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[sublimit]

Massive appeal = Huge marketing budget.

The games are fine; people just don't know about them.

Not every game needs a huge marketing budget in order to have a mass appeal. For example Sony could have tried to get From Software to make Demon's Souls 2 for Vita and everyone would have run to buy the system but they didn't cared.
And they didn't cared because the deal would have costed them significantly more than most 3rd party deals they are making for Vita.

The reality is they made the handheld because they expected Capcom would support it with MH and it would become a success with almost zero effort from them (just like what happened with the PSP.) But when Capcom gave them the finger it exposed how much unprepared they were to support the system on their own.

 

[IvorB]

It's a great little indie machine, but PC's a better place to do indie. And it's a great platform for RPGs, but most of those are from other platforms, and a lot of them can be played now on either the PSP or PS3.

You are aware that the Vita is a portable right? I don't understand why you are mentioning PC and PS3.

 

[TheSeks]

Just so you know, this is incredibly insulting. Like, seriously, immature and insulting. The first quote is just standard nonsense someone posts in every Vita thread, but the second one (which could only exist with the first) is ridiculous. Let's cherry pick some of the images that repeat in, say, the Steam thread and paint everyone with the same brush too, eh?

>Implying I care when I own two of the OLED-version of the system and haven't bought a game for it since August of last year and that was Disgaea 4

Okay, bro.

Go count the number of Western non-Japanese-"Moe looking" titles there are on the system that aren't 1) indies and 2) there from launch.

Throw in the rabid fanbase that posts that shitty .gif each time someone buys the system (or even ASKS about buying the system, where it isn't even fucking relevant) and you can see where Cyan and I are coming from.

PSP>Vita IMO. It had a better game library and all ps1 games off psn worked flawless unlike the vita which can't support a lot of ps1 classic including mgs!

Agreed. The only thing the PSP2 has going for it is the second stick, though. Good for some PSP titles that had TERRIBLE CAMERAs (sup Monster Hunter, notable #1) and PSX dual-shock-like functions.

Too bad I have yet to play a shooter on the system that doesn't feel like I'm flailing about with the the deadzones/acceleration. Even peoples #1 recommended FPS: Killzone feels like I'm fighting the controls/sticks 90% of the time than not.

 

[RM8]

You are aware that the Vita is a portable right? I don't understand why you are mentioning PC and PS3.

Because when you can play those game on platforms you own, you won't want a Vita -unless- you need the portable form factor. And these days it's pretty obvious that we handheld fans are a minority.

 

[Deleted member 125677]

It's an adorable dead little thing with lots of high quality, but mostly low profile titles. It's a fantastic piece of gaming hardware and a thrill to play on. It's going to stay dead though, but I don't care.

 

[PensOwl]

As someone who avoids digital as much as possible because of the exorbitant memory card prices, I get a 'Vita is dead' pang every time I walk into my local retailer and see the whole Vita section being three copies Hotshots Golf, Smart As, and PSABR.

Right now its just a vessel for inferior ports of Spelunky and MGS HD. KZM when I want to relive the glory days of hope. Oreshika and Toukiden Kiwami are the only thing thats caught my eye for a long time.

 

[RangerBAD]

As someone who avoids digital as much as possible because of the exorbitant memory card prices, I get a 'Vita is dead' pang every time I walk into my local retailer and see the whole Vita section being three copies Hotshots Golf, Smart As, and PSABR.

Right now its just a vessel for inferior ports of Spelunky and MGS HD. Oreshika and Toukiden Kiwami are the only thing thats caught my eye for a long time.

No, no, the other games are just sold out. No one buys those other games because they don't like them so they sit on the shelf.

 

[Gigglepoo]

Right now its just a vessel for inferior ports of Spelunky and MGS HD. KZM when I want to relive the glory days of hope. Oreshika and Toukiden Kiwami are the only thing thats caught my eye for a long time.

Spelunky is best on Vita. I can play it anywhere and everyone in co-op gets their own screen.

 

[PensOwl]

Spelunky is best on Vita. I can play it anywhere and everyone in co-op gets their own screen.

The frame rate is so bad though. I can't imagine coop makes it any better

 

[Fatehehhhh]

As a Vita owner who absolutely loves it, you're insane if you think the Vita is ever going to have a Renaissance. The only possible thing that could possibly bring it back is the PSV port of Street Fighter V that Ono said he wanted to do, but even if it did happen, that's hitting a very niche audience that probably already has a Vita or doesn't care about it either way.

