Support NeoGAF

[DiscoJer]

Again, the PSP launched at around $200 the first day it hit retail shelves.

Only in the sense that $250 is around $200. In NA and Europe it launched only as part of a $250 "Value" pack.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PlayStation_Portable_launch

The PSP was released on March 24, 2005 in North America (the United States and Canada). The only package on sale is the Value Pack, identical to the Japanese release save for the inclusion of a UMD of preview videos and a cleaning cloth for $249.99 USD (€200 or $299.99 CAD).

Yes, it launched in Japan at $200, but they also had the value pack, so a lot of launch sales were at $250, too.

 

[strata8]

Well 249 euros over the europe.

And 249 euros are like 170 dollars. -.-

In both Australia and Europe it's ~USD$340 for the base model.

€249 = USD$340
AUD$339 = €249 = USD$340

 

[Randomizer]

Since Sony are presumably selling Vita with quite a substantial loss per unit, $250 is a great price for such powerful hardware, we are lucky it isn't $350. Besides this is it's launch price after the first year it will probably drop to $200.

 

[antonz]

Since Sony are presumably selling Vita with quite a substantial loss per unit, $250 is a great price for such powerful hardware, we are lucky it isn't $350. Besides this is it's launch price after the first year it will probably drop to $200.

There is nothing to suggest they are selling at a loss. If anything they just realized from the 3DS that they could not make the kind of margin they would have liked

 

[Goodacre0081]

250 ain't a thing for true ballers!

yup, true ballers who also ride the bus

 

[Kuran]

Joke thread?

 

[Massa]

Someone quoted an Amazon link higher. There are plenty in retail stores that I see. Are you not in the U.S., perhaps?

I have friends in the US (for E3) and they claim they couldn't find it. Seems like Gamestop is not selling it anymore (perhaps to sell used systems instead)? Oh well, I'll tell them to look for it in other places.

Thanks.

 

[Trent Strong]

Size matters, but in the electronics world it's reversed.

 

[Randomizer]

There is nothing to suggest they are selling at a loss. If anything they just realized from the 3DS that they could not make the kind of margin they would have liked

If that's true then those companies selling smart phones with specs not even half as good for similar prices have alot of nerve lol.

 

[xbhaskarx]

You can play games like hangman and tic-tac-toe on a .2 cent piece of paper so I'm going to have to say the PSV is way too expensive.

 

[Rhindle]

Since Sony are presumably selling Vita with quite a substantial loss per unit, $250 is a great price for such powerful hardware, we are lucky it isn't $350. Besides this is it's launch price after the first year it will probably drop to $200.

The questions isn't whether it's good value or not. The PS3 was good value at $599.

The question is whether there are enough people these days who want to drop that kind of money on a dedicated handheld game system.

 

[antonz]

If that's true then those companies selling smart phones with specs not even half as good for similar prices have alot of nerve lol.

Oh the Phone companies make a fortune off the phones. I think if average joe knew how much their 500 dollar phone is actually worth in materials theyd stop buying them

 

[Karma]

Price is good. The size of the thing might hurt it.

 

[ROBOKITTYZILLA]

Price is good. The size of the thing might hurt it.

Have the product dimensions been released yet? It didn't look that big to me... Ono pulled it out of his pocket.

 

[kuroshiki]

The questions isn't whether it's good value or not. The PS3 was good value at $599.

The question is whether there are enough people these days who want to drop that kind of money on a dedicated handheld game system.

True enough. And based on all the tech forums, this price is HOT.

 

[antonz]

Have the product dimensions been released yet? It didn't look that big to me... Ono pulled it out of his pocket.

Its like 7.1" wide 3.2" tall and .7" thick

 

[Terak]

b-b-but what about games?

 

[Nemesis121]

Gaming is an expensive hobby today OP, do like me buy shit on sale or be a pirate and buy them used...

 

[Jarmel]

Lol at OP.


Fire Sale baby, Fire Sale.

