Gamasutra: Vita's biggest challenge - Convincing developers

[Deleted_171835]

Sony Worldwide Studios president Shuhei Yoshida admitted he's disappointed by the lack of third party support for the handheld, but he told Gamasutra he's ready to show developers that the Vita is the right hardware for making games.

Yoshida said Vita will become an attractive platform "when we are able to define what PS Vita is." He said Sony needs to show third parties what Vita players buy, and what kind of games work best on the platform. At that point, Sony will be able to entice more developers to support the handheld.

"As we can expand our install base and articulate what works really well on the platform as compared to others, it will get easier for us to be able get support from third parties," he added.

"...In retrospect, there are so many options for publishers now that we cannot take it for granted that our new platform would be supported by third parties, like [it would've been] many years ago."

http://www.gamasutra...hp#.UGdZ-t4mS70

Well it's clear that the Vita has no chance of becoming a successful console like the PSP/DS (with sales worse than the Dreamcast). Losing Monster Hunter to the 3DS also reduces any chance of a revival for the system. All I hope is that the Vita manages to carve its own niche in Japan (it's dcompletely dead in the West) with some of the smaller Japanese games coming to the platform.

 

[MelodieOctavia]

For someone who doesn't own a Vita, you sure do focus an awful lot on it's "failure". :3

 

[ShadowSoldier]

Sony Worldwide Studios president Shuhei Yoshida admitted he's disappointed by the lack of third party support for the handheld, but he told Gamasutra he's ready to show developers that the Vita is the right hardware for making games.

Yoshida said Vita will become an attractive platform "when we are able to define what PS Vita is." He said Sony needs to show third parties what Vita players buy, and what kind of games work best on the platform. At that point, Sony will be able to entice more developers to support the handheld.

"As we can expand our install base and articulate what works really well on the platform as compared to others, it will get easier for us to be able get support from third parties," he added.

"...In retrospect, there are so many options for publishers now that we cannot take it for granted that our new platform would be supported by third parties, like [it would've been] many years ago."

http://www.gamasutra...hp#.UGdZ-t4mS70

Well it's clear that the Vita has no chance of becoming a successful console like the PSP/DS (with sales worse than the Dreamcast). Losing Monster Hunter to the 3DS also reduces any chance of a revival for the system. All I hope is that the Vita manages to carve its own niche in Japan (it's dcompletely dead in the West) with some of the smaller Japanese games coming to the platform.

But bringing a Final Fantasy VII remake would make it god's gift.

Honestly, I think the only reason why the Vita isn't doing as good as the 3DS is:
-Obviously lack of games.
-The console does too much. Look at the 3DS, it's main focus is games, with a few small apps on the side.
-The console price.
-No advertising or marketing is being done for it. I don't see any anywhere.

 

[emigre]

7 pages, 3 threats of violence and a great loss of dignity.

 

[DiscostewSM]

"Vita" means "life". Sounds like 3rd party developers are having a hard time dealing with "life".

 

[Foxi4]

Yoshida said Vita will become an attractive platform "when we are able to define what PS Vita is.".

It's a stronger PSP with a touchscreen and a second analog stick - two things the PSP lacked, along with some other goodies.

There, done. Now, was that so hard, Yoshida?

-Obviously lack of games.//That's debatable. I can see quite a few titles I'd buy if I were a Vita owner.
-The console does too much. Look at the 3DS, it's main focus is games, with a few small apps on the side. //Wat?
-The console price. //Original 3DS price.
-No advertising or marketing is being done for it. I don't see any anywhere. //That's a valid complaint, it should be "seen" more.

 

[KingVamp]

(it's dcompletely dead in the West)

I honestly remember only seeing one person with a Vita.

Kind of harsh to say it has no chance of coming back tho.

-The console price. //Original 3DS price.

I honestly didn't think that a valid point since it been so long and even with that price, it was doing better, but after
giving it more thought, I didn't see the point at all...

 

[Veho]

-The console price. //Original 3DS price.

...at which the 3DS didn't sell, and had to be dropped.

Just saying.

 

[Foxi4]

...at which the 3DS didn't sell, and had to be dropped.

Just saying.

The 3DS's price was unreasonable - it doesn't have the hardware to necessitate it. The Vita is too much of a beast to drop the price to a "3DS" level.

 

[DiEnd]

Yoshida said Vita will become an attractive platform "when we are able to define what PS Vita is."

They don't even know what to do with it. This is too pathetic to laugh at.

 

[KingVamp]

Sorry, mistake. But I will say tho...

Yoshida said Vita will become an attractive platform "when we are able to define what PS Vita is."

They don't even know what to do with it

Does this make it seem like they release this without a true target/goal?

 

[ShadowSoldier]

...at which the 3DS didn't sell, and had to be dropped.

Just saying.

The 3DS's price was unreasonable - it doesn't have the hardware to necessitate it. The Vita is too much of a beast to drop the price to a "3DS" level.

But it has unneccesary junk in it to make it that price. Skype? Facebook?

In all honesty, they tried too much to make it a portable home console than a portable handheld.