 

[Reptars Revenge]

Most disappointing system I ever owned. Still I had a lot of fun with persona, danganronpa, and Gravity Rush

 

[Producer]

Vita seems to be more alive than 3DS, so yes. First party stuff and Atlus games (plus MH) are only things keeping 3DS alive while Vita gets love from even more Japanese developers like Koei-Tecmo, NamcoBandai, Compile Heart, Nippon Ichi, Falcom, Kadokawa and Spike. Not to mention endless support of indies.

3DS is constantly reviving itself with hardware iterations and moneyhatted games like Monster Hunter. Sony could exact same stuff for Vita.

- Brand new Vita SKU; cheaper (between $130-170, they could get rid of cameras) and with SD card support.
- More hardware colors, or changable cover plates like New 3DS.
- Moneyhatted games, but games that actually matter. An exclusive GTA game or Elder Scrolls game made by a talented studio could be game changer for Vita. No stealth launches, Sony needs to hype the games like hell.
- They need to continue moneyhatting games instead supporting it with 1st party titles because Sony's franchises are not strong enough to sell systems. Vita needs its own Crisis Core or Peace Walker.

None of these will happen because Sony is poor and probably gonna focus on Morpehus. Pity, Vita was one of the best gaming devices ever made.

the delusion is strong

 

[Shizuka]

Only think in Japan that could make the system go higher than it's now would be an exclusive Monster Hunter or Yokai Watch game. Anything third-party that manages to sell over a million units in Japan.

 

[Snakeyes]

I wont turn this into a VR thread so I'll keep it short. But all signs point to VR being something that you can carry with you. Especially when the device likely to popularize it, would be mobile phones.

That's... probably not the best pic to use as an argument for the viability of VR in the mainstream.

On 3DS, it's mostly Dead or Alive, Mighty Switch Force and Mario Tennis.

On Vita, I play Sly Cooper, Ninja Gaiden, and Dragon's Crown.

Isn't it kind of unfair to label the 3DS as a system for "short-burst games that get boring after 10 minutes" just because that's what you choose to play on it? I've been playing SMT4 and MH4 on 3DS while my Vita's been a Spelunky machine for the past couple months. In truth, both the 3DS and Vita are home to plenty of deep console-like software as the vast majority of pick-up-and-play games have more or less moved on to smart devices.

 

[Tapejara]

Sony gave up on that thing a long time ago. And even when Sony tried to support it, they did nothing but make mistakes. Between overpriced memory cards, a half ass 3G implementation and every other mistake they've made, it's no surprise the system ended up the way it is. It's not like I think the Vita has no games - I've picked up two great games this month alone (Tokyo Twilight Ghost Hunters and La-Mulana EX) - but it's not enough.

In my perfect world Sony would do a Vita 2 and they would do it right, but I don't expect them to. And even if they did, God knows if they would support it after two years.

 

[Nanashrew]

La Vita é morta

Sony doesn't even support the platform. I wonder how it would have fared had they not gone with proprietary SD cards which has only jacked up the price of entry to some like myself.

 

[TheOnlyOneHeEverFeared]

In what possible way is the vita more alive than the 3DS?
Theres awesome 3DS games out and still to come, I own so many I might not even finish them all. In 3 years of owning a vita, excluding plus titles and cross buy stuff which works better on a home console, I own 9 Vita games.

 

[AniHawk]

Vita é Morte

Sony doesn't even support the platform. I wonder how it would have fared had they not gone with proprietary SD cards which has only jacked up the price of entry to some like myself.

hard to say. it may have come at the cost of some third-party support, since publishers aren't paying for save space on the cards themselves.

 

[18-Volt]

the delusion is strong

More like daydream. And I'm allowed to have that. I love handhelds, I can't help it.

 

[Tohsaka]

In what possible way is the vita more alive than the 3DS?
Theres awesome 3DS games out and still to come, I own so many I might not even finish them all. In 3 years of owning a vita, excluding plus titles and cross buy stuff which works better on a home console, I own 9 Vita games.

Depends on your tastes. I have 35 retail Vita games, and 32 on 3DS; they both have a good library IMO.

 

[Nanashrew]

hard to say. it may have come at the cost of some third-party support, since publishers aren't paying for save space on the cards themselves.

Wait, I'm confused. Do publishers have to pay for save space???

 

[Suzushiiro]

No, I think it's pretty much going to be what it is until something that can fill its niche (otaku and indie games) better than it can comes along.

