Vita Thread

[Himu]

(Image removed from quote.)

I can't believe it's been 5-6 years since this

[Bebpo]

The idea that these 2 weeks now means that the Vita isn't getting anything and that because the next two years of software hasn't been shoved in peoples faces already means that there isn't anything out there is incredibly short sighted.

It's not so much this as it is that Sony doesn't have anything first party-wise on the sales level of a Mario Kart, Pokemon, Mario Bros., what have you.  They don't have an ohshit button they can slam down on.  Which means they need to rely on their third parties, very few of whom have *big* titles worth a spit, and even fewer of those who are interested in handhelds, or they just need to do that simple little thing where they pull a massive selling new IP out of their asses.

Of course no one can predict where the next big thing is coming from and what it will be, but that's kind of the problem with the next big thing - you can't predict it.  In the meantime, Sony is lacking any old faithfuls they can turn to in the case of shit hitting the fan.

We are talking about Japan where all the devs would rather put games on a portable than a console, right?

[EmCeeGrammar]

it's really easy to spot the guys who only keep half an eye on sales data

In my defense Media Create has been pretty uneventful for awhile now.  Its all a blur of talesof super robot mario musou hunter.

Isnt RE still a thing in Japan?  Animal Crossing is debatable after City Folk's performance.

[Tasty]

RE is successful but not huge.  Kind of in the Yakuza/Metal Gear bracket.

Kirby bracket?

Although I think Kirby in Japan is more popular than I realize.

[Tasty]

Kirby is bigger, but not by a great deal.  Kirby's popularity in Japan is weird.

Yeah. It's like whether a Kirby game does well or not as well in Japan, I'm like "Oh that's normal for the series. Could sell 100k week one, could sell 600k. But that's always my reaction.

Wonder how well Kirby does abroad, probably not as well but who knows.

Kirby sort of feels like the kind of franchise just waiting to grab the spotlight, but never does. Unfortunately.

[Tasty]

Latest Wii one didn't have much marketing nor really any momentum... pretty much the only first party game for Wii's Q4, other than SS of course...

[maxy]

During its first week on sale in Japan, PS Vita sold 320 K units. The sales period tracked was just two days, so hopeful fans thought that perhaps the first full week would bring good news.

But the second week brought devastation – just 72 K units sold. [...]

Sony will likely be forced to cut the price of the PS Vita from 24’000 yen to well below 20’000 yen very soon. The upcoming US launch could be a true debacle for several reasons. Sony has decided to price Vita at $250, higher than the Amazon Kindle Fire. The hottest games like the latest Uncharted are priced at $50, while many other major titles are $40. The pricing seems delusional in light of the Japanese response to the PS Vita. The older PSP handheld console has been a bigger hit in Japan than it has been in the US market. The tablet and iPhone market penetration rates in America are higher than in Japan – consumers may well be more reluctant to splurge on expensive, proprietary handheld consoles. The launch of the Kindle Fire at $200 has changed the US consumer electronics pricing environment.

I believe Japan could well be the last stronghold of portable game consoles. Even though the 3DS stumbled badly during its early months, Nintendo revived the console with a steep price cut and nearly simultaneous launches of three major franchises near the end of the year. The 3DS should have been a surefire blockbuster in its domestic market – the summer softness in Japan may have been an early warning sign of the coming global portable market malaise. The disastrous second week of the PS Vita is the second sign. Sony clearly had some anxiety about the Vita’s launch – it built it massive early support via an extensive line of launch titles. Despite the fact that Sony’s PSP has been a big hit in Japan, the PS Vita is foundering badly out of the gate – the ancient and heavily discounted PSP outsold the brand new Vita by 40% during the Christmas week. Much is now riding on the Vita debut in the US market in February.

I argued last week that PS Vita could mark the end of the era of portable game consoles. There is no doubt that Nintendo’s 3DS is going to sell at least 20 Million units globally over the next couple of years. But the portable console market may now have entered an age of permanent, slowly accelerating decline. The true test of the industry is the United States, where consumers are embracing games designed for smartphones and tablets. The possible shrinking of the portable game consumer base would hit the runner-up Sony before Nintendo really gets mauled. The rot sets in first at the periphery.

Sony has approached the PS Vita launch in America with arrogance, pricing the console and games high while opting to debut the device during the slow retail month of February. Mobile app sales more than doubled during the Christmas of 2011 – solid triple digit volume growth. In the meanwhile, even in the Japanese heartland of video games, video game software unit sales are set to decline by double digits in 2011.

http://www.forbes.com/sites/terokuittinen/2011/12/29/sony-in-big-trouble-with-ps-vita/

Sony’s PSP has been a big hit in Japan, the PS Vita is foundering badly out of the gate – the ancient and heavily discounted PSP outsold the brand new Vita by 40% during the Christmas week.

