By using this site, you agree to our Privacy Policy and our Terms of Use. Close
theprof00 on 17 February 2012
Edit Thread
Nem said:


I dont really see how beeing region free improves sales of foreign games overseas. If anything it would be the other way around seeing as people just imported the japanese copy.

 

The problem with the Vita is essentially the same problem the PSP had. Its a product development and marketing issue.

Portables are in expansion in Japan because the Japanese have a mobile life style and because they rejected the new generation of consoles by refusing to buy Xbox 360's. This bottlenecked the japanese market to portables.

On the west though, the opposite is the case. If you got a console, you dont really have much use for a mobile device unless it can offer something you cant get with your console experience. Usually, its not processing power since the consoles will always be more powerful and run of bigger and better screens.

That is where you need to diferentiate your product. Nintendo did this with the dual screens and touch pad on the DS and with the 3D on the 3DS. Nintendo does genius marketing and Sony does crap marketing. Anyone who understands a bit of the issue could tell you that the Vita was dead on arrival. The only reason why the PSP didnt fail on the Japanese market aswell was more demerit of the competitiors in the market (microsoft) and the lack of processing power on the DS (nintendo). The 3DS has a really incredible processor in comparison to the quality of the one the DS got in its time, wich permits the development of good software that was previously blocked to DS owners. Again, good marketing by nintendo.

Being region free means that only one version of the game really has to be made, and can then be exported anywhere so long as it has languages or subtitles.

And while you have a point on the western reasons for handheld, you're largely incorrect. A mobile device is for playing on the go, something you can't get with your console experience. There is also the games. Exclusive games sell handhelds. That's why pokemon continues to be handheld only, and that's why psp gets access to lots of spinoffs and niche titles, like metal gear peacewalker, and tactics ogre.

In the alst paragraph, I just have to correct you on the use of the word marketing. Having good quality hardware is strategy, not marketing. Marketing is the actual advertisements. There is a slight overlap given word of mouth being hand in hand with a particular function, but for the most part, Nintendo is demonstrating good strategy with having good hardware, not good marketing. Sony however, is crap marketing.