The rise in popularity of mobile games for tablets and smartphones has negatively impacted the sales potential for dedicated gaming devices like the PlayStation Vita, Sony has said.

"In all honesty, higher sales would have been what we had hoped for," Sony UK managing director Fergal Gara told VG247. "The market Vita entered was more complicated than it was when the console was originally thought about and designed. Games on tablets and phones have changed the marketplace and people can't carry too many things around at one time."

"The truth is that the number of people that want the core experience [that Vita offers] is not as big as the number that simply want any sort of game available on the move and, because the likes of a tablet and smartphone are so multifunctional in their use, they will always be very appealing," he added.

The bottom line, Gara said, is that Sony has not been able so far to convince shoppers that they need a PS Vita in addition to the smartphone or tablet they already own. In the interview, he didn't offer much in the way of explaining how things may improve for the PS Vita going forward.

However, he did say that because the PS Vita and PlayStation 4 were in development at the same time, Sony has been able to foster greater connectivity between the two platforms, especially in the Remote Play department.

The PS Vita launched in North America in February 2012. Sony has not disclosed sales numbers for the device, but sales reportedly spiked substantially following the PS4 launch. After a price cut in August 2013, the system is now currently available for $200.

Meanwhile, Mario maker Nintendo is enjoying healthy sales of its 3DS family of dedicated game systems. Last week, Nintendo announced that sales for the system in the United States alone passed 11.5 million, which led the company to label the device a "powerhouse."

http://www.gamespot.com/articles/sony-explains-why-playstation-vita-has-come-up-short/1100-6417101/

Its just another gadget without standing out, really

Nonsense... we all know that Mobile and tablet have zero influence... nobody plays those free and 1 dollar games

I disagree with Sony entirely and it makes me feels as if they don't have a clue why theyre in the position theyre in.

It comes with a lack of system sellers, original content you cant get else where, and them not supporting it enough. Example would be Into the Nexus and Puppeteer. While those games would have fit perfectly on the Vita they released them on PS3 instead to where they both arent doing well on.

I continue to hope that the Vita will turn out somewhat successful but Sonyjust doesnt seem to grasp how to push this thing.

That's what I have been thinking. The ones who are playing them never experienced a real gaming experience and therefore out of Vita's potential target.

People who brought a 3DS are the target, they're the ones whom, Nintendo IPs and the great 3rd Party games it had, are more appealing to them.

I think the mobile market is eating a portion of the 3DS and Vita cake. I think they can coexist in the future though.

The problem lies with Sony though. The lack of compelling software is hurting the system. It has a couple of good games but it seems it's not enough to push the system. Software drives hardware.

It also doesn't help, when the device by fans is described to favor indies and niche titles.

Niche by defination typically leads to small markets, and indies are generally small with little to no marketing budget. (Let alone a lot of those indies are available elsewhere.)

The Vita has a lot of potential. I doubted it at first, but after buying one I realized how great of a handheld it is. It can still be successful, but with lack of a major system seller and a lack of games, it'll suffer until those needs are met.

I agree with Sony here. It just doesn't make sense to carry many different mobile devices with you, so in my opinion it would have been an interesting (and ofcourse risky) move to include a dual-boot mode to make the Vita a full blown Android Tablet aswell.

Its cause you guys are not making quality games for the vita... Tablets and smartphones aren't that big of an issue cause the 3ds is still selling and beating all consoles in terms of sales while doing so in a weekly bases... If the 3ds is selling a lot, then people are clearly carrying more than two devices...

Sony are as blind towards the Vita as Nintendo is towards the wiiU