On a scale from 1 to 10 how doomed the Vita is?

numbers please

[bork]

Uncharted is supposed to be receiving a "surprise update" on 1/10.  Aiming fix included, I hope. 

[maxy]

On a scale from 1 to 10 how doomed the Vita is?

1

- people can't see to the end of their cocks let alone 4-5 years down the line.

The funny thing is that Nintendo failures actually hurt Vita(wait for price drop,ambassadors) but on the other hand 3DS success is good for Vita-dedicated handheld market is still alive and kicking in Japan.

[MyNameIsMethodis]

dcharlie did fifa comeo ut in japan how is the vita version

[pilonv1]

japanese protecting their own?

[MyNameIsMethodis]

dcharlie did fifa comeo ut in japan how is the vita version

when you hear reports of how some Brit died on the yamanote line from drowning in his own cumslosh, that is the day Fifa comes out in Japan.

 

[bork]

Musou fever got the best of me- decided to get a Japanese PSN 5,000 yen card code online and am downloading Sangoku Musou Next now.  Will try on my American account later and see if it's playable on a different account.

EDIT: No go; When I try to launch the game from my American account, it tells me I need to re-download the application.

[MrAngryFace]

LOOOOOLZ wtf I guess ill just look at em for a week

[bork]

A number of games are coming out on the 15th because of the first edition Vita bundle pack.

[MrAngryFace]

I shoulda bundled for the mem card- afraid to switch order; place in line! nooo!

[Bebpo]

I thought about changing to the bundle but eh, I can wait a week and don't need the mini-game collection. 

/maf I don't think place in line matters.  If it's like Japan launch there will be plenty of supply and everyone will get it day 1 no matter when they ordered.


I'm actually importing Tales of Innocence R on Jan 26th so I get to stare at that one for a month!  But it'll be nice to have a jrpg on it day 1 when I get it.


My launch lineup so far looks like this:
-Uncharted
-Wipeout
-Hot Shots
-LBP
-Tales of Innocence
-Shinobido 2
-Katamari

On the fence about importing Gravity Daze.  I know it's definitely coming to the US and so spending $80-100 importing it just to have it at launch with jp voices (seems like an anime game so would rather play with jp voice track) doesn't seem worth it when I can get it for $40 a few months later. 

Also I want to buy Power Smash 4 after DC's raving about it but WTF it's not listed for US release on Amazon?  Hopefully they'll add it later, I'd be really surprised if a tennis game that takes no effort to localize wouldn't come over.


I think all those games will be worth it except maybe Katamari.  I'm sure it's a solid Katamari game going by impressions I've read, it's just that Katamari Forever on PS3 was pretty much the ultimate "best of" Katamari title, and don't really need another one.

[MrAngryFace]

dont you need the card to save a game. cant find a card listing on amazon yet- may have to find it elsewhere

[Bebpo]

You need a memory card to save, yeah.  Oh, does the Little Deviant bundle come with a card?  So that makes the game like $20?  Hmm, maybe I should switch.

[Joe Molotov]

Yeah, it comes with a 4GB card.

[Bebpo]

Ok, switched! 

[Olivia Wilde Homo]

dont you need the card to save a game. cant find a card listing on amazon yet- may have to find it elsewhere

I thought Amazon is selling an 8 GB card.

[MrAngryFace]

I can't seem to find it on the site

[Olivia Wilde Homo]

http://www.amazon.com/Memory-Stick-Micro-Adaptor-Sony-PSP/dp/B002P69VAC/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1325552350&sr=8-1

Isn't this the one?

[Joe Molotov]

That's for the PSP.

[cool breeze]

Initially I had that week early bundle but 4 gig stick is nothing, I can always get a cheap case, the game that comes with it look like a mini-game collection acting as a tech demo, and I'll never ever use 3G.  I switched it up to the wifi only model.  The only thing is I don't know if I want to get the 16 gig stick or 8 gig (since 8 gig is 30 and 16 is 60).  If there is that rumored "lower prices on PSN" thing, I might just go download only with a larger stick.

[MrAngryFace]

The only thing I want to know is if it will be easy to get memory in feb sans bundle

[Bebpo]

Initially I had that week early bundle but 4 gig stick is nothing, I can always get a cheap case, the game that comes with it look like a mini-game collection acting as a tech demo, and I'll never ever use 3G.  I switched it up to the wifi only model.  The only thing is I don't know if I want to get the 16 gig stick or 8 gig (since 8 gig is 30 and 16 is 60).  If there is that rumored "lower prices on PSN" thing, I might just go download only with a larger stick.

