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Should The Vita Be Scared Of The 3DS…Or Vice Versa?

While there's no doubt that both portable gaming units appeal to different groups and demographics, the bottom line is that both are handheld devices that play video games.

Hence, the comparisons are inevitable, especially when it comes to consumer interest and sales. There's little doubt that Nintendo owned the portable market this generation, as the DS outstripped just about any other gaming platform available by a lot . The 3DS didn't do well out of the gate but has since managed to climb back up the charts. The Vita is mostly unproven; all we have to go by is the approximately 540k it has sold in Japan and its decline since.

Obviously, price remains a determining factor and will likely be the Vita's biggest hurdle. That, and parents around the globe still identify "video games" with "Nintendo," especially when it comes to kids and handheld entertainment. There may be no chance that the Vita can compete with the 3DS on the sales charts. But as Sony always says, it's a marathon and not a sprint and the plain and simple truth is that the Vita can do things the 3DS can't. Furthermore, with all this game support and marketing (Sony seems intent on pushing their new device), this portable could definitely turn some heads and rise quickly up the ranks.

Perhaps the real question is whether or not one can steal market share away from the other. The competition isn't exactly apples and oranges, but…it isn't exactly apples and apples, either. It's a complex situation with two very different companies and two very different situations. Market share in the handheld market is dominated by Nintendo, but let's not forget lifetime sales for the PSP and the fact that the Vita is…well, pretty damn good. That's kind of important to consumers, right?

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Cpt_Geez
Cpt_Geez
12 years ago

Vice versa


Last edited by Cpt_Geez on 2/19/2012 9:27:28 PM

Jawknee
Jawknee
12 years ago

Unmmm, no.

Jawknee
Jawknee
12 years ago

Neither. They are both great platforms that cater to different audiences. They will both do just fine in the long run.

maxpontiac
maxpontiac
12 years ago

It's that simple.

inkme101
inkme101
12 years ago

my kids have their 3ds's but i will have my vita and it works well that way. i dont think my 5 year old would quite grasp a vita but she has no problem with the ds.

on a side note: while watching animation domination on fox tonight they ran the vita ad about 400 times. I noticed that the ad, more than any other function was pointing to the remote play feature for ps3 games. I would think that that is a mistake since it seems to be the most broken feature on the vita as of right now. maybe they should be pointing out some other qualities to the masses!

Shams
Shams
12 years ago

I can appreciate the novelty of the DS, and Nintendo's 1st class 1st party software. As an adult gamer though, Vita's tech and software is more attractive to me, though.

Shams
Shams
12 years ago

I love the pic: LittleBigPlanet's rendition of Sistine Chapel's ceiling mural.

Dancemachine55
Dancemachine55
12 years ago

I reckon 3DS will be more popular with parents and kids between 6 and 14 years old.

Vita will most likely be more popular with college students, young adults and tech-heads.

Then, of course, there are Sony and Nintendo fans who will buy their preferred handheld of choice regardless.

I have a 3DS, after the massive price drop of course. And only have 3 games on it (Zelda Ocarina of time 3D, Mario Kart 7 and Super Mario 3D Land)

Since I'm saving for a new car right now, price is everything, and $350 for the wifi model only in Australia is a lot of money. Am going to wait about a year, and hope for either a price drop or model-2000 Vita to be announced.

… and for the PSone classics playback update. I kow, I know, Vita has great games too, but I've already bought most of the old FF's and MGS and Driver and Rayman, and Crash Bandicoot 3, so I would love to be able to play those on the go from the day I purchase my Vita.


Last edited by Dancemachine55 on 2/19/2012 10:14:17 PM

Dancemachine55
Dancemachine55
12 years ago

Am thinking of using the Vita as a semi-replacement for my PS3 when I buy it sometime next year. Trophies, cross game chat, console quality games, arcade games…

Only thing missing really is a big ol' hard drive in the thing. Lousy expensive memory sticks. Looks like I'll be getting the 32GB one to start me off. Hopefully should be enough.

sawao_yamanaka
sawao_yamanaka
12 years ago

The vita is definitely worth it if you have the budget for it. As you said they both cater to different audiences and to me. I am both audiences. Although right now I am preferring the vita due to it having a bigger library at the moment but I see myself going back to my 3DS to play Pushmo. That game is like crack to me, very addicting :).

Jawknee
Jawknee
12 years ago

Pushumo is a fantastic game. Are you getting Snake Eater 3D? I have been playing the demo and it is by far the definitive version to have. Looks like the HD remake on PS3 and plays just like Peace Walker. Konami made a mistake by not revamping the controls for MGS2 and 3 HD on PS3. I wil likely never play Snake Eater on my PS3 or Vita now that the 3DS version has better controls.

