PS Vita

[The Kid]

I don't even know how to rebut this. You're not making any sense.

You're saying that even though the Vita is being offered at a generous price considering the specifications of the hardware, it isn't worth $250 because of its poor software library. Cool beans, I can see where you're coming from with that. You're also saying that the solution to this problem is to lower the price of the hardware even further. ... Wha-?

A generous price for the hardware included, maybe. But a handheld isn't worth anything to the customer unless there are games on it to play. It doesn't matter how much the components themselves are worth as much as it does that the customers consider the handheld worth the price. Right now, people don't generally consider it worth the price as evidenced by the sales.

But lowering the price, even at a loss to Sony, will increase sales for the time being. After the 3DS dropped its price the sales surged over 200 percent even with lack of quality games. Even lowering the price to $200 would cause a pretty decent increase in sales. The Vita does need games, but that doesn't seem like it is going to happen anytime soon. So the second best solution seems like a price drop.

I'm not saying it is the best solution, but it is loads better than what Sony is doing now.

Edited August 22, 2012 by Mr. H/The Kid

[Marcello]

Getting more games would be a good start.

Tearaway looks like a fantastic game, but I'm not sure it would sell the console to people other than Media Molecule fans. ACIII:Liberations, Fifa and CoD:Blops: Declassified have the potential to generate sales but not on the order of 12M right away (though I could be proven wrong, the market is extremely volatile.

None of those are going to move enough consoles to make a difference. COD is a watered down entry to the series with worse multiplayer, so no one will buy this over BLOPS 2. Most people will buy Fifa on consoles instead of buying a new console for it, because like COD it's draw is multiplayer. And AC Liberation is releasing the same day as it's big brother, which people will choose over it.

I meant when it was as old as the Vita. Around this point in its lifespan, the 3DS didn't really have anything apart from some updated ports, IIRC. The selection was pretty poor on that front.

I have a 3DS, and I'm satisfied with the state of it now, but seriously, to say that Sony needs to step up their game and learn from Nintendo is just silly. They both dropped the ball pretty badly.

At this point (9 months in) 3DS already had 3D Land, though, which made a big difference.

[Thigolf]

But lowering the price, even at a loss to Sony, will increase sales for the time being. After the 3DS dropped its price the sales surged over 200 percent even with lack of quality games. Even lowering the price to $200 would cause a pretty decent increase in sales. The Vita does need games, but that doesn't seem like it is going to happen anytime soon. So the second best solution seems like a price drop.

I'm not saying it is the best solution, but it is loads better than what Sony is doing now.

I don't think that's a solution at all. When the price of the 3DS dropped, E3 was over and revealed that we'd get great titles like Super Mario 3D Land, Kid Icarus Uprising or Mario Kart 7 soon, plus stuff like Animal Crossing, Luigi's Mansion 2 and Paper Mario coming sometime as well, while the Vita still doesn't have a lot of games announced that would make people want the console badly. Tearaway looks good, LBP Vita is fun too... but that's about it, no huge blockbuster titles. I bought my 3DS right after the price drop because I knew there would be so many awesome games coming up for it, and I know a lot of people did the same because of the excellent line up, but if Sony would drop the price, I don't know if many people would do the same. Also, Nintendo could drop the price so heavily because they knew they will get a lot of money back in by making games with Mario, Zelda etc. because those games sell like crazy, while Sony doesn't have big brands (like, really big ones like Mario) that make a lot of money and make their loss a lot smaller.

Edited August 22, 2012 by Thigolf

[Scar]

A generous price for the hardware included, maybe. But a handheld isn't worth anything to the customer unless there are games on it to play. It doesn't matter how much the components themselves are worth as much as it does that the customers consider the handheld worth the price. Right now, people don't generally consider it worth the price as evidenced by the sales.

That's right so the best thing Sony can do is wait for better software to be ready for release.

Cutting the price now, when there is no software does nothing but shoot Sony in the foot, and make shareholders really angry.

But lowering the price, even at a loss to Sony, will increase sales for the time being. After the 3DS dropped its price the sales surged over 200 percent even with lack of quality games. Even lowering the price to $200 would cause a pretty decent increase in sales. The Vita does need games, but that doesn't seem like it is going to happen anytime soon. So the second best solution seems like a price drop.