I'll never use 3G but I don't want to get the wifi only model and then a year later some game has REALLY COOL 3G FEATURE and then I'm screwed.   I learned the hard way when I bought the 20gig PS3 at launch and then missed out on 4 years of ad-hoc party online psp play   Never again.  I'll get the 3G model and not sign up for a data use plan (or maybe I'll sign up if they only charge you when you use it instead of a monthly fee), just to have around.

4gig stick is enough to start for me since I hate DD games outside of PC and will be buying everything physical.  Just need enough space for save games for a year or so until the mem stick prices drop and I get a big ass one.

[bork]

I have an 8GB which seems to be fine for now.  The one game I've downloaded, Sangoku Musou Next, takes up around 1.4GB.  If you're not going to be buying games from PSN, 4GB should be fine for a while.

That said, as soon as 32GB cards are available somewhere, I'm picking one up.

On the fence about importing Gravity Daze.  I know it's definitely coming to the US and so spending $80-100 importing it just to have it at launch with jp voices (seems like an anime game so would rather play with jp voice track) doesn't seem worth it when I can get it for $40 a few months later.

Gravity Daze is coming out in the States as Gravity Rush, and it's listed as a launch title...one week after the Japanese release.

The characters also do not speak Japanese in-game.  It's a made-up language and sounds like gibberish.

Also I want to buy Power Smash 4 after DC's raving about it but WTF it's not listed for US release on Amazon?  Hopefully they'll add it later, I'd be really surprised if a tennis game that takes no effort to localize wouldn't come over.

There are a few games that either aren't listed or don't have solid dates.  Dynasty Warriors Next is like this too.

[Bebpo]

Gravity Rush has been confirmed as not making the US launch.  It's "launch window", so who knows when.  Good to know if has gibberish language, makes it easier to just wait for US release.  Only concern is the rumor that it's going to be DD only with no physical release in the west. 

[bork]

Gravity Rush has been confirmed as not making the US launch.  It's "launch window", so who knows when.  Good to know if has gibberish language, makes it easier to just wait for US release.  Only concern is the rumor that it's going to be DD only with no physical release in the west.

I see different dates.  Some places still say 2/15, and the DDL thing seems to be for Europe only.

So my guess is that nobody knows.

[MrAngryFace]

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B006JKAS20/ref=s9_simh_gw_p63_d0_g63_i1?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=center-2&pf_rd_r=00KRXX5JP9TH9SXJA0EA&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=470938631&pf_rd_i=507846 -- finally an entry for the card; pre-orderin

[bork]

LOL 4 gig

[MrAngryFace]

they prolly have bigger ones but I can always buy a bigger one when I see a reason- im totally buyin shit on disc so i can be all like LOOK AT ALL DIS SHITTTTTTT and roll in em

[bork]

they prolly have bigger ones but I can always buy a bigger one when I see a reason- im totally buyin shit on disc so i can be all like LOOK AT ALL DIS SHITTTTTTT and roll in em

You're going to need a lot, then, since Vita games are tiny carts the size of half your thumb!

[G The Resurrected]

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B006JKAS20/ref=s9_simh_gw_p63_d0_g63_i1?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=center-2&pf_rd_r=00KRXX5JP9TH9SXJA0EA&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=470938631&pf_rd_i=507846 -- finally an entry for the card; pre-orderin

Ordered a few when they were just .10 cents each gotta love amazon

[MrAngryFace]

they prolly have bigger ones but I can always buy a bigger one when I see a reason- im totally buyin shit on disc so i can be all like LOOK AT ALL DIS SHITTTTTTT and roll in em

You're going to need a lot, then, since Vita games are tiny carts the size of half your thumb!

Challenge accepted!!!!!

[Great Rumbler]

Japanese sales numbers:

Vita sold 42k in week 3

No Vita games in the top 20 [meaning top game sold less than 16,000 units]

http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2012-01-05/idolm@ster-no.3-moves-18992-and-ps-vita-sells-42648-in-3rd-week

[Bebpo]

Cool.  Will sell 42k week 1 in the US!

[MrAngryFace]

dont care, PSP did shit and had a library I enjoyed more than the DS.

