Support NeoGAF

[quetz67]

where'd you get such an offer btw?

Amazon Cybermonday weeks last x-mas

 

[Oersted]

theres a rumor from a reliable source in the june vita thread that the 4gb was to get discontinued this year and 64GB introduced.

i don't mind the whole memory card issue as it is completely up to you. just go retail if you dont want to pony up for a 32gb card. I mean really the value of this machine is way more than it's asking price. Yes the cards are priced a little excessively, but really people would be complaining just as much if not more if the entry price to the system was an extra 100$ for the console itself and mem card prices were closer to normal...

atleast this way sony was able to lower the barrier for entry to get the console into peoples hands and leave it up to them to shell out more for the bigger optional memory.

I know I wouldnt own one if the vita wifi cost me 350$ to start with lower mem card prices.

I may have less angst toward the issue though as I got the Black Friday bundle and a 60$ 32gb card, but I still think these points are valid.

You know, the memory card isn´t optional to begin with.

 

[Duane Cunningham]

16BG doesn't solve the problem at all!It's also too expensive. I've almost pulled the trigger on it a few times, but at $50 I always decide at the last minute I'd rather just get a new game for one of the consoles. $50 is silly for a memory card.

 

[heyf00L]

The PSP did use Duo sticks and the prices were crazy at first.

The difference is that for the first several years the memory stick was only used for save game data. Digital games weren't a think for many years, and by then the cards were affordable.

A friend gave me a 8 GB Duo for free from his old Sony Ericson when he got a new phone. The fact that other Sony products like phones and cameras used them, plus that other manufacturers made them, makes the PSP to Vita comparison even worse.

 

[injurai]

Would've given people reason to buy 1.

I don't disagree. I'm playing a bit of an advocate/realist in looking at Sony's angle.

even though it sells systems, it hurts the development infrastructure

 

[Ceallach]

Yeah, man. Homebrew really killed the DS.

Oh.

Wait.

Plus let's not forget the fact that even though there is no homebrew run from the PSV kernel, there are fully functional PSP cfw and homebrew through HBL on the Vita via the PS emu.

 

[Sir_Crocodile]

Oh god, the whining again

Get a 16GB and dont play more than a dozen games at the same time.

Got my Vita incl. 2 games for 150€, adding 40€ for a memory card it was still cheaper than a 3DS XL with card and games.

Adding to that is lots of content from PS+

Gotta empty out that fridge!

 

[enzo_gt]

#1 issue with the Vita IMO. Expensive as fuck proprietary memory cards that are required for some games. DOA platform in todays world.

 

[Nikodemos]

I suspect the card problem originates from Sony learning the wrong lessons out of the PSP Go shitfest.

 

[Digital-Hero]

I paid over $80 for my 32GB Vita memory card.

I paid $7 for my 16GB SD card for my 3DS. Incidentally, this SD card was made by Sony.

Oh the irony. lol

 

[Raoh]

Agreed.

 

[Saint Gregory]

Being forced to buy a $90 32GB card was bad enough but now that I've maxed it out I find myself constantly being put into situations where I have to delete a game I'm still interested in playing to get something new.

I waited several extra days to get a physical copy of Oboro Muramasa when I would have bought digital if I had the space.

 

[RMI]

my Vita came with a 8gb card. It can barely hold 2 full download Vita games. I hate it. Hate it. I don't buy a lot of downloadable titles to begin with, but the high cost to storage ratio for Vita cards makes even PS+ seem like a hassle. I know I can use the content manager to store games on my PC so I don't have to redownload them, but wish just wish they would drop the price of that 32 gb card to something reasonalbe. Hell, even something unreasonable ($50) would get an instant buy from me.

 

[dab0ne]

Yeah I got my 32GB for $80 which is total bullshit. These prices have got to drop! It's like reliving the PSone and PS2 days all over again. But at least with those consoles there were third party memory card options.

 

[WAR recon zero]

The 3DS is hacked

No

Only the ds portion and that does not use the sd

 

[ZombiePlatypus]

What's crazy to me is that even though it's been struggling for a good while now, Sony still just continues to ignore Vita's problems. Even with E3 come and gone.

 

[tirminyl]

I agree. I would play my vita more but I've ran out of space and I have briefly read about problems of backing up games, where the data is stored, etc., that it just put me off from doing it. I guess if the card prices get to a respectable level, then I'll look into the other pain points.

 

[Midou]

Would like a 120 gig or something for Vita, I'm at like the 28 gig mark now on my 32, and with free and discounted shit I'm a lot more likely to hit 120 by the time the system reaches the end of its life. Not to mention got a good collection of PS1 and PSP games on it. That would probably cost like over $200 at this rate though, ugh. Would pay $100 for a 120 gig, and that is still over priced. $100 for 32 gig is lame though.

