I didn't read too many posts in this thread but I'll chronicle my experience.
At my job, there's a lot of down time so we find multiple ways to entertain ourselves. People always have the latest technology. I started in 2009. When I started working, I used my DS. A lot of people had PSP's so I got one, too. I really liked it. It was a sleek piece of tech. I used it for music, movies, comics, and gaming. Then, everybody started buying iPhones and Droids. Suddenly, the PSP looked pretty limited.
I eventually got a Droid in 2010 and my PSP was almost forgotten. I grabbed a 3DS when everybody else was buying tablets. It was fun. I grabbed a Vita, too. It's a nice device, as well. Never really wanted a tablet. I still don't. The thing is, I was on post with a guy the other day. I was playing Ninja Gaiden on the Vita (when I'm around other people, I don't play the 3DS. Somebody once saw me playing Mighty Switch Force. I felt so ashamed!). He took out his iPad and showed me some RPG (Infinity Blade, I think), Tiger Woods Golf, and some other game called The Crow. This was Monday afternoon.
The things he showed me made the Vita look like garbage by comparison. The thing that turned me off to tablets was the touch screen only controls. They don't have the type of third party support that portable consoles have, either. The thing is, the Vita is trying to compete on two fronts. It's trying to be a dedicated game device like the 3DS. It's trying (and kinda failing) to be a slick/cool piece of mind blowing tech like an iPad/iPhone. I don't think it has a chance against either. A ton of people had PSP's. A few people had a DS. I've seen a couple of 3DS systems (though, one of the guys wants to sell his for $100). Right now, I'm the only one with a Vita.
I just don't think I would ever feel cool pulling out my Vita in public and playing a game whereas playing something on a smart phone or tablet wouldn't even raise an eye. The Vita will never be as popular as the 3DS. I don't have any idea what Sony is doing with the Vita and I have no idea what Sony could possibly do with the Vita. Call of Duty? Even if that game is coming, I just don't see it changing the Vita's current pattern.
Since the launch of the Vita, I have spent probabyly $700 trying to make it awesome.
-$300 3G Vita
-$20 case
-$50 Uncharted
-$10 Super Stardust
-$50 Ninja Gaiden
-$50 Virtua Tennis
-$50 Marvel vs. Capcom 3
-PSP games to fill the void: $40 Soul Calibur, $30 Dead or Alive Paradise, $30 Silent Hill
-In preparation for the Vita, maybe a week befor launch, I also bought both God of War PSP games, Def Jam, and something I can't remember.
I posted all of this because I want to show you guys that I want the Vita to succeed. I've supported it with my wallet. I got it the day it came out. I just don't see it succeeding on any level. I'm not saying Sony should drop it (I'd be pissed since I've already invested so much into it). I'm saying Sony needs to figure out what the fuck they want to do with the Vita and they need to figure it out, soon. Time is running out. Before long, it won't be whether they should ditch the Vita. The public is going to make that decision for them. This holiday season is make or break time.