Currently pre-ordered games:

Dynasty Warriors NEXT
Ultimate Marvel vs Capcom 3
Wipeout 2048
Hot Shots
Uncharted
Blaz Blue

[bork]

Vita launch line up

3DS launch line up

PLAYING SOME GAMES AND NOT GIVING A FUCK ABOUT DUMB SALES-AGE

[Trent Dole]

Vita launch line up

3DS launch line up

PLAYING SOME GAMES AND NOT GIVING A FUCK ABOUT DUMB SALES-AGE

The 42k people that bought Vitas have gotta be playing something, right? Maybe the working strategy here is to have a giant ass diverse as fuck lineup so there'll be shit everybody wants vs. one big must have title for everybody driving sales. Of course the big budget big shit games will arrive at some point I'm sure. There's enough shit for it to be worth considering AT LAUNCH, when's the last time that legitimately happened? Still waiting for a price drop/TV out revision though.

spoiler (click to show/hide)

Cause I need to save for a new PC :'(

[close]

[Akala]

lumines, hotshots, wipeout...so awesome. pretty much PSP lineup 2.0, but hnnnng

[MrAngryFace]

Hey if Nintendo can pimp its same crap over and over again anyone can in my book

[EmCeeGrammar]

Chronicly bad sales for an extended period of time will equal a developer exodus and a shun from retailers at some point.  So if things don't improve you better like Sony first party stuff.  Of course, this gen has shown us that astronomicaly good sales doesn't necessarily equal good third party support either~

edit: for the record, I'm not to optimistic about 3ds's prospects outside of japan, as I don't see many japanese localisations happening this time around and western support is pathetic with no indication of changing.

[Bebpo]

It's not like 3rd Parties in Japan have anywhere else to go.  For smaller, non-Layton/MH guys whose niche games sell 50-150k total (aka, 75% of Japanese developers), Nintendo systems are never a good place to be since Nintendo 1st party stuff along with the big hitters dry up the well of all possible sales. 

This is one of the reason you see these devs keep putting out games on systems that aren't doing gangbusters.  They don't need a big market to survive, just enough people to buy their game.

[MrAngryFace]

PSp did great by me. Ill get a vita for that alone

[Eel O'Brian]

$200 vita in september

[cool breeze]

yeah, I don't care much about sales outside of "has it failed?" and "will there be continued support?"

the PSP was nice hardware had a ton of great games, so in whatever ways it sold less than the DS, it didn't matter much to me.

sometimes I don't get that winner/loser mindset on gaf.

[Joe Molotov]

$200 vita in september

I'll wait for the Vita Go.

[EmCeeGrammar]

It's not like 3rd Parties in Japan have anywhere else to go.  For smaller, non-Layton/MH guys whose niche games sell 50-150k total (aka, 75% of Japanese developers), Nintendo systems are never a good place to be since Nintendo 1st party stuff along with the big hitters dry up the well of all possible sales. 

This is one of the reason you see these devs keep putting out games on systems that aren't doing gangbusters.  They don't need a big market to survive, just enough people to buy their game.

This nonsense again?  There's nothing about Nintendo platforms that ~magically~ makes the average consumer not want to purchase non first party stuff.  DS 3rd party software did really well in Japan on a consistent basis.  Wii's problem was a mismatched demographic issue first and foremost and a lack of commitment from publishers.  They didn't put their A teams on it and didn't market the few token efforts they did shit out once in a blue moon.  Nintendo did those things of course and the software did gangbusters... cept zelda...

And MAF, the psp at least had a large enough Japanese presence to provide localisation material for the states.  I don't see Vita enamoring western developers so the current sitch in Japan is cause for concern.

But I'm not here to tell people how to spend their money, I just wanna argue cus its fun.

[Bebpo]

Not going argue sales with you.  That's what gaf is for.  EB is where we all buy the Vita and play fuck awesome games at launch.

Sort of debated Army Corps, but I still haven't played Overlord and if I want Pikmin those games are probably the better alternatives.  Should've used the FF branding on it and made it FF Pikmin where you control an army of moogles and chocobos to fight Odin.  Then I'd pick it up.

[archie4208]

$200 vita in september

$99 Vita next February

[Howard Alan Treesong]

$200 vita in september

$99 Vita next February

$0 not buying a Vita

[pilonv1]

$200 vita in september

I'll wait for the Vita Go.

More like Vita Gone am i rite?

[Bebpo]

$200 vita in september

$99 Vita next February

$0 not buying a Vita

First you sell Chrono Trigger, next you don't buy a Vita, 5 years from now you'll be puzzled by these curious things kids call "vidya games".

It's a downward spiral man.

[cool breeze]

I'm sure you can get a Vita for $150 to $200 in 2012.  3DS went from $250 to like $140 w/game during the holidays.

[Cormacaroni]

I saw my first 2nd hand Vita the other day. For like $20 below retail. Why???

[cool breeze]

it's not losing! it's pacing itself...fuck sales!  I don't even play dedicated gaming portables.  go android! fuck android! go panasonic jungle! tablets are the future! wait for uncharted mud geyser

[cool breeze]

probably the launch window games will be.  I think the only reason Shinobido 2 is releasing in the states is because it's a launch game and Namco is trying to capitalize on launch fever. 


(the sales thing is totally true, btw.  I cared about sales when Deus Ex sold well enough.  That was the one instance, though)