Famitsu: The Numbers Are In, PS Vita Underperformed At Launch

The numbers are finally in, and Sony's highly anticipated handheld PS Vita seems to have underperformed majorly at retail.

Famitsu reports that the system sold 321,000 units since its launch, which is less than half of the rumored 700,000 shipment. For comparison's sake, it did manage to outsell the PSP's launch window numbers (166,000), but failed to outdo even the 3DS (which sold 371,000). The situation is further excaberated when one considers that the 3DS only had an inital shipment of 400,000, and that it launched in February, which is the driest and slowest month for video game hardware and software sales in Japan, compared to the Vita, which launches in December in the frenzy of the holiday season.

The PS Vita launch numbers are very worrying. They spell a situation of panic for Sony, and they cast a shadow on the continued viability of dedicated handhelds as a source of revenue and a market.

The full numbers will be reported this Wednesday when Media Create reports its hardware and software numbers. As of right now, it is highly possible that the 3DS outsold the Vita the week of the Vita's launch, a situation that Sony will find highly undesirable.

SOURCE

EDIT: It has been confirmed that Sony shipped 500,000 units of the Vita, not 700,000. So this means that the Vita managed to sell more than 50% of its initial shipment, which is impressive.

Wonder how AtariKid will respond..

"Japan......no one cares about sales over there............."

Already like two threads on this.

Wonder how AtariKid will respond..

"Japan......no one cares about sales over there............."

Slashless

Sony is doomed. There's no hope.

It's doomed, Sony should discontinue it and get out of handheld market all together. Heil68

[QUOTE="campzor"]bit late to the party :P there are at least 3 other threads :P good numbers i suppose. I think they are like double the psp launch numbers..so thats a good signcharizard1605

I'm losing faith in Vita's ability to outperform the 3DS with every passing day.

It really is starting to look more and more like a DS vs. PSP situation.

[QUOTE="Heil68"]It's doomed, Sony should discontinue it and get out of handheld market all together. Slashless

[QUOTE="Slashless"][QUOTE="Heil68"]It's doomed, Sony should discontinue it and get out of handheld market all together. Heil68

[QUOTE="Slashless"][QUOTE="Heil68"]It's doomed, Sony should discontinue it and get out of handheld market all together. Heil68

the DS and PSP thoroughly spank every home console this generation :|charizard1605

[QUOTE="Slashless"][QUOTE="Heil68"]It's doomed, Sony should discontinue it and get out of handheld market all together. Heil68

Seems pretty good numbers to me. Nothing spectacular.

That's pretty close to what the 3ds sold at launch.

There's no problem here.

That's pretty close to what the 3ds sold at launch.

There's no problem here.

theuncharted34

maybe they will pull a 3DS move and drop the price by 80 bucks a couple months into launchGunSmith1_basic

Sony's already making a loss on every Vita unit. The last thing they will do is go even more into the red.

maybe they will pull a 3DS move and drop the price by 80 bucks a couple months into launchGunSmith1_basic

does this count online sales?

[QUOTE="theuncharted34"]

That's pretty close to what the 3ds sold at launch.

There's no problem here.

charizard1605

Problem? :?

All I read is that it almost doubled the Psp's numbers.

does this count online sales?

finalfantasy94

[QUOTE="charizard1605"][QUOTE="theuncharted34"]

That's pretty close to what the 3ds sold at launch.

There's no problem here.

theuncharted34

Problem? :?

All I read is that it almost doubled the Psp's numbers.

[QUOTE="theuncharted34"]

That's pretty close to what the 3ds sold at launch.

There's no problem here.

charizard1605

vita is doomed.campzor

[QUOTE="charizard1605"][QUOTE="theuncharted34"]

That's pretty close to what the 3ds sold at launch.

There's no problem here.

Chris_Williams

[QUOTE="theuncharted34"]

[QUOTE="charizard1605"] The problems are outlined in the OP: 'Famitsu reports that the system sold 321,000 units since its launch, which is less than half of the rumored 700,000 shipment. For comparison's sake, it did manage to outsell the PSP's launch window numbers (166,000), but failed to outdo even the 3DS (which sold 371,000). The situation is further excaberated when one considers that the 3DS only had an inital shipment of 400,000, and that it launched in February, which is the driest and slowest month for video game hardware and software sales in Japan, compared to the Vita, which launches in December in the frenzy of the holiday season.'charizard1605

Problem? :?

