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Forums - Sony Discussion - Vita needs permanent $169.99 price drop. Here's why.

People forget the Vita's memory cards, unless those prices also decrease you will still be paying $200+ (for more than 8GB that is). Sure it will cheaper, but it's still not a very "attractive" price for most people imo. Or Sony could simple included at least a 8GB card in every handheld, that would definitely help.  



Nintendo and PC gamer

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ps3-sales! said:

Honestly, with all the "vita is d00med" threads and what not, I'm amazed it's sold as much as it has. Why you say? Well think about it. If you had a choice of two handhelds, albeit with different games, and one was almost $100 more than the other, which would you pick? The bottom line is there isn't any one game that's a MUST PLAY on the Vita or the 3ds. There are quality games on both handhelds. So when deciding which to pick up, price becomes a main selling point. 

I currently don't own either handheld. I do however own a DS lite and a PSP-3000. Both are great consoles, although I spend a bit more time on my DS due to pokemon addiction... With that said, when I eventually decide to get one of the next gen handhelds, I'll likely go with the 3ds. As a middle class consumer, I honestly don't need to be spending $250 on a handheld system (vita) when I can get a 3ds for $169. It seems silly. Yes I'd love to play P4: Golden, Uncharted, and LBPvita, but there are many same-quality games on the 3ds, so it comes down to price.

Sony needs to act fast in order to save the Vita. I understand they'd be selling at a loss, but if DRASTIC chances are not made, then the 3ds will completley blow the vita out of the water. If Sony comes with a small price cut, Nintendo can easily counter that. I think the Vita at an attractive price of $169.99 will sell great and actually compete with the 3ds, convincing more developers to work with the handheld.

What are your thoughts on the need a Vita price cut? How soon do they need to lower the price, if at all??? 

The problem with your argument is the masses aren't making their choice just based on price. You're ignoring the 3DS has the software the masses want. Have you not seen the sales of 3DS software?

Even if you there isn't a single game motivating you to buy either platform. For most people the 3DS has the more appealing library. Especially since some of the most anticipated Vita games turned out mediocre or terrible.

Frankly, I'm not even sure what Sony should do with the Vita. Its not worth losing money on and they made many bad decisions already. I'm thinking they should keep it at the same price and continue bundling it with software. Sony just needs to keep bringing games to the Vita. Whether it be 1st or 3rd party.



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PS Vita is like all of Sony's systems.. it is not doomed.. and does not need a price cut yet.. or anytime.. until next fall or summer.. it is doing fine.. the only problem with it would be like the PSP before.. game developers may leave it for a bit.. until it gets more sales.. but like all PS systems.. it will and they will come back.. so it's all good.. with that being said.. I will give you a very solid reasons it will not likely catch up with 3DS.. and it is not the price.. Pokemon.. and BC with the original DS... which had a spectacular library in it's own right..



Nintendo Wii by generations...

1. Wii

2. Wii U

3. Wii O U

Predictions made by gamers concerning the current Nintendo line up of games.

Pikmen 3= Little Bump to nothing. (Got Little Bump)

Wind Waker HD= Won't sell anything (The explosion happened here and at one time 4 Wii U games was in the Amazon top 100)

Super Mario 3D World= Won't help at all looks cheap. (Currently the most sought after Wii U game and continuing the Wii U increase.)

i think sony can afford a price drop and make up the rest selling games. if this was 199 or cheaper i would buy one.
it's a powerhand held sony is just being dumb about it



VITA 32 GIG CARD.250 GIG SLIM & 160 GIG PHAT PS3

The thing is it doesn't need to meet or beat the 3ds to be considered a success. Any rational mind would know that. A 50 dollar cut with an 8 gig card would do wonders. In fact they should drop the 4 gig. Bundle a 8 gig. introduce a 60 card and move each card down a price slot.

That sad thing is it competes with most tablets and gamers seem to ignore it. For most gamers a PSvita would be better than an I pad.



