back to article Sony PlayStation Vita sales crawl

Sony has suffered significantly disappointing sales of its PlayStation Vita since launch, flogging a mere 2.2m units, a third of the number Nintendo's 3DS achieved at the same point in its lifecycle. Although Sony did shift a commendable 1.2m Vita units by February 2012 following the console's European and US release. Yet, the …

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  1. FartingHippo
    Holmes

    Have smartphone; DS gathering dust

    Simple as that, for me at least.

    1. spencer

      Re: Have smartphone; DS gathering dust

      Smartphone (for me) is used to waste time on bus journeys, trains, waiting in a line.

      3DS used as Console at home, holiday, etc

      Xbox/Wii gathering dust.

      1. JeffyPooh
        Pint

        Re: Have smartphone; DS gathering dust

        $200 gaming console gathering dust. Whippity doo dah.

        Qty 50+ ~$40 games for said console gathering dust. +10dB. Hmmm...

        This sort of cognitive bias is endemic. Just sayin'.

    2. Slap

      Re: Have smartphone; DS gathering dust

      I agree totally. When you've got a smartphone running on android or iOS you can pick up some quality games for less than a pint of beer, or at least within pocket money feasibility, which in my mind is the target demographic of these dedicated gaming machines (I used to get a fiver a week when I was a nipper back in the early eighties, I guess kids get a lot more these days).

      The portable gaming machine isn't dead, it's just undergone convergence. Single function devices now have their days well and truly numbered.

    3. LarsG
      Meh

      Re: Have smartphone; DS gathering dust

      Exactly, have smart phone, plenty of games, always with, give to children to keep them quiet when waiting, games fraction of cost. No brainier.

    4. M Gale

      Re: Have smartphone; DS gathering dust

      Have smartphone. Have tablet. Have 3DS.

      Use all of 'em.

      I like physical buttons. Then again, I like making phone calls, and accessing the Internet on the move.

  2. Bill Neal
    FAIL

    marketing?

    Don't bother making more games, just spend more time marketing. That must be the problem! Nobody knows what Vita is, or how great it is, right? It couldn't possibly be because nobody wants to spend that much money on an over-rated shiney.

    1. Spearchucker Jones

      Re: marketing?

      I've bought 5 games I thought would be good. Only two have turned out to be worth playing. Finished them both, and since then the PSV has been sitting on the desk gathering dust. I vote for more (quality) games.

      1. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: marketing?

        Best game on it is Gravity Rush... everything else alternates between rubbish and okay (depending on its quality and your personal preference) seriously needs more quality titles, hell even half decent titles would be good. Where are the FPS games the twin analogue sticks were supposed to be ideal for?

    2. JDX Gold badge

      Re: marketing?

      Marketing IS important, if you follow a nerd's advice that all money should be spent on 'real' stuff you end up going out of business.

      1. This post has been deleted by its author

      2. asdf
        FAIL

        Re: marketing?

        > if you follow the marketing/media side's advice and that all money should be spent on DRM and me too overpriced under performing products you end up going out of business.

        There fixed it for ya. Five years straight in the red and 1/5 the size of its hey day is exactly because the nerds who built the company no longer have any say or have passed on.

    3. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: marketing?

      Nobody knows what Vita is

      Of course they do it's a low calorie healthy alternative to things like bread and crackers

    4. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: marketing?

      Sounds like you are just another cretin that either

      a) hates anything by a non-American company

      b)thinks 69p smartphone games are the same as £30 console games

      c)hates anything by Sony because someone on the internet said to.

      1. Bill Neal
        Unhappy

        Re: marketing? @AC

        Actually if you read older posts, you'd know I'm a PS3 fanatic who can't be bothered to touch anything xbox. I went full Sony when Sega dropped out of the race, but now I have become severely disappointed with Sony. I don't think I'll be buying another console after this generation.

        P.S. I spend more time with the old Dreamcast running linux & the SNES than my PS3.

