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Could Vita still be alive today if it launched with a game as successful as BotW?
- Thread starter ZombiePlatypus
- Start date
Id argue that bamco backed the vita moreso than the 3ds. Things like God Eater, the Digimon games, plenty of one piece, tales, sao titles etc
DeathoftheEndless
Crashing this plane... with no survivors!
I'm not saying anything about the quality of the games since I haven't played them. I follow gaming pretty closely and I have no idea what 3 of those 6 games are.
Lord of Ostia
Member
You are kind of comparing apples to oranges there, Zelda is a very popular franchise and BoTW is an exciting take on that long-running franchise. The Vita's launch lineup was a slew of well made spinoffs of console titles and unique indie games. Vita had more variety in its launch lineup, but clearly none of the titles it did have were system sellers like Zelda (Uncharted GA did well though).
nycgamer4ever
Member
Bro it's a fact Vita had a better launch lineup. One game doesn't not change that fact. I have a Switch and the only game that i have is Zelda. When I bought my vita at launch I bough it with 6 games. Played a bit of Zelda but keep going back to Horizon Which imo is a more fun game to play.
Lord of Ostia
Member
You don't know about them because the Vita was practically abandoned by Sony by the time most of them released. They received very little advertising.
Alternatively, I bought both games at launch and haven't touched Horizon since Zelda came out.
Opinions. I would take Zelda, Bomberman and Shovel Knight over the Vita launch line-up.
Kilau
Gold Member
I made no declaration, I simply said I wondered if it would have mattered at all.
honestly
Steve Youngblood
Member
Principate
Saint Titanfall
How is that a fact. It's quite the opposite really, consumers IE us determine how good a launch line up is by by the system and the games because of said line up. The fact that Zelda outsold the switch and drove up it's demanded massively. That definitively proves it was a better launch lineup. Ask the average person which line up they thought was better and more likely than not they'd go for the switch as it sold much better. The switch was more expensive than the vita at launch Zelda did the vast majority of the heavy lifting.
Regardless strong software drives hardware, either that or promise of strong software combined with appealing enough hardware. vita didn't really have either.
Lord of Ostia
Member
If you compare unit sales of both systems to amount of games released on them by Bamco, they overwhelmingly preferred Vita. The system got a lot of original releases from Bamco, whereas most of their support on 3DS is licensed anime titles (which Vita also got). Not surprising given Bamcos business model and the types of games they make though.
Steve Youngblood
Member
And I wonder if the Wii U would have done better if it was called the Wii 2 or the Ultra Nintendo. [fakespoilertag]It wouldn't have[/fakespoilertag]
I own both of them as well. Yet, I picked up my Vita when P4G came out because I simply did not care about the launch lineup. A system seller like Zelda helps. It clearly got you, myself and about 900k people in the US to jump in. Heck the attach rate based on NPD is greater than 100%.
ThatStupidLion
Member
software was fine initially for vita, it's problems were marketing and price (mainly memory card)
AnotherDayAnotherDollar
Banned
I think if MH3/4 or whatever it was at that time, had launched with Vita, it would have sold 20M+. Given that I think it sold 10M+ today, I can say it would have doubled its sales, but it would have still failed as a product.
CamHostage
Member
Pretty simply IMO: Switch is succeeding because it is a Nintendo platform, and Vita struggled/failed because it is a Sony platform.
Nintendo has good means of converting its audience from consoles to portables and back (and the Switch being the only Nintendo console available helped set the table,) while Sony could have put the greatest of great software on it and still not pushed hardcore Sony fans onto it.
PSP hit in this sweet spot before mobile washed portable game machines out (even Nintendo has struggled with 3DS) and when Japan was desperately looking for somewhere to put its efforts that didn't compete with the globally dominating GTA/CoD/AC brands as its industry faltered in the generation gap, but by the time Vita came around, there was little of that room left and it failed spectacularly very early on. Sony supported it for a time (on the 1st and 3rd Party front, and seems to still be having some success with 3rd Party relations and middleware support,) but the whole platform was a non-starter no matter what games were on it. And, in typical Sony fashion, it did not have the best-of-the-best games anyway since they were putting their best efforts into making PS4 succeed, so us portable gamers found things to like, but the hardcore who had shunned PSP and wanted nothing to do with portable gaming no way no how saw Vita as further justification for their philosophy.
Sony also has lots and lots of awesome games/franchises but simply doesn't have any brand that has universal loyalty anyway. (The fact that Nintendo has both Mario and Zelda is miraculous, and has saved the company in its darkest hours a few times.) I just can't imagine any game on any of its platforms being such a rapture for Sony as BotW has been for Nintendo, much less a handheld Sony platform. Even the best brands in Sony's roster (1st and 3rd) are part of a quilt that the fans come together and spread out under.
