You're A Gamer And Don't Care About Vita? You're Doing It Wrong

Featured 43 Comments 36 Votes 1822 Views 21/02/2012 Back to Articles

Fanboyism and brand loyalty frustrates me to no end. I can appreciate someone not having the financial capacity to fork over well over $300 for a handheld gaming device, not including memory and games. That's fair enough. I've been in that position myself. But I don't accept someone not buying something because of loyalty to another brand. That's a silly, childish reason not to buy something.

I truly think that is something that is haunting the PlayStation Vita launch. I feel there is angst at not only the pricing of the system, but the fact that it's the successor to a handheld that didn't do especially well outside of Japan. Or at least didn't do well for a very long period. The PSP, next to the DS, admittedly isn't the best of handheld gaming experiences. The software lineup dried up quickly after launch, while the DS lineup improved steadily and consistently.

But is the fact that the 3DS is currently offering such a fantastic experience really enough reason to not care about about Vita?

I'm pretty excited for it because it's new, different, and has probably the best software lineup one could ever wish for. There's something for everyone from every kind of genre.

So why aren't people excited for a new gaming device, and not just a gaming device from an unknown brand or new player, but an established company in Sony and the PlayStation name?

It's something I'm genuinely interested in, because I can't remember a product launch being as placid as the upcoming Vita launch. I just thought that people would at least show interest and give it a chance, rather than completely dismiss it before it's released. I understand that the price can be a factor, but it's not like you're getting a system with rushed third-party software. You're getting Rayman Origins, Uncharted, Wipeout, ModNation, just to name a few. Then there's Lumines, and a simply fantastic range of PSP classics on the PSN story.

I just have to ask: why the hell aren't you buying a PlayStation Vita?

By Gaetano Prestia

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Article by: Beta 241279Kudos 21/02/2012

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You're A Gamer And Don't Care About Vita? You're Doing It Wrong Comments

Kudos: 26,487

IAMColonel

1. It's a bit dear.
2. No deals in Aus have lured me in, they're quite poor.
3. I had the PSP, and after I got a PS3 I haven't touched it, as it offered nothing to me that the PS3 doesn't do better anyway. How different could it be? All are basically mini ported games, different story, no where near as good (GTA IV PS3 kills Lib City Stories PSP).
4. Eh on the release games.
5. I have an iPhone for stupid touch screen games.

:)

21/02/2012

Melbourne

Kudos: 118

e1337ist

The real question my dear Watson, is why the hell would you buy a Vita?

The PSP had a serious lack of titles, particularly towards the later years of production. Sony expects us to part with $350 to fall victim to that again?

Sure, the 3DS launched at that price point and didn't fare so well. They learned from their mistakes, they dropped the price, and a few great titles later the system is breaking records across the globe.

Will the Vita do the same thing? No, it won't even come close.

While the launch lineup is decent, do you really want to play Uncharted outside the comfort of your own home? Do you want a hulking behemoth of a device in your hands on the cramped trains? No, you want to use your iPhone or Android because its convenient, small and can fill your needs.

If your buy a PS Vita, you're a bloody idiot.

21/02/2012

Kudos: 73,109

Pilkingbod

I think fanboyism does play a large part.

I'm not particularly familiar with Sony's line-up of games, not being a massive fan, and not owning a Sony console since the PS2 (which I think everyone owned at some point).

It's not a blind allegiance to another company, it's just that I don't know enough about what to expect, and I put that down to years of siding with other gaming companies.

In other words, the Vita is a risk I'm not willing to take... yet

21/02/2012

Melting pot of friendship

Kudos: 43,032

dossaer

why the hell aren't you buying a PlayStation Vita?

I'm getting one. :)

I'm just not getting overly excited or tooting the hype train horn. I love my PSP but really over the 6 or so years I was only ever engrossed in about five titles for the platform. I expect that I'll have a similar relationship with the Vita. So far none of the launch titles have caught my interest outside of maybe Super Stardust Delta. :S

But I'm a collector and I like new toys so here we go again! [monkey] :D

21/02/2012

here

Kudos: 241,279

Beta

e1337ist said:
If your buy a PS Vita, you're a bloody idiot.

