Sony: 'Climate is Not Healthy' for Another PlayStation Handheld - News
by William D'Angelo , posted on 26 September 2015 / 6,025 Views
Sony Computer Entertainment Worldwide Studios president Shuhei Yoshida, during a Q&A at EGX 2015, has hinted that a successor to the PlayStation Vita is unlikely. He noted that, with smartphones currently dominating the portable gaming scene, the climate for a dedicated handheld is too unhealthy.
"People have mobile phones and it's so easy to play games on smartphones," said Yoshida. "And many games on smartphones are free, or free to start."
"I myself am a huge fan of PlayStation Vita and we worked really hard on designing every aspect. Touch-based games are fun - there are many games with really good design. But having sticks and buttons make things totally different."
"So I hope, like many of you, that this culture of playing portable games continues but the climate is not healthy for now because of the huge dominance of mobile gaming."
The PlayStation Vita first launched in Japan in December in 2011 and the rest of the world in 2012. It has sold 12.4 million units in just under four years.
Thanks Eurogamer.
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A life-long and avid gamer, William D'Angelo was first introduced to VGChartz in 2007. After years of supporting the site, he was brought on in 2010 as a junior analyst, working his way up to lead analyst in 2012. He has expanded his involvement in the gaming community by producing content on his own YouTube channel and Twitch channel dedicated to gaming Let's Plays and tutorials. You can contact the author at wdangelo@vgchartz.com or on Twitter @TrunksWD.
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This makes me so sad... I'm going to miss Sony's handhelds in the future.
While Sony did certainly drop the ball with the Vita, just look at Nintendo. Even with them pouring money into the system and it's library of games, it's still hasn't sold half what it's successor did.
It's time to face it, mobile is replacing handheld gaming. Sony needed to support their platform more, yes, that's a fact, but they clearly saw the amount they would have to spend and don't see it as worth it. Especially seeing what the "King of Handheld Gaming" has done in a little extra time.
Last time I checked consoles still sell 4 years after they're released. It's too soon to cash the "it sold 1/x amount of its predecessor" until the shelf lives of both of those consoles have ended.
That´s true, but with an average 110 k units sold every month, there´s still definetely an audience for the 3ds
Oh man...I love the Vita. I have 4 32gb cards close to full, and 40+ physical games. One of my fav systems of all time. I am still in a bit of disbelief that it didn't perform better sales-wise. It's a great system, but somehow got railroaded, and yes Sony themselves played a role with a lack of promotion.
I agree. Smart Phones have taken too much of the market share. It's hard to sell when you are competing against free games. Suddenly, selling your games at $40 don't seem as appealing to the masses.
That said... it didn't stop Nintendo from having the 3DS be a modest success given the "unhealthy" climate. Nintendo has moved 54 million 3DS handhelds so far, and I wouldn't be surprised to see that number grow to ~ 65 million when everything is all said and done. Bottom line, Sony dropped the ball with the Vita and they are completely blaming it on the climate, when Nintendo proved you could still have a successful gaming device in the portable market.
A bit of a hard pill for me to swallow, but I almost fully agree.
Just continue with psvita, make a new cheaper model with 64gb integrated, do more ps2 remastered of RPG for it. Ask telltale to put all the interactive stories on psvita, etc
Psvita hardware still really good.
Might hurt Sony's console in Japan... Seems like a lot of the Japan centric content on PS4 are Vita games where a PS4 version is also being made. Would think in the future all this content would go to NX.
Or they could directly release on both, Nx and Ps4
Aw man that is sad. I really enjoy playing my psp and vita, i just wish they supported the psvita much better AAA game wise. But i will still hope they'll make another handheld.
It's not healthy because they don't want to make their brand healthy ...
I have to agree with them not needing to make another handheld. I've had a VITA since 2012, and i've bought less games for it, than any other handheld that i've ever owned. I pretty much only play the PS+ freebies on it now. I'm going to be getting rid of it, since i recently picked up a "New" 3DS XL, which i've already bought and traded for 11 games for it, and i've only had it about a month.
You know why you bought less? Because unless JRPGs is really your thing, there's not much going on the Vita.
Yeah, you're right. That's about all that has been coming out lately. I like some RPG's and hate others.
"People have mobile phones and it's so easy to play games on smartphones," said Yoshida. "And many games on smartphones are free, or free to start." <----- While you see the 3DS selling 50mil+ . This news is only bad for Sony handhelds fans/gamers and good news for Nintendo.
Consdering that the 3DS has only sold half as much as the DS in the same timeframe (4.5 years) despite destroying the Vita, I don't think they're fully immune either. The whole market is shrinking rapidly because of mobile.
That said, Sony didn't exactly do themselves any favors with the handling of the Vita. -_-
It's not healthy but you could still do a lot more, If they actually tried the Vita could reach at least 30M, which is far from the psp but still a moderate success
Sony makes phones. Why not find a way to consolidate them there?
Sony makes phones. Why not find a way to consolidate them there?
They dropped the ball with the best portable hardware out there and they harge the global warming the guilty?! This man know no shame!
I agree. it was a good run though
Smartphone gaming is portable - the vita is not.
Good riddance.
duh
