Support NeoGAF

[Marco1]

What really pissed me off about the vita launch was the 3G and Wifi different models.
I hate buying the lesser model in case I miss out on some important feature further down the road yet I know that because 3G will sell less will probably be phased out soon.
Release one fucking model so that we don't have to feel that the cheaper model will lose out on something we lesser mortals might miss out on later.
I expect Sony to follow the 3DS soon with a wifi only model that includes a 16GB card already fitted.

 

[Byakuya769]

WTF. Vita is DoA, but yeah, if only Vita could go on to sell like that flop PSP that sold 70 million units. How eerie. You two don't even make sense.

This reply is barely coherent.

People used that line of reasoning for why the PSP should have been stomping the DS instead of continually losing shelf space. People are now using that same reasoning for why the vita should be selling at all. Makes a lot of sense.

 

[chickdigger802]

Speaking of which, what are the 'system seller' titles for vita? Uncharted?

 

[Marco1]

Speaking of which, what are the 'system seller' titles for vita? Uncharted?

For me personally it would be gravity rush.
I have no interest in owning a PS3 so I don't want to feel I am missing the uncharted storyline by not playing the rest. I hate fragmenting the franchise between different types of hardware.

 

[Rad-]

Yeah, no. Let's talk again in 4-5 years when we have seen the software lineup.

 

[Y2Kev]

This reply is barely coherent.

People used that line of reasoning for why the PSP should have been stomping the DS instead of continually losing shelf space. People are now using that same reasoning for why the vita should be selling at all. Makes a lot of sense.

Yes, I know, barely coherent.

Here is what Chittagong said and what was quoted:

Vita will be a smash hit once the mainstream sees more of them.

Kusagari then quotes him saying that this is exactly what people said about PSP. The implication is of course that this did not happen.

PSP sold extremely well.

If the same "eerie" argument held true for the Vita, Sony would be ecstatic. I cannot understand the disconnect between "look at what people said about the PSP" and the PSP's actual performance. Did it dominate? No, but Chittagong didn't imply the Vita would either. I am replying to what is actually posted and not what "people" said seven or eight years ago when the PSP was yet to be released.

Hopefully that is coherent for you.

 

[Byakuya769]

Speaking of which, what are the 'system seller' titles for vita? Uncharted?

 

[TheNatural]

When PS2 came out there were shortages and a huge ass demand where you could sell one for several hundred online. With Vita it's launching and retailers are right off doing buy 2 get 1 free deals on launch games. That says it all.

 

[Ken Masters]

I would love for the Vita to be successful which would be mean major dev support for my biggest issue is the price of GAMES

Uncharted $50! Lumines $40! some PSP games are even $40, that is not how you gain popularity in an era of $.99 mobile games


All Vita games should be capped at $34.99 and PSP games at $14.99

 

[TheNatural]

I would love for the Vita to be successful which would be mean major dev support for my biggest issue is the price of GAMES

Uncharted $50! Lumines $40! some PSP games are even $40, that is not how you gain popularity in an era of $.99 mobile games


All Vita games should be capped at $34.99 and PSP games at $14.99

I thought the days of the "premium" release title went out with the N64. Also, puzzle games selling for full MSRP period is pretty antiquated.

 

[Marco1]

Sony must be really pissed off that vita isn't flying off the shelves.
They have ticked every box that people asked for on the PSP.
Although I'm amazed that the quality of the web browser isn't up there and flabberghasted at the price of the games.
Also I still can't believe that they have not nearly full remote play running, they were touting that since PSP.

 

[hertog]

No one will give their kid a psp vita, they'll give them a 3DS with mario kart.

The vita is THE best handheld I've ever seen, but it's for a niche market and it'll be outsold (probably crushed) by parents buying everything with Mario on it

 

[zoukka]

Sony must be really pissed off that vita isn't flying off the shelves.
They have ticked every box that people asked for on the PSP.

By people already owning the psp.

 

[Byakuya769]

If the same "eerie" argument held true for the Vita, Sony would be ecstatic. I cannot understand the disconnect between "look at what people said about the PSP" and the PSP's actual performance. Did it dominate? No, but Chittagong didn't imply the Vita would either. I am replying to what is actually posted and not what "people" said seven or eight years ago when the PSP was yet to be released.