Derp, is that you?

21/02/2012

Le Melbourne

Kudos: 198,117

Ben

I don't know if there's that much point in owning both handhelds. That's certainly what's holding me back. I'm going to wait and see if there are any must have exclusives after a price cut in the future. Happy with my 3DS for handheld needs fornow.

21/02/2012

twitter.com/Ben_Salter | Dennis, your mule is shit. I am no longer turned on by mules.

Kudos: 47,155

Kerosanak

I can appreciate why so many want it, but handhelds are just $200 Pokemon machines for me. So a Vita holds no interest for me.

21/02/2012

I'm still kind of a big deal in the Capital Wasteland.

Kudos: 43,032

dossaer

You can do so much more than pokemanz dude, just ask guyver about watching movies on the can ;) [sick]

21/02/2012

here

Kudos: 174,690

sjt333

i dont want one

21/02/2012

To get shot and not do much else, turn to page 58 "I've always liked cowabunga."

Kudos: 17,828

LDEvolution

e1337ist said: The real question my dear Watson, is why the hell would you buy a Vita? .

Same reason why I bought a PSP, Japan-only exclusive games that aren't available in the west that is much more fun and worth the price but also isn't full of all those stupid american stereotypes, puns and lame one liners.

If the 3DS is fine and all but like the DS its more family orientated and it rarely brings those teen and adult games that most of us usually play. So if the only thing you love is Mario and Pokemon sure don't get the Vita but some of us do like better games.

21/02/2012

Kudos: 73,109

Pilkingbod

Nothing's better than Mario.

21/02/2012

Melting pot of friendship

Kudos: 241,279

Beta

LDEvolution said:
e1337ist said: The real question my dear Watson, is why the hell would you buy a Vita? .

Same reason why I bought a PSP, Japan-only exclusive games that aren't available in the west that is much more fun and worth the price but also isn't full of all those stupid american stereotypes, puns and lame one liners.
If the 3DS is fine and all but like the DS its more family orientated and it rarely brings those teen and adult games that most of us usually play. So if the only thing you love is Mario and Pokemon sure don't get the Vita but some of us do like better games.

Poeple think it's homebrew that keeps PSP alive in Japan, but it's really the exclusives that get released there that we never hear of, mostly JRPGs, action games heavy on Japanese, the occasional puzzler and some music games.

21/02/2012

Le Melbourne

Kudos: 2

mattheww

The problem for handhelds AND consoles moving forward is that they iterate once or twice a decade, while phones and tablets get twice as good every YEAR.

You can convince me that the Vita can run rings around the phone or iPad I have today. But what about the ones I have next year or the year after that?

Frozen-in-time platforms and physical game media are dying. Remember them well, but let them die.

21/02/2012

Kudos: 17,828

LDEvolution

Beta said:
LDEvolution said:
e1337ist said: The real question my dear Watson, is why the hell would you buy a Vita? .

Same reason why I bought a PSP, Japan-only exclusive games that aren't available in the west that is much more fun and worth the price but also isn't full of all those stupid american stereotypes, puns and lame one liners.
If the 3DS is fine and all but like the DS its more family orientated and it rarely brings those teen and adult games that most of us usually play. So if the only thing you love is Mario and Pokemon sure don't get the Vita but some of us do like better games.

Poeple think it's homebrew that keeps PSP alive in Japan, but it's really the exclusives that get released there that we never hear of, mostly JRPGs, action games heavy on Japanese, the occasional puzzler and some music games.

I know and thats the reason I still play my PSP, i'm looking forward to the PSP has this year Fate/EXTRA CCC, Seinarukana: The Spirit of Eternity Sword 2 and Aselia, The Eternal.

The Vita will probably be the same with all those fantastic Japan-exclusives that won't hit the west, I hope it does well in japan with all the new JRPGs, VNs etc.