 

[BORTZ]

Well it's clear that the Vita has no chance of becoming a successful console like the PSP/DS (with sales worse than the Dreamcast Which died thanks to the loss of fans from the Saturn, the dreamcast is great, but no one bought it because everyone was waiting fo the PS2 and shiz. Im pretty sure...). Losing Monster Hunter to the 3DS also reduces any chance of a revival for the system. All I hope is that the Vita manages to carve its own niche in Japan (it's completely dead in the West) with some of the smaller Japanese games coming to the platform.

Well i mean theres no way you can know that, considering the Vita is a relatively new system. BUT losing Monster Hunter is kinda a big deal. But im sure the Vita will pull through. I mean i didnt get a PSP later into its life, and i have found there are some really good titles.
The Vita is a powerhouse, and im sure devs can make a good case for it. And i dont know, i have friends that have Vitas...

 

[Foxi4]

But it has unneccesary junk in it to make it that price. Skype? Facebook?

In all honesty, they tried too much to make it a portable home console than a portable handheld.

If I remember correctly, the DSi had a Facebook app as well, and Skype has been on Sony handhelds almost since their dawn, minus the E-1000 because it doesn't have WiFi and the PSP-1000 because it doesn't have enough RAM to facilitate seamless operation.

They don't really ramp up the price - what ramps it up is an expensive CPU/GPU, the 3DS's pale in comparison which makes all the difference.

 

[DiEnd]

Do this make it seem like they release this without a true target/goal?

No. I'm saying that it seems they can't decide what should they do with Vita now.

 

[ShadowSoldier]

But it has unneccesary junk in it to make it that price. Skype? Facebook?

In all honesty, they tried too much to make it a portable home console than a portable handheld.

If I remember correctly, the DSi had a Facebook app as well, and Skype has been on Sony handhelds almost since their dawn, minus the E-1000 because it doesn't have WiFi and the PSP-1000 because it doesn't have enough RAM to facilitate seamless operation.

They don't really ramp up the price - what ramps it up is an expensive CPU/GPU, the 3DS's pale in comparison which makes all the difference.

Well maybe Sony went wrong by ramping all of that stuff into it. Honestly, I think they're either going to have to do a redesign for the handheld to only concentrate mainly on games like the 3DS to lower the price. Or.. just simply lower the price now.

 

[Foxi4]

Well maybe Sony went wrong by ramping all of that stuff into it. Honestly, I think they're either going to have to do a redesign for the handheld to only concentrate mainly on games like the 3DS to lower the price. Or.. just simply lower the price now.

The Vita follows in the footsteps of the PS3 for now - like its home console predecessor, it's sold at a high price, it has a slow start and it's for an initially niche market which grows slowly as the library gets bigger until the console becomes popular with a big crowd. It will get a price drop when the components become cheaper and it will have a rather impressive life span due to its specs chosen with "tomorrow" in mind rather than "today".

 

[Gahars]

Say what you will about the Vita, but can "too many features" really be used as a downside?

 

[Deleted_171835]

Well maybe Sony went wrong by ramping all of that stuff into it. Honestly, I think they're either going to have to do a redesign for the handheld to only concentrate mainly on games like the 3DS to lower the price. Or.. just simply lower the price now.

The Vita follows in the footsteps of the PS3 for now - like its home console predecessor, it's sold at a high price, it has a slow start and it's for an initially niche market which grows slowly as the library gets bigger until the console becomes popular with a big crowd. It will get a price drop when the components become cheaper and it will have a rather impressive life span due to its specs chosen with "tomorrow" in mind rather than "today".

The PS3 is a home-console and had big games like Metal Gear Solid 4 and Final Fantasy XIII announced for it so we know support would be coming for it. And specs don't dictate the success of a console, Foxi4. The Vita could very well have the most impressive tech in a handheld to date but that means nothing without a good game library. Not only that but better specs means increased development costs making developers even more wary of working on the platform.

The life-span of a console has nothing to do with the specs. The PS2 lasted pretty long even though it was the weakest of that generation. Game library and sales matter more than that.

 

[Foxi4]

The PS3 is a home-console and had big games like Metal Gear Solid 4 and Final Fantasy XIII announced for it so we know support would be coming for it. Specs don't dictate the success of a console, Foxi4. The Vita could very well have the most impressive tech in a handheld to date but that means nothing without a good game library. Not only that but better specs means increased development costs making developers even more wary of working on the platform.

The life-span of a console has nothing to do with the specs. The PS2 lasted pretty long even though it was the weakest of that generation.

And said games didn't grow on a tree - someone made them first. As I said, the system will sell as the library grows - the Vita has all the time it needs. The PS3 showed quite well that consoles can have a slow start and dominate the market a few years later. Specs are incredibly important, soulx - they dictate the longevity of the system as well as the conditions of development. The less limits a programmer has the better, and the Vita opens many previously closed doors. Developers simply need to be given the time and the incentive to develop for it. Higher specs don't necessarily mean higher development costs - it's entirely up to the developer how many resources should be used.

...but just to make your life feel complete, Vita's MGS4 and FFXIII for now are Call of Duty: Black Ops - Declassified, Killzone: Mercenary, Assassin's Creed: Liberation and Soul Sacrifice.