Hopefully that is coherent for you.

You'd be better served by just quoting kusagari's reply in its entirety. It's clear what he did and did not mean.

Vita will be a smash hit once the mainstream sees more of them. It's an absolutely wonderful device, playing games like Wipeout, Super Stardust HD and Uncharted with it is mindblowing, console experience on the go first time ever. It's a completely different market from the quick touch iPhone games.

This is exactly what we heard about PSP. It's eerie how similar they are except for the fact PSP did well off the bat because of the good will Sony had from PS2

Or just read below.

 

[FantasticMrFoxdie]

As much as i'm enjoying the Vita (Its one of the better launches in a long time and the potential for this hardware/software is a very exciting prospect), this statement is a bit ridiculous. I'll just assume this is a joke thread since it hasn't even officially been out a week yet.

Forbes: PS2 to bankrupt Sony

Yikes.

And how about that ending quote:

Microsoft has proclaimed that it has learned from Sony's PlayStation 2 glitches (for one thing, it is going to let outside companies make most of the components); Sony can only hope that its assembly line problems are contagious.

 

[Kusagari]

WTF. Vita is DoA, but yeah, if only Vita could go on to sell like that flop PSP that sold 70 million units. How eerie. You two don't even make sense.

Who considers PSP a flop? Don't put words in peoples mouth. PSP didn't live up to the expectations though, and after it's admittedly good launch in Europe and America, which I think was more thanks to good will towards Sony after PS2 and the fact that it had tons of hype than the general public 'falling in love with the tech', it completely flatlined. It was saved by Japan of course.

Also I said it's eerie how similar the Vita is in ways besides the good launch of the PSP.

Just like PSP, everyone is gushing about how hi-tech it is for a handheld. Just like PSP, it mainly has a bunch of console ports so far and developers are talking about a 'console experience' on a handheld. Just like PSP, Sony is targeting a mainly older audience in America rather than the 'children' Nintendo goes after.

There are a lot of things similar with how the system is being advertised and talked about in regards to the PSP. At least in America.

 

[TheNatural]

As much as i'm enjoying the Vita (Its one of the better launches in a long time and the potential for this hardware a very exciting prospect), this statement is a bit ridiculous. I'll just assume this is a joke thread since it hasn't even officially been out a week yet.



Yikes.

And how about that ending quote:

Interesting. Ironically, maybe it was exactly that, that cost Sony all it's PSX-PS2 era money with the PS3 - opting for expensive in house development of hardware instead of off the shelf type stuff with 360.

 

[Marco1]

If the problem at the moment with remote play is the PS3 architecture then will Sony want it working perfectly with PS4 and show a direction they will be going with PS4 hardware?

 

[frAntic_Frog]

Also I still can't believe that they have not nearly full remote play running, they were touting that since PSP.

with the PSN security fiasco last year, i can see why sony is cautious bout people streaming their vita/ps3/SEN info over unsecured wifi/3G networks

 

[SolidSnakex]

Sony must be really pissed off that vita isn't flying off the shelves.
They have ticked every box that people asked for on the PSP.

The problem is that they forgot to target games that made their previous handheld popular. Not the launch titles, but the titles that will be coming out in the future. The Vita's future lineup is pretty mediocre at the moment. Compare that to the PS2, since that's what the thread is about. The PS2 had two numbered FF titles (X and XI) announced for it before it was released anywhere, and that list grows quite a bit if you throw in games that were announced before its Western release. You have stuff like MGS2, GT3, ICO, SH2, Onimusha etc. Even if you were disappointed in the launch lineup you still knew that the system was going to do well because it had so many quality titles announced for it.

The biggest issue with the Vita is that Sony is treating it like the PS3. With the PS3 they backed off of picking up exclusives in favor of building their first party portfolio. That worked well for the PS3 because we've reached a point with consoles where exclusives are very rare. So the PS3 was going to get nearly every third party game. That's not the case with handhelds. Exclusives are alive and well in that area and Sony is going to take a huge beating unless they open their eyes to that fact. They need to back off of funding some of their first party titles in favor of locking down some exclusives.