 

[AniHawk]

Wait, I'm confused. Do publishers have to pay for save space???

any extra thing that makes something more expensive is usually a cost shared by people on the development side.

 

[BeatResetsTheWorld]

As likely as a WiiU renaissance I would say...

Spoiler

but it seems there are rumbling noises of Vita getting DQXI and MH5 so... /s

Lol, by rumbling you mean your dreams. There isn't even the slightest, faintest inkling of either

 

[Small Mailman]

I wont turn this into a VR thread so I'll keep it short. But all signs point to VR being something that you can carry with you. Especially when the device likely to popularize it, would be mobile phones.


On 3DS, it's mostly Dead or Alive, Mighty Switch Force and Mario Tennis.

On Vita, I play Sly Cooper, Ninja Gaiden, and Dragon's Crown.

The fuck...

this place is right around the corner from my house.

 

[Jawmuncher]

Oh man VR is the future indeed.

 

[foolishoptimist]

Vita is my favourite gaming system of all time.

I'm expecting that everyone else is going to figure that out, any minute now, then that renaissance is going to happen.

Come on everyone, there's a nice "You bought a Vita" gif waiting for you!

 

[Zambayoshi]

At the end of the day, the Vita didn't set the world on fire, but it found its niche.

Smaller developers that can self-publish like it, because the market place is not as crowded as mobile, and the game will have a reasonably high rate of sale in proportion to the system's install base. It can be a good launchpad for devs such as Jaywalkers with Kick & Fennick (awesome game by the way).

The other side of the Vita's library features the Japanese games. Obviously these will have a better sell ratio in Japan, but I think that more and more Japanese games are getting western ports for Vita that otherwise would have stayed local. It might be because the Vita has no other games, but for people who like Japanese games, this is nothing to complain about.

A few years from now, I think a lot of people will look at the Vita's lifetime sales and be surprised it did as well as it did. Most people who think it is dead in the water point at the lack of AAA games, the lack of Sony support etc, but the Vita tends to bubble along under the radar, supported by those who love portable indies and those who love Japanese games.

 

[SiDCrAzY]

Vita is my favourite gaming system of all time.

I'm expecting that everyone else is going to figure that out, any minute now, then that renaissance is going to happen.

Your name....

 

[RedSwirl]

In the future, things might work if Sony could somehow make a handheld with the same architecture as its console, that runs the same OS. Basically, if Sony could reach a point where a really good chunk of PlayStation games are cross-buy, a handheld could be seen as a great addition to the console. Basically what people expect Nintendo to do, but it'll be much easier for Nintendo to do it because it's more reasonable for Nintendo to work form the handheld as a base. Sony can't do that.

 

[Small Mailman]

Your name....

There's no way he's not a character poster hahaha

 

[IdreamofHIME]

The fuck...

this place is right around the corner from my house.

I could quietly steal that other coffee and he'd never know...

 

[redcrayon]

Vita seems to be more alive than 3DS, so yes. First party stuff and Atlus games (plus MH) are only things keeping 3DS alive while Vita gets love from even more Japanese developers like Koei-Tecmo, NamcoBandai, Compile Heart, Nippon Ichi, Falcom, Kadokawa and Spike. Not to mention endless support of indies.

3DS is constantly reviving itself with hardware iterations and moneyhatted games like Monster Hunter. Sony could exact same stuff for Vita.

- Brand new Vita SKU; cheaper (between $130-170, they could get rid of cameras) and with SD card support.
- More hardware colors, or changable cover plates like New 3DS.
- Moneyhatted games, but games that actually matter. An exclusive GTA game or Elder Scrolls game made by a talented studio could be game changer for Vita. No stealth launches, Sony needs to hype the games like hell.
- They need to continue moneyhatting games instead supporting it with 1st party titles because Sony's franchises are not strong enough to sell systems. Vita needs its own Crisis Core or Peace Walker.

None of these will happen because Sony is poor and probably gonna focus on Morpehus. Pity, Vita was one of the best gaming devices ever made.

Not sure how saying 'Nintendo, Atlus, Square Enix (BD2) and Capcom (Great Ace Attorney, Monster Hunter) are the only thing keeping system A alive' is quantifiably worse than your list for system B. I love the Vita but you're comparing niche products that sell well on the 3DS to beyond-niche products that sell sod-all on the Vita.