Dancemachine55
Dancemachine55
12 years ago

Wow, I had no idea that the 3DS version would be THAT good. Tempted to check it out now.

Haven't got Pushmo, but it got really good reviews. Might check it out while I buy Super Mario Bros.

Dancemachine55
Dancemachine55
12 years ago

There's about 10x more games coming out for Vita in the future than what I want on 3DS. Hmmmmm, Mario and Zelda are pretty amazing games to get this many sales based on 2 major franchises alone, while MS and Sony work their butts off with new franchises all the time trying to catch 3DS' and Wii's sales.


Last edited by Dancemachine55 on 2/20/2012 6:20:52 AM

Neo_Aeon666
Neo_Aeon666
12 years ago

Yeah only problem is that… It is a game we already finished………………. And well since I already know the whole story and already played it… And they have no trophy system…. I do not see a reason to replay it on their machine. (Snake eater 3D) Might be good for Ninty purists tho… Since they couldn't play it on PS2 nearly 10 years ago (exaggeration).

Nintendo has to stop shooting only remakes at us. In a 1 year lifespawn the 3ds only offered a Mario Kart compilation and a new Mario. The other games from Ninty were all already played thousands of times. Nothing fresh. My 3ds played 100 times more Pokemon White DS and JRPGS DS than any 3ds game XD

If Nintendo continues this way I think Sony will deff. squash them at some point in the future. Especially now that all multiplat games are going to have the edge on Vita vs 3DS by a big gap.


Last edited by Neo_Aeon666 on 2/20/2012 9:27:11 AM

Jawknee
Jawknee
12 years ago

Neo, so what? Ocarina of Time is one of the most beloved games ever made and Snake Eater 3D is freaking awesome. That said, there are more games on the 3DS coming. It takes time. The 3DS isn't burning up the sales charts only on remakes. eShop is awesome to. A much needed improvement over their Shop Channel.

sawao_yamanaka
sawao_yamanaka
12 years ago

Yea I am definitely getting snake eater jawknee that game is awesome and still is. Just wished they would have updated the controls for the hd remake to make it more accessible.

Neo_Aeon666
Neo_Aeon666
12 years ago

Yeah guess I'll wait and see.

Sunni_Boi
Sunni_Boi
12 years ago

Ahhh I Feel Ya Neo, I kinda Feel The Same Way About The 3DS. Decent Portable But Just Doesnt Seems That Much Better Than An DS.

BikerSaint
BikerSaint
12 years ago

Vita puts on it's Krato's mask & then taps 3DS on the shoulder……

RaYz89
RaYz89
12 years ago

Personally, what I want the most from a portable console is games where I can play with my friends face to face, I had a great time playing monster hunter and dissidia with my friends and playing together physically is much better then online over the net. The only ones that I know off with such features available now is only the FPS & Fighting games (not a big fan of both).

I hope Vita'll will get more games that offer unique multiplayer experience only achievable through portable consoles, then it'll be able to stand on level ground with 3DS – which has lots of this type of games.

Advent Child
Advent Child
12 years ago

I sure hope people aren't letting their young kids play the 3DS since it can ruin their depth perception for the rest of their life. Doctors recommend no children under 10 or the very least 8 years old don't use anything 3D.

___________
___________
12 years ago

thats not only kids, its everyone.
ive found ever since playing games in 3D i have trouble with depth perception, and especially focousing up on things up close.
ive got my clock at the other side of my bed, not exactly far away and im constantly finding myself having to squint just to see it!
funny how $ony always forget to mention that……….

Jawknee
Jawknee
12 years ago

Yea, it's Sony's fault your Internet AND your vision sucks. Get better Internet, a pair glasses and stop complaining.

Actually Advent, the 3D is not advised for 6 and under. Not 8-10.


Last edited by Jawknee on 2/20/2012 2:15:25 AM

Qubex
Qubex
12 years ago

If you look at the way the world is going at the moment, and society in generally… everyone seems to be having problems with "depth perception"…

Q!

"3.d.not"

Shams
Shams
12 years ago

Haven't seen you in a while.

Advent Child
Advent Child
12 years ago

I've been reading just haven't posted. I kinda got married and had a little girl. Life gets a little busier after stuff like that. And I know that's what they advertise but that's not why is doctor recommended.