Sony's mentality back then was completely different from what it is now. They went out of their way to slaughter the Dreamcast by nailing down every franchise that they thought would be needed to do so. They aren't doing that now.

 

[Marco1]

with the PSN security fiasco last year, i can see why sony is cautious bout people streaming their vita/ps3/SEN info over unsecured wifi/3G networks

Thanks, I can see the point now.
After seeing the quality of the games and video on vita, I don't understand the appeal of remote play, I just wish they never used it as a bullet-point for vita.

 

[Ken Masters]

I thought the days of the "premium" release title went out with the N64. Also, puzzle games selling for full MSRP period is pretty antiquated.

Sony decided it was smart business strategy to bring it back, I love Lumines but no way in hell I'm paying $40 for it, and the digital copy is only a couple $ cheaper which doesn't make it anymore appealing. I also will not touch Uncharted at that $50 price tag, as much I want to play it. I will wait for that retail sale which we all know is coming. I don't spend more then $40 most times on PS3/360 titles and Sony is expecting Vita's to fly off the shelf at these prices for software?

 

[Takao]

Thanks, I can see the point now.
After seeing the quality of the games and video on vita, I don't understand the appeal of remote play, I just wish they never used it as a bullet-point for vita.

Remote Play on Vita right now isn't what Remote Play will be like in the future. Today's Remote Play is the exact same video quality, and compatibility list as it is on PSP. That'll change.

 

[Y2Kev]

Who considers PSP a flop? Don't put words in peoples mouth. PSP didn't live up to the expectations though, and after it's admittedly good launch in Europe and America, which I think was more thanks to good will towards Sony after PS2 and the fact that it had tons of hype than the general public 'falling in love with the tech', it completely flatlined. It was saved by Japan of course.

Also I said it's eerie how similar the Vita is in ways besides the good launch of the PSP.

Just like PSP, everyone is gushing about how hi-tech it is for a handheld. Just like PSP, it mainly has a bunch of console ports so far and developers are talking about a 'console experience' on a handheld. Just like PSP, Sony is targeting a mainly older audience in America rather than the 'children' Nintendo goes after.

There are a lot of things similar with how the system is being advertised and talked about in regards to the PSP. At least in America.

But I'm back to this issue with expectations. I don't think Chittagong's post (again, I am not going to talk about what "people" thought or felt eight years ago) implies he thinks the thing is going to dominate. It will have good "word of mouth" and sell as people experience it. What I responded to (and, as I mentioned above, the disconnect I am seeing) is that saying this didn't happen with PSP is somewhat debatable, especially in the context of the Zune comparison (my understanding is that Zune sold in the...you know, "millions").

I don't think Vita is going to sell all that well. But, like I said, Sony probably wishes the "eerie" comparisons were even more similar. In that regard, I did not understand your comment. But I can't find PSP sales by region by year, so it's not like I can really show you where I disagree in numbers.

 

[Ken Masters]

Remote Play on Vita right now isn't what Remote Play will be like in the future. Today's Remote Play is the exact same video quality, and compatibility list as it is on PSP. That'll change.

I can't get remote play to work on the Vita? if my Vita is connected to wifi, does the PS3 also need to be on wifi to connect? because it's currently connected by wire and I can't get the Vita to connect to it

 

[kuroshiki]

I would love for the Vita to be successful which would be mean major dev support for my biggest issue is the price of GAMES

Uncharted $50! Lumines $40! some PSP games are even $40, that is not how you gain popularity in an era of $.99 mobile games


All Vita games should be capped at $34.99 and PSP games at $14.99

Yeah. I agree. PSP game needs to drop prices, especially on PSN.

but when ZOE comes to Vita, I will gladly pay $39.99.

 

[kuroshiki]

Sony's mentality back then was completely different from what it is now. They went out of their way to slaughter the Dreamcast by nailing down every franchise that they thought would be needed to do so. They aren't doing that now.

This time they are against nintendo and iOS. I'm sure Sony is busy trying to make other publishers make games for vita.

What I don't understand is why Sony doesn't force its own studios to make games for vita.

