80 million PSPs

81 million GBAs

118 million GBs

150 million NDSs

Pre smartphones

3DS units say bye.

Nice job comparing those handheld's sales many years after they have been released. The DS was introduced in 2004 and the 3DS replaced it in 2011, that is a 7 year run.  The 3DS has sold over 40 million units merely 3 and a half years. Surely if the 3DS can 'only' sell 40 million units in 3.5 years, the Vita should sell 25 million units give it has been out 2.75 years and is struggling against smart phones just like the 3DS. So if smart phones are  the sole reason for bad handheld console sales, how has the 3DS been outselling the Wii U, Xbox One, 360 and PS3 for quite some time? Is the 3DS somewhat immune to the worldwide smart phone epidemic?

Don't get me wrong, smart phones did subtract a sizeable portion of gamers that would have otherwise have bought a 3DS/Vita but I do not believe it has damaged handheld console sales to the extent that they are no longer viable. The 3DS is constantly in 2nd place on VGC weekly charts above ALL consoles besides the PS4(aside from the recent Xbox One upsurge). I don't believe the Vita's poor sales are solely due to smart phones. Did smart phones hinder handheld console sales? Unequivocally, YES. Are smart phones the sole reason for Vita's poor sales? No. If the 3DS can outsell most home consoles weekly and sell 40 million units in 3.5 years, theoretically the Vita should be able to do the same.

PSP... $250 at launch, but also a hacker's / homebrewer's wet dream... it's biggest sales were overseas in Europe and Japan.

GBA... $99.99 at launch.

GB... $89.99 at launch.

NDS... $129.99 at launch.

3DS and Vita... both $250+ at launch with no real compelling games... 3 years later still at the $199 mark for the main SKUs, alternate 2DS model released for $129.  High hardware prices are a big reason why this generation of handhelds has struggle so much, as traditionally the market for handheld gaming devises skews young, and parents don't want to drop $200-$250 a pop for these things.

Software prices are also a big problem for handhelds these days.... most games retail for $40, 66% of what full price console games retail for.  Traditionally handheld software was priced in the $20-$30 range up until the previous generation.

Mobile gaming on tablets / smartphones alone isn't what's killing handhelds... it's all about price.  Drop software prices by about $20, and hardware prices by at least $50, and they'll sell like hotcakes, especially the 3DS which has a very compelling software library.

That's a nonsequitur. 3DS sales don't determine Vita sales.

+ 3.5*2 = 7 years which means 90 million for the 3DS. Beating the GBA and PSP, but only if it has a 7 year lifetime.

Read my posts why don't you. I never said smartphones were the sole reason for bad sales, you did. 

You specifically said "Smartphones are why" which STRONGLY implies that in your opinion, smart phones are the only reason. Your omission of any other reasons backs this up. There was no "if", "but" or "and" in your post. Simply "smart phones are why".  Are we meant to be psychic and read your mind? You stating no other reason.

Again, Is the 3DS somewhat immune to the worldwide smart phone epidemic? So the 3DS is not selling as well as the DS many years prior, but the 3DS is constantly outselling every console weekly barring the PS4. Surely there is a reason/s the 3DS can do this and the Vita can't other than smart phones.

When you release an overpriced (originally) portable, but then make virtually NOTHING exclusive that really feels "special" for it, much less a steady stream of such content, thus making people think "Damn, I need a Vita so I can play that game"........then no, your system is not going to succeed. It's not mystery why it's failed, nor is it all that complicated. Sony fucked up, not bothering to support it with enough high quality games of their own.

Case closed.

The 3DS is outselling every console and handheld combined in Japan, a country where smartphone adoption is huge. The 3DS is flourishing there "not" because of games, it's magical unicorns and pixie dust that's causing it to sell. The Vita, however, is struggling in Japan and the US because of smartphones.

When you can't comprehend the question, its unlikely you'll give the right answer.
Still waiting on that Vita games comparison.

And to be honest, part of me already knows that declining support is actually the case, and that it makes a strong support for the opinion of Sony's treatment of the Vita.

However, it's both typical and disappointing that this thread is 12 pages in and no one has given me what I've asked for. So emotionally blinded by opinions and assumptions that the posters in this thread don't even do the simple research to back up their arguments, instead citing sales as if the reason Vita sales dropped was because of support and not the other way as well, ignoring the fact that the two are interconnected.

I simply don't have the patience to explain why for the umpteenth time, anything else is invalid.

Apparently because I'm not convinced of the "Abandonment Claim" I'm not only disagreeing with it but I'm also blinded by the fact that I'm a Sony fan rather than wanting some evidence. But hey, asking for logic is way too much to ask.

EDIT: Common Sense isn't good enough for me, sorry. I think its pretty stupid to believe something solely because everyone else does.

Thank you!!! The whole 'smartphone' arguement is rendered useless because of the 3DS. 45 million units sold in 3.5 years. Even if Nintendo never sold another 3DS, it has still sold more than the Nintendo 64, Gamecube, original Xbox, Dreamcast, Sega Master System(most likely) the Wii U, Sega Genesis/Megadrive, Atari Lynx(handheld pre-smart phone), Neo Geo pocket and all its variants(handheld, pre-smartphone), Sega Game Gear(handheld, pre-smartphone) Wonderswan(handheld, pre-smart phone)! Dammit that is such a failure!!! Those damn smart phones!!

:P

This statement always confuses me. Read the N3DS and see the hype about portable Xenoblade Chronicles. Read the outrage that RE Revelations 2 isnt being released on 3DS.

Sony arent supporting Vita. Yet Vita has had more siftware in 2014 than 3DS.

Not really seeing anything which supports your assertions.