Is Sony handheld gaming's last hope?

[Joelcool7]

Jay520 said:
Thread title could have been worded better.

Anyway, I see your point. But I don't think the handheld industry is in the position that analyst make it out to.

Sure the 3DS is showing very low sales. Any console with a rather high price tag and low software support will obviously have low sales. Even if smart phones weren't big right now, the 3DS would still have dissapointing sales. It's simply not a viable console at this point in time. If the 3DS is still having low sales even when it gets a slew major games, then we can talk about the state of the industry.

Fortunately for Nintendo & the industry, I don't see that happening. Once the 3DS gets a steady stream of major games, then sales will increase and put up worthy numbers.

I agree I don't think the handheld industry is in the position analysts make it out to be. I think that 3DS could really revive with some good software and such.

However we live in a world where investors control the companies. I don't need to be convinced they do.

I don't think that Nintendo can convince investors that handheld gaming is viable if 3DS fails to generate reasonable profit. I can't see much software coming to 3DS if software sales continue to do so poorly either, look at Capcom within hours of announcing MH4 for 3DS their shares fell by over 8% , Square after their 3DS announcement dropped by over 3%. Nintendo's shares dropped by over 5%.

Share holders have lost faith in the 3DS and handheld gaming. If Sony's Vita fails to generate sufficient profit I could see their share holders also loosing faith. Even if both 3DS and PSVita are viable platforms that are capable of surviving, without share holder support both platforms will have a very hard time surviving.

If share holders from not only Nintendo and Sony but all the third parties loose faith in handheld gaming. Then handheld gaming as we know it will struggle to exist. There is immense pressure from shareholders for Nintendo to start supporting iOS and Android devices and dropping their support for 3DS. If Sony gets the same treatment and PSVita doesn't fly off the shelves the whole industry will be in real trouble.

In other words if Vita succeeds it will prove to share holders that the market still exists. Thus saving the handheld industry, obviously Nintendo's ability to prove this has fallen short. If Vita tanks share holders will assume there is no market and Vita and 3DS will be in for a hell of a ride!