All I read is that it almost doubled the Psp's numbers.

Considering how expensive Vita is, and how it almost doubled the Psp's numbers, there's no problem.

If it outsold the Psp at launch, and the Psp has sold upwards of 50 million units, that puts Vita in a good position.

That isnt really bad. It sold considerably well considering it doesnt have MH3G :P

[QUOTE="Chris_Williams"][QUOTE="charizard1605"] The problems are outlined in the OP: 'Famitsu reports that the system sold 321,000 units since its launch, which is less than half of the rumored 700,000 shipment. For comparison's sake, it did manage to outsell the PSP's launch window numbers (166,000), but failed to outdo even the 3DS (which sold 371,000). The situation is further excaberated when one considers that the 3DS only had an inital shipment of 400,000, and that it launched in February, which is the driest and slowest month for video game hardware and software sales in Japan, compared to the Vita, which launches in December in the frenzy of the holiday season.'charizard1605

[QUOTE="charizard1605"][QUOTE="theuncharted34"]

Problem? :?

All I read is that it almost doubled the Psp's numbers.

theuncharted34

Considering how expensive Vita is, and how it almost doubled the Psp's numbers, there's no problem.

If it outsold the Psp at launch, and the Psp has sold upwards of 50 million units, that puts Vita in a good position.

Two things:

1. The PSP launch only tracked one day of sales...the Vita launch tracked two days

2. Nobody bought the PSP at launch because Sony had never released a handheld before...people aren't just going to rush into things that are untested. Now that Sony has more experience and built up consumer trust with handhelds, the Vita would obviously sell more at launch.

[QUOTE="charizard1605"][QUOTE="theuncharted34"]

Problem? :?

All I read is that it almost doubled the Psp's numbers.

theuncharted34

Considering how expensive Vita is, and how it almost doubled the Psp's numbers, there's no problem.

If it outsold the Psp at launch, and the Psp has sold upwards of 50 million units, that puts Vita in a good position.

I dont get the TC, how exactly did it underperform when it outsold the PSPs launch by a huge margin?

[QUOTE="charizard1605"][QUOTE="theuncharted34"]

Problem? :?

All I read is that it almost doubled the Psp's numbers.

theuncharted34

Considering how expensive Vita is, and how it almost doubled the Psp's numbers, there's no problem.

If it outsold the Psp at launch, and the Psp has sold upwards of 50 million units, that puts Vita in a good position.

Wonder how AtariKid will respond..

"Japan......no one cares about sales over there............."

Slashless

Doesn't matter.... Vita is still better than 3DS.... batteries for second analog lol....

I dont get the TC, how exactly did it underperform when it outsold the PSPs launch by a huge margin?

finalstar2007

so the 3DS user base will be around 11-12 million by the end of the year??GunSmith1_basic

[QUOTE="theuncharted34"]

[QUOTE="charizard1605"] That it sold less in the best month of the year. That's the problem. It's December, you would have expected it to at least sell more than the 3DS (the launch of which was a clusterf***, compared to the Vita, which Sony has handled so well).peterw007

Considering how expensive Vita is, and how it almost doubled the Psp's numbers, there's no problem.

If it outsold the Psp at launch, and the Psp has sold upwards of 50 million units, that puts Vita in a good position.

Two things:

1. The PSP launch only tracked one day of sales...the Vita launch tracked two days

2. Nobody bought the PSP at launch because Sony had never released a handheld before...people aren't just going to rush into things that are untested. Now that Sony has more experience and built up consumer trust with handhelds, the Vita would obviously sell more at launch.

I'm just saying these numbers aren't BAD -_- Not great, but the Vita's not "Teh doomed!" It's going to be every bit as successful as the Psp if not more.

Sony, the Ps3 and the Vita have been the target for SW non stop for the past month. (This isn't targeted at you Chaz)

Was Japan more favorable to PSP or the DS? it seems Japan is more conservative with their purchases. themyth01

Wonder how AtariKid will respond..

"Japan......no one cares about sales over there............."

Slashless

The videogame equivalent of Spinaltap.s "Boston isn't really a college town"