RIP Vita 2012-???

Let me just begin that i am by no means a Nintendo fan boy! However we cannot deny this fact any longer Sony's second round into the handheld market is slowly and surely falling behind to what Nintendo has created with the monster that is the 3DS.

 

Let’s look back at the original Play Station Portable. Released in 2004 in Japan this was the most powerful handheld console ever to be released. Along with the Nintendo DS Many of the developers that needed the extra boost in graphics clearly chose the PSP to be the market for the more intense gaming market. With great 3rd party support and 4 models released in the 10 year lifespan the PSP sold around 80 million units worldwide.

 

With the amazing sales for a first time contender in the handheld market Sony was able to do what many others in the past have failed. In 2012 The PS VITA was launched in North America now losing the UMD disk, new OLED screen, gaining a new thumb stick and touch screen support. This was set to be what many fans were waiting for and wanted to see out of the original PSP. With great initial sales the VITA was set once again to do well then something seemed to have happened as Nintendo pushed its new 3DS with massive publicity campaigns and promises of new game titles from Mario, Zelda, and new hardware. The PS Vita is lacking in software this is the most important thing for me here. With 3 years after launch only a handful of games are actual made from scratch games and not just ports. With the target market aimed higher and more centered around not just games but what it can do will in my opinion be the downfall for the VITA. As Nintendo released its New 3DS boosting better graphics and adding support for the massive Amiibo campaign that has set the gaming and toy world on fire how can Sony possibly push back the behemoth.

 

I do not think Sony can win and continue with this generation handheld. With what Sony wants with it i do not think it is possible. As the tablet market becomes cheaper and faster each year the mobile app market increases and development has switched hands in only a few years. The Vita in my opinion has become the Sega Dreamcast, wonderful hardware elegant design but no support and bad timing as other platforms develop too quickly. I hope Sony can learn and come back in a few years with a killer handheld but i somehow don’t think that will happen and if history shows us Nintendo will always find a way to become innovative enough ahead of the curve