Sony insists Vita is here to stay - Eurogamer

http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2014-09-11-sony-insists-vita-isnt-going-anywhere

In an interview with Eurogamer, Sony UK chief Fergal Gara admitted the Vita doesn't sell anywhere near as well as the PlayStation 4, for example, but he said he was encouraged by how "robust and consistent" the sales were.

"It's trucking along," he said. "It's currently in year-on-year growth and enjoying a healthy year, and it's about to hit its biggest and potentially most powerful release of the year, which is Minecraft. That could be an extraordinary release for Vita.

"We're seeing a bit of reflected glory from PS4. So there is a traction in remote play, and we see the numbers there. But it's more than that. It's just found its niche. It's not the biggest niche in the world, and we've been fairly open about talking about it entered a crowded landscape with many other devices providing some sort of handheld fulfilment. But for those who want that more specialist device and a more specialist experience, it does a damn good job, and therefore it trucks along quite nicely."

Vita launched alongside a promise to provide a home console quality experience on the go. But the strategy failed, with £30 games such as Uncharted: Golden Abyss and Killzone: Mercenary struggling to make an impression ona market flooded with cheap titles for smartphones.

So Sony repositioned the handheld to focus on smaller games,an initiative spearheaded by Sony Computer Entertainment Europe's Shahid Ahmad, as well as games aimed at younger players. And it's a strategy that's helping keep Vita afloat.

Will Sony release the likes of Uncharted or Killzone on Vita ever again? Probably not, Gara said. "But what we are excited by is the number of games we can take to the platform that have been created for other platforms.

"Minecraft is a classic example. We've got Lego Batman 3 coming to Vita as well as PS4 and PS3. The multitude of digital titles that are proving attractive on the console, and the fact it is a substantially digital device - a big chunk of the sales come direct from the store to the device- the multitude of titles in the indie sector in particular we've done a lot of work with has proven popular, both in terms of affordability and their quirky nature, which seems to suit many of the consumers who are buying Vita. And also a bunch of younger gamer titles, which is another substantial niche.

"There's a perception that it's fading away. I can absolutely assure you that that's not happening. It's proving remarkably resilient. We enter the peak season very optimistic about hitting similar or bigger numbers to last year. So we feel in good shape."

There you have it, folks. Vita has been re-purposed, but still showing signs of life. Has this changed your mind on whether you would get a Vita?

So it's been repurposed as a PS4 add on that plays indie games. Whoopty doo

Only worth it cheap or if you're slightly interested in the current library at this point.

and if you can get a good deal on dem memory cards.

If I knew this was the road Sony was going to take, I would have waited for a price drop to buy mine. If Sony thinks it's here to stay how about they make some fucking AAA content for the damn thing.

because it's not worth the cost. Easier to just port things over

They're hardly going to come out and say their own product is dead are they, to be frank the game line up after the next few months is looking rather barren.

If they don't lose money making it then they should keep making it. It will probably be as advanced or more advanced as the next Nintendo handheld so they could keep on trucking for another 5 or so years and if for no other reason than attrition alone, it will develop a nice catalog as time goes on.

Basically. They don't want to spend any real money making AAAE games for it, which sucks. All they are going to do is through cheap Indie games on it and make some of the PS4 games remote play compatible.

I don't think tumbleweeds and ports are going to sustain the vita.

Well of course, the PS4 controller will be on sale for as long as the PS4 is, and the PS4 will be around for a while.

the ability to use the Vita as a controller for ps4 games has been around for a while now. unlike the 3DS where Nintendo announces you can use it as a controller for one game and the sheep eat it up

Poor Vita. Sony barely stands behind it. How can they expect others to do it?

the vita would seem like a less than optimal controller...

The vita sold 6k in the August NPD...

Actions says more than words, Sony. Your lack of actions are telling me its dead.

Still pretty disappointed on how Sony treats the system. It deserves more love.

I wouldn't get it. If Sony isn't supporting it, I'm not. They gave up on it way too quickly. They already had experience with releasing powerful handhelds with the PSP [in its time], so they should have known which way things were going and how far to go with handheld technology.

Nintendo have lower tech handhelds for a reason, they know it isn't needed.

Sony will keep the Vita on because there is no point in releasing a new handheld with any more power than it has for a long time to come. But I just think Sony really pissed on their fans with this one given how expensive the Vita was.

Sony 'repositioned' it, it's none of these companies business to do that, because the fans who bought it before, didn't buy into an indie handheld, that's not what they were sold. It's exactly the same as MS 'repositioning' the X1. While I understand why they have to do it, it's not fair on current owners. This is exactly why early adopting is so fucking stupid (my self included).

I completely forgot the thing exists

lol , a cheap vita would be nice since i have so many games on my psn acnt, and i would really like to play uncharted and gravity rush. But i dont like handheld consoles. I want to leave gaming behind when i go out. So, no

Since it's basically a PS4 peripheral at this point, a price cut is definitely long overdue.

it seems only other japan studios support the little system. Sony just let it hangs.

yes and no. sony has published quite a bit of indies like metrico and murasaki baby.

"Don't worry kids, the puppy is here to stay! We're just not feeding it anymore."

@bobbetybob: Pretty much that exactly. Puppy with no food equals corpse.

The PSP had a pretty big drought as well, but still got some goodies here and there.

The Vita is on a whole 'nother level though. Glad I kept myself from buying one near launch.

Lol, the dead vita is banking on Minecraft. Can't wait until that rug gets pulled out.

Bawahahaha!

Would be nice....

I was close at buying one but reading this I'm glad I didnt. Not worth it, especially when even its best games are coming to the PS4 like Tearaway and I'm predicting Uncharted GA and Killzone Mercenary will be ported aswell

VITA is not here to stay just a few years ago they launched PSPgo a discless psp that uses internet to download games

now tey just said the psp go cannot access the store in the future an u will need a ps4 or something to be able tod ownload thing to it from the store

that is not here to stay SONY IS KILLING STUFF they just made recently and don't give a crap about u or me

Give it up, Vita warrior. Allow the Vita a respectful death and say your goodbyes and move on.

and yet its better in pretty much every aspect even games catalog at this point.

nobodies fault but the consumors now.

What did you expect Sony to say? "No, Vita's dead, stop buying it." Don't be so naive.

the funny thing is I happen to like playing indies, JRPGs, PSP/ps1 classics. currently playing megaman x4, alundra, velocity 2x, tactics ogre. waiting for freedom wars and murasaki baby. not bad for a console with no games lol.

I treasure mine as well for P4G, Tearaway and PSP classics. Doesn't mean the Vita has much of a future though, despite the PR that Sony is spouting about it. It's sad that they have no desire to make AAA exclusives for a system that would benefit greatly from it.

I guess they're content from the early PS4 success, and want to focus all their resources on it.

yea, it sucks. imagine what a real Vita game could've been? I hope freedom wars is good