But it's not more suitable for kids, and any kid who wants a tablet isn't going to accept being fobbed off with a Vita as an acceptable substitute. If Sony market the Vita as more suitable iPad replacement for children then I think they'll be doing that on the basis of a lie, and an expensive one at that, and I think people will see straight through it.
It's not cheaper to buy a Vita for gaming over an iPad mini. Not even close. I have about 20 games installed on my iPad and the commulative cost is less than the price of one Vita game. And the 16 gigs I have to store them on didn't cost me a penny extra either.
I ignored your point about the 3DS because I didn't feel it was relevant. Nintendo sold 1.25m of them in the US in December? Good numbers, sure. The 3DS is starting to do well on its own strengths. Now, I wonder how many tablets were sold in the US during that same month? Even if you want to break it down to absolute specifics, I wonder how many of those sold tablets currently have games installed on them?
As I said it's more suitable for kids since it's smaller, easier and cheaper. If a kid wants a tablet, they get a tablet. The point is Sony should be making those kids want a Vita and making the parents want to get one for their kids. Base price of a Vita is cheaper than an iPad, cheaper than an iPad mini. Advertising all the hidden costs is not how you sell a product. I can tell you would be terrible at marketing.
1.25 million 3DS sales is not relevant? Lol! Sony execs would be popping the champagne if they had those sales.
Damn. I should check what my local WM stores have.The two Walmarts in my area have both cleared out their Vita sections. They also have almost all of the accessories on clearance. I asked about it at one store, and the clerk said that she had never seen a single console or Vita game be sold while she was working.
I said the 3DS sales were irrelevant to the point about kids not accepting a Vita as a substitute for a tablet, not that they were irrelevant full stop.
I completley disagree with your assessment that the Vita is "cheaper" than an iPad mini. I'm a parent. If my kid asks me for an iPad mini or a Vita at this or any other point in time, I buy them an iPad mini. Why? Because the value proposition of an iPad mini at £269 with games at free/69p/£1.99 or whatever is so, so much higher than a Vita at £199 with £30 for a decent sized memory card and £30-£40 per game before you even get started, with subsequent games at £30-£40 each in future. As a value proposition, they're not even compareable. As a parent, my kid would get so, so much bang for their buck (and get to play many, many more games) with an iPad mini than they would with a Vita.
And in the case of a Nexus 7, the base price is cheaper anyway.
Whether you advertise those costs at a marketing level is irrelevant, they exist and consumers are thankfully smart enough to know they exist nowadays.
At the end of the day, your scenario about the Vita being a suitable alternative to a tablet has no bearing in the real world. Absolutely nobody (or at least, irrelevant numbers of people) is rushing out to buy Vita's so their kids can play with them instead of tablets, hence the Vita's absolutely atrocious sales worldwide week in and week out, from month to month, ever since it was launched. Meanwhile, tablet sales soar. Your point has absolutely no validation or justification in the real world, I'm afraid. Absolutely none.
You can't dismiss the sales of the 3DS though since it's also an alternative to a tablet in the marketplace ie. spend the money on a tablet or a 3DS. It's also a worse value proposition than a tablet just like Vita. 1.25 million sales in the US alone says people are rushing out to buy something for their kids to play. It is what kids want or what their parents think they want. The difference is 3DS is marketed to kids, unlike the Vita which is marketed to manchildren.
I know parents are not rushing out to buy Vita's so their kids can play with them, I never said they were. That's the problem, innit.
Woa someone change the sales projections. Anecdotal evidence.
I know theres a more recent one of the second somewhere but I could not find.
I'm not even sure if this will be controversial, but frankly the 3DS has some gorgeous looking games. Artistically the Vita is let down in this department imo.
I just don't see the 'Vita is the most amazing piece of hardware ever' thing.
Its just sort of 'there' and to me its been wholly unimpressive.
You can't dismiss the sales of the 3DS though since it's also an alternative to a tablet in the marketplace ie. spend the money on a tablet or a 3DS. It's also a worse value proposition than a tablet just like Vita. 1.25 million sales in the US alone says people are rushing out to buy something for their kids to play. It is what kids want or what their parents think they want. The difference is 3DS is marketed to kids, unlike the Vita which is marketed to manchildren.
