Support NeoGAF

[ZoddGutts]

Wonder which was doing better sales wise, Dreamcast or Vita Worldwide.

 

[Ryoku]

I guess not, what did they ship end of March?

1.8 million.

 

[Dead Prince]

good luck sony lol

 

[Mushroomer25]

I still insist the only way Sony can get out of this situation with only a moderate amount of egg on their face, is to make PS Vita the official controller for the PS4. It allows them to directly compete with Nintendo, clear any excess stock, and sell the console with added features. "Now your Playstation favorites can be played on console, or on the go!" Standalone PS Vita software is regulated to the downloadable realm, and people slowly forget about the Vita's solo debut (if they remember it in the first place).

Alternatively, give it a massive software overall (Meaning stick Android 4.1 on it), and market it as a premium tablet/media device for the gaming set.

 

[Munin]

I'm losing my mind here

This company deserves to be ridiculed on the Vita handling

Now they go, oh it didn't sell because we didn't target the younger audience sector... WAT?!?

No you fucking ass clowns, you get goodwill from gamers for a great starting price for the Vita at $249.99
Then you turn around and lose all that due to proprietary memory cards with exorbitant prices, fucking 4GB for $14.99-$19.99, come the fuck on, 1 Uncharted Demo you eat up close to 3GB+
Then you take PS3 titles, shrink them down and ask for $40 for titles
Some PSN titles transform into retail titles and get marked up $27 (Hi2u Dungeon Hunter)

You say you've learned from the mistakes from the PSP, yet you are still doing the same things and even worse... How is that even fucking possible?
The online store where content needs to delivered at a constant rate is worse than the PSP/PS2/PSX output... fucking ridiculous
You announce shit, make broken promises, and everything that will make the Vita stand out is TBA/TBD in the future

I'm getting tired

Couldn't have summed it up better. You'd figure they'd have learned from their mistakes. The Gamescom push was cute, but too late.

 

[Byakuya769]

So is it confirmed that this handheld generation is tracking behind the previous DS/PSP one? Cause if so... I CALLED IT!

 

[Miles X]

1.8 million.

Sheesh, even if it is shipped end of June then that's a mere 400k in Q2, if it's sold up to mid August then it's moreorless the same. How on earth do they expect 8 million by March 0_o

 

[Loghorn150]

Vita is the next Dreamcast, Saturn, & Game Gear.

 

[Currygan]

They need proper handheld games by talented handheld-experienced dev teams. Not shitty ports of home console games, half-assed entries of big screen series like Call of Duty and yearly entries of Madden, FIFA or whatever as system sellers.

And Nintendo still has the main 3DS Pokemon card up their sleeves. Christ they are trully FUCKED.

oh, I guess the 3DS is out of trouble now. Pokemon and Animal Crossing (and let's not forget the Layton game) will turn the final screws on the handheld market. Vita will never catch up because the gap increases tenfold each week, at least in Japan so it's not a war between two consoles anymore, it's a battle for survival. I don't think Sony has the capabilities to create mass appeal handheld games, now that they don't even have MH, so I guess a MASSIVE price cut is their only chance. And i'm saying chance because that could fail, too

 

[Impeccable]

Out of pure curiosity, what are the world wides in the same period for all consoles and 3DS?

 

[metalslimer]

I still insist the only way Sony can get out of this situation with only a moderate amount of egg on their face, is to make PS Vita the official controller for the PS4. It allows them to directly compete with Nintendo, clear any excess stock, and sell the console with added features. "Now your Playstation favorites can be played on console, or on the go!" Standalone PS Vita software is regulated to the downloadable realm, and people slowly forget about the Vita's solo debut (if they remember it in the first place).

Alternatively, give it a massive software overall (Meaning stick Android 4.1 on it), and market it as a premium tablet/media device for the gaming set.

A 250 dollar controller? With no clickable sticks? Or real analog sticks for that matter? It would be even more embarassing and expensive

oh, I guess the 3DS is out of trouble now

In Japan. Not in the west.

 

[yon61]

Sheesh, even if it is shipped end of June then that's a mere 400k in Q2, if it's sold up to mid August then it's moreorless the same. How on earth do they expect 8 million by March 0_o

Either they're deluded, or they're wanting to calm investor fears, or both.

 

[Kacho]

So is it confirmed that this handheld generation is tracking behind the previous DS/PSP one? Cause if so... I CALLED IT!

I think the 3DS is actually tracking ahead of the DS at this point in time in its lifecycle. I'm sure someone else could elaborate on that more.

 

[nordique]

I've invested a fair bit in my Vita with high hopes for the system.

And while I really think its too early to claim Vita is done, those sales are not good at all.

I hope things turn around because I am very high on the system. But if the games aren't there, the system is worthless.

Hopefully more support comes its way in the coming years. I just don't see Somy pulling the plug on it just yet.

