John-ShepardTypically, Japan loves their handhelds. But according to Sony, US gamers might actually respond better to the new PlayStation Vita.
Why? Well, basically, it hinges on the major launch titles. In speaking to Venture Beat , Sony President of Worldwide Studios Shuhei Yoshida said the initial lineup of Vita games is more geared towards Western tastes. Unsurprisingly, he specifically cited one of the most anticipated launch titles, Uncharted: Golden Abyss .
"Uncharted, it's a great title, one of the big franchises, but it doesn't really work in Japan. SCE Japan marketing is making an effort, so the awareness is going up, but still, Uncharted 3 sold about 200,000 units. It's very small sales compared to Call of Duty…did like 300,000 or 400,000? And that's the biggest-selling game made outside Japan. That's a hard market, when you see something like Monster Hunter selling like 4 million units, just in Japan."
In addition to Uncharted , Yoshida said other titles like FIFA Soccer and the new Call of Duty for Vita should entice plenty of US consumers. As for the current sales total in Japan, the executive echoed previous company statements, saying the half-million-plus haul is "within the range that we've been expecting." That being said, he added that the numbers didn't make them "ecstatic."
Lastly – and this is an interesting point we haven't heard before – Yoshida said the continued popularity of the PSP is actually proving to be a hindrance to Vita sales. Sony says the portable jump is proving to be a "slower transition" than anticipated. Remember, the PSP has come on strong as of late, especially in Japan. If you've been living under a rock, the Vita officially launches in North America and Europe on February 22.