What makes you certain the same will work for a Vita? Back when the 3DS came out it had no competition. To the uninformed, there was no alternative handheld to buy other than the 3DS, so yes, people would go out and buy it when the price dropped. The PSV however, has got competition, healthy competition from the 3DS. If the price drops to $200, why not just get a 3DS because its even cheaper and has more games. even if it drops to a frankly ludicrous $170, people will still think 3DS, because it costs the same and has much more software. The situation is far more complex than you think.

I'm not saying it is the best solution, but it is loads better than what Sony is doing now.

No it isn't. Like I said, things aren't as simple as just dropping the price, especially when there is well-established competition in the midst. Sony pretty much just have to wait for their best software to be released and then market the shit out of it and hope it actually works.

[The Kid]

I'm not saying the end-all solution is dropping the price. What I am saying is that Sony has no software this fall that'll sell the Vita, and barely anything in the foreseeable future to sell the console. If Sony had a couple Triple A titles that would sell a Console coming out this fall or even early next year, I'd be singing a different tune. But they don't.

Despite having barely any software for their handheld Nintendo managed to get a big surge in sales by dropping the price on the 3DS. Sure some titles were announced at E3, but no games were given a definite release date (heck we still haven't seen release dates for a few of them announced last year). People love cheaper hardware. There are loads of people just waiting for the price to drop before they buy the Vita.

You seem to think that waiting for software will magically solve all of Sony's problems. But by the time they actually get software, developers (and even consumers) could have given up on it. I'm pleading for Sony to do anything besides playing the waiting game.

What makes you certain the same will work for a Vita? Back when the 3DS came out it had no competition. To the uninformed, there was no alternative handheld to buy other than the 3DS, so yes, people would go out and buy it when the price dropped. The PSV however, has got competition, healthy competition from the 3DS. If the price drops to $200, why not just get a 3DS because its even cheaper and has more games. even if it drops to a frankly ludicrous $170, people will still think 3DS, because it costs the same and has much more software. The situation is far more complex than you think

There is always competition, even with last generation handhelds. But it doesn't really seem at this point like Sony is trying to compete with the Vita. To a big chunk of the uninformed masses the 3DS seemed like what the DSi was to the DS. The uninformed don't know the difference between the 3DS and DS. That's why they're uninformed. I don't know who would think that the 3DS was the only handheld available at the time.

We could sit around and argue this for days. The point is that Sony needs to do something soon, otherwise it could hurt them in the long run.

Edited August 22, 2012 by Mr. H/The Kid

[Scar]

If price is really that much of an issue, then Sony's best option is bundles.

Cheap hardware and no games is pretty useless. So instead of cutting the price so damn early, they can give out 16-32GB Memory Cards and a game or two with the Wi-Fi Vita for $270. The AC:Liberations bundle and the CoD bundle are all good ideas, because it affords a discounted price over when bought seperately, and it gives the new owner of the Vita to actually play. Throw in some extra's like WipEout 2048 or another game in the bundle and you've got something decent.

Its not the same as a pricecut, but it allows customers to get more for slightly less. I for one, always buy consoles as a bundle, because it just works out better that way.

[Kuzu]

I'm going to have to go with the crowd who says the price is good, the Vita has a ton of shit on it, and honestly it's way too early for a price drop, and even then there aren't any games that would warrant people buying the damn thing. There are like maybe two or three games that I want, and two of them are on the PS3.

[Marcello]

What with how horribly the Vita is selling, I don't think it is too early. It alone won't sell the Vita, but it will help,

[Scar]

What with how horribly the Vita is selling, I don't think it is too early. It alone won't sell the Vita, but it will help,

The problem is, once you've cut the price, you can't bring it back up (without receiving much hatred from everyone). If said price cut makes no appreciable difference, then all they will have acheived, is devaluing their product.

[LunarEdge]

There shall be a day... when a company releases a new console/handheld... and it will have a decent library of games upon release to warrant an immediate buy... one day.

[The Kid]

If price is really that much of an issue, then Sony's best option is bundles.