Nintendo has good means of converting its audience from consoles to portables and back (and the Switch being the only Nintendo console available helped set the table,) while Sony could have put the greatest of great software on it and still not pushed hardcore Sony fans onto it.
PSP hit in this sweet spot before mobile washed portable game machines out (even Nintendo has struggled with 3DS) and when Japan was desperately looking for somewhere to put its efforts that didn't compete with the globally dominating GTA/CoD/AC brands as its industry faltered in the generation gap, but by the time Vita came around, there was little of that room left and it failed spectacularly very early on. Sony supported it for a time (on the 1st and 3rd Party front, and seems to still be having some success with 3rd Party relations and middleware support,) but the whole platform was a non-starter no matter what games were on it. And, in typical Sony fashion, it did not have the best-of-the-best games anyway since they were putting their best efforts into making PS4 succeed, so us portable gamers found things to like, but the hardcore who had shunned PSP and wanted nothing to do with portable gaming no way no how saw Vita as further justification for their philosophy.
Sony also has lots and lots of awesome games/franchises but simply doesn't have any brand that has universal loyalty anyway. (The fact that Nintendo has both Mario and Zelda is miraculous, and has saved the company in its darkest hours a few times.) I just can't imagine any game on any of its platforms being such a rapture for Sony as BotW has been for Nintendo, much less a handheld Sony platform. Even the best brands in Sony's roster (1st and 3rd) are part of a quilt that the fans come together and spread out under.
Ninja Scooter
Member
I don't think you understand what a fact is.
Lord of Ostia
Member
Basically this. Sony let the system die.
nycgamer4ever
Member
Originally Posted by Robert at Zeboyd Games
They also released Tearaway, LBP, Killzone: Mercs, Soul Sacrifice, Freedom Wars, and Oreshika to name a few of the more noteworthy Sony produced Vita games.
I am not quite sure what you are trying to say. That those games are bad?
Tearaway was fantastic, LBP on Vita imo was the best one, Killzone Merc is the best fps on a handheld and the best Killzone behind Killzone 2 on console, soul sacrifice is a really good macabre take on the monster hunter genre. Not to mention Unit 13, which gets no love and uncharted and Gravity Rush. There are plenty of games to play on it. Unfortunately the Vita has performed well for Playstation but to say there are no games on it is not true.
They also released Tearaway, LBP, Killzone: Mercs, Soul Sacrifice, Freedom Wars, and Oreshika to name a few of the more noteworthy Sony produced Vita games.
I am not quite sure what you are trying to say. That those games are bad?
Tearaway was fantastic, LBP on Vita imo was the best one, Killzone Merc is the best fps on a handheld and the best Killzone behind Killzone 2 on console, soul sacrifice is a really good macabre take on the monster hunter genre. Not to mention Unit 13, which gets no love and uncharted and Gravity Rush. There are plenty of games to play on it. Unfortunately the Vita has performed well for Playstation but to say there are no games on it is not true.
th4tguy
Member
I don't think anyone could have saved the Vita. I'm happy with the position it found though. I've got a ton of games I love for it.
What the switch has shown me, is that Sony may not be out of the handheld market. I truly hope we see Sony and maybe even MS do a switch type system.
What the switch has shown me, is that Sony may not be out of the handheld market. I truly hope we see Sony and maybe even MS do a switch type system.
Jakartalado
Member
Bought a new Vita yesterday.
Bought one day one, sold after 2 years. Saw a massive amazing backlog at my PS Plus and bought a new one.
Sadly not the color that I wanted. But, I'm so FUCKING happy. While Mario Kart doesn't show up at stores in Brazil, I'll be having a good time with my Vita
Bought one day one, sold after 2 years. Saw a massive amazing backlog at my PS Plus and bought a new one.
Sadly not the color that I wanted. But, I'm so FUCKING happy. While Mario Kart doesn't show up at stores in Brazil, I'll be having a good time with my Vita
Kilau
Gold Member
Wii U was still a horrible name that did the system no favors.
Without Memory Cards, it wouldn't have been what it was, or $350-$400. But if you need to subsidize a device like that, it's not worth making/releasing, because it won't be successful.
It depends. Would it have been able to follow up this "hypothetically as good as BotW game" with IPs on the level of Mario Kart, Smash Bros, Splatoon, all made by the premier teams for those franchises rather than outsourced?
Because it obviously wouldn't have, and that was the problem. The A teams were making bigger, better games in the Vita franchises on PS3 and then PS4. There was no real reason to buy a Vita for those series unless you were constantly on the go. Switch doesn't suffer from that. It's Nintendo's main machine and will get multiple massive mainline games. Which is why it got a game on the level of BotW in the first place.
