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Sony is Under Major Pressure to Cut the Price of the Vita or Risk a Major Failure
- Thread starter Parmenides
- Start date
BruiserBear
Banned
I thought $250 was too much for the 3DS, and I think $250 is too much for the Vita.
The masses are not going to pay that much for a dedicated portable these days. There is still a market for dedicated portables, but not at that price point.
Talking about how much "technology" is in the Vita is irrelevant. As we already know, the average consumer doesn't give a shit how many polygons it can move.
The masses are not going to pay that much for a dedicated portable these days. There is still a market for dedicated portables, but not at that price point.
Talking about how much "technology" is in the Vita is irrelevant. As we already know, the average consumer doesn't give a shit how many polygons it can move.
$250 is already pretty cheap for what the Vita's packing in technology-wise, of course Sony can feel free to lower the price if they want. You won't see me complaining. Smartphones have really made a dent in the portable gaming market though. Of course they still don't have the dedicated/deep games that handhelds have but I can say that since I got my MyTouch4G a few months ago, the DS & PSP have been collecting dust.
OldJadedGamer
Banned
GavinGT said:
It is still being released this year In Japan and $50 more than the PSP was.
elrechazado
Banned
In response to someone arguing that the price should be low...bobbytkc said:
I don't see how it would have been disastrous.Curufinwe said:
I think how they announced it generated great buzz, but I don't think it would have hurt them too bad to leave the price unannounced.
But I do wonder, as they watch the dollar free fall against the yen, if they wish they would have waited.
As for the price, I don't think it's unreasonable. But I do think at $250 you price out a lot of consumers. Even if you're packing incredible technology into the Vita, at $250 the perceived value for a gaming device is too low.
DeaconKnowledge
Member
Speevy said:
If they stick to past conventions, they will.
Like it or not, the IPhone has changed the gaming spectrum, in that what was once a deal (40 dollar portable games and 200 dollar dedicated portable machines) is now prohibitively expensive.
Nintendo learned the hard way that they will suffer if they believe that the 3DS is the same value as the OG DS was in 2004. In lieu of dropping the price of the games, They will need to increase its worth to the consumer, which means taking a huge hit on the kit.
This is where this article comes in for Sony, 250 dollars is just too expensive for a gaming portable in 2011. Despite the tech included, Sony must either come lower on the price, or further differentiate the Vita in a more substantial manner than improved graphics and dual analog control or suffer the consequences.
BruiserBear said:
Word. Just like everyone says: software matters. Yes...yes it does. But also price. $250 is an insane barrier to entry. 3DS couldn't hack it (with FULL backwards compatibility to DS and DSi!). What makes you guys think the VITA will? The hardcore will adopt it no matter what...we are talking the masses here..
Zoramon089
Banned
Kaizer said:
Question. Where they collecting dust before you got your new phone?
elrechazado
Banned
Uhh, what does this have to do with your response, which said and implied that someone was trying to take away your high end devices? I don't think you are reading anything that either you or I have typed...bobbytkc said:
rollingstart
Banned
Somnid said:
People spend a lot of money on most anything. The Nook Color, an lcd e-reader, has had modest success at $250.
Not that I don't think the Vita will be successful or anything.
Psychotext
Member
This is me...bobbytkc said:
...honest.
But yeah, my tablet goes in my pocket. It's an 8" model, not one of the monster sized ones.
DeaconKnowledge
Member
Somnid said:
Phone purchases are heavily subsidized by term contracts, not to mention the average phone acts as much more than just a phone, whereas the DS and PSP, while having other functions, are primarily purchased for one purpose.
ReturnOfTheRAT
Member
They must be thinking hard about it. How low can they go that would guarantee profit and make Nintendo shit their pants even more?
$250 is a steal for the tech.
$250 is a steal for the tech.
Xplatformer
Member
This is more than $229. The Vita can do what it does. So why ain't people cryin' about the price of an iPod Touch?
I currently own an iPod Touch, and i love it, but a Vita will do what my Touch does, with a better screen and better game control.