 

[Y2Kev]

oh, I guess the 3DS is out of trouble now. Pokemon and Animal Crossing (and let's not forget the Layton game) will turn the final screws on the handheld market. Vita will never catch up because the gap increases tenfold each week, at least in Japan so it's not a war between two consoles anymore, it's a battle for survival. I don't think Sony has the capabilities to create mass appeal handheld games, now that they don't even have MH, so I guess a MASSIVE price cut is their only chance. And i'm saying chance because that could fail, too

Sony doesn't really need to "catch up," they just need to not do horribly.

I really do like the Vita. It's one of the most comfortable systems to play games on, I think. So it's unfortunate that it has to die.

 

[Mushroomer25]

So is it confirmed that this handheld generation is tracking behind the previous DS/PSP one? Cause if so... I CALLED IT!

If I recall, 3DS is outpacing DS sales. That was an old report though, and the DS infamously started out rather slow.

I think the DS will stand strong as the highest-selling (dedicated) handheld gaming device of all time. It was in the perfect place at the perfect time.

 

[mboojigga]

I really don't see how Sony could be making money on the Vita, things just don't add up. No price cut, extortionate memory card prices, the fact that Nintendo have only just started making a profit on the 3DS despite its much less expensive hardware...

Didn't a break down happen showing the cost of the Vita parts and that the device is profitable and Kaz with the 3 year claim of profitability was some misquote in 2011.
Sony's expectations were that the Vita was going to offset the decline they projected to have with both the PSP and PS3 hardware/software and that clearly didn't happen.

 

[olimpia84]

Damn, those numbers are really bad and the thought of the system being pulled out if this trend continues is scary. This holiday season will be critical, here's hoping Sony makes a push with marketing and discounted bundles.

Spoiler

I just want Gravity Rush 2 before the Vita dies

 

[alfredofroylan]

Out of pure curiosity, what are the world wides in the same period for all consoles and 3DS?

April 2012, Nintendo 3DS was at 17 millions.
http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2012-04-26-nintendo-3ds-sales-top-17-13-million

 

[V_Ben]

I do think that the Vita's long term future is as a PlayStation Mobile device though. A $199 gaming handheld with buttons and analogue sticks, it could sell decently for quite some time. As long as PS Mobile actually takes off, and doesn't fizzle out of the gate.

 

[Currygan]

In Japan. Not in the west.

I should have clarified. It will be safe when Pokemon 3DS comes out, and I suppose Layton could push some units in Europe/Usa as well

Sony doesn't really need to "catch up," they just need to not do horribly.

I really do like the Vita. It's one of the most comfortable systems to play games on, I think. So it's unfortunate that it has to die.

that's what i said. It doesn't need to compete anymore, it just needs to do better ^^

 

[Kacho]

I should have clarified. It will be safe when Pokemon 3DS comes out, and I suppose Layton could push some units in Europe/Usa as well

I'd say thats a very safe assumption. Pokemon and Layton sell like crazy in the states.

 

[AdventureRacing]

Those sales are downright terrible. I still don't think it will be discontinued, this holiday season with some new games and a price drop will see sales rise. I don't think they will come close to the PSP but i can see them doing better than this by a long way.

I still insist the only way Sony can get out of this situation with only a moderate amount of egg on their face, is to make PS Vita the official controller for the PS4. It allows them to directly compete with Nintendo, clear any excess stock, and sell the console with added features. "Now your Playstation favorites can be played on console, or on the go!" Standalone PS Vita software is regulated to the downloadable realm, and people slowly forget about the Vita's solo debut (if they remember it in the first place).

That way the vita can turn the PS4 into a sinking ship as well! Why risk their home console business which actually has a lot of room for potential and growth by saddling it with their failing handheld.

 

[daevv]

I have one. No regrets!

 

[Mushroomer25]

A 250 dollar controller? With no clickable sticks? Or real analog sticks for that matter? It would be even more embarassing and expensive



In Japan. Not in the west.

I'd imagine Sony would release a modified version for PS4 use, including better sticks & likely lacking some of the tech (no back touch).

And we all know the Vita is destined for a harsh price cut. In an ecosystem of $60 controllers, a $100 doesn't seem terribly absurd.

 

[metalslimer]

4.28 million in North America, 2.32 million in Japan, and 1.97 million in Europe.

These are the final tallies for the Dreamcast. It'll be interesting to see whether Vita can pass them.

I'd imagine Sony would release a modified version for PS4 use, including better sticks & likely lacking some of the tech (no back touch).

And we all know the Vita is destined for a harsh price cut. In an ecosystem of $60 controllers, a $100 doesn't seem terribly absurd.

Sony would be better off trying to refit Vita as a high end cell phone using the original slider design than a controller which is destined for failure.

 

[Combichristoffersen]

I've invested a fair bit in my Vita with high hopes for the system.