 

[Ceallach]

No

Only the ds portion and that does not use the sd

No, the 3DS is hacked now. The gateway flash carts can play 3DS roms.

 

[jonscrambler]

wouldn't be so bad if you could have multiple Vita cards and swap them, say some games are on one card, and some games are on another, but you can't.

 

[Mrcapcom]

yea I kinda hate the whole 80+ w/e for the 32gb memory card smh
But if you have a ps3 can't you download all your games etc on there and just transfer over when your ready?

 

[Miles Quaritch]

#1 issue with the Vita IMO. Expensive as fuck proprietary memory cards that are required for some games. DOA platform in todays world.

It's pretty much the only issue with the Vita. The hardware is solid and pretty great, price isn't too bad, somewhat decent software support that will likely grow, but those damn overpriced memory cards drag the entire thing down.

Stupid decision by Sony to make their proprietary and then price them so high that people write off the entire handheld as a result.

 

[SmoothRunningGun]

It's terrible that they haven't been able to get the prices down. I'm still using the 4gb card that came with the system. Just can't get myself to pay those crazy prices.

 

[Omegasquash]

The proprietary part sucks, and it's the price that's kept me from buying a vita. Lots of games sitting on my PS3 drive just waiting right now, and they don't have a home. It's on my b-day/x-mas list, but would really like to see them lower that price. It's prohibitive.

 

[Vexxan]

Agreed, those prices are kind of a deal breaker for me.

 

[Javier]

Even more ironic is that you can use 128GB SD cards on the 3DS, which is something you'll likely never fill.

 

[Anoregon]

No, the 3DS is hacked now. The gateway flash carts can play 3DS roms.

Only kind of sort of, and it's already potentially blocked. Piracy/hacking does always win the arms race eventually, though I'm not sure the 3DS flash cart scene will be as ubiquitous as the regular DS was.

As others have said, the Vita memory card thing was absolutely a deal breaker for me. Any time I'd consider a vita, it would be because I forgot about the memory card prices, and as soon as I remember it becomes an immediate "oh, nope."

 

[jacob armitage]

It doesn't help that the memory cards are shit quality too.

It really just feels like exploiting us, and is the greatest flaw to the vita.

 

[Mokubba]

Some questions:

In other threads about this i read that this proprietary cards were not specially fast, that theres basically no advantage over a sd card. So, i can buy a 32 sd card for something like 20-30€ and it could be faster than those propietary cards? So, they are just that expensive for no reason? just for making money?...

Also, are the card going to be the same forever. I mean a 32 propietary memory card is going to be the same in 2 years? or are they going to sell a faster one?

I heard they were fast but they encrpyt and decrpyt on the fly which is why the transfers are slow. When you're actually playing a game it's the same speed as a normal game cart and I have no problems with loading times. I don't we have the card specs.

If there aim was to stop piracy with these cards then fine. They've obviously designed it like that which is why you won't see the vita as a USB device on the PC. However the prices have to come down by this holiday max. Get rid of the 4GB. Make the bundles come with 8GB and introduce a 64GB and drop the prices down a step for each card. I remember paying £60 for the 32GB. The packaging was like a slap to the face at that price lol.

I'm sure that's what they'll do at Gamescon if they're serious.

 

[jmdajr]

Until a 32mb cost less than 32 bucks..I will NEVER buy one.

It's bullcrap

 

[shandy706]

I'd love at least a 128GB card. However, only if that card is $60 max.

A 32GB Memory card shouldn't be more than $30 as far as I'm concerned. The cost of the memory cards is why I buy major Vita releases from retail and not digitally.

 

[HoodWinked]

its pure profit driven.

typically they'll use accessories as another way to subsidize the price of the hardware.

since the memory card is proprietary sony is guaranteed at least an additional ~$30 per vita sold.

on consoles they do it with controllers.

 

[ThatStupidLion]

You know, the memory card isn´t optional to begin with.

no but the price you pay is.

 

[SlipperySlope]

Sony put in every effort in the world to make sure this system would fail. I don't see why they would change that stance.

 

[ZeroCDR]

I have a 32gb card, and that's still not big enough >:\

 

[Orin GA]

I've never understood all the hullabaloo about this. I got a 16 gig card for like 50 bucks at launch, I'm still using it, and it's plenty. Sure, I sometimes delete stuff and move things around, but it's never been a big deal for me.

You don't understand that others peoples needs don't match your own?

 

[SillyEskimo]

Agreed, those prices are kind of a deal breaker for me.

Same here. Oh well, I have plenty of other things to play on!

 

[ohlawd]

Until a 32mb cost less than 32 bucks..I will NEVER buy one.