 

[Fou-Lu]

Mario Kart 3DS will prove a $250 handheld can sell out worldwide.

 

[Lynn616]

Have the product dimensions been released yet? It didn't look that big to me... Ono pulled it out of his pocket.

Looks huge to me but I dont think that will hurt it.

edit:

I see this as Sony`s tablet. Not been following Vita but I think I heard that it was going to have an App store. Is that right?

 

[ROBOKITTYZILLA]

Its like 7.1" wide 3.2" tall and .7" thick

That doesn't sound too bad. Slightly bigger than an Xbox 360 controller and smaller than my iPad in both portrait and landscape (width).

 

[Barack Lesnar]

In a world where people are paying double that for tablets, smart phones, digital cameras, and other tech gadgets, 250 bucks for the Vita is a bargain, especially considering the awesome tech and features it provides. That sounded like PR, didn't it? lol it's true tho

 

[Xal-Shoota]

When it looks like jesus, like the Vita, I think it's pretty solid. I assumed it would be 350$ with all the shit they crammed in there, but looking at it now, I might actually get one sooner than I planned...

 

[Randomizer]

The questions isn't whether it's good value or not. The PS3 was good value at $599.

The question is whether there are enough people these days who want to drop that kind of money on a dedicated handheld game system.

Well in that case no, I don't see the typical consumer being happy to fork out $250 for a handheld plus $50-60 per game. This was shown already with the lackluster sales of the 3DS.

I personally would, actually I have done so already lol, as I paid over $400 for my 3DS and games. Lots of members of GAF would happily pay it, but as we are game enthusiasts it is expected from us but in regards to the general public the answer is probably no.

 

[outunderthestars]

Well in that case no, I don't see the typical consumer being happy to fork out $250 for a handheld plus $50-60 per game. This was shown already with the lackluster sales of the 3DS.

I don't think you can claim that the 3ds's slow sales can be blamed entirely on price when the launch software has been horrible.

 

[Randomizer]

In a world where people are paying double that for tablets, smart phones, digital cameras, and other tech gadgets, 250 bucks for the Vita is a bargain, especially considering the awesome tech and features it provides. That sounded like PR, didn't it? lol it's true tho

My sentiments exactly! The PSVita technogolically outclasses almost every mobile/handheld device out there and those with similar specs are twice the price.

I don't think you can claim that the 3ds's slow sales can be blamed entirely on price when the launch software has been horrible.

I wasn't saying that the price was fully reponsible for the slow sales but a major issue. I agree the 3DS launch software was not that great but the average consumer would be more put off by the price as they gernerally would be unaware of quality of the games.

 

[wenis]

The Vita....and only the Vita is a portable I would even say could be worth $250 (I was willing to pay at most $350 for the beast, but not be happy about it) just from the sheer amount of features and tech pushing things it has.

If people at this point are complaining at the $250 price point, don't fucking buy it. Leaves more for us that want one and can afford it's really cheap price (for what you're getting the price isn't asking for a whole lot and you can even see from the titles shown it's going to be capable of great things from launch and onward).

 

[OldJadedGamer]

Yes, it launched in Japan at $200, but they also had the value pack, so a lot of launch sales were at $250, too.

It launched in Japan first, and it launched at $200. Spin it any way you want but on the very first day the PSP was on shelves, you could get it for under $200 (with then exchange rates).

Where the PSP launched for the cheapest price is where the system has been the most popular.

 

[DR2K]

Not the the 3DS, parents will not buy their child a $250 toy. Nintendo has already made sure to scare off the core gamer with its pathetic infrastructure of an online system, and poor software, with mediocre controls. PSP doesn't really rely on this type of audience, so they can sell their toys to big boys(and girls) with no problem. Plus it's easily a better value no matter how you slice it.