Cheap hardware and no games is pretty useless. So instead of cutting the price so damn early, they can give out 16-32GB Memory Cards and a game or two with the Wi-Fi Vita for $270. The AC:Liberations bundle and the CoD bundle are all good ideas, because it affords a discounted price over when bought seperately, and it gives the new owner of the Vita to actually play. Throw in some extra's like WipEout 2048 or another game in the bundle and you've got something decent.

Its not the same as a pricecut, but it allows customers to get more for slightly less. I for one, always buy consoles as a bundle, because it just works out better that way.

[Milo]

Speaking of Vita's sales, I think another factor of why the Vita is sellign poorly is how it's marketed. I mean look at this European Vita launch ad, which was revealed shortly before it's launch:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6E_Cli63CSQ

This ad looks like an advertisement for lip gloss than a portable gamining system. It's doesn't help that you could literally blink and miss the entire thing.

Edited August 24, 2012 by ModernHentaiQuillFan

[Carbo]

Sony's advertising campaigns have

so no big surprise.

Miku is releasing next week in Japan so that might spike the sales numbers a bit similar to how P4G did. The question is whether or not it's going to last since the P4G spike deterred so quickly it didn't matter at all. The last we heard of any precise Vita sales was at beginning of August before Sony decided to put a lid on the sales numbers and combine them with PSP sales just to look good, so we're not going to know exact numbers outside of Japan where trackers run independently.

We'll only really know exact numbers once Sony does something worth bragging about again.

[Scar]

The only ads I've seen for the Vita are on the sides of football pitches in various matches.

That or "Channel 'X' movies, sponsored by Playstation Vita - the world in your hands"

[Komodin]

Maybe I haven't been paying too much attention, but other than some Taco Bell promo from a few months back, I haven't really seen any ads for the VIta.

[Scar]

http://kotaku.com/5935263/ps-vita-is-finally-getting-ps1-compatibility-and-possibly-some-new-security-holes

Not sure if this has been mentioned before, but pretty cool news I suppose. Should have been there from the start, but better late than never.

[Marcello]

Me either. I don't watch much TV, but I still see a lot of 3DS commercials, even for third-party games like Kingdom Hearts. But I don't think I've ever seen a Vita ad. Sony needs to do something about.

Apparently the commercials are there, though. I guess I'm just unlucky.

BTW, can you download all PSP games on the Vita? If not, is there a list of titles already available to download?

Edited August 24, 2012 by MarcelloF

[Scar]

Me either. I don't watch much TV, but I still see a lot of 3DS commercials, even for third-party games like Kingdom Hearts. But I don't think I've ever seen a Vita ad. Sony needs to do something about.

Apparently the commercials are there, though. I guess I'm just unlucky.

BTW, can you download all PSP games on the Vita? If not, is there a list of titles already available to download?

I think there is a list of PSP games available for download somewhere.

I remember reading about it online back when the Vita launched in Feb.

[Marcello]

I think there is a list of PSP games available for download somewhere.

I remember reading about it online back when the Vita launched in Feb.

I assume it's been updated since then, though, right?

[Silencer226]

I assume it's been updated since then, though, right?

No, Valkyria Chronicles 2 still isn't compatible with it as well as several other worth it games. Part of my reason for getting the Vita was to have one handheld with access to it's predecessor's content alongside it's own but noooooo.

Edited August 24, 2012 by Noel Vermillion

[Marcello]

They haven't added any PSP games since February? What the heck..

Are the GTAs, MG-Solids and -Acids on it?

[Silencer226]

They haven't added any PSP games since February? What the heck..

Are the GTAs, MG-Solids and -Acids on it?

There are currently no GTA's or Metal Gear PSP games for the Vita. It's reminding me of when the 360 botched it backwards compatability through emulation.

[Komodin]

Hm, is Dissidia Duodecim available for download for the Vita?

[Silencer226]

Hm, is Dissidia Duodecim available for download for the Vita?

Meh, here's the list, the only one that pops up when I do a search. I do see a 2 entries for Duodecim, not sure if it's the same you're talking about though.

http://blog.us.plays...les-to-ps-vita/

Sony's ad campaigns are pure garbage, if they want to get the market they want they need to go at them headfirst.

Edited August 24, 2012 by Noel Vermillion

[Marcello]

Wow, how can they not have GTA and MGS on it. I thought for sure they'd want to put those up. Hope they come soon. It'd definitely make the Vita a bit more interesting for me.