And while I really think its too early to claim Vita is done, those sales are not good at all.

I hope things turn around because I am very high on the system. But if the games aren't there, the system is worthless.

Hopefully more support comes its way in the coming years. I just don't see Somy pulling the plug on it just yet.

Support won't come unless the sales pick up, and sales won't pick up unless more support comes, as Sony can't carry the Vita alone. Sad to say, but I honestly think the Vita is well and truly fucked (unless this Holiday season grants Sony a Christmas miracle). It's a device for which there just isn't any market :/

 

[GraveRobberX]

I may get the lol arm chair expert, but seriously, right now I can do a better job than Sony has

First of all phase out the 3G, it's pointless, no one is clamoring for it

Drop Wifi to $199.99-$249.99

$199.99 (Starter Bundle) gives you the Vita + Voucher for PSN Vita title (SSD or Escape Plan)
$249.99 (Gamer Bundle) gives you the Vita + Voucher + 8GB Memory Card + Retail title (Wipeout or Little Deviants)
Create a bundle of Screen Protector, Screen Micro-Cloth, Strap, 2-3 Skins, maybe cover pouch/case, sell for $19.99-$24.99
If you buy the Vita $249.99 bundle (with-in first month, you get this free)

Market it as a companion to your tech goodies
Vita isn't a re-placer, it's a compliment-or

You got a hour or two kill, those $0.99 5 minute iOS games aren't going to cover you, but Vita can give you that time wasting activity

 

[Currygan]

I'd say thats a very safe assumption. Pokemon and Layton sell like crazy in the states.

eh i don't know, mate. Nintendogs 3DS was to be a safe assumption yet it sold incredibly less than its predecessor. Things have to be scaled down nowadays. While Pokemon is a lock, Layton is a maybe

 

[Skyzard]

Support won't come unless the sales pick up, and sales won't pick up unless more support comes, as Sony can't carry the Vita alone. Sad to say, but I honestly think the Vita is well and truly fucked (unless this Holiday season grants Sony a Christmas miracle). It's a device for which there just isn't any market :/

Support is coming, upcoming vita games list is huge. It's more of a wait and see.

 

[iammeiam]

I wish we got more interesting tell-all books and articles about the behind the scenes goings on in the games industry--I'd like to know if the Vita's currentdeath in Japan was cemented when Sony found out they'd lost MH. It sort of feels like they'd banked heavily on being able to rely on MH to carry Japan so they could try to make the Vita relevant in the West. US and Europe didn't respond well, and they lost MH, so they wound up being fucked globally and have yet to find a way to compensate.

Sales are bad enough at this point that it might actually be tough for a breakout handheld sensation to actually break out on Vita. Userbase may be too small to build up real substantial buzz without a massive fluke.

Sheesh, even if it is shipped end of June then that's a mere 400k in Q2, if it's sold up to mid August then it's moreorless the same. How on earth do they expect 8 million by March 0_o

I'd like to know if investors are more scared by one giant downward revision in sales forecast, or two medium-sized revisions. Like, are we due for another downward revision at the next quarter.

 

[yon61]

Didn't a break down happen showing the cost of the Vita parts and that the device is profitable and Kaz with the 3 year claim of profitability was some misquote in 2011.
Sony's expectations were that the Vita was going to offset the decline they projected to have with both the PSP and PS3 hardware/software and that clearly didn't happen.

Raw material costs aren't the whole thing, if so then the Vita would be $50 cheaper to make than the 3DS, which is an absurd notion.

Sony played safe as far as R&D went with the Vita, I don't see why it would take three years before they made a profit on the whole investment if they were making a profit on the SKUs sold to stores already

 

[legacyzero]

Such a shame.

I'm a proud owner, though.

 

[Byakuya769]

If I recall, 3DS is outpacing DS sales. That was an old report though, and the DS infamously started out rather slow.

I think the DS will stand strong as the highest-selling (dedicated) handheld gaming device of all time. It was in the perfect place at the perfect time.

I mean the aggregates of both systems. How one tracks against its predecessor only speaks to the weakness of its competitor but not the overall health of dedicated gaming hardware. Also, I think 3DS started to track behind DS around the spring.

 

[Combichristoffersen]

Support is coming, upcoming vita games list is huge. It's more of a wait and see.

Can't say I've seen much upcoming third-party support of note besides Need For Speed (which will be better on home consoles anyway), CoD (which looks awful and ugly as shit) and ACIII: Liberation. Anything I've missed?

 

[metalslimer]

Raw material costs aren't the whole thing, if so then the Vita would be $50 cheaper to make than the 3DS, which is an absurd notion.

