I am sure Sony has seen how well Nintendo Switch is selling, with Sony’s very own PSP/Vita pioneered concept “Console Quality Games On The Go”, they probably now have reflected on how they missed the mark on they market they aimed for, which Nintendo has hit so squarely.

Seeing just how fast this gaming concept can actually sell, I think PS Vita is one of the most squandered opportunities in gaming history.

Let’s imagine an alternative history where PS Vita got everything right.

—For starters, a PS Vita named the PSP 2, using what brand recognition they had to help the new handheld.

—Next obvious would be getting more developers to release full PS2+ scope (larger budget, non-rushed/janky) games AT LAUNCH, even publishing many of them to give the platform a proper boost off its launch year. (i.e. GTA san andreas, burnout revenge, dark cloud 2 type/scale of games)

—Marketing the PSP 2 a ton, not only running many more ads for the console, but actually talking about the PSP 2 as a significant focus at all their gaming events. (during its whole life, I really doubt PS Vita averaged even 5% of the presentation time across all of Sony’s gaming events, that shows lack of confidence and support, and greatly effects how people perceive the console)

—Having built in storage from the start (4GB), easy save file management that doesn’t copy the entire game with it, 1 icon for all physical games to avoid icon bloat (like the 3DS did it), supporting micro SD cards (memory card prices and eventual larger sizes would have been so, so, so, so, so, so much better).

—This PSP 2 having 4 shoulder buttons and no touch screen/touch pad (which became poorman’s shoulder buttons as Vita’s life went on).

—A PSP 2 with a XMB like OS navigation (like a very lite version of the PS4’s OS that didn’t have issues with icon limits or having no button navigation for over half a year).

—PSP 2 that allowed a second player to jump in and join the fun anywhere with a spare dualshock controller.

—PSP 2 which had widespread ad-hoc support like the OG PSP instead of sporadic support which had Vita multiplayer meet ups (these would have been more common as more consoles sold) depend on huddling around a router.

Now obviously this is all very hypothetical as I am well aware Sony was in a bit of a financial crunch back in 2011, and was afraid of cannibalizing its home console’s sales with such a PSP 2, and Sony hamstrung its own system on the idea that they could get away with selling you down-ports, spin-offs, rushed games, etc. and leave you wanting more, just enough to also double dip for the full experience on the home console. (This idea went poorly obviously)

What do you guys think, could PS Vita have sold as much as the 3DS if it had been significantly better supported and planned?

Would this have eaten into PS3 and PS4 sales?

Last edited by trent44 - on 16 December 2017

PS Vita should have been the gamers option to the Android and iOS phones on the market. Sony did just about everything they could wrong with the Vita. In the end it is still one of the best mobile devices ever made, and massively under appreciated. If Sony had spent the 5 Billion dollars they wasted loosing market share in the mobile space with Xperia on the Vita, they would have a 100+ million strong mobile market today.

With Switch selling extreamly well and Xperia on pace to reach 0 units sold in the next few years, I really hope Sony moves their Mobile wing under SIE, and delivers a real Sony Phone. There is a very viable market for a phone built on the PS4 hardware, using the PS4 OS, with full acces to PS4 and PSN software and services. It won't sell like iPhone or Galaxy Phones, but it doesn't have to set the world on fire. With the hardware, OS, software, and services being shared with the 100 million other PS4's in the market, it would require next to nothing in R&D, while driving PSN engagement through the roof, which is exactly what they are trying to do. Get people connected to PS4, PSN, and their software and services 24/7.

Give us a straight PSP/PS Vita successor. Same design language, same layout, same size. Add Clickable Joy Sticks, L2/R2, and you have a perfect mobile device. Get on board with AT&T, Verizon, and T-Mobile in the US, and they will be swimming in billions of new profits every year. That is how you make PlayStation successful in the mobile space, that's how you continue to grow the PlayStation business, and that's how you build the foundation to a maintainable business model for decades to come.

Voted no, Sony lacks the 1st party game development on mobile to really make a go out of it.   

 

KBG29 said: PS Vita should have been the gamers option to the Android and iOS phones on the market. Sony did just about everything they could wrong with the Vita. In the end it is still one of the best mobile devices ever made, and massively under appreciated. If Sony had spent the 5 Billion dollars they wasted loosing market share in the mobile space with Xperia on the Vita, they would have a 100+ million strong mobile market today. With Switch selling extreamly well and Xperia on pace to reach 0 units sold in the next few years, I really hope Sony moves their Mobile wing under SIE, and delivers a real Sony Phone. There is a very viable market for a phone built on the PS4 hardware, using the PS4 OS, with full acces to PS4 and PSN software and services. It won't sell like iPhone or Galaxy Phones, but it doesn't have to set the world on fire. With the hardware, OS, software, and services being shared with the 100 million other PS4's in the market, it would require next to nothing in R&D, while driving PSN engagement through the roof, which is exactly what they are trying to do. Get people connected to PS4, PSN, and their software and services 24/7. Give us a straight PSP/PS Vita successor. Same design language, same layout, same size. Add Clickable Joy Sticks, L2/R2, and you have a perfect mobile device. Get on board with AT&T, Verizon, and T-Mobile in the US, and they will be swimming in billions of new profits every year. That is how you make PlayStation successful in the mobile space, that's how you continue to grow the PlayStation business, and that's how you build the foundation to a maintainable business model for decades to come.

