Should The Vita Be Scared Of The 3DS...Or Vice Versa?
See Full ImageWhile there's no doubt that both portable gaming units appeal to different groups and demographics, the bottom line is that both are handheld devices that play video games.
Hence, the comparisons are inevitable, especially when it comes to consumer interest and sales. There's little doubt that Nintendo owned the portable market this generation, as the DS outstripped just about any other gaming platform available by a lot. The 3DS didn't do well out of the gate but has since managed to climb back up the charts. The Vita is mostly unproven; all we have to go by is the approximately 540k it has sold in Japan and its decline since.
Obviously, price remains a determining factor and will likely be the Vita's biggest hurdle. That, and parents around the globe still identify "video games" with "Nintendo," especially when it comes to kids and handheld entertainment. There may be no chance that the Vita can compete with the 3DS on the sales charts. But as Sony always says, it's a marathon and not a sprint and the plain and simple truth is that the Vita can do things the 3DS can't. Furthermore, with all this game support and marketing (Sony seems intent on pushing their new device), this portable could definitely turn some heads and rise quickly up the ranks.
Perhaps the real question is whether or not one can steal market share away from the other. The competition isn't exactly apples and oranges, but...it isn't exactly apples and apples, either. It's a complex situation with two very different companies and two very different situations. Market share in the handheld market is dominated by Nintendo, but let's not forget lifetime sales for the PSP and the fact that the Vita is...well, pretty damn good. That's kind of important to consumers, right?
Tags: vita, playstation vita, nintendo 3ds, sony
2/19/2012 9:05:10 PM Ben Dutka
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Comments (47 posts)
Jawknee
Sunday, February 19, 2012 @ 9:36:55 PM
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12 up, 2 down
inkme101
Sunday, February 19, 2012 @ 9:47:03 PM
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on a side note: while watching animation domination on fox tonight they ran the vita ad about 400 times. I noticed that the ad, more than any other function was pointing to the remote play feature for ps3 games. I would think that that is a mistake since it seems to be the most broken feature on the vita as of right now. maybe they should be pointing out some other qualities to the masses!
1 up, 0 down
Shams
Sunday, February 19, 2012 @ 9:57:06 PM
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3 up, 0 down
Shams
Sunday, February 19, 2012 @ 10:00:42 PM
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4 up, 0 down
Dancemachine55
Sunday, February 19, 2012 @ 10:13:54 PM
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Vita will most likely be more popular with college students, young adults and tech-heads.
Then, of course, there are Sony and Nintendo fans who will buy their preferred handheld of choice regardless.
I have a 3DS, after the massive price drop of course. And only have 3 games on it (Zelda Ocarina of time 3D, Mario Kart 7 and Super Mario 3D Land)
Since I'm saving for a new car right now, price is everything, and $350 for the wifi model only in Australia is a lot of money. Am going to wait about a year, and hope for either a price drop or model-2000 Vita to be announced.
... and for the PSone classics playback update. I kow, I know, Vita has great games too, but I've already bought most of the old FF's and MGS and Driver and Rayman, and Crash Bandicoot 3, so I would love to be able to play those on the go from the day I purchase my Vita.
Last edited by Dancemachine55 on 2/19/2012 10:14:17 PM
2 up, 1 down
Dancemachine55
Sunday, February 19, 2012 @ 10:17:12 PM
Only thing missing really is a big ol' hard drive in the thing. Lousy expensive memory sticks. Looks like I'll be getting the 32GB one to start me off. Hopefully should be enough.
3 up, 0 down
sawao_yamanaka
Sunday, February 19, 2012 @ 10:25:41 PM
0 up, 0 down
Jawknee
Monday, February 20, 2012 @ 2:36:07 AM
0 up, 0 down
Dancemachine55
Monday, February 20, 2012 @ 6:18:25 AM
Haven't got Pushmo, but it got really good reviews. Might check it out while I buy Super Mario Bros.
0 up, 0 down
Dancemachine55
Monday, February 20, 2012 @ 6:18:25 AM
Last edited by Dancemachine55 on 2/20/2012 6:20:52 AM
0 up, 0 down
Neo_Aeon666
Monday, February 20, 2012 @ 9:17:58 AM
Nintendo has to stop shooting only remakes at us. In a 1 year lifespawn the 3ds only offered a Mario Kart compilation and a new Mario. The other games from Ninty were all already played thousands of times. Nothing fresh. My 3ds played 100 times more Pokemon White DS and JRPGS DS than any 3ds game XD
If Nintendo continues this way I think Sony will deff. squash them at some point in the future. Especially now that all multiplat games are going to have the edge on Vita vs 3DS by a big gap.
