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Forums - Gaming - Why the PS Vita/PS3 combination can’t compete with the Wii U

lilbroex on 08 October 2012

 

Sony would like you to think that the PS3 + PS Vita combo can deliver you the same experience you will receive from the Wii U. I imagine Microsoft hopes Xbox Smartglass will be able to make the same claim. Both Smartglass and the Vita/PS3 combo are very compelling things, neither can stand up to the Wii U Game Pad.

Let’s look at the Vita/PS3 combo in particular. Yes, it could replicate a lot of what the Wii U Game Pad could do, theoretically. While the Vita lacks two shoulder buttons in comparison to the Game Pad it does share many similarities. But even the lack of a few buttons isn’t the biggest reason why the Vita/PS3 combo can’t hold up against the Wii U Game Pad.

Ubisoft’s Chris McEntee, who is a level designer on Rayman Legends, spoke in the latest issue of Nintendo Power (the article isn’t available online yet but should be in stores soon if not already) about why the game is Wii U exclusive. He does say that they could technically get Rayman Legends working on a 360 with Smartglass and on the PS3 using a PS Vita.

But he gives a great answer as to why they didn’t make it for the PS3/Vita combo. He said:

“Well, technically we could to it with SmartGlass [for Xbox 360] and with the Vita being linked to the PlayStation 3. The possibility could be there, but we chose to really focus on Wii U specifically because it has a special toolset, and because everyone that buys it gets what they need to play the game. We don’t want to have the player dependent on other technology that they have to purchase to make sure they can play the full experience. Here you buy the Wii U system, you buy the game, and you can experience all of the content without extras. And we didn’t want to give somebody half of the experience just for the sake of getting it out on another console. We want the player to get everything that we have to offer them from this game.”

There you have it. Players don’t own the technology needed to make a game like Rayman Legends work on a Xbox 360 or PS3. The game is being built around the Wii U controller’s unique features, and taking those touch screen related actions would cause the game to be rebuilt entirely.

This is the single biggest reason why the PS Vita/PS3 combo can’t stand up to the Wii U Game Pad. Even if it could replicate everything the Wii U can do and better it will never receive the developer support necessary to convince consumers to care about the combo.

A PS Vita and PS3 would cost you over $500 without tax at the moment and that isn’t included memory cards (Vita) or games. Even if you own a PS3 already the Vita isn’t an easy sell as a secondary controller.

The biggest flaw of the Vita/PS3 combo is the lack of a reliable customer base. While Sony’s first party studios can make games that use the two devices together there is little sense for any third parties to do so. There simply isn’t enough PS Vita owners out there and there is no guarantee many PS3 owners have the handheld.

Could Sony release the PS4 with a Wii U-like controller and improve upon the concept? They sure could and if history is any indicator that may happen. But as it stands the PS3/Vita combo just can’t stand up to the Wii U Game Pad because of lack of developer support going forward.

I’m looking forward to all PS Vita to PS3 connectivity that both Sony and third parties come up with. I’m sure we’ll be surprised by what developers come up for Playstation’s one-two punch. But at the same time I don’t expect the little combination that could to ever be a substitute for the first HD Nintendo console and the potential it’s new controller will bring to the table. I’m fine with being proven wrong on this one Sony!

http://gimmegimmegames.com/2012/10/why-the-ps-vitaps3-combination-cant-compete-with-the-wii-u/



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Mmmfishtacos on 08 October 2012

Well Sony has said most PSV owners are PS3 owners as well. that 3 million more potential consumers for the game. There has to be tool set's to do the working considering it's working silky smooth using LBP2. All missing buttons can be mapped to the rear touch pad. So in fact it could have 2 more buttons if they needed them Or keep it simple and split the rear panel into 4 buttons.

On another note, Do we really need to keep going over this?



okr on 08 October 2012

Who cares if this combo actually can compete or not. The theoretical PS3/PSV combo certainly won't decide the faith of Wii U.



DieAppleDie on 08 October 2012

"we chose to really focus on Wii U specifically because it has a special toolset, and because everyone that buys it gets what they need to play the game. We don’t want to have the player dependent on other technology that they have to purchase to make sure they can play the full experience"

and more expensive i would add
case closed



Chark on 08 October 2012

That Wii U userbase is overshadowing that Vita user base. And new consumers are more able to pay $300/$350 than the 66 million are to pay $250/$300.

I understand that having it all in box is important, but would it kill for them or any other third party to release a port? Atleast they would have a larger install base than a launching console. Isn't multiplatforming considered a good thing most of the time?



Before the PS3 everyone was nice to me :(

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IIIIITHE1IIIII on 08 October 2012

Well, I guess even the obvious needs to be confirmed from time to time. Developing a game designed around a PSV/PS3 combo at this point would be a financial suicide.



d21lewis on 08 October 2012

Which is why the Playstation Move never really had a chance. Having the same functionality due to a secondary purchase just doesn't work. The Zapper, The Genesis 6-button controller, the PS1 Dual Shock, The Eyetoy, Kinect, Move--if 100% of the people owning the console can't be guaranteed to have all of the hardware, the software support will be extremely limited.



lilbroex on 08 October 2012
d21lewis said:
Which is why the Playstation Move never really had a chance. Having the same functionality due to a secondary purchase just doesn't work. The Zapper, The Genesis 6-button controller, the PS1 Dual Shock, The Eyetoy, Kinect, Move--if 100% of the people owning the console can't be guaranteed to have all of the hardware, the software support will be extremely limited.


Woah, the 6-button and Dual Shock actually had "MUCH" support. Though taht was because they were more upgraded replacements than an option. They integreated with everything available and added new things.



superchunk on 08 October 2012
Mmmfishtacos said:

On another note, Do we really need to keep going over this?

No we don't. Its a stupid comparison that will never materialize in the market. Same as MS's smartglass comparison.

Neither come with the console and neither will be supported by 3rd parties in the same fashion as the Gamepad. Its a pointless exercise to keep bringing this up.



d21lewis on 08 October 2012
lilbroex said:
d21lewis said:
Which is why the Playstation Move never really had a chance. Having the same functionality due to a secondary purchase just doesn't work. The Zapper, The Genesis 6-button controller, the PS1 Dual Shock, The Eyetoy, Kinect, Move--if 100% of the people owning the console can't be guaranteed to have all of the hardware, the software support will be extremely limited.


Woah, the 6-button and Dual Shock actually had "MUCH" support. Though taht was because they were more upgraded replacements than an option. They integreated with everything available and added new things.

Yeah, they were optional.  For the Dual Shock, the only game on the PS1 that actually required DS Support was Ape Escape.  They were options with some games but virtually never the default.  You could own a 6-button Genesis controller or a Dual Shock and only occasional stumble across a title that supported it.  Too many devs just didn't feel that supporting them was worth it.  You could use the controller with anything but specifically supported software was never the norm.  They were the Wii Motion Plus of the day (well, maybe not that bad).