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kain_kusanagi on 12 February 2012
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Izo said:
kain_kusanagi said:
Ajescent said:
It's staggering the amount of hate Vita is getting not only from consumers but from the journo types. It just seems Sony can do no right.

I don't see it as hate. I think the handheld market has changed and the numbers from Japan are showing that. The original Gameboy was a monochrome portable NES. The Gameboy Advance was a portable SNES. But the DS was not a portable Gamecube and the 3DS is going to look extremely dated compared to its contemporary console counterpart the Wii U. My point is people aren't really looking for a portable console anymore. I don't really want to play console level games in the ten minutes I have waiting in line at the post office. I just want a short fun distraction. I'll play the big games when I get home on my big TV with a comfortable controller in my hand. That's doesn't mean I hate the Vita, I just don't have room in my life for it. I barely have room in my life for a 3DS, which I don't own because I know they'll put one out with a build in second circle pad. I can't even say I'm sure I'll buy one when that happens.  Look, Sony created a sexy piece of tech, but I think fans of Uncharted would have rather Golden Abyss be a PS3 game. If it's good enough to be a PS3 game, why isn't it a PS3 game? If the public isn't looking for a pocket size console they'll stick with Angry Birds and Infinity Blade. That's not hate, it's just how things look to be going.

With that said I don't expect the Vita to fail. But I also don't expect it to sell more than the 3DS or the original PSP. The portable gaming market has opening up and there is a lot more competition out there now. I myself stopped carrying my DS around and instead listen to podcasts or kill time with free stuff on the Android marketplace. All I'm saying is Sony and even Nintendo are going to have to compete with free games and games that cost a buck or two. Even when those games are as brilliant as Mario 3D Land or Golden Abysi

I would argue that there is abigger market for dedicated handheld gaming now. 3DS is already showing that the phone killing there buisness is laughable. Phones just dont do gaming as well as deciated devices nor do they have those high end developed games.

Watching the 3DS do this great has proven to me some things.

1. Phones didn't kill handheld gaming devices.

2. Cheap free to 2 dollar apps did not kill software from dedicated devices.

3. As much as people want it to be so. Phone's haven't done jack to dedicated handheld devices.

4. No matter how well the 3DS does people will still say phones did something to its market.

5. Even if the Vita does well people will STILL say phones killed its market.

My question is why? No matter what the evidence suggest I hear these phone comparisions all over the place. At what point do we just admit that it's just not true.

It's not so much that Phones are killing the market. It's that what people want from a handheld device is not a 60 hour RPG. Kids are going to want dedicated handhelds becuase they do want a portable console. But adults would rather play Angry Birds in line at the DMV and when they get home play Uncharted on their big TV. That's how I feel and I owned every Gameboy all the way up to the DS and played them all a lot untill the DS. I thought the DS was a great little system, but I just found myself not wanting to carry it around. I found myself wanted to listen to podcasts, read a book, or play for 10 minutes on my Android here and there. I just don't want to play big games on tiny screens with uncomfortable or gimped controls. No matter how good Golden Abyss may be, I'd rather it be on PS3. The only thing my Android doesn't do that the Vita does is play games like Uncharted and I just don't want to play console games on the go anymore. Maybe if my job had me travel and stay away from home a lot, but it doesn't and I just don't feel like I need to shove another device in my pocket when I walk out the door anymore.