21/02/2012

Kudos: 63,351

XxmadmanxX

I'm not buying it but bit because of "loyalty" I'm not buying it Because I think it's shit.

21/02/2012

Lawl Guyver Ajajajaja

Kudos: 4,821

GangStarr

I'm not buying a Vita because it has no appeal to me, not because of any of this stupid 'fanboy' crap. My PS3 keeps my hands full - something I doubt the Vita would do, despite being handheld. I bought a PSP played it on long trips, and even then I would get bored after a couple hours in, as the OP said, most PSP games were worse versions of the PS3, and the Vita looks to be the same.

But who knows, maybe they'll release some sweet games after release and tempt me to get it. Seems unlikely though.

21/02/2012

Shaolin Land

Kudos: 11,905

Blob

Nothing to do with being a 'fanboy', in fact the reason I don't want one is BECAUSE I have a PS3.
It has what? A worse Uncharted? A worse Modnation Racers? I'll stick to the PS3 versions thanks. Get a portable exclusive system seller (like Pokemon) and I'll consider buying one.

21/02/2012

Geelong, Victoria

Kudos: 159,279

M@ndyz

no mario

21/02/2012

They say great science is built on the shoulders of giants - not here. At Aperture we do all our science from scratch; no hand holding.

Kudos: 8,175

KojiDD

I don't have a PS3, so I won't be able to use programs such as adhoc party I imagine, which means the only games I'd even want to play I wouldn't be able to enjoy also I simply don't care enough to find out whether the games I want will be coming out for VITA.

Also Vodafone? [Rage]

TL;DR I don't need or want one, I'm happy to take it if it was given to me for free with no strings attached though.

21/02/2012

New South Wales

Kudos: 241,279

Beta

I don't think anyone cares enough about the 3G model for it to be an issue for them :P

21/02/2012

Le Melbourne

Kudos: 13,110

PS3K

e1337ist said:If your buy a PS Vita, you're a bloody idiot.

I guess I'm a bloody idiot then. =D

21/02/2012

Sydney

Kudos: 10,795

tommo47

I haven't bought one or have no interest in buying one based on the PSP. It was a good system for the time, and homebrew made it fantastic, but 3-4 years later it held zero value for me. Much better off waiting and sinking $300 in the next generation of consoles, if and when they arrive.

21/02/2012

MMGN.com - how else did you expect this post to have got here?

Kudos: 12,597

abujaffer

mattheww said: The problem for handhelds AND consoles moving forward is that they iterate once or twice a decade, while phones and tablets get twice as good every YEAR.
You can convince me that the Vita can run rings around the phone or iPad I have today. But what about the ones I have next year or the year after that?
Frozen-in-time platforms and physical game media are dying. Remember them well, but let them die.

Hardware can advance as much as it wants but what developer is wishing to spend millions on developing a game for a platform that'll be outdated in a year? A platform where, unless you're EA, SE, RockStar, etc., your games will never sell at anything above $10? A platform where your game could be the best in the entire store but is buried underneath the hundred of thousands of apps added every year?

No one does, that's who. A good game these days takes at least a year to develop; for smartphones, if development lasts more than 10 months your game is "outdated". It's, in short, a platform that can't sustain itself with good games. If handhelds die out, so will good games; not because of the lack of buttons, or the expensive price for a smartphone, but because developers can't
make good games for such a platform line. [WTF]

21/02/2012

3D world... where everything, even flat stuff, are in 3D.

Kudos: 3,688

Dr_Mario

e1337ist said:
Sure, the 3DS launched at that price point and didn't fare so well. They learned from their mistakes, they dropped the price, and a few great titles later the system is breaking records across the globe.
Will the Vita do the same thing? No, it won't even come close.

Theres one big problem with your argument, and its that you cant compare a 3DS with a PS Vita. apples and oranges my friend.

stop trolling.

21/02/2012

sup dawg?

Kudos: 241,279

Beta

Dr_Mario said:
e1337ist said:
Sure, the 3DS launched at that price point and didn't fare so well. They learned from their mistakes, they dropped the price, and a few great titles later the system is breaking records across the globe.
Will the Vita do the same thing? No, it won't even come close.