        1. Anonymous Coward
          Anonymous Coward

          Re: marketing? @AC

          Bill,

          I used to buy every console each generation (certainly from PS1 onwards, before that, I was too young and broke), and I find myself increasingly in agreement with you. My Xbox doesn't really get turned on much these days, and much to my annoyance, I never found a PS3 exclusive that was enough of a "must have" to justify buying the system.

          I am having a lot more fun with games from Steam these days, which are cheaper and more plentiful, and the odd tablet game. Krater on Steam is a current favourite, a really fun indy dungeoncrawler (though this week it has a few CTD issues, though the devs are fixing them right now, and pushing out betas as they do so).

          I do like the odd AAA game, but that tends to be on the PC these days too (hello Skyrim/Borderlands 2 etc.). Oh, and the Steam sales are bloody dangerous :(

    5. Annihilator
      Paris Hilton

      Re: marketing?

      Good to mock, but there's some truth in it - can't say I've seen *any* promotional stuff around the Vita or its games, would have thought a TV ad campaign couldn't have hurt.

  3. spaceyjase
    Alien

    Like

    It's a great system, hardware is good and it feels good to play. Feels like it's missing a Mass Effect-like RPG or something, something ported from the larger consoles down to the Vita (rather than up from a DS, urgh). Games like Gravity Rush, Wipeout and Uncharted go some way to showing how capable the system is and others like Rayman and Disgaea 3 are perfect hand held titles. There's plenty on the PS store although I'd personally like to see a few more Indie-like games, like Limbo and a few other things. I don't know how the quantity of games compares to other systems lifespan; still feels pretty early on in its life. It is just not 'cool' enough, I guess.

    I realise posting probably makes me a bit of fanboy. Oh well. I kind of get 'app fatigue' browsing the various stores, coming across once awesome games only to be ruined by a touch screen.

  4. This post has been deleted by its author

  5. asdf
    FAIL

    LMFAO

    Wow look at the global weekly sales for 11 Aug 2012. Congrats to the Velveeta for selling more units than last generations PSP (lol just barely). Epic fail.

    3DS - 216,666

    Vita - 35,531

    PSP - 34,916

    DS - 29,519

  6. 1Rafayal

    Its a great system

    I am not normally one to bang on about how one particular system is better than another, but the Vita, from what I have seen from it so far is pretty amazing.

    Just look at Uncharted, once you get passed the gimmicky touchscreen and wobble board nonsense, you actually have a very credible and enjoyable game to play. Plus, the display beats the 3DS hands down

    1. This post has been deleted by its author

      1. 1Rafayal

        Re: Its a great system

        are you trying to imply the Dreamcast had no good games?

        I think you need to re-evaluate just who is the stupid one here...

      2. David Webb

        Re: Its a great system

        Sega lost it because they lost the confidence of their fan base who went out and bought the 32X and the Sega CD, both of which got zero support, then Sega say "okay, you bought all that BUT instead buy this!!" and people go "erm, or we can buy the PlayStation instead" which they did.

        Moral of the story? Don't piss off your fan base else your fan base will piss off.

        1. M Gale

          Re: Its a great system

          Mega CD seemed to pick up somewhat after its initial glut of shit "full motion video" 16 colour Simple Simon-esque games. In fact I'd say Core Design almost singlehandedly rescued that console with awesome titles like Soulstar, Battlecorps and a very snazzed-up Thunderhawk. Biggest problem was more that you had to buy two consoles that were very much not cheap. Hyping everyone up with the "Megadrive 2", only for it to turn out to be a smaller, more crappily-made version of the original didn't help either.

          Now the 32X, that was badly supported and died after what seemed like about five game releases. Plus, you had to buy two consoles to use it. Three if you wanted to play the couple of 32X CD games that game out. Seems Sega never learned from the whole "you have to buy two consoles" thing.

          Neither, it seems, are Sony.

          1. 1Rafayal

            Re: Its a great system

            dont forget the Saturn. If memory serves, this was the death toll for Sega. I dont think the Dreamcast was able to pull them back out of pile of shit the Saturn, 32X and Mega CD left them in.

            If Sony are planning to turn the Vita into some type of Wii U controller thing, then this could get interesting. Personally, I dont think there will be a difference between a portable console and a home console in the future (not near future, just generic future).