 

[Curufinwe]

Even though I disagree with the OP's general hypothesis, a few days after the PS2 launched, there was a ton of negativity about it as well. More so than than the Vita I would guess. And a lot of "It has no games" talk.

There was a ton of negativity about the PS2 for a while after its launch. And a lot of that was based around jaggies and how the PS2 didn't seem to be able to do AA properly.

 

[Smokey]

It's like people who proselytized about zunes. "They are so awesome, if only the unwashed masses would see that!"

I have a Zune HD. It is awesome.

Just sayin'

 

[Ken Masters]

This time they are against nintendo and iOS. I'm sure Sony is busy trying to make other publishers make games for vita.

What I don't understand is why Sony doesn't force its own studios to make games for vita.

I'm sure they are, but Naughty Dog rather make PS3 games, and I'm sure that's the case for the other opt Sony studios, that's why we have other devs making Uncharted/Resistance on Vita

 

[Byakuya769]

I have a Zune HD. It is awesome.

Just sayin'

Exactly.

 

[Talwind]

PSP may have sold well enough in the end, but it has been straight dead in the West for the past 2 to 3 years. And PSP's software sales are pretty abysmal overall. I don't think Sony wants to repeat that "success" if they can help it.

 

[ThatObviousUser]

Unlike the ps3 launch, its not overly expensive

Uh...

I like most of all how its size isn't soomething to be kept in your pocket but its a carry on. So it doesn't fall into the trap of trying to take pocket realastate.

Uhhhhh....

 

[H_Prestige]

People knew about the ps2.

 

[Joe Molotov]

Sick burn! That Wario64 fella got told.

 

[Takao]

Uh...

$249 the handheld equivalent of $599 according to Andrex?

PSP, 3DS, and Vita all PS3?

 

[LiquidMetal14]

The PS2 didn't matter until like Devil May Cry, GTA3, and MGS2 came out.

The Vita is awesome at launch.

I agree with this. I mean, of course it's not the PS2 as your comparing the entirety of PS2's life cycle so this comparison is rather pointless. The Vita has a lot going for it right now though and some unique things like the b1 get PS3 version free and vice versa. Lot's of goodwill being created with things like that that people seem to ignore.

Another thing folks forget is how merged the service is getting with PSN access on all their devices. It's not 100% yet but it's improving a lot and the Vita is a good sign of things to come.

 

[ThatObviousUser]

$249 the handheld equivalent of $599 according to Andrex?

PSP, 3DS, and Vita all PS3?

I think the market proved that $250 is untenable for a handheld gaming device.

Sorry if I came off that I compared it with the PS3, I'm more talking on its own.

 

[TheExodu5]

How do you tweet a snapshot?

 

[James Sawyer Ford]

Just like PSP, everyone is gushing about how hi-tech it is for a handheld. Just like PSP, it mainly has a bunch of console ports so far and developers are talking about a 'console experience' on a handheld. Just like PSP, Sony is targeting a mainly older audience in America rather than the 'children' Nintendo goes after.

And the differences stop there.

Part of the reason why PSP ended up being a non-factor over time is because the system couldn't live up to its promise of console experiences on a handheld.

Lack of control inputs and online infrastructure really killed it in an environment where the most successful games require both of these aspects.

So while PSP tried to deliver the console experience, over time it was exposed that it simply could not. That's exactly why I lost interest in the system. Vita, on the other hand, can and then some (with its own unique inputs and better online infrastructure than what consoles have), so in that sense the technology is much more progressive because the experience doesn't have compromises like the PSP did.

 

[Takao]

How do you tweet a snapshot?

You'll need the LiveTweet app for Vita, it's free. When you compose a Tweet using it, you'll be able to post an attached. Click the paperclip, click image, and scroll through your images until you find what you want to Tweet.

I did a mini-tutorial on Youtube. Excuse the horrible camera quality.

 

[DCharlie]

The Vita's future lineup is pretty mediocre at the moment.

#Lumines
<sings>The future of the future will still contain the past....</sings>

Sony have had to play catch up on the 3DS which has a good head start. They've managed to get 3rd parties to help to the tune of , i dunno what are we at now?, 35? or so games - a lot of which are damned good.