It's bullcrap

32 meg cards don't exist for the Vita.

I did have a 32 MB SD card for my launch PSP. Shit was so cash, I could fit in 5 songs in there.

 

[Kysen]

I caved and bought a 32GB card for £60, complete ripoff. A 32GB class 10 SD card for my 3ds cost £15...

 

[Mr-Joker]

Every time I get the urge to buy a Vita I remember just how pricey the memory cards are, which put me right off.

What's worse you need the memory card in order to play any vita games, whereas the 3DS doesn't and that came with a free SD card.

 

[Voror]

Largely agree on this matter though I managed to get two 16 GB cards for a decent amount. I'd love a 32 GB but have never seen on a reasonable price.

It really is a hindrance towards those who may want to get the system and those of us with the system.

 

[Easy_D]

Having a system that was easy to get homebrew on would have been an even bigger mistake.

But I agree, there must have been a better way.

How easy has it been so far for the 3DS though? It uses your average SD card after all. The PS3 wasn't ever hacked was it? I mean not like Sony couldn't keep it secure.

 

[boingball]

Having a system that was easy to get homebrew on would have been an even bigger mistake.

But I agree, there must have been a better way.

Unfortunately that is often the response of copyright holders. Oh, there is piracy? Let's punish the honest buyers of the system.

Probably someone at Sony was thinking that the Vita will sell like bonkers, outselling the PSP (when the PSP was at its peak) and all of those 50million buyers forced to buy games instead of pirating and with that huge market they can lower the prices for the memory stick.

Unfortunately the result of garbage in is garbage out (all of those assumptions are stupid, with no MH there is no killer app, pirates wont buy a system which can't be pirated and they never buy games and honest buyers are now scared off with the prices) and the Vita is not selling at all meaning that the memory sticks will stay more expensive than gold.

My 32G is full now, which means that I also will buy less games (since buying a second card is ridiculous expensive plus swapping cards is a convoluted proccess (on the PSP just switch cards) and I don't like swapping digital games (the only advantage a digital game has over a physical game is lost if I don't have it always with me on my Vita).

 

[IISANDERII]

I have been turned off by Sony's proprietary bullshit for a long time. Laptops, cameras, players etc.

Their suffering is well earned.

 

[sonto340]

Fucking Nintendo is more forward thinking than sony in this regard.

 

[Beer Monkey]

Probably someone at Sony was thinking that the Vita will sell like bonkers, outselling the PSP (when the PSP was at its peak) and all of those 50million buyers forced to buy games instead of pirating and with that huge market they can lower the prices for the memory stick.

What evidence has ever been presented that Sony cannot lower the memory card prices based on the current market?

I don't see any reason whatsoever that their profit margins on them are not massive.

 

[CartridgeBlower]

The price is absurd but we've had this discussion a thousand times already.

And maybe that's a sign that it's a very serious issue many people still can't get past.

 

[Beer Monkey]

And maybe that's a sign that it's a very serious issue many people still can't get past.

Exactly. If Microsoft was dumb about the fact that Online-Only would hurt them, why can't Sony be clueless about the fact that memory card prices have crippled Vita sales?

 

[bootski]

the only reason i haven't got one is the price of those memory cards. i was in EB trading in some old games i got with a used ps3 i bought and saw the vita there. was checking it out but then i realized the cards weren't sd cards. they're sony PS Vita cards for triple the price of a normal sd card. wtf!? even if i buy a used vita online for about 150 or so, im still spending 100 on a 32gb card (cant find them used), which i refuse to do.

it's too bad too. sony is riding a wave of great publicity recently. the tie-in feature with the ps4 and the playstation+ stuff made the vita look very appealing to me, until i saw the memory card. boooooo sony boooooo.

 

[injurai]

Unfortunately that is often the response of copyright holders. Oh, there is piracy? Let's punish the honest buyers of the system.

Probably someone at Sony was thinking that the Vita will sell like bonkers, outselling the PSP (when the PSP was at its peak) and all of those 50million buyers forced to buy games instead of pirating and with that huge market they can lower the prices for the memory stick.

Unfortunately the result of garbage in is garbage out (all of those assumptions are stupid, with no MH there is no killer app, pirates wont buy a system which can't be pirated and they never buy games and honest buyers are now scared off with the prices) and the Vita is not selling at all meaning that the memory sticks will stay more expensive than gold.

My 32G is full now, which means that I also will buy less games (since buying a second card is ridiculous expensive plus swapping cards is a convoluted proccess (on the PSP just switch cards) and I don't like swapping digital games (the only advantage a digital game has over a physical game is lost if I don't have it always with me on my Vita).

okay, very valid point. Piracy is a non-issue when your can't even generate sales on your own accord. Guess this should be a wake up call.