As for 'money-hatting', I think the myth that Nintendo's bag of cash was enough to tempt Capcom's IP away from Sony, where they desperately wanted MH to replicate local success overseas, is laughable. Having a history of making quirky Japanese products break into the mainstream overseas, combined with a history of supporting their handheld business overseas, combined with finally making a portable that could actually run monster hunter, attracted monster hunter. Multimillion pound franchises are managed for projected, sustainable success, not instant cash.

 

[Ganzlinger]

I want to believe but Sony doesn't let me.

 

[AcademicSaucer]

If sony doesnt lower the memory prices I aint gonna buy any more shit on my vita, so they can begin there

Spoiler

I will probably end up importing a 64 gb one to my corner of the world for 130$ because Im a dumbass

 

[Evoker1995]

I love the Vita, but the memory card prices have to change. With retail releases becoming less of a thing with the Vita, expensive memory card are unacceptable.

If any Vita news from Sony comes out of E3, it better be about memory cards.

 

[Links_fantasy]

The Vita will never be mainstream but it's still been a good console with a decent library. It's probably going to be Sonys last dedicated handheld though. I can see Sony focussing on PS4 and eventually having a dedicated Japanese mobile team.

 

[WiiRevolution1]

How much do those "hundreds" of exclusives sell?

Must be enough or else they wouldn't keep making them. We got four Neptunia games this year in NA, two that are exclusive, two more exclusives next year. An exclusive in Dangan Ronpa: Another Episode which is one of the best series of all time, the best horror series Corpse Party gets its exclusive end to the original Trilogy in NA this year, and lots of indies that never stop comng..

What are the review scores? I see a lot of Japanese titles that I'm not interested in, tons of ports and cross-platform titles, and a few well-reviewed exclusives.
.

Noone who owns and cares about the Vita cares about review scores. Most reviewers rate them low just because its on a portable while they rate AAA games that are unplayable 8s and 9s. Most of the ports aren't on a portable so its no point in bringing that up. Portables are always better imo. And if you aren't interested in Japanese games or indies or portables then look somewhere else. People who like those games will enjoy the Vita.

You are aware that the Vita is a portable right? I don't understand why you are mentioning PC and PS3.

Basically.

I fear for a future when the Vita does die. When all these great games might not go to any platform that easy to get into for me who prefers portables. Best case scenario would be Nintendo next handheld, and atleast it seems Corpse Party might migrate there eventually. PS4, especially now that it has suspend is better than Mobile or PC and atleast Neptunia will be fine there. If theres eventually a PC exclusive Dangan Ronpa, Corpse Party, or Zero Escape game then that'd be a sad day for me. That would be the definition of buying a system just for one game series when I can't afford any new systems.

 

[Boss Mog]

I think this whole idea that people no longer want dedicated portable gaming machines is just complete rubbish and it's a big problem because it's creating a self-fulfilling prophecy.

Of course today, there's a huge cellphone market but the people that mostly play on cellphones aren't core gamers, they're very casual players that play freemium fodder while waiting at the doctor's office. Those people are never gonna go and buy a full-fledged Metal Gear Solid game if one were to be released on cell phones. It's just not their scene. And core gamers that play on consoles no matter if they play sports games, racers, shooters, jrpgs they would never be too keen about gaming on a button-less system. Also almost all games that come out on cell phones have some sort of micro-transactions attached to them and most core gamers loathe that type of experience.

Obviously the casual cellphone market is much bigger and is still constantly growing thanks to emerging markets like China and India where cellphone ownership is now skyrocketing. But the core gamer audience still exists and isn't shrinking and these people will always be excited for new dedicated portable gaming machines if they have potential. I've asked all my core gamer friends if they prefer to game on cell phones or dedicated handheld and all of them said dedicated handheld. When I asked friends that don't game much, some of them didn't even know what the 3DS or Vita even were, so yeah they're never gonna buy one. If Android was truly the future of gaming then a system like the Ouya would've been a best seller. And nVidia would be selling tons of Shield tablets and getting tons of pre-orders for the Shield console but that's not the case. People that have the Shield tablet mostly use it to browse the web (and other normal tablet stuff) and to stream their PC games not for Android gaming. nVidia would've been much better off making the Shield console a sleek, compact Steam Machine rather than an Android console that is doomed to failure.

