsessed with cross play and remote play. it's like they don't want us taking the Vita seriously. Instead of using it as a dedicated system, it's just to have a PS3 (now PS4) on the go for your PS3/4 collection. Give us AAA games designed for the Vita. Not for the PS3/4 and carried over to the Vita.
This all would really help it not end up so far behind. But honestly, short of nintendo doing something monumentally stupid or just going bankrupt, I really doubt there's anything that could help it actually catch up.
Why does the Vita need to catch up to the 3DS to be considered successful?
Its not like there is a hidden rule among portable systems that says that two competing systems cannot co-exist. Especially when they provide unique content.
The PSP was never able to catch up to the original's DS sales. But that doesn't mean that the PSP was a failure. The PSP is still alive (mostly in Japan) while the original DS is dead.
I think the Vita already has many challenges to deal with. There seems to be an identity crisis with Vita.
Is it a console (PS3/PS4) accessory or a handheld? Where is the AAA 1st party support? Why are the Memory Cards so expensive? Stuff like this is what consumers are asking about Vita. They're not asking when is Vita going to catch up to the 3DS. That's irrelevant.
No one said it needed to catch up. Just answering the article.
"I really doubt there's anything that could help it actually CATCH UP"
That and what Ben said in the article is what I was responding to.
Buy Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc
I just review it, it's great. http://www.onlysp.com/danganronpa-trigger-happy-havoc-review/
Last edited by WorldEndsWithMe on 2/14/2014 11:17:48 PM
Cant wait to play FF 14 on my ps vita!
More games. Cheaper memory cards. And throw in some ironic gimicks so the hipsters will buy it.
In seriousness though, nope. I don't think it everwill.
The game library is vitally important. There not only needs to be a healthy offering for the hardcore, but PlayStation Mobile also needs to be further utilized to further attract twitch/casual gamers.
Nintendo has proven that mobile gaming is absolutely not dead, so Sony needs to tap into that with some superb releases. S-E could really help if they would do some HD remakes that are exclusive to the Vita (FFVI, anyone?). Not only that, but more games that utilize the hardware capabilities (even Dynasty Warriors Next takes advantage of the tilt control and touch screens).
The Vita has so much potential, and it is within Sony's ability to give it the marketing it needs to succeed. I don't think outstripping the 3DS should be a goal. I think simple recognition and survival are good enough. I absolutely handhelds, and the PSP had me very much enchanted. Now with the Vita, I am seeing more and more evidence that Sony can be here to stay in the mobile gaming department. If they just go about it right.
"I absolutely handhelds."
Apparently I forgot how to English.
*love
i dont think so simply because of its popularity in JP, the 3DS is like undies overthere, theres freaking vending machines selling them!
but everywhere else it absolutely could, $ony just needs to bring the unique titles it needs!
and a few software features like the pause game feature the PSP GO had, certainly wouldnt hurt.
its like saying if ps3 can catchup with wii. 2 different markets
The price is more than fair, but I guess if Sony could afford to do it, a slight cut wouldn't hurt. Other than that, I can't really think of what else Sony can do. Another price cut on memory cards and better advertising is really it. The hardware is great, the library is great the consumers would just rather stick with 3DS or other mobile devices I guess. I use my Vita more than any other system except PS3 lately.
idk i think the games is ceratainly holding it bk not to say it has not games just not enough games appealing to enough people to get it moving of shelves.
happy gaming =)
It's not going to happen. I would feel safe making a bet on this if I were a betting man. The 3DS has so much more going for it and I cannot see the momentum dropping any time soon. The Vita has been struggling ever since its release. It does not have enough of backbone through unique titles. Gravity Rush & Tearaway are on the right step, but neither really have the appeal of the masses. While Nintendo has games like Pokemon, Professor Layton, Animal Crossing, Fire Emblem, Bravery Default and more.
Even when you compare the franchises Sony has just look at the impact how something like Zelda: A Link Between Worlds had over something like the Uncharted Vita game. Both franchises are huge but I don't think many fans of Uncharted really cared for the Vita game at all – I certainly am not fussed.
The Vita has a lot of good games but nothing that draws me into buying the console, just games that I would pick up if I had the console + It is still in heavy competition to the PSP. As a PSP owner I still feel content with that and have no desire to get a Vita because of it.
Not in 100 years.
"Nintendo 3DS, despite recently missing internal projects, is still a hot seller every month"
Most systems do miss the internal projections. That isnt odd.
"Sure, the PlayStation 4 was the top console in the US in January, even beating out the 3DS"
And the 3DS is the top seller in Europe, Japan, and most other regions. So?
Why do we have to qualify the 3DS's success with kind of weird qualifiers?
Last edited by stealth on 2/15/2014 9:13:20 AM
No, most systems do not miss internal projections. And if they do, it's always worth noting because it means the product under-achieved based on the company's plan.
You may not have noticed, but this article isn't about the 3DS's success. Go defend it somewhere else if that's your aim; this is about the Vita.
OK, nothing they can do without Nintendo blowing up but they could get a much needed boost if they would ever "get" what make a portable system attractive. People don't want to play epic blockbusters on a teeny screen or on the go. Your game has to be able to be digested in small chunks. A main reason half the GB/GBA/DS library has always been RPGs.
Having a real mascot or flagship portable game wouldn't hurt either.
Last edited by Harerazer on 2/15/2014 11:01:18 AM
I disagree. A Link Between Worlds pretty much equates to an "epic blockbuster" and the game has received tons of praise and has sold very well.
A storied franchise having a release on a handheld at least gets attention; which is sometimes all that needs to happen. Yes, we know and love the Legend of Zelda for its console features, but the series has also enjoyed success in the handheld market as well (Link's Awakening is one of the best games in the series, in my opinion).
As such, if the Vita started seeing big name titles, it is within the realm of <possibility> that it could start drawing in something of a crowd.
Mr. A, you misunderstand me. I'm not saying Nin has no epic blockbusters on the system, far from it. Monster Hunter, to name a third party, as well as their own homegrown franchises like Zelda and Mario routinely produce that level of quality. What I was getting at is that people don't want to play a game for 2 hours on a portable when they can play the same game (or a more full-featured version) on a home console. Sony's big guns have all been versions of their home console franchises. I'm not even sure Sony has a go-to portable franchise (meaning one that's never been on a home Playstation)for the Vita to turn to. It's one reason why people play app games so readily. You can get into and out of one while waiting for a bus or riding a train or even while in the bathroom. When Sony starts releasing or buying app games and card games and board games (and pricing them accordingly) then the Vita will become competitively viable in the atmosphere of a Nintendo handheld.
I feel one of the largest set backs is storage. I understand that it needs major price cuts for the memory cards but I think the best thing they could do, is to treat it like a phone/tablet in terms of storage. It should have AT LEAST 16 gb built in. It would be such a cheap fix for them and make the experience all the easier on the customer.
The memory card issue could have its impact lessened in two ways: a) buy used and b) shop online. Amazon has a 64 GB for $80 (which is $20 cheaper than the cheapest I found on eBay).
As far as the internal storage… kind of hard to argue that.
If they completely redesigned the entire machine and profile to appeal a lot more to the youngest gamers, it could have had a chance.
But with the current product profile, geared towards more adult gamers, it's doomed.
I truly expected a $150 price with the new Vita 2k. Why even release a new cheaper to produce model if you are not going to cut the price to attract new buyers?
I doubt the Vita has any chance of catching up but a price cut sure wouldn't make things any worse.