Last edited by Neo_Aeon666 on 2/20/2012 9:27:11 AM
1 up, 0 down
Jawknee
Monday, February 20, 2012 @ 12:23:11 PM
0 up, 1 down
sawao_yamanaka
Monday, February 20, 2012 @ 12:52:46 PM
0 up, 0 down
Sunni_Boi
Monday, February 20, 2012 @ 5:23:03 PM
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BikerSaint
Sunday, February 19, 2012 @ 11:12:48 PM
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3 up, 1 down
RaYz89
Sunday, February 19, 2012 @ 11:37:08 PM
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I hope Vita'll will get more games that offer unique multiplayer experience only achievable through portable consoles, then it'll be able to stand on level ground with 3DS - which has lots of this type of games.
1 up, 0 down
Advent Child
Sunday, February 19, 2012 @ 11:43:35 PM
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2 up, 1 down
___________
Monday, February 20, 2012 @ 1:26:51 AM
ive found ever since playing games in 3D i have trouble with depth perception, and especially focousing up on things up close.
ive got my clock at the other side of my bed, not exactly far away and im constantly finding myself having to squint just to see it!
funny how $ony always forget to mention that..........
2 up, 5 down
Jawknee
Monday, February 20, 2012 @ 2:13:02 AM
Actually Advent, the 3D is not advised for 6 and under. Not 8-10.
Last edited by Jawknee on 2/20/2012 2:15:25 AM
4 up, 1 down
Qubex
Monday, February 20, 2012 @ 2:39:33 AM
Q!
"3.d.not"
7 up, 0 down
Advent Child
Monday, February 20, 2012 @ 12:42:54 PM
Last edited by Advent Child on 2/20/2012 4:29:13 PM
1 up, 0 down
MyWorstNightmar
Monday, February 20, 2012 @ 8:54:35 PM
1 up, 0 down
___________
Monday, February 20, 2012 @ 1:25:06 AM
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vita is FAR too expensive to be catering to the younger 3DS crowd!
and the 3DS does not deliver the games the vita does, IE games made for people above 8.
ok theres the occasional RE game for it, but most games, no all games because its so rare, are made for kids!
however, both should be worried about smartphones and tablets.
simply because they actually cater to both crowds, be it the more adult games like infinity blade 2, dark meadow, and modern combat 3.
or the more kids based games like angry birds or PVZ.
0 up, 4 down
Qubex
Monday, February 20, 2012 @ 2:42:07 AM
The sales curve will probably look like a "U", initial burst, then down to a trough, and then up again as Sony launches pricing/bundle specials for Christmas in 2012...
Q!
"play.experience.enjoy"
Last edited by Qubex on 2/20/2012 2:42:56 AM
1 up, 0 down
bebestorm
Monday, February 20, 2012 @ 6:20:38 AM
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0 up, 0 down
Neo_Aeon666
Monday, February 20, 2012 @ 9:08:36 AM
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Last edited by Neo_Aeon666 on 2/20/2012 9:13:50 AM
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josiahlo
Monday, February 20, 2012 @ 9:45:21 AM
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XmnMetal
Monday, February 20, 2012 @ 10:21:53 AM
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Highlander
Monday, February 20, 2012 @ 10:33:03 AM
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But there are two things I really want to say here;
The first regards price. I am sick of hearing about the Vita's price from people. OK, it costs $250, more if you want 3G. I get that it's almost as expensive as a slim PS3. The thing is, a slim PS3 is a 5 and a half year old system, the Vita is brand new. I get that it's expensive compared to smartphones sold with a two year commitment, but then it doesn't come with a two year commitment to an $80/month phone plan. It's more expensive than a kindle, but then a kindle is a cheap and nasty piece of plastic with a back to basics tablet design embedded within it. Comparing like for like...oh, wait, we can't because there isn't anything like it. Sure, it costs almost as much as a PS3, perhaps as much or more when you include a memory card for it, but it really is more or less the PS3 you hold in your hand, and to take a PS3 Slim ad make it portable, you are going to spend more than the cost of the Vita making it portable and still have to pack 80 KG of batteries or a 20-30 mile long extension cord. In other words, $250 for a Vita is a good price, who in their right mind thinks that it's unfairly priced? If we can all for a moment suspend our natural wish for everything to be cheaper and easier to get, can we at least be honest about the price?