Last edited by Advent Child on 2/20/2012 4:29:13 PM

MyWorstNightmar
MyWorstNightmar
12 years ago

How does one "kinda get married"? :p

___________
___________
12 years ago

neither.
vita is FAR too expensive to be catering to the younger 3DS crowd!
and the 3DS does not deliver the games the vita does, IE games made for people above 8.
ok theres the occasional RE game for it, but most games, no all games because its so rare, are made for kids!
however, both should be worried about smartphones and tablets.
simply because they actually cater to both crowds, be it the more adult games like infinity blade 2, dark meadow, and modern combat 3.
or the more kids based games like angry birds or PVZ.

Jawknee
Jawknee
12 years ago

Blah, blah, blah….

Qubex
Qubex
12 years ago

I am sure things will work out just fine for the Vita in long run. Price may constrain it a little to begin with, but as the deals/bundles start to take hold, the price on the hardware is reduced by 20-40% over the next 2 years, I expect to Vita to do well over the long term…

The sales curve will probably look like a "U", initial burst, then down to a trough, and then up again as Sony launches pricing/bundle specials for Christmas in 2012…

Q!

"play.experience.enjoy"


Last edited by Qubex on 2/20/2012 2:42:56 AM

bebestorm
bebestorm
12 years ago

Neither should be afraid the other because they both have appeal for many gamers. Im getting a 3DS soon. I'll get a Vita when games that appeal to me arrive. Gravity Rush looks good but not enough for me to buy now. In other words Im waiting to see what to see what L5.SE,Atlus etc.

Neo_Aeon666
Neo_Aeon666
12 years ago

Well since the Vita came out I stopped playing the 3ds. As far as 12 yrs old and above goes. I think the Vita can steal the market. All the Marios are way too easy and short on the 3ds and the only other good games are actually remakes I played on the N64… Some good JRPGS but might aswell get them on the Vita with better graphics when they come out. Overall I am only keeping my 3ds in the hopes of an awesome POKEMON! lol and it ain't even a joke.


Last edited by Neo_Aeon666 on 2/20/2012 9:13:50 AM

josiahlo
josiahlo
12 years ago

Personally I don't have a use for a portable game system (work/school from home)but would go with a Vita compared to the 3DS. I just hope they port the games over to the PS3 and consider me sold on several games (Uncharted of course)

XmnMetal
XmnMetal
12 years ago

The Vita is awesome and makes a strong first impression unlike the 3DS when it first launched. I love this thing (vita) and having a blast playing wipeout 2048, uncharted and ultimate marvel on the go.

TheHighlander
TheHighlander
12 years ago

This is a false comparison and 'struggle'. Vita and 3DS cater to different audiences with some overlap. But it's only in that overlap that they truly compete.

But there are two things I really want to say here;

The first regards price. I am sick of hearing about the Vita's price from people. OK, it costs $250, more if you want 3G. I get that it's almost as expensive as a slim PS3. The thing is, a slim PS3 is a 5 and a half year old system, the Vita is brand new. I get that it's expensive compared to smartphones sold with a two year commitment, but then it doesn't come with a two year commitment to an $80/month phone plan. It's more expensive than a kindle, but then a kindle is a cheap and nasty piece of plastic with a back to basics tablet design embedded within it. Comparing like for like…oh, wait, we can't because there isn't anything like it. Sure, it costs almost as much as a PS3, perhaps as much or more when you include a memory card for it, but it really is more or less the PS3 you hold in your hand, and to take a PS3 Slim ad make it portable, you are going to spend more than the cost of the Vita making it portable and still have to pack 80 KG of batteries or a 20-30 mile long extension cord. In other words, $250 for a Vita is a good price, who in their right mind thinks that it's unfairly priced? If we can all for a moment suspend our natural wish for everything to be cheaper and easier to get, can we at least be honest about the price?

The second thing is this thing about parents identifying video games with Nintendo. I don't give a pair of fetid dingo's kidneys about parents perceptions of games because, Vita is not intended for kids. Vita is a real gamers machine, not a kid's toy, and will/should sell to the older demographics of the 16-110 age group. It's not the perception of parents that is the problem, it's the peer pressure of people in general who still frown on 'adults' that play video games in public.

Jawknee
Jawknee
12 years ago

Right? Didn't people praise the price when it was first announced and now they are complaining. Haha

TheHighlander
TheHighlander
12 years ago

Indeed. People were literally shocked at how low the announced price was, how times change…

BikerSaint
BikerSaint
12 years ago

I'm sure that if the 3DS hadn't dropped in price, you wouldn't be hear hardly any complaints about the Vita'a pricing at all.

Sunni_Boi
Sunni_Boi
12 years ago

Lol 16-110 Age Group. I Hope I Neva Meet Anyone Over The Age Of 60 Online. I Can Bet 100 If They Still Are Gaming At That Age They Will Whip My Ass 16-110 Different Ways.