PS phone seems Kinda pointless, isn't the whole goal eventually to make PS work on every device.  A wifi dualshock to connect to PS on anything anywhere.    

An app for mobile, play any PS game.  Only issue is designing mobile controls.

Joystick and side buttons is the last thing i want on my phone.  

The original PSP was outsold by the DS.

All for one simple reason, really.
.
Price.

friendlyfamine said: The original PSP was outsold by the DS. All for one simple reason, really. . Price.

and...you know...better games.

KLXVER said: friendlyfamine said: The original PSP was outsold by the DS. All for one simple reason, really. . Price. and...you know...better games.

So every console that sold under the 80mil units had bad games compared to the PSP?

StarOcean said: KLXVER said: and...you know...better games. So every console that sold under the 80mil units had bad games compared to the PSP?

Nope. Just comparing the DS and PSP.

KBG29 said: PS Vita should have been the gamers option to the Android and iOS phones on the market. Sony did just about everything they could wrong with the Vita. In the end it is still one of the best mobile devices ever made, and massively under appreciated. If Sony had spent the 5 Billion dollars they wasted loosing market share in the mobile space with Xperia on the Vita, they would have a 100+ million strong mobile market today. With Switch selling extreamly well and Xperia on pace to reach 0 units sold in the next few years, I really hope Sony moves their Mobile wing under SIE, and delivers a real Sony Phone. There is a very viable market for a phone built on the PS4 hardware, using the PS4 OS, with full acces to PS4 and PSN software and services. It won't sell like iPhone or Galaxy Phones, but it doesn't have to set the world on fire. With the hardware, OS, software, and services being shared with the 100 million other PS4's in the market, it would require next to nothing in R&D, while driving PSN engagement through the roof, which is exactly what they are trying to do. Get people connected to PS4, PSN, and their software and services 24/7. Give us a straight PSP/PS Vita successor. Same design language, same layout, same size. Add Clickable Joy Sticks, L2/R2, and you have a perfect mobile device. Get on board with AT&T, Verizon, and T-Mobile in the US, and they will be swimming in billions of new profits every year. That is how you make PlayStation successful in the mobile space, that's how you continue to grow the PlayStation business, and that's how you build the foundation to a maintainable business model for decades to come.

Fuuuuuck yeah!

Dude in 10 years when people are doing Video's of Sony's biggest mistakes the Vita will be right up there. For one your right with the name, we had Playstation, Playstation 2 Playstation 3 and finally Playstation 4 and Playstation Portable or PSP. So where does the name Vita fit in to this. now granted gamers would know but the casual's would be wondering what the heck is this like the Wii U in many respects. This was just the start.

The launch library was garbage. Ports of garbage. Some gems like Escape Plan but these were far from console experiences. Nothing that would have Vita owners connect up and share experiences or good multiplayer.

The Memory card fiasco and the price point the Vita was pricey for a mobile unit but when you figured in the mandatory memory card and that Sony decided to make their own propietary memory cards that were outrageously expensive 100$ for a 32G card add this to the already high cost and your at an outrageous price point.

Two models one that used a wi fi and one that could use data from your phone plan not to play mind you but to download or upload scores or trophies and ATT was the only network which made the added cost of having two models and confusion over what did what.

The inability to include mini hdmi to allow the Vita to be played on a large screen.

You were right about the shoulder buttons, waste of money on touch screen and touch back when all we wanted was 4 shoulderbuttons.

Instead of focusing on the mistakes and correcting ship, they dropped support for the Vita very quickly relegating it to indie and Japanese titles where is the one place the Vita does sell. Once people realized the support was gone people lost interest.


I know at the time Sony was bleeding money but still they could have easily fixed the issues, dropping the price of the Vita, Dropping the price drastically for the memory units. Ramping up support for titles and advertising.

Its sad because I still use my VIta the OLED screen is gorgeous the thumbsticks are perfect its great for youtube, netflix and does have a lot of good indie titles for it, and some aaa games like KillZone and Resistance FFX/XII

Anyways we can't cry over spilled milk, it is what it is.

Could have, should have, would have, didn't have. It's virtually impossible to predict past what ifs like this, but I just don't see a Sony handheld outselling the Nintendo equivalent.