http://www.pushsquare.com/news/2012/11/yoshida_playstation_vita_sales_are_below_expectations

Despite an influx of new software in recent weeks, the PlayStation Vita's commercial situation remains ominous. Chatting candidly with French website Lemonde, Sony Worldwide Studios president Shuhei Yoshida revealed that the platform's sales are “below expectations”.

“Consumers now have multimedia devices, such as smartphones,” the outspoken executive noted. “These devices include the ability to play, and it is difficult for us to justify the purchase of an additional machine.”

In another, almost defeatist snippet, Yoshida lamented the changed focus of mobile developers: “With the rise of mobile gaming, studios have started to transition, allocating more resources to this type of production,” he added. “Even if the creators want to develop games on the Vita, they unfortunately have fewer resources to do so. One solution is to encourage the support of the platform by smaller development studios.”

Recent figures showed that the Vita was really struggling to build an install base, with the handheld platform selling just 1.6 million units throughout the company's second quarter when combined with the PSP. That represented a 0.1 million units decline year-on-year, despite the Vita not being released 12 months ago.

A spate of high-profile releases – including Assassin's Creed III: Liberation and Call of Duty: Black Ops Declassified – aim to improve the system's fortunes this fall, but it's going to take a small miracle to turn things around at this point. It doesn't even feel like Yoshida has any answers anymore.

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I feel that this article is a bit off at times, almost putting words into Yoshida's mouth, but I actually think this is a promising interview in some respects. It always worried me when I saw Jack Tretton insisting that sales were "in line with expectations", because it gave me the impression that they didn't want to do anything to change current levels of sales. Some plans are outlined here for getting smaller devs on board - maybe this could gain the Vita a unique market for smaller games like the PSP had in Japan?

i dont think vita has any chance... i was optimistic at first but now it seems impossible.

wow, I'm impressed they actually admitted it.

Really bad article. If you're talking about solutions then you're not being defeatist, and the miracle comment is just sensationalism.

As far as what Yoshida actually said, that's pretty interesting. I'd like to see if they're able to get more smaller developers on board. The big boys have so much going on, especially with the next generation of consoles coming.

Well, that's the diametrical opposite solution I would try, but ok - I swear, I don't follow Yoshida too much on PS3 - but I believe he's doing a great job there - but on Vita... he's being a neglect. Selling 100-150k total in the second holidays in japan (that's my guess - but maybe it's less than that) is just inexcusable - and dangerous for the future.

Vita under performing? No shit Sherlock!

Next year will be a turnaround, Sony will not abandon the Vita.

If Persona 4 out sales AC:3 and COD it might tell Sony something.

I concur. Poorly written article.

Vita is indeed in trouble, no doubt. It depends what Sony's expectations for it were, though. Noticably better than they are now? Achievable. Best selling handheld ever? Impossible.

The way Sony have been doing things so far with it has been wrong. Great for appealing to people like me who are willing to pay £30 a game and have 'console quality' on the go, but if they want to get more people involved I don't think they can afford to stick with this.

I don't think it's beyond salvation. Price cut, the right games and aiming at the right market (COUGH JAPAN) will fix a lot. I don't think Yoshida sounds defeated. It's going to be interesting to follow this for the next year or so though, at least.

I didn't even pay attention to that statement until you quoted it... He sounds so gloomy x_x