MyWorstNightmar
MyWorstNightmar
12 years ago

When it was applauded, the issue of needing to purchase memory separately was not known. It's certainly not a deal breaker, but does change value perceptions.

Temjin001
Temjin001
12 years ago

I think they're good for each other. I see them as helping propagate the value of dedicated mobile gaming handhelds.

Excelsior1
Excelsior1
12 years ago

I used to think vice versa since the 3DS kind of slumped right after launch and Nintendo was forced to take aggressive steps to restore confidence in the platform. Now, it's breaking sales records in Japan. Best week ever in Japan at 483,000 units back in DEC. Nintendo just announced they broke another record. 5 million consoles sold in record breaking time in Japan.

I think it's clear the 3DS is success. Vita is too early to call but it's sales have been described as sluggish. The 3DS put up it's second best week ever the same week that the Vita launched and followed it up with the best week ever by any sytstem during the 2nd week of the Vita. Objectively speaking it's tough to imagine any reason the 3DS would be scared based off of sales. That's does not mean market conditions could not change. Sony could take steps to ignite Vita sales.

Ofcourse it does not take a marketing genious to see what ignited 3DS sales. Price cut plus the arrival of system selling games and franchises. The Vita had the bad luck of launching into Monster Hunter on the 3DS as well. Maybe it wasn't luck come to think of it. I can think of no better console selling game Nintendo could have had come out for a the 3DS against a major competitior's hardware launch in Japan. Nintendo probably planned it that way.

TheHighlander
TheHighlander
12 years ago

Just been doing some reading over at the Playstation Blog. Wow, Sony has still got work to do on Vita, nothing big, but now that it's out, questions are flowing.

Highlights;

GPS features only on 3G model and only works if you have an active data link, either 3G or wifi.

Alarm clock application is being worked on.

PS1 compatibility is being worked on.

PSP emulation is not 100%, there is a list of games known to work. Once my Vita arrives I will be able to test some more out…

There were a ton of questions being asked and the moderator there was tagging post after post for follow-up – such as whether video support thru HTML5 will happen.

It seems to me that with the breadth and depth of the questions, Sony has produced one hell of a capable unit, but there are a lot of loose ens. Those loose ends need to be tied down quickly.

sawao_yamanaka
sawao_yamanaka
12 years ago

The games that do for sure work on the vita you can purchase from within the unit. It is a pretty small list actually. I was hoping my
copy of locoroco would work but sadly it wouldn't. They still have a lot to do and the browser isn't as bad as I 1st thought. Yes, it is slow but not 3ds slow. Also I'm hoping they patch ps1 compatibility soon. I have a lot of RPGs I want to get back into plus listening to your own music while playing any game besides PSP is extremely satisfying. 🙂

TheHighlander
TheHighlander
12 years ago

Interesting news….A PS Vita teardown and BoM has been posted.

It looks like Sony might actually make a profit from these things after all…

BoM Estimated at $160 per unit – by techspot. The original ifixit teardown makes no such claim.

http://www.techspot.com/news/47482-playstation-vita-gets-dissected-is-unusually-easy-to-disassemble.html

http://www.ifixit.com/Teardown/PlayStation-Vita-Teardown/7872/1


Last edited by TheHighlander on 2/20/2012 2:02:05 PM

cadpig
cadpig
12 years ago

No, there is room for peaceful coexistence. Each console is marketed to a different type of gamer.
Well, that is how i see it, anyway.

If Sony and their third parties can get quality games into that hands of gamers in a timely fashion. They won't have to fear anyone. Don't forget the J-RPG crowd, They need some loving.

Also, Sony needs to get remote play up and running. They have to understand that the Vita browser needs Flash and Java, installed and running as soon as possible. If they want to compete.


Last edited by cadpig on 2/20/2012 3:54:23 PM

Gamer Girl Gemo
Gamer Girl Gemo
12 years ago

As others have stated, neither. Each can cater to different audiences, which is what's so great about having different competing companies. I honestly think it's great that these two will be out on the shelves in the same time frame. For one, it gives the industry variety and allows those that are new to gaming to be eased into the gaming world without going straight into the hradcore portions. The 3DS is quite an intuitive little device, and allows kids to immerse themselves within that realm of how interactive games can be, even if they're just pressing buttons.

As for the Vita, it caters to a whole new set of people. Those who enjoy their hardcore platformers without having to have wires to hold them down is a great idea. Have that same power and control, but on the go. So, like I said, they're great compliments to one another that just shows this industry can do much more.

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