Sony played safe as far as R&D went with the Vita, I don't see why it would take three years before they made a profit on the whole investment if they were making a profit on the SKUs sold to stores already

They likely invested a ton of R&D dollars into Vita. Just becaused they used off the shelf parts doesn't make it inexpensive. Plus you're forgetting the huge marketing campaign (the biggest in Sony's history according to them) they put out during that first month. If they were making like 5 bucks on every Vita it would take a long time.

Also, I think 3DS started to track behind DS around the spring.

It didn't. 3DS won't fall behind the DS's overall sales for at least a couple of months.

 

[KillerTravis]

That's why I told them that the focus on the western market was going to kill this thing, PSP was successful thanks to Japan since they still love handhelds there, but they never listened to me, they never listened...

 

[HylianTom]

You guys remember this?

http://news.cnet.com/8301-17938_105-20052833-1/playstation-boss-nintendo-3ds-a-babysitting-tool/

Of course I remember that.

What a pity for Sony.

Truly.. a shame.

..

 

[Grisby]

Damn. I hope the Vita survives. It's the best handheld system I've had a long time.

 

[Vic]

I don't know what to say anymore about the situation the Vita platform is in. What many people has finally accepted these past months has been told years ago by many of us here. The fundamentals of Sony's strategy for an handheld following the PSP never made any sense. It's not surprising to see it fail like that.

Sony planned to take a loss for three years with the Vita. They may be making money off of accessories and memory cards, but I don't know if they're profiting from that, overall.

The sales they're getting are probably wreaking up that plan.

 

[Kacho]

eh i don't know, mate. Nintendogs 3DS was to be a safe assumption yet it sold incredibly less than its predecessor. Things have to be scaled down nowadays. While Pokemon is a lock, Layton is a maybe

I think Nintendogs, along with Brain Age were novel for their time, but just didn't stand the test of time. Pokemon has proven generation after generation that it can perform world wide by capturing audiences both old and new. As you said, it's a lock.

For Layton, maybe the upcoming release won't set the charts on fire? We'll have to wait and see on that one I guess.

 

[Ran rp]

My baby better not die. Get your shit together, Sony.

 

[jeremy1456]

That's why I told them that the focus on the western market was going to kill this thing, PSP was successful thanks to Japan since they still love handhelds there, but they never listened to me, they never listened...

It's not that they didn't listen, more like, Nintendo now knows what it's doing and set their sights from stun to kill.

Also, I am very interested to see if Nintendo is as aggressive with the Wii U as they are the 3DS. If so, they're certainly not strong to eliminate the Xbox brand as they were Sony in the portable market, but I fear the PS4 may be next.

 

[Skyzard]

Can't say I've seen much upcoming third-party support of note besides Need For Speed (which will be better on home consoles anyway), CoD (which looks awful and ugly as shit) and ACIII: Liberation. Anything I've missed?

Most vita owners will have no wallet left by the end of year. Yes, like I said, you missed tonnes of great upcoming games.

 

[Derrick01]

This type of failure is one of the bigger reasons why I'm hesitant to pick one up. I'm not interested in spending all this money to get one and the proper accessories only to have 3rd parties ignore it and possibly Sony too. They did go through a year or two period on PSP where they forgot it existed.

 

[whitehawk]

Dammit. I love my Vita. I've bought so many games for it. I really hope it doesn't die. And if it does, the homebrew community really needs to hack it so it will still have a use (As the best portable emulator that exists.)

 

[GraveRobberX]

Remember the wait for E3, now Gamescom, TGS is next, then what?

VGA 2012 or GDC 2013?

Can't keep moving the goal posts

The latest update the Vita store got was for a goddamn freebee tech of Augmented Reality, now it has DLC...

Before that you have to back a month+ to get something definitive

 

[AppleBlade]

Turn it into a phone and make it free with contract. Make the development software widely available for free and open the playstation store to everybody. Take a 30% cut (ala Apple) and just be better at making sure the cream rises to the top and forefront then Apple is so the store doesn't get cluttered with crap. I wish they didn't have to do something like this, but at this point I just want the thing to live on.

 

[Man-is-Obsolete]

As a proud owner all I can hope for is that this inspires a lot of strong changes and 1st party support from the main studios similar to the small group making Tearaway. I was really hoping to see a price cut this year and that may still happen.

Interesting thing to note the madden vita bundle for $250 will be offered at some retailers with a $50 gift card as well I found out today. So maybe that is how they will handle it for the holidays. Just not sure if the precieved value is the same as $199 though.

 

[metalslimer]

Most vita owners will have no wallet left by the end of year. Yes, like I said, you missed tonnes of great upcoming games.

That's not the problem here (well actually yes it is because Vita's attach ratio is crap) but anyway the real issue is where are all the games that are going to make people buy Vita's. Selling to your current market is a recipe for disaster.

Remember the wait for E3, now Gamescom, TGS is next, then what?

VGA 2012 or GDC 2013?

If Vita has a weak TGS showing it's all over.