I know parents are not rushing out to buy Vita's so their kids can play with them, I never said they were. That's the problem, innit.
No sympathy since Sony has no one to blame but themselves.
Even with the GC, Nintendo didn't just give up.
They still a least tried to push the thing.
I know the dynamics are different here, but you don't release a product and then practically forget it exists. What did they expect?
No sympathy since Sony has no one to blame but themselves.
Even with the GC, Nintendo didn't just give up.
They still a least tried to push the thing.
I know the dynamics are different here, but you don't release a product and then practically forget it exists. What did they expect?
No sympathy since Sony has no one to blame but themselves.
Even with the GC, Nintendo didn't just give up.
They still a least tried to push the thing.
I know the dynamics are different here, but you don't release a product and then practically forget it exists. What did they expect?
It was very different when they first showed the machine, remember everyone saying damn this machine is going to be $400 etc then they priced it and people thought it was great value. Its a shame how it turned out its a great bit of kit.
Uh can I ask where did you see that Sony gave up?
They didn't do that though. Unless you're one of those people who say they didn't support it when they released like 10 first party games and helped fund COD and AC's creation while advertising the hell out of them too. They did everything they could short of forcing people at gunpoint to buy it.
When we didn't see shit in Sony's E3 2012 conference.Uh can I ask where did you see that Sony gave up?
When we didn't see shit in Sony's E3 2012 conference.
It was very different when they first showed the machine, remember everyone saying damn this machine is going to be $400 etc then they priced it and people thought it was great value. Its a shame how it turned out its a great bit of kit.
I saw plenty at E3.
Incoming goalpost moving comment "well...they didn't release anything that I care about!"
Cod and liberation are not exactly good games
Me too. Now, what about Sony's Conference?I saw plenty at E3.
That matters how exactly? When was the last time casuals supported a good game?
WOW guys what's wrong Vita has P4G it should be selling a lot.
fuck this.
Sony should be advertising the Vita as a kids first multimedia device; games, camera, music, movies and web browsing. Smaller, easier and cheaper than iPad.
Cod and liberation are not exactly good games
WOW guys what's wrong Vita has P4G it should be selling a lot.
fuck this.
That matters how exactly? When was the last time casuals supported a good game?
Could you make a colorblind friendly version?
Don't be naive. Marketing and word of mouth are far more influential than reviews.You think Far Cry 3 sold really well based on the marketing?
It sold well because it got some of the most phenomenal reviews we've seen for a while; everyone was excited and surprised whilst other games around it did mediocre.
You think Far Cry 3 sold really well based on the marketing?
It sold well because it got some of the most phenomenal reviews we've seen for a while; everyone was excited and surprised whilst other games around it did mediocre.
People need to get past this stupid assumption of 'who' the casual gamer is.
Could you make a colorblind friendly version?
Don't be naive. Marketing and word of mouth are far more influential than reviews.
Like I said, when's the last time they supported a good game? I *know* they buy bad games, you don't have to prove it to me.
I don't even see demo Vita units in the Best Buys around me. Same with GS. The demo cradles are empty.
They're not the same thing. The perceived value of what a game "journalist" says and people in a circle of friends are no equivalent to the average Joe.[/quote]Reviews were part of word of mouth, unless you don't think reviews are word of mouth?
I don't know how well Ubisoft marketed FC3, but if it was a highly calculated marketing blitz like the AC games I wouldn't be surprised.grimshawish said:Marketing was decent, e.g. once the game appeared good the marketing helped suck in even more people but its hardly had huge exposure.
3 shelves for Vita is surprising in my opinion. Would have thought it would be less.From the Monster Hunter thread... a store in Japan:
http://i.imgur.com/QfDWtMpl.jpg[/IMG] [IMG]http://i.imgur.com/Xbb3vENl.jpg
3DS games -> 7+ shelves
Vita games -> 3 shelves