It's weird - they're between a rock and a hard place. Stagger the games and get compared to 3DS negatively because "the games aren't there yet" - dump everything at launch and then not everything gets bought in huge numbers because you're diluting the games across the smaller user base.

There's more games than you could possibly eat on the Vita right now - and we're jsut about to walking into MLB The Show, and i guess the west still has Gravity Daze to come.

 

[BassForever]

And the differences stop there.

Part of the reason why PSP ended up being a non-factor over time is because the system couldn't live up to its promise of console experiences on a handheld.

Lack of control inputs and online infrastructure really killed it in an environment where the most successful games require both of these aspects.

So while PSP tried to deliver the console experience, over time it was exposed that it simply could not. That's exactly why I lost interest in the system. Vita, on the other hand, can and then some (with its own unique inputs and better online infrastructure than what consoles have), so in that sense the technology is much more progressive because the experience doesn't have compromises like the PSP did.

I really don't think a second analogue stick and better online infrastructure is going to be the deciding factor to if the Vita is a success/failure. In the end it always comes down to software.

 

[kuroshiki]

I really don't think a second analogue stick and better online infrastructure is going to be the deciding factor to if the Vita is a success/failure. In the end it always comes down to software.

Amen.

and software that utilizes those features will distinguish vita from rest of handheld.

 

[FrenchMovieTheme]

I really don't think a second analogue stick and better online infrastructure is going to be the deciding factor to if the Vita is a success/failure. In the end it always comes down to software.

100% agree. and if you've played even some of the launch games on PSVita you understand how much potential there is in the system. there really isn't anywhere for handheld gaming to go. for all intents and purposes, you have a portable playstation 3. you don't have to dumb down the controls, you don't have to make gigantic compromises in the graphical department, the online infrastructure is already there and so on.

 

[Jburton]

Uh...



Uhhhhh....

Its not overly expensive, when the price was first announced it was praised.

 

[James Sawyer Ford]

I really don't think a second analogue stick and better online infrastructure is going to be the deciding factor to if the Vita is a success/failure. In the end it always comes down to software.

Software is only as good as the hardware allows, and the PSP was severely compromised in this area whereas Vita expands the possibilities available on consoles.

You're right, that Vita will inevitably live or die by its software library, but part of enabling good software is the strength of the hardware that allows such experiences to be available to begin with. PSP was a bit doomed from the start in the west.

So from my perspective, Vita at least has a shot at gaining significant traction by selling software and not necessarily hardware. I'd argue that Vita may very well sell less than the original PSP, but it could go on to do much more business thanks to higher attach rate and a more energized and active userbase.

 

[FrenchMovieTheme]

#Lumines
<sings>The future of the future will still contain the past....</sings>

Sony have had to play catch up on the 3DS which has a good head start. They've managed to get 3rd parties to help to the tune of , i dunno what are we at now?, 35? or so games - a lot of which are damned good.

It's weird - they're between a rock and a hard place. Stagger the games and get compared to 3DS negatively because "the games aren't there yet" - dump everything at launch and then not everything gets bought in huge numbers because you're diluting the games across the smaller user base.

There's more games than you could possibly eat on the Vita right now - and we're jsut about to walking into MLB The Show, and i guess the west still has Gravity Daze to come.

yep, very true. i'm also really excited about sf X tekken. the fact that i'm confident it will basically be the console game in portable form is insane. and if you like fighting games, PSV has the best d-pad of all time for a handheld and definitely one of the best PERIOD. there really is something in every genre either on the system or coming up on the system

 

[mclem]

Some do, although the size and quality of screen can be a barrier to some.

If that's a barrier to them, perhaps they're not as devoted to gaming as they might think?

 

[DidntKnowJack]

The thing I think the Vita has going for it more than anything else, is it's versatility. If there's anything beside a powerful software lineup that could mean it's success, is it's ability to cater to any developer whims. Want to create an inexpensive touch screen game? Check. First person shooter? No problem. Addictive puzzle game? Sure. Console port? Why not.

I just think that aspect of this little black machine is being glossed over. It can do a lot of stuff, and it can do it well. It's just up to developers to take advantage of that. Whether they do or not is still up in the air, of course.