The second thing is this thing about parents identifying video games with Nintendo. I don't give a pair of fetid dingo's kidneys about parents perceptions of games because, Vita is not intended for kids. Vita is a real gamers machine, not a kid's toy, and will/should sell to the older demographics of the 16-110 age group. It's not the perception of parents that is the problem, it's the peer pressure of people in general who still frown on 'adults' that play video games in public.
5 up, 4 down
Jawknee
Monday, February 20, 2012 @ 12:45:15 PM
2 up, 0 down
Highlander
Monday, February 20, 2012 @ 12:54:54 PM
2 up, 0 down
BikerSaint
Monday, February 20, 2012 @ 4:14:44 PM
1 up, 0 down
Sunni_Boi
Monday, February 20, 2012 @ 5:35:56 PM
0 up, 0 down
MyWorstNightmar
Monday, February 20, 2012 @ 9:00:25 PM
1 up, 0 down
Temjin001
Monday, February 20, 2012 @ 10:42:50 AM
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1 up, 0 down
Excelsior1
Monday, February 20, 2012 @ 11:52:10 AM
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I think it's clear the 3DS is success. Vita is too early to call but it's sales have been described as sluggish. The 3DS put up it's second best week ever the same week that the Vita launched and followed it up with the best week ever by any sytstem during the 2nd week of the Vita. Objectively speaking it's tough to imagine any reason the 3DS would be scared based off of sales. That's does not mean market conditions could not change. Sony could take steps to ignite Vita sales.
Ofcourse it does not take a marketing genious to see what ignited 3DS sales. Price cut plus the arrival of system selling games and franchises. The Vita had the bad luck of launching into Monster Hunter on the 3DS as well. Maybe it wasn't luck come to think of it. I can think of no better console selling game Nintendo could have had come out for a the 3DS against a major competitior's hardware launch in Japan. Nintendo probably planned it that way.
1 up, 1 down
Highlander
Monday, February 20, 2012 @ 12:59:33 PM
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Highlights;
GPS features only on 3G model and only works if you have an active data link, either 3G or wifi.
Alarm clock application is being worked on.
PS1 compatibility is being worked on.
PSP emulation is not 100%, there is a list of games known to work. Once my Vita arrives I will be able to test some more out...
There were a ton of questions being asked and the moderator there was tagging post after post for follow-up - such as whether video support thru HTML5 will happen.
It seems to me that with the breadth and depth of the questions, Sony has produced one hell of a capable unit, but there are a lot of loose ens. Those loose ends need to be tied down quickly.
1 up, 0 down
sawao_yamanaka
Monday, February 20, 2012 @ 1:17:47 PM
copy of locoroco would work but sadly it wouldn't. They still have a lot to do and the browser isn't as bad as I 1st thought. Yes, it is slow but not 3ds slow. Also I'm hoping they patch ps1 compatibility soon. I have a lot of RPGs I want to get back into plus listening to your own music while playing any game besides PSP is extremely satisfying. :)
0 up, 0 down
Highlander
Monday, February 20, 2012 @ 1:56:59 PM
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It looks like Sony might actually make a profit from these things after all...
BoM Estimated at $160 per unit - by techspot. The original ifixit teardown makes no such claim.
http://www.techspot.com/news/47482-playstation-vita-gets-dissected-is-unusually-easy-to-disassemble.html
http://www.ifixit.com/Teardown/PlayStation-Vita-Teardown/7872/1
Last edited by Highlander on 2/20/2012 2:02:05 PM
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cadpig
Monday, February 20, 2012 @ 3:46:10 PM
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Well, that is how i see it, anyway.
If Sony and their third parties can get quality games into that hands of gamers in a timely fashion. They won't have to fear anyone. Don't forget the J-RPG crowd, They need some loving.
Also, Sony needs to get remote play up and running. They have to understand that the Vita browser needs Flash and Java, installed and running as soon as possible. If they want to compete.
Last edited by cadpig on 2/20/2012 3:54:23 PM
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Gamer Girl Gemo
Monday, February 20, 2012 @ 9:26:21 PM
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As for the Vita, it caters to a whole new set of people. Those who enjoy their hardcore platformers without having to have wires to hold them down is a great idea. Have that same power and control, but on the go. So, like I said, they're great compliments to one another that just shows this industry can do much more.
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Cpt_Geez
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Sunday, February 19, 2012 @ 9:26:00 PM
Last edited by Cpt_Geez on 2/19/2012 9:27:28 PM