 

[outunderthestars]

Not the the 3DS, parents will not buy their child a $250 toy. Nintendo has already made sure to scare off the core gamer with its pathetic infrastructure of an online system, and poor software, with mediocre controls. PSP doesn't really rely on this type of audience, so they can sell their toys to big boys(and girls) with no problem. Plus it's easily a better value no matter how you slice it.

I see children with iphones and ipads all the damn time.

 

[Alexios]

Nintendo has already made sure to scare off the core gamer with its pathetic infrastructure of an online system, and poor software, with mediocre controls.

Hi, I'm Core Gamer. Imo, you make me sound like a prejudiced, ignorant fanboy. Please, only speak for yourself, not for me or my friends as a way to reinforce your own opinion.

Anyway, I mostly care about the pricing of the games (though I'm not gonna buy either system at that price). 3DS kept the DS pricing so I think it can do pretty damn good, once it gets some big hitters. I do think they should sell their casual games and certain other titles for much less than that, like $25 or so, to help their install base grow and stay active. They'll also hopefully make their store really prominent and easy to use, with loads and loads of cheap - yet quality - $5-$10 games. I hope Vita doesn't abruptly end the dream of its surprisingly sensible pricing with some $60 games to match the PS3 versions. That would just suck and cheap Minis wouldn't be nearly enough to save it.

 

[CoffeeJanitor]

The mass market price is $200.

You don't have to start at the mass market price. You can start at a price that will get people to buy it, then drop to mass market price.

Agreed. Early adopters will always be there.

 

[kuroshiki]

Mario Kart 3DS will prove a $250 handheld can sell out worldwide.

Dude. We get it. You love Nintendo and Mario Cart. You don't have to spam your love in every Vita thread.

 

[JGS]

Yes, it can be truly successful, but no it van't be owned by me at this price.

3DS will be sub-200 by the time of Vita's launch and I may look into getting it. Vita looks impressive though.

EDIT: What I don't get is 40 portable games.

 

[(._.)]

We will see

 

[Fou-Lu]

Dude. We get it. You love Nintendo and Mario Cart. You don't have to spam your love in every Vita thread.

Since when was this a Vita thread?

 

[NotGameboy]

Am I the only person that thinks this price point is way too high for a portable regardless of features and graphical muscle?

I'm willing to bet the biggest factor hurting the 3DS is its price, I imagine the same handheld at DS1 price ($150 at launch right?) would sell like gangbusters.

Even the PSP's sales were very limited when it first launched at $250.

It's just TOO DAMN MUCH for a portable. Hell just this week the Xbox 360 250gb system was $199 at Futureshop. Handhelds need to be $150 or less at launch. Period.

Wrong.

 

[RurouniZel]

Dude. We get it. You love Nintendo and Mario Cart. You don't have to spam your love in every Vita thread.

Well, it's just an observation, but Mario Kart always seems to move systems, no matter the platform. It moved SNESes, N64s, GBAs, GCs, DSes, and Wiis. It stands to reason that Mario Kart will also move 3DSes. Just based on prior history anyway.

 

[Nome]

Honestly $250 is a fucking steal, especially if you're a PC gamer. I just dropped $40 on a Razer Onza to mess around with, and am considering dropping another $120 for a good top-notch mechanical keyboard. I wasn't very impressed with the Sony conference overall, but $250 is a megaton bomb as far as hardware goes. My girlfriend just bought a new iPhone 4 for $200, and honestly in this day and age you have to compare mobile phone prices to handhelds. Vita seems like it's going to blow everything else out of the water.

Damn good time to be a gamer.

 

[iamblades]

The issue is not entirely the cost of the unit.

It is a combination of the cost of the unit and the development costs.

psp sold enough units to be successful, it just had high dev costs(for a handheld) and shitty software sales, due to piracy, console ports, whatever.

The 3ds likewise is selling enough to be a success(just not a DS level success), and the PSV should as well.

But will it be enough to make developing software for them worthwhile given the increasing dev costs?

If devs can't make money, they don't make games, and your console dies an early death like PSP did(in the states at least).