  7. LinkOfHyrule
    Holmes

    Nitnetndo and Sony...

    Make phones with D-pads, shoulder buttons and analogue sticks...

    And do a cheap one for young kids too, as I don't think you're average 7 year old is going to be signing up to a bloody two year contract just so he can play Pokémon or whatever shit they like these days!

  8. Brian 59

    Slightly of topic

    I've a couple of PSPs but not found a game I play much. I'd like an RPG but which ones. I loved the SNES Zelda, the Elder Scrolls games. Even something akin to Dungeon Siege would do. Any tips guys.

    Back on topic, if , as it states handhelds are in decline, is it that the 3DS has sold more than the PSP and the DS in the same period and they came out 8-10 years ago.

    1. David Webb

      Re: Slightly of topic

      A half decent RPG sorta on the PSP would be the Persona series, it's a dungeon crawler with story aspects and you have to build up your character in the outside world. It's pretty decent and if you're a fan on the anime it's bloody good. Seriously, any game where the major plot point is you have to shoot yourself in the head is weird enough to be worth a look at (Persona 4).

      1. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: Slightly of topic

        That's Persona 3, Persona 4 is the TV one.

        There are lots of JRPGs, my personal favorite is Corpse Party.

  9. David Austin

    Show me the games

    I know the Vita's a lovely piece of kit, but until that "Killer App" Game come out, I don't feel a need to rush out and buy one.

    In that respect the 3DS seems to have done better: Zelda the month after launch, MarioKart by Christmas, and Kid icarus before year one is over.

    Looking at Vita's game selection, the only thing tempting me personally out now is Lumines, and some point next year, Phantasy Star II. For other people, I'd expect sales to pickup later this year with God of war and Assassin's creed III Helping out.

    1. MJI Silver badge

      Re: Show me the games

      Stuff Mario - annoying little plumber - never been a fan, prefered blue hedgehogs but mainly early FPS.

      I'd say Nathan Drake is more of a pull for adults than the above annoying plumber.

      Finances are the restrictor at the moment, otherwith UC:GA would be mine.

      When we get a Vita Killzone Mercenary will be ours too.

  10. MJI Silver badge

    Need to get two then.... arghhhh three

    Boys Christmas presents then they go and announce a Killzone game - sorry I now have to get one for me.

    Games we will be getting

    Uncharted Golden Abbyss

    Resistance Burning Skies

    Wipeout

    LBP

    Gravity Rush

    Escape Plan

    Little Deviants

    Tearaway

    Killzone Mercenary

    Already decided PS4 purchasing depends on Naughty Dog and Guerilla not the hardware division

  11. This post has been deleted by its author

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      @Greg J Preece

      Get over it, as much as some games suck balls on a touch interface, dedicated handheld consoles are going the way of the dinosaur. This was a point that you strenuously avoiding during your rather limp triumphalist Sony fanboi crowing on most 3DS articles- though it seems that the Vita has sold even worse.

      Doesn't matter what you love, what you hate, what you have strangely chosen to invest a chunk of your wrinkled ego backing, anyway- sales are taking a nosedive on these devices. Doesn't matter what you say, what Sony say, what Nintendo's Iwata says.

      I liked little handheld gaming systems, and have owned far too many of them, but have to admit that they are rapidly becoming a historical curio. My Nexus 7 and my iPad 3 are a lot more relevant, even if only certain classes of games are actually fun to play on a bloody touch screen.

      (Very much looking forward to Baldur's Gate for iOS though, I do love a good mobile dungeoncrawler)

      Beyond your silly platform advocacy (which is just crass and a bit annoying), I wish you were right, mind.

      1. This post has been deleted by its author

        1. Anonymous Coward
          Anonymous Coward

          Re: @Greg J Preece

          Oooh, methinks thou doth protest too much, touched a nerve, eh?

          Or as I believe Them Kids say, u mad bro?

          1. This post has been deleted by its author

          2. This post has been deleted by its author

  12. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Rootkit

    They should be bust already.