$250 is not a bad price if the games and apps are there.
I currently own an iPod Touch, and i love it, but a Vita will do what my Touch does, with a better screen and better game control.
$250 is not a bad price if the games and apps are there.
bigtroyjon
Member
Are you drunk or something right now? It's being US centered to think that the worldwide economy is in the shitter right now?bobbytkc said:
flintstryker
Banned
I always said I will not spend $250 for a handheld.
zerodayPopbot
Member
Xplatformer said:
It's Apple. They can get away with anything.
elrechazao said:
Look at this quote:
ThisWreckage said:
Look at my response:
bobbytkc said:
HE said that people worldwide can't find jobs. I corrected him, and just added that where I am, the job market is not a problem and I can still afford to buy high end devices and phones because our job market is not bad. What the fuck is your beef with me?
jetsetfluken said:
It's the same market for me.
I carry my phone, and my keys nothing else. I'd rather play crappy smartphone games for the 5-10 min a day I can/want to than carry/pay for/and bust out a 3ds or vita.
I carry my phone either way for texts/calls/calender/web browsing/gps etc. The 5-10 min a day I want to mobile game are a bonus.
Don't think I'd pay 250 for both handhelds combined.
sk3tch said:
Fyi, the PSP launched @ $250 in the states. It did pretty good (sold around 1.5m in the first four months), and that was against the $150 DS.
1.5m is almost double what the 3DS sold in its first four months in the US. The market has changed since then, though, so the low traction on 3DS could've been due to the price, general lack of interest in handhelds, or a marketing failure on Nintendo's part. Most non-savvy tech folks I know think the 3DS is a DS with 3D tacked on. I guess we'll find out if price was holding back 3DS sales soon enough.
Alex
Member
Vita may be too expensive for it's market. For what it actually is, it's a fine deal, it's powerful, has a sleek design and is ultimately a respectable piece of kit that has it's heart in a place that a lot fans polish, tech and meatier game design can get on board with.
However, I still think dedicated gaming handhelds are still primarily a childrens market in the west and parents are going to look at what is colorful, has a gimmick that sticks out and that is cheaper/familiar. Nintendo flubbed this entirely with the 3DS launch, but I think they're going to learn their lessons quickly and ultimately , while I don't think things will be as polarized, it'll be back to the same type of rut.
PSP is probably always going to be more of a niche here, I think most of us just hope it can maintain enough of a foothold in the west to justify localizations from it's Japanese primary market. Sony would be wise to try and capitalize on the Western indie market, as well though, I think that kind of content would fit in more than trying to pull in the general HD console crowd.
However, I still think dedicated gaming handhelds are still primarily a childrens market in the west and parents are going to look at what is colorful, has a gimmick that sticks out and that is cheaper/familiar. Nintendo flubbed this entirely with the 3DS launch, but I think they're going to learn their lessons quickly and ultimately , while I don't think things will be as polarized, it'll be back to the same type of rut.
PSP is probably always going to be more of a niche here, I think most of us just hope it can maintain enough of a foothold in the west to justify localizations from it's Japanese primary market. Sony would be wise to try and capitalize on the Western indie market, as well though, I think that kind of content would fit in more than trying to pull in the general HD console crowd.
elrechazado
Banned
That you make no sense still?bobbytkc said:
Xplatformer
Member
LuchaShaq said:
I carry a candybar phone for nothing but phone calls.
I'm going to also carry a Vita to do everything else. Text/calendar/web browsing/book reading/gps/gaming etc.
$250 isn't a bad price for all of that.
AranhaHunter
Banned
Xplatformer said:
The Ipod touch starts at 8GBs, the Vita is rumored to not have internal memory. I hope this 'delay' means that we'll have at least 512+128RAM and 16GB-32GB Internal memory for Wifi and 3G models respectively. I think it would be pretty embarrassing for a device to launch in 2012 without any internal memory and have a U$250 MSRP.