 

[outunderthestars]

Honestly $250 is a fucking steal, especially if you're a PC gamer. I just dropped $40 on a Razer Onza to mess around with, and am considering dropping another $120 for a good top-notch mechanical keyboard. I wasn't very impressed with the Sony conference overall, but $250 is a megaton bomb as far as hardware goes. My girlfriend just bought a new iPhone 4 for $200, and honestly in this day and age you have to compare mobile phone prices to handhelds. Vita seems like it's going to blow everything else out of the water.

Damn good time to be a gamer.

technically she paid $900 or so for it as she signed a contract to pay $30 a month or so for a data plan for the next two years

 

[Nome]

technically she paid $900 or so for it as she signed a contract to pay $30 a month or so for a data plan for the next two years

Pretty much. I told her it was a ripoff too

 

[RurouniZel]

The issue is not entirely the cost of the unit.

It is a combination of the cost of the unit and the development costs.

psp sold enough units to be successful, it just had high dev costs(for a handheld) and shitty software sales, due to piracy, console ports, whatever.

The 3ds likewise is selling enough to be a success(just not a DS level success), and the PSV should as well.

But will it be enough to make developing software for them worthwhile given the increasing dev costs?

If devs can't make money, they don't make games, and your console dies an early death like PSP did(in the states at least).

You make a good point, but a point that is moreso true of the West than Japan. In Japan moving big-name software on these handhelds will not be tough. ^_^ But yes, rising costs do hurt in the long run.

 

[NeededSleep]

I would of said no its not worth it. But i still have the original psp 1000, and i play it still and i have never had anything break on it. Ive had the same luck with Nintendo portable devices as well. Ive had a lot better luck on quality of portable gaming devices than i have on consoles.
I was ready to hit the preorder button for the 3DS until i saw the launch line up. Until there are games i want to play i usually hold off.
So i would say yes it is worth the 250 for me. The quality, durability, entertainment and portability of are well worth the price.

 

[outunderthestars]

Pretty much. I told her it was a ripoff too

it's not really a ripoff as having wireless data access is really nice, it's just important to remember that you are paying a subsidized price for a smartphone, not the real price.

 

[Nome]

it's not really a ripoff as having wireless data access is really nice, it's just important to remember that you are paying a subsidized price for a smartphone, not the real price.

It is a ripoff when she never uses it, LOL. But yeah, my point was that the Vita is a hell of a deal for such a piece of tech. Perfect way to recapture the handheld market from tablets and mobile IMO.

 

[VALIS]

No, but it's not the price. No handheld is going to be that successful in an emerging era when everyone has a smartphone and there are 900,000 cheap/free games for it.

Just like GAF on average didn't see the success of the Kinect coming last year, it somehow doesn't see this 18-wheeler barreling down the highway, either, and this one is a lot easier to spot.

 

[coldvein]

I will say $250 is not the big issue here.

If the games are $60, it is done regardless of the hardware price.

agree with that. i'm not spending $60 on a handheld game. (i can see a couple of possible exceptions, but as the standard price tag? screw that).

 

[Lord Error]

I think it's pretty cheap TBH. Portable electronics of any kind nowadays are much more expensive. I wouldn't be surprised if Sony is barely breaking even on this, or losing some money even. I compare it with other electronics because this does after all have a touch screen that combined with a decent web browser will make it useful for all kinds of things a regular tablet could be used for, on top of its gaming functionality.

No, but it's not the price. No handheld is going to be that successful in an emerging era when everyone has a smartphone and there are 900,000 cheap/free games for it.

Just like GAF on average didn't see the success of the Kinect coming last year, it somehow doesn't see this 18-wheeler barreling down the highway, either, and this one is a lot easier to spot.

No, pretty much everyone sees that, including people who made this handheld. They talked about it extensively in interviews that they have tried their best to make something that won't directly compete with smartphone, but rather supplement it.