PLAYSTATION VITA - February 22

[Viper]

Only 83,000 under 3DS, not too bad.

That's Vita's launch week and 2nd week sales being 82,000 below the 3DS for the same date, not for the 3DS first 2 weeks.

I need more time to model a trend but at current, it's not going to live up to the PSP itself.

hell maybe even a port of the Wii Monster Hunter game.

Capcom already did that for the 3DS. Monster Hunter 3G. And with Monster Hunter 4 for 3DS already under development, not sure what Capcom will do Monster Hunter wise for Vita just yet.

[masteratt]

My bad, I read the article wrong. Weird paragraph placement there confused me, thought they were talking about the other numbers, not the same time frame.

And yeh, now it looks bad lol. Oh well, in time. As for software, I'm with AC!D, many people are getting games from PSN. Japan loves that stuff and VITA supports and prices PSN games better than ever.

[Viper]

Definitely poorly worded. I wouldn't have noticed the problem myself if I hadn't already known the sales numbers.

[AC!D]

Capcom already did that for the 3DS. Monster Hunter 3G. And with Monster Hunter 4 for 3DS already under development, not sure what Capcom will do Monster Hunter wise for Vita just yet.

Still though from a Japanese perspective that is a piss poor lineup. Someone could have released something else surely. We get our big Final Fantasy like game in the west with Uncharted at Launch and then also a Socom game with Unit 13. Add to that Resistance burning Skies in the launch window and a new team Siren game with Gravity Rush which amazingly missed the Japanese launch. Then you also have a follow up to arguably one of the best PSN games released this gen in Superstardust Delta and you can see why games arent flying off the shelves in Japan. Compared with the western launch its poor but like i said its just early days and i dont think any portable from Sony or Nintendo will fail in Japan ever.

Once all the popular franchises come out in Japan VITA will be big.

[Viper]

AC!D, we've seen a major shift the past generation from Japanese development to western development. I think the launch lineup simply parallels that shift. You are correct that the Japanese line up was lacking but I've noticed that launch line ups in Japan for the past several consoles and portables has been lacking.

No doubt it will get better. But I do have to wonder how many developers (especially Japanese) have held off from portable work to start focusing on the upcoming home consoles.

[AC!D]

No doubt it will get better. But I do have to wonder how many developers (especially Japanese) have held off from portable work to start focusing on the upcoming home consoles.

Honestly im not thinking many. Wii U is going to get a lot of ports early on which is the sucky part to releasing a console with almost similar power ( Relax i know it will be more powerful than PS3/360 but not enough to justify creating a game as a solo exclusive on Wii U when they can cash cow it on PS3, Xbox 360 and Wii U ) to the PS3 and 360. I doubt many Japanese developers except the big boys are working on Wii U exclusive stuff. Hell technically VITA games and Wii U games coud be ported to one another. As for PS4 and nextbox i think it will be even harder next gen for Japanese developers to get their games out. I have been defending them this entire gen but even i now see how badly as an industry the Japanese have fallen behind. Their games have fallen way behind in their goofy storytelling and gameplay design has just become way too formulaic.

[BahnNZ]

There's system sellers for the western market out on launch and on the way, COD is going to shift some serious units. Japanese market I don't know.

How well did the original PSP do in it's first week?

[Viper]

releasing a console with almost similar power ( Relax i know it will be more powerful than PS3/360 but not enough to justify creating a game as a solo exclusive on Wii U when they can cash cow it on PS3, Xbox 360 and Wii U ) to the PS3 and 360.

I agree with your part in parenthesis but according ot the most recent info from Nintendo, the Wii U is now going to be a very expensive console and they'd done several revisions. Apparently it's going to be a much more powerful console than initially suspected by the media. But I do agree that a lot of early work will likely be ports simply because they can. We see that a lot with the first new generation home console.

How well did the original PSP do in it's first week?

168k week 1 and 83k week 2.

So Vita did a better launch week (much better actually) but fell slightly in week 2. And we know it's not a shipment problem as 500,000 were initially shipped with a further 200,000 believed to be ready to go (or already shipped depending on the source).


Software at PSP launch did a good deal better though it's hard to compare given the digital sales of Vita software not being tracked.

[Segitz]

Well... digital sales aren't tracked. And PSP didn't have a store up until recently. This sure to skew the numbers a FAIR bit. Especially when digital sales supposedly are cheaper than retail games (Adriasang posted as much some time ago). I wouldn't buy retail either if the store has all games available at a good price.