Because it obviously wouldn't have, and that was the problem. The A teams were making bigger, better games in the Vita franchises on PS3 and then PS4. There was no real reason to buy a Vita for those series unless you were constantly on the go. Switch doesn't suffer from that. It's Nintendo's main machine and will get multiple massive mainline games. Which is why it got a game on the level of BotW in the first place.
This is key. Nintendo built 3DS specifically as a counter to PSP horning in on Japanese handheld 3rd-party development, games like MGS3D to counter Peace Walker, the Monster Hunter moneyhat to basically kill off the Freedom series (although Tri's surprising success on Wii helped make the argument that Capcom should go exclusive), and Sony 1st party, outside of Japan Studio, was never interested in putting their best foot forward on handhelds.
Gravity Rush was a very good attempt by Sony, though.
nycgamer4ever
Member
Why don't you explain it to me then cause I have a switch and besides Zelda there aren't anything on it besides games I could get on other platforms cheaper. Now I'm not saying games won't come as it's a Nintendo Console but as far as launch lineup goes Switch's is pretty bare. Not to mention the UI and store.
Raylan Targaryen
Member
No, because no one cares about Sony handhelds including Sony themselves
That hurts. Can't you contact the hotel? If they have your things, they'll certainly ship them to you.
Lord of Ostia
Member
Sony had pretty good support for the PSP.
Robert at Zeboyd Games
Banned
People say that Sony didn't support the Vita with good games, but if Sony had released all of its Vita games on the 3DS, they would have been considered one of the best 3rd party publishers on the system. They released great stuff, it's just that nobody comes close to matching Nintendo when it comes to portable support.
Steve Youngblood
Member
There's nothing to explain. One fantastic game can make for a more monumental launch than 10 good games depending on what you're looking for. There's no good argument to be had here.
Ninja Scooter
Member
Which launch lineup is better comes down entirely to personal opinion. It's not "factual" either way. If someone likes Zelda better than anything that launched on Vita (and considering the critical reception Zelda has received, that doesn't seem too outlandish) then it's perfectly fair for them to think Switch had a better launch lineup, even on the strength of one game. Considering the Vita sold like dog shit from day 1 while the Switch had been a success thus far, I would argue that more people probably feel this way.
nycgamer4ever
Member
Honestly I bought it cause I was ready to get a new Nintendo Console as I skipped the WiiU and had only the 3ds XL. Bought Zelda and play only a couple of hours. I prefer Horizon Zero Dawn.
Sure, but that's a problem when you are directly competing with them in a contracting market.
I think the Vita would be alive today with a game as successful as BotW, but I don't think that was ever even a possibility. I don't think Sony has access to a brand as far reaching as Zelda.
It was certainly possible for them to make a game that reaches the quality of BotW but that doesn't always translate to sales.
Vita's done pretty well in terms of longevity, considering the focus for Sony has been far more on the PS3/PS4 rather than their portable device. We're still getting a lot of games for it. I can imagine that a big head start like the one Zelda has given the switch would have been the boost to make the Vita 'mainstream' and would have likely lead to far more resources being poured into Vita.
It was certainly possible for them to make a game that reaches the quality of BotW but that doesn't always translate to sales.
Vita's done pretty well in terms of longevity, considering the focus for Sony has been far more on the PS3/PS4 rather than their portable device. We're still getting a lot of games for it. I can imagine that a big head start like the one Zelda has given the switch would have been the boost to make the Vita 'mainstream' and would have likely lead to far more resources being poured into Vita.
lol. okay dude.
We really can't say. Vita had a great lineup when it launched but II don't think that would have saved it.
nycgamer4ever
Member
A launch lineup is a LINEUP yet all you are talking about is Zelda. One game does not make a launch lineup. It seems you are the one not understanding.
Now if you tell me that Vita didn't have a system seller like Switch has with Zelda then I'll agree.
DecoReturns
Member
Even if it had Zelda. The vita had a lot of other things going against it.
James Scott
Banned
Sony needed to invest a lot of money to showcase what the Vita could do. With Vita sales being as poor as they were and 3DS getting PSP's money maker coupled with PS4 doing really well meant Sony had very little reason to invest in the system.
It would need Sony to be able to create system selling franchises at a low level spec at a consistent basis which is what 3DS needed and got.
It would need Sony to be able to create system selling franchises at a low level spec at a consistent basis which is what 3DS needed and got.
Ninja Scooter
Member
The Switch launch lineup wasn't just one game. Zelda was just so good that for most people it propelled that launch above something else with more quantity. Not sure what is so hard to understand here.
You are having a hard time coming to grips with the fact that your personal tastes aren't echoed by the masses. Just accept it rather than trying to find reasons to explain it.
TheGamingBox
Banned
good joke
My god, get off your high horse. 1 game can be more attractive to people than 100. If a launch lineup of just Zelda is more attractive than Vita's lineup or vice versa, so be it, there's nothing objective about that.
Better worded then mine.