The issue with the 3DS and the Vita not selling as well as the PSP and DS did is simple to explain. For the Vita is doesn't have anywhere near as strong a library of commercial games as the PSP had. As for the 3DS, I think some people like myself are tired of Nintendo's handhelds being underpowered, gimmicky , made of cheap bulky plastic that makes it look like a child's toy and controls that feel cheap and inaccurate. I'm an adult I'd like a system that I'm not embarrassed to travel with. Don't think that aesthetics don't matter to people because Apple made a lot of its fortune with aesthetics. Also the fact that again it launched without an online account system that keeps track of all your digital purchases and makes for easy redownloading if need be is beyond insane in this day and age. Both systems have major shortcomings and to me that's why they haven't sold as well as their predecessors. The core gaming audience isn't shrinking it's just a very demanding bunch; they know what they want and they won't lay out cash if their expectations aren't met.

And so you have this vicious circle that feeds on itself where analysts say the dedicated handheld market in shrinking and so devs and publishers stop making games for them which then translates to lower sales for handhelds with no games and then the analysts can say that the market is shrinking again and it just repeats from there and snowballs.

Personally I think that dedicated handhelds are MUCH more relevant to gaming right now than VR. I think that VR with our current level of tech is nothing more than a fad like motion controls were. Most people can't even play VR for very long without feeling sick. I just can't see it taking off right now. I also feel that the type of experiences that will be available on VR will be very casual. at least at first.

If there's no Vita renaissance I at least hope that Nintendo's next handheld will be amazing because I will always want a dedicated handheld gaming machine.

 

[autoduelist]

Okay, bro.

Go count the number of Western non-Japanese-"Moe looking" titles there are on the system that aren't 1) indies and 2) there from launch.

Throw in the rabid fanbase that posts that shitty .gif each time someone buys the system (or even ASKS about buying the system, where it isn't even fucking relevant) and you can see where Cyan and I are coming from.

You're effectively eliminating every game -except- the ones that fit your stereotype to make your stereotype fit, which is the definition of an ignorant stereotype.

Why should I eliminate the indie games I play on my vita all the time? Why should I eliminate the hundreds of psp/ps1 games and remote play? So you can make your insulting point valid and claim the only fans of Vita are somehow represented by some image a couple people like to post?

Far more indie games come out every week than the games you're talking about, so wouldn't it make sense to eliminate the localizations? Not to mention, plenty of localizations (from Oreshika to Dynasty Warriors) don't really have any of the attributes you're criticizing.

Part of the reason I like this site is because there is usually at least a modicum of respect between people. That's all I'm asking for. Not massive, insulting generalizations about the fanbase of a console based on ignorance. Bro.

 

[petethepanda]

It's well past ever getting beyond the "chicken and the egg" hardware/software scenario for the western market, which is a damn shame.

Spoiler

Watch it get redeemed by becoming a hit in China.

 

[GKSilKamina]

The Vita is my video gaming darling and even I have to admit that it has no future. It's over. Dead and buried and never coming back. Just accept it, OP.

The Vita's sad fate won't stop me from buying what games I can for it. Picked up Tearaway and Rayman Legends today. Plan on getting Child of Light and Danganronpa 2 soon as well.

 

[Exile20]

Looked in my BB the other day, there were 3 games available and nothing else except some accessories.

No way it can gain traction.

 

[Faustek]

I agree with everything OP said.

I really want Wild Arms, all of them, on PSN and mostly on Vita.
I think I'm nearing that magic, disgusting, border where I would consider things that would even make the German/Japanese back away in fear and disgust just to get a new Wild Arms and all the old on PSV/4.

 

[Gaspard]

If the Vita got PS2 support that would be a renaissance.

 

[ElCidTmax]

If they came out with a Vita 2 that had better R1/L1 shoulder buttons, added R2/L2 buttons, had a little bit larger screen without making the console itself appreciably larger, I would buy it again. I wouldn't even care if it had new dedicated AAA games, because I basically just want an improved device for remote play.

Would it trigger a renaissance? No, but good for those who need to burn $$ here and there on gadgets. I would rather do that than upgrade my phone every 2 years.

 

[MatrixMan.EXE]

No chance, OP. System is long dead. Though, it continues to provide a wealth of great content so I guess that's all we can hang on to. Digimon Cyber Sleuth is fantastic.

 

[Dragonborn]

The console is pretty much dead in the water and SCEA couldn't possibly care less. I've accepted this and enjoy it for what it offers but I'm not going expect any kind of turn around, ever.

 

[Brutalitops]

Even more impossible than a Wii U comeback.

 

[Gusto]

Just look at the PS4 store, free real estate and nowhere on there can you find the PS Vita. Wtf Sony, not even the free PS+ games to entice anyone.