BruiserBear said:
Yup. There is a difference between "value" (the amount that something is worth) and PERCEIVED value (the amount someone is willing to pay for an item, or alternately sell it for). Simplest example, you go into a pawn shop with some old figurine that you think is old but you got for $10. You find out it's worth $1500. Similarly, an item may be a family heirloom but in real terms it might be worth only a few dollars.
In THIS case however it's not a question of the tech inside the Vita, it's whether the market generally is willing to PAY for the tech. It seems like a GREAT deal to people that understand technology... But then when has the mass market listened to experts? People will ultimately pay what they're willing to pay for a console and I do not think Vita is going to have sustainable, competitive sales for long at $250. It will get some adopters among the hardcore as always happens for any system but it's CERTAINLY not going to close the gap with the 3DS at that price now.
SirIgbyCeaser
Banned
Failure is a risk the playstation brand doesn't shy away from.
Everyone thought the psp was going to fail after the success of the DS,
but it held its own.
The PS3 launch was a failure, but hey that system too has its own good reasons for existing.
This bloomberg critic is kinda just a stocks troll. Trying to get attention at the 3ds price drop, and discredit to the sony stock.
Everyone thought the psp was going to fail after the success of the DS,
but it held its own.
The PS3 launch was a failure, but hey that system too has its own good reasons for existing.
This bloomberg critic is kinda just a stocks troll. Trying to get attention at the 3ds price drop, and discredit to the sony stock.
HomerSimpson-Man
Member
Psychotext said:This is me...
...honest.
But yeah, my tablet goes in my pocket. It's an 8" model, not one of the monster sized ones.
That's one fine looking you.
If its marketed correctly and has innovative games with the right appeal the vita could end up being the convergence device Sony hopes it will be. Looking at its feature set the vita is equally equipped to be a strong social gaming device as it is a core gaming device. I think the vita will find a niche market as is and everything else is up in the air.
we.are.the.armada
Member
PSVita doesn't have anything to worry about at $249 with all of the features it has. Now, I'm no expert, but I feel that PSVita needs to embrace apps rather than try to make apps bend to their will (Minis) if they want to succeed. They also need strong third party support that fits well with their demographics: Monster Hunters, shooters, etc. I have a feeling that the mod community is going to be pretty hot on the PSVita as well.
OldJadedGamer
Banned
theBishop said:
Way too much stock is being put into this game on a portable.
HomerSimpson-Man
Member
we.are.the.armada said:
PS2 emulator, OMG!
Yeah, yeah, I know the PS2 is just way too complex and out there to properly emulate on this thing, but I can dream can't I?
Unless Sony snuck in a PS2 chip, maybe.
Biff
Member
Sony's problem is that people in general are tech-stupid.
We unfortunately represent ~10% of the gaming industry. Maybe 20% of other gamers have a level of knowledge high enough to realize the insane bargain the Vita is when compared to a $700 iPhone.
The remaining 70% just look at price and don't care/can't understand the difference between a 3DS and a Vita. Most people get iPhones on contract anyway, so a $150 iPhone vs $170 3DS vs $250 Vita... You see where I'm going.
We unfortunately represent ~10% of the gaming industry. Maybe 20% of other gamers have a level of knowledge high enough to realize the insane bargain the Vita is when compared to a $700 iPhone.
The remaining 70% just look at price and don't care/can't understand the difference between a 3DS and a Vita. Most people get iPhones on contract anyway, so a $150 iPhone vs $170 3DS vs $250 Vita... You see where I'm going.
Demon Lizardman
Banned
It sounds like great price to me. If they lower it, that will be even better and will greater increase the sales they'll have during launch (Not unless there launch sucks). Did they announce anything about PS2 downloadable games, I don't remember.
Chuck Norris
Banned
$250 is not expensive
ChefRamsay said:
People don't need to be tech smart. We're talking about ram and processors now because game media is currently lacking. All people need to know are games. Wii missed out on so many PS3/360 games because the hardware is lacking. Nobody needs to compare 360's GPU with Wii's GPU to know that Wii can't play GTA4.