[OmniStalgic]

I don't think I'm going to own one SINGLE PHYSICAL copy of a Vita game in fact...It's gonna be an interesting console. I just hope I can store all my games on PS3 HDD and then transfer. PSP allows it though and should be standard with Vita.

Sony has definitely done well with the hardware, but now it's time for them to fight for 3rd party support. Still no big Japanese title announcement is troubling. Why is Nintendo announcing 2-3 MH games and Sony nothing? I want to See Monster Hunter HD cross play between PS3-Vita, a brand new MH game made specifically for Vita with touch-based controls, and some Level 5, Tri-Ace support NOW SONY! They really need to spend the marketing money and establish the user base now, you can sit back and let people try out the system and experiment after 15-20 million units. Right now, Vita should be MADE AWESOME, you gotta market the crap outta it for consumers and devs.

[Segitz]

After having renewed my interest in RPGs a fair bit over the past years (which I lost somehow), because of Atlus (Persona is great), I might get fairly interested in Vita... and since it's going to release just a bit before my graduation and birthday... it might make for a nice gift^^

[BahnNZ]

Hhhmmm... An obvious use for Vita is to catch up on some of the PSP RPGs I've missed, but I go look at the PSN PSP Store and Crisis Core is nowhere to be found. Bleeding Squeenix.

You can get that Tactics Ogre though.

[SadPanda]

I'd take one of the PSP vita's sitting in Japan ... for whatever it's worth

[BahnNZ]

So what's you guys predictions on the race this time around? It does seem eerily like the initial reveal of PSP and DS all over again right?

Yeah, I'm with everyone else on this. 3DS will outsell Vita, but Vita will outsell PSP. Vita just has a lot more going for it than PSP. Dedicated Portable gaming devices are more the bag of the younger crowd and Nintendo have them by the pubes... If they had any.

But certainly round my house Vita will rule my bathroom.

[Gribble-Grunger]

i see that Cnet is predicting that the Vita 'or whatever it's called' will be a huge flop and that handheld gaming will die in 2012. they even go as far as to say that the Vita might not even launch in America.

CNET: "Playstation Vita Won't Even Launch In North America"

http://www.cnet.com/8301-19709_1-573...-show-podcast/

the American media were all over the Vita when it was first shown and now it's trying to destroy it before it launches.

[OmniStalgic]

Those idiots are just talking about what's going to be the next "IN" thing. They fail to even mention how big the gaming movement in Japan is for portables or how the PSP was supported mostly by gamers. Will this crowd suddenly buy Ipads and Ipod Touches and ignore Monster Hunter, Dragon Quest, Mario Kart and Zelda?

Idiots...

Oh, and Nintendo tried with the 3DS they talk like it failed? After the price-cut the sales have been exceptional, and here's a thought KIDS DON'T CARE ABOUT IPHONES & IPADS, they want a 3DS because it's a 3DS and they like Nintendo's software.

Why even post rubbish like that? It's just off on so many different levels. It's casual gadget talk for the consumers that don't really care but want to stay informed on what's the latest and greatest.

[Segitz]

The problem isn't that kids would get an Iphone over a dedicated gaming console for gaming, but that their budget is limited. And a versatile device like the IPhone etc. simply have the upper hand in winning this battle.

[AC!D]

After seeing the American numbers for PS3, 360 and Wii i dont know what to think anymore. I mean i dont know what Sony could do to make PS3 more appealing and if thats happening to PS3 being a third choice console in the Sates then what possible chance does VITA have there? Consumer mentality was way more predictable ten years ago in this industry but now its like everytime MS, Nintendo or Sony throw their chips on the table its a complete gamble. Sticking to the basics just doesnt cut it anymore, high quality tech backfires with high production cost and the tech that differentiates which we like to call the gimmick either completely flops or makes you millions. Who would be wanting to make these business decisions in the gaming industry these days? Not me!

[Segitz]

Actually... as time goes on, I think the "almighty US" will matter a lot less, when BRICS and whatever emerges, as well as the rest of asia. I mean, I am not saying the US will drop dead in sales, just compared to worldwide stuff, it will not be as prominent.

[Crazybone126]

Unpredictable/Unstable economy=Unpredictable/Unstable consumption.

Couple that in with Sony's usually expensive prices.....