The reason retailers sell consoles/handhelds is really so they can sell the software as well where they make a little more of a profit margin. The problem with the Vita is that Sony has primarily positioned it as an indie game device/digital game device and most of the best games on the system (Luftrausers, Hotline Miami, Terraria, etc), don't even have retail versions out there. Sony has flat out said that they aren't producing any further first party games for the Vita and that development will be left up to indie devs and third parties (and obviously third parties are staying away)...so maybe with this change in strategy/focus for Sony, retailers are realizing there is no way for them to make money off Vita software, so why bother selling the hardware?
This is pure speculation btw...I have no inside sources or anything, but it kind of makes sense that a retailer is not going to sell a system that a manufacturer is actively trying to cut them out of the market of selling software for....if that makes any sense.
Additional fun fact: 64GB memory cards still aren't available, either, which forced me to import one from Asia last week.
Good going, Sony!
It seems even Polygon has picked up this story. Sony blames the shortages on strong demand and that they are working to replenish stock in time for the holidays.
I've noticed the same thing online. I recently was thinking about getting a 3DSXL (traded-in my OG one a while ago) so I started looking online to see if there were some deals and I noticed Walmart offering a $50 gift card with an XL purchase, so I went to my local store and they still had the ALBW bundle, so I got that. Well, I've recently had the same urge for getting a Vita that lead to me getting the XL, but there's nothing on any website, which makes it harder to find out if there's any deals for it as well.
I'm hoping retailers get a little more stock in time for black Friday or something.
It seems even Polygon has picked up this story. Sony blames the shortages on strong demand and that they are working to replenish stock in time for the holidays.
The NPD's for June is going to be a right laugh.Sony produced a very small number of these units. It's sold out everywhere yet last month's NPD only saw it sell about 50k.
Do you think its the Minecraft effect? My nephews heard Vita might have online Minecraft on it.
I was looking online for the borderlands bundle one the other day and amazon, best buy and walmart did not have them
Gamestop.com is currently taking preorders for Vita Borderlands 2 bundles with a case and three months of Plus. Ships 8/8.
http://m.gamestop.com/catalog/product/115399
Do you think its the Minecraft effect? My nephews heard Vita might have online Minecraft on it.
No, it means they never gave a fuck to begin with...If they don't make a Monecraft bundle and don't stock it, then you know they just don't give a fuck anymore...
All I can say is if that's true, where in the world is soaking up all the Vita production. The 2k hasn't launched in mainland Europe yet and we know Japan only sells about 60k a month. Sony must of massively cut back production if they're selling all they can produce.Just talked to a rep with our games distributor. Reportedly, Sony is not making them available to US retailers at the moment. Not the Borderlands 2 bundle, nothing. So it's not that retailers won't stock it. It's that they can't.
Word on the street is that Sony's trying to satisfy strong international demand first. I'm not sure if that's Sony's official excuse or not, as I had a hard time hearing him clearly.
No, it means they never gave a fuck to begin with...
Yes Minecraft Vita has online.Do you think its the Minecraft effect? My nephews heard Vita might have online Minecraft on it.
If they don't make a Minecraft bundle, especially with that sweet White/Lime Green Vita 2000, then it is the single biggest missed opportunity for the Vita ever.If they don't make a Minecraft bundle and don't stock it, then you know they just don't give a fuck anymore...
Vita means life.
I agree. A $200 Minecraft Vita bundle would give a significant surge to sales that could have a lasting effect. Get a Vita with Minecraft into the hands of a kid, and that thing is going to spread like wildfire. However, I feel like the real question at this point if if Sony even cares about selling Vitas anymore.Yes Minecraft Vita has online.
If they don't make a Minecraft bundle, especially with that sweet White/Lime Green Vita 2000, then it is the single biggest missed opportunity for the Vita ever.
I'm not even sure why a Vita 2000 even exists. Sony gave up on the platform long ago. And the recent announcement by the head of Sony Worldwide Studios that the Vita's graphics were dated and that Sony were scaling back game development on the platform was pretty blunt.
It took me a bit of searching around here in northwest Arkansas for one.
I was going back and forth on getting one or waiting for the Playstation TV since I knew there were good Vita games I would like to play. Eventually I reasoned having one would be handy since I could steam games off my PS4 while my son was watching Netflix and I could rack up PS+ games.
Target, Best Buy, and Gamestop locally were cleared out but a Walmart here had 3 or 4 luckily. I went for the Borderlands 2 bundle since Wifi / LED screen was good enough plus I wanted the 8 GB card as a back up.
Keep searching and I am sure one will show up somewhere for you also OP.
http://www.playstationlifestyle.net...se-globally-sony-working-to-replenish-supply/
Believe it or not, friends. Vita is starting to snowball in sales.
Global sales don't mean anything. That could just be in Japan and we already know its popular over there.
Go to a store and check the back shelf behind the PS4 and XB1. It should be there, next to the Wii Us
Sounds like the Borderlands bundle is out of print and Sony is slowly preparing that new adventure bundle. It's already been announced for Europe.
The better be working on a Minecraft bundle.
If they aren't it's the dumbest decision in gaming since buying Tomb Raider as a timed exclusive rather than using that money to pay for the development of an actual exclusive.