  13. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Too many too quickly?

    Its not that long ago since the previous PSP slimline was introduced which, despite the 'lack' of the UMD drive, still ticked at a reasonable price. I think its not that remarkable that if you launch such devices with little time in between that the sales won't catch on right away.

    They are handheld devices, sure, but these devices have to be bought full price. Phones otoh. are often picked up with a nice discount thanks to the provider where people get them from.

  14. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Have Vita, Annoyed

    I bought the vita earlier this year, thinking it would be a good investment and had some great launch games. Well now I've completed the launch range and that's it, they haven't released any substantial games since launch! What do they expect when they release a completely unsupported console. There's three or four decent games coming out by the end of the year but even that's appalling. I wonder if the retailer would accept a return simply because Sony can't do a product launch to save their lives. I should've learnt from the PS3 debacle.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Have Vita, Annoyed

      Yup, that and remote play, which was promised.

      I would really like something along the lines off Fallout, GTA and Gran Turismo for the vita, then I'd be happy(er).

      Happy with my PS3, though.

  15. ChrisCabbage

    Echoing above comments - more quality games please! Otherwise, it's a great little system.

  16. D@v3

    my 2 cents.

    I have just borrowed a Game Boy advance off a friend, and brought and old GamBoy colour version on Zelda, and the GBA remake of the (original) SNES version of Zelda off Amazon. If they hadn't removed the ability to play old full size carts from the DS series, i might have actually brought a 3DS,, just to play those 2 games on, and then maybe others, as it is, neither Nintendo, or Sony will be getting any money off me any time soon.

  17. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    For me...

    ...it's backwards compatibility.

    I have, or have had, most all consoles (Dreamcast and NEOGEO excepted) including the current crop of 360, PS3, and Wii along with their previous gen Xbox, PS2, and GC. For the most part, I can play my previous gen games in my current gen consoles, meaning I don't have to have a living room that looks like Dixons. *

    This backwards compatibility is important to me - games are not made fun because of the new generation graphical capabilities, a good game is a good game.

    In the same way as not wanting my living room to look like Dixons, I don't want my backpack to look like I'm about to climb up to Machu Picchu when getting on a flight and although I do have a smartphone with games, I like to take a dedicated handheld console with me too. I hate flying, and the distraction is welcome. I have the DS and PSP of course, so pick and choose, usually it's the PSP as I have bigger hands and prefer the screen and games.

    I want a Vita. I've a fair number of games for the PSP. I don't want to have to keep my PSP in order to be able to play PSP games. But I also don't want to have to buy all those PSP games again as downloads for the Vita. If Sony were to throw me a bone, and offer to trade in for free (postage excluded) up to, say, 20 UMD titles with the purchase of a Vita, I'd buy one straight away, at the current price.

    But as things stand, I'll probably never be buying a Vita, unfortunately.

    * yes, I know this feature was removed from newer PS3s, and that not all Xbox games work right on the 360

  18. Blacklight
    Meh

    Ouch, my wallet, it bleeds!

    The thing costs almost as much as a PS3, which is a bit much just to be able to wander around with it. As above, the average Smartphone lets you game, and does a shade more than just gaming.

    Having got a PSP (ah, UMD), I'm not going to shell out another (effective) PS3 in beer tokens just so I can play the same game at home as well as on the hoof!

  19. 0laf
    Holmes

    Scenario

    Scenario 1

    >Dad can I have a Playstation Vita?

    >How much is it and how much as the games?

    >Um £200 and about £30

    >No

    Scenario 2

    >Dad can I have your old smartphone for games?

    >How much to unlock it to PAYG and how much are the games?

    >About £15 and abut £3 each.

    >Ok

    I'm missing out the in games purchases that make the news and data tariffs but surely that's what is happening in a lot of homes. Kids get bored quickly of games so you'd rather be able to buy 10 for £30 than 1. A £3 duffer isn't that big a deal.

  20. MJI Silver badge

    Company phone

    So what do I play portable games on?

    Lets say 7 days in hospital - PSP saved the day for entertainment, no games on work phone (got satnav though)

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