Vita Prices Slashed In Japan

Seems pretty likely now that Japan is doing it I guess.
I got my price drop early at a Target sale for $200 + $20 PSN credit.

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Wonder if they'll lower the mem card prices aswell?

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Maybe!
http://www.psxextreme.com/vita-news/268.html

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The price cut on the wi-fi version is only 16%, the cut on the 3G version is 33%. A 33% drop in price after over a year seems about right. We knew it would drop after about a year, almost all CE products do. PS3 price has dropped in stages by 16% ($599 to $499 - for the 60GB) then a further 20% ($499 - $399) drop, then a 25% ($399 - $299) drop, and even the more recent drop below $299 and the introduction of the $199 flash based model. PS3 was hideously expensive t make at first and it's costs were very difficult to control. Vita is not so extreme, and the costs are - as far as I can tell - far more easily controlled. So a 16%-33% drop after 15 months seems about right.

Looks like they may be going to a single version in future if both are priced at the same level - that's a good idea because the data contract for the 3G and eventual 4G models are not bundled, so there's no point in charging more for those models than the wifi one since you're still paying a third party for data.

I'd bet that the memory cards will drop in price by a similar amount (16%-33%) Maybe they will split the difference and go for a 25% reduction there.

But, dropping the cost will not help them sell many more Vita if the games and apps are not there.

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Agree with everything said, but have to agree on the last statement the most.

BRING OUT THE GAMES AND APPS. That's all the VITA needs to make people realize that it's a game console and not just any other multimedia touch-device. While the main social network apps are there, why shouldn't Sony bring out almost every app out there making VITA users comfortable to keep on using their VITA?

And of course...the games. THE VITA has great games - it truly does. Bought Gravity Rush when I first got my VITA and I would have to say it was just unbelievable fun. The story could have been a bit better and less rushed to give players a more emotional attachment to the characters, but gameplay wise - it was amazing. Well...the only thing gameplay wise - was that they could have added more special attacks and such.

Other than that, games like Gravity Rush, Persona 4 Golden, and DJ Max Tecnika Tune (pretty niche but awesome) - will definitely sell the VITA. I'm hoping for KILLZONE to be the one to start people going on 3g and having a wonderful shootout.

Anyway, I just want the VITA to do well - because it's a great freaking handheld system which offers so much to the table. It really does.

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Any price drop for the Vita is a good thing, especially since the sales of the platform are struggling.

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Sales should definitely increase with the price drop weird its not for all territories at once. Hopefully we'll start to see more third party games by next year.

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dunno if it was such a good idea to do this just before soul sacrifice was due out.
that was going to send the sales through the roof already, so wouldent it of been better to wait till that releases, wait till the sales drop, than reduce the price?
not to mention R&C, sly cooper, just released or releasing within a month, not to mention KZ,releasing soon.
theres so many games just out, or due out for the system within a few months this was really poor timing.
customers finally start to see the value in the system because theres finally some great games releasing for it, so they drop the price.
should of waited to say late april, when all these new games have had time to bring their benefits, than drop the price.
by cutting it so early theve effectively removed a perfect opportunity to spike sales back up.

anyway, thats 1 problem down oh so many to go!
really hope $ony is jumping up and down on third parties laurels, otherwise this will be in vein.
and fix the god dam OS for crying out loud!!!!!!!!!!

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Last edited by ___________ on 2/19/2013 4:25:28 AM

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I don't know, if Soul Sacrifice boosts sales, and this price cut also boosts sales it could give the Vita an injection of momentum which is very much needed right now. In fact if it created a little scarcity in the market it would also generate some positive spin with headlines talking of Vita selling out rather than sitting on shelves.

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absolutely it will help the sales, but will the announcement of these 2 things have double the effect as what they would separately?
im not so sure, and thats the problem.
especially in JP, you cant release a system without a game like soul sacrifice it just aint gonna sell.
$ony finally brought it, and at the same time undermined the effects it will have by doing a price drop as well.
would of been better off waiting till middle of the year once KZ and other big vita games have released and had time to do their boosting.
im just worried in killing 2 birds with one stone $ony has lowered the blip in sales they would of seen.
plus, now they have 1 less card to play.
once the sales drop down again, what are they going to do to create another spike?
new games obviously, maybe a accessory price reduction, but they just got rid of one of their best cards and at a time where im not so sure its going to be able to wreak its benefits.

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