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Why I think it is in desperate need of a price cut: It currently is a more expensive console (compared to the 3DS) requiring expensive memory cards and the exclusive games that it offers are of low demand. Additionally, there are often similar games of higher quality available for the PS3 anyway, further convincing the consumer that it really isn't worth the money just yet. It really isn't any more complicated that that.

I fail to see the discussion value though, given how a price cut already has been confirmed for next year. It's not like Sony isn't aware of Vita's issues.



They really, really should have launched the Vita for the 2010 holiday season at a $199 price point with standard memory cards and scaled down hardware. At this point all I can say is that Sony needs to drastically reduce the price of the system and memory cards in an attempt to retain 3rd party support and some semblance of relevance in the market. Otherwise, customer interest will continue to dwindle and 3rd party support will dry up. Additionally, a much greater effort to produce original, quality 1st party titles wouldn't hurt either.



the_dengle said:

The Vita has sold much more slowly than the 3DS sold pre-price cut. It will take more than an $80 price cut to save the Vita, and frankly, Sony can't even afford that much.

First of all, Sony doesn't need to sell more than the 3ds. That's an unrealistic feat brought up by people like you. Sony isn't expecting or should expect to sell on the same level as nintendo. That market has been dominated by nintendo 20 years before the PSP came to being. Selling 80mil first try is mission accomplished for Sony even though Nintendo sold more.

Secondly, Vita needs as much asaving now as the Ps3 needed in 2006. In other words, none. It needs to sell and make money. Even with a small userbase Sony and 3rd parties can be profitable with the machine as long as they know the market and have reasonable expectations.



Max King of the Wild said:

First of all, Sony doesn't need to sell more than the 3ds. That's an unrealistic feat brought up by people like you. Sony isn't expecting or should expect to sell on the same level as nintendo. That market has been dominated by nintendo 20 years before the PSP came to being. Selling 80mil first try is mission accomplished for Sony even though Nintendo sold more.

Secondly, Vita needs as much asaving now as the Ps3 needed in 2006. In other words, none. It needs to sell and make money. Even with a small userbase Sony and 3rd parties can be profitable with the machine as long as they know the market and have reasonable expectations.

lol. Yes, people like me. It's funny how a little over a year ago, Vita outselling the 3DS was an inevitability, and now it's "an unrealistic feat."

Of course, it is unrealistic now. Sony doesn't have to outsell the 3DS, and that's good, because they can't. What they do need is to sell well enough to stay afloat and continue receiving software support. They're not doing that right now. In order to do that, they need a price cut and a rebranding.

And sure the PS3 didn't need saving in 2006; that's why it got a price cut in 2007, right? Also note that I never said the Vita had to outsell the 3DS. It was the OP that stated Sony needs to make drastic changes to save the Vita.



ps3-sales! said:

There are quality games on both handhelds. So when deciding which to pick up, price becomes a main selling point


What are your thoughts on the need a Vita price cut? How soon do they need to lower the price, if at all??? 

I don't agree with you that neither has must play games.  I bought a 3DS because Fire Emblem was coming and looked badass (this is also the reason I finally picked up a DS last gen when Shadow Dragon released).  Judging from sales charts (in Japan at least) there are several must have games on the 3DS.  I don't think it's price, I think it's the mainstream appeal of 3DS software.  The 3DS has games that move hardware and that's pretty indisputable. These titles may not appeal to you, but they appeal to many, many others.

Meanwhile, the Vita doesn't have that mainstream killer app that with wide appeal.  The Vita has some great games coming out in the first half of the year.  I'm actually really impressed with the line up.  But none of those games will move systems.  In fact, I expect only ToH:R and SS to move over 100k. I think this is the primary reason for the difference in sales. 

Remember, the 3DS still sold a lot better than Vita at the same price point. That suggests to me it's primarily a software problem.  And you're right, Vita does need a price cut (and will get one eventually), but it'll need a constant stream of heavy-hitter software to sustain any momentum a price cut will have.  Also, Sony marketing it as console quality on the go backfired - they have no idea what they're doing from a marketing standpoint.