Theres one big problem with your argument, and its that you cant compare a 3DS with a PS Vita. apples and oranges my friend.
stop trolling.

Don't feed the troll! :P Apples and oranges are his favourite! :P

21/02/2012

Le Melbourne

Kudos: 159,279

M@ndyz

tommo47 said: I haven't bought one or have no interest in buying one based on the PSP. It was a good system for the time, and homebrew made it fantastic, but 3-4 years later it held zero value for me. Much better off waiting and sinking $300 in the next generation of consoles, if and when they arrive.

wii U is on my mind this year ^_^

21/02/2012

They say great science is built on the shoulders of giants - not here. At Aperture we do all our science from scratch; no hand holding.

Kudos: 1,306

mong78

Said it before and I'll say it again.. Nintendo could make a game about a turd crawling across the screen and some spotty git is bound to buy it..

Playstation titles have a lot more thought put into them.. That's not being a fanboy, that's a fact..

End of story..

21/02/2012

Every past has its ghosts. Every end must first begin..

Kudos: 73,109

Pilkingbod

mong78 said:
Playstation titles have a lot more thought put into them.. That's not being a fanboy, that's a fact..
End of story..

No, that's being a fanboy.

21/02/2012

Melting pot of friendship

Kudos: 1,306

mong78

Yeah okay, you're right.. ;) But it took me having a DS, getting fed up with the repeditive bollocks games and switching to PSP to realise what I was missing out on..

I love the fact that SONY has always taken the multimedia approach with consoles/handhelds which Nintendo never has and never will get the hang of..

Bring on alot more multimedia goodness with the Vita

22/02/2012

Every past has its ghosts. Every end must first begin..

Kudos: 681

Diagonis83

It's the price, no multiple profiles (without piss farting around with memory cards & a factory reset) is a big one for me

22/02/2012

Kenzie, why the F**K am I a toilet bowl ???"

Kudos: 718

Jimmy_nzl

Not getting one because Im not using public transport anymore otherwise i would get one.

22/02/2012

Sydney

Kudos: 12,048

DarkJibTEC

I want one, but I think I'll end up spending more time admiring a sexy piece of hardware rather than actually playing games on it. Not too interested in any of the launch lineup, maybe CoD a little later, but that isn't enough to warrant a new purchase. Meanwhile there are 2 games on 3DS that are occupying any handheld gaming time I have and will probably do so for a while. Plus once the Wii U is out, we'll be able to play far more powerful HD games on a handheld using the controller's mirror feature.

Having said that I'll probably end up getting one anyway at some point :P.

22/02/2012

Youkai Mountain, Gensokyo

Kudos: 2,191

siddsm

No thanks.

reason 1. Lesson learnt from PSP

reason 2. I only use my PSP during long international flights. Have PS3, 360, Wii and a hell of PC to keep myself occupied when at home.

reason 3. meh! launch titles. I already have access to the PSP games from PSN with the PSP i have. So there's nothing much that's new for me apart from the Uncharted.

reason 4. I would rather put that money towards a WiiU

22/02/2012

Gold Coast, QLD. PSN: shadovvarrior

Kudos: 13,805

Foetoid

Theres just not enough incentive for me (or money). The Nikkei newspaper in Japan is reporting that devs are shifting focus pretty quickly from Vita to 3DS. Also the 3DS for me has the potential for excellent connectivity to the WiiU which is all the more enticing since im paying off my WiiU preorder as we speak. Virtual Console games on 3DS are far more inticing than anything Sony could pull put of their history plus the Nintendo-exclusive franchises out-number and out-quality the Sony-exclusive franchises IMO.

22/02/2012

Sunshine Coast

Kudos: 1,325

luke_skip

Is the ps3 remote play up and running with it?

23/02/2012

Currently Perth, WA

Kudos: 48,813

SONY

luke_skip said: Is the ps3 remote play up and running with it?

It all depends on the developer.

23/02/2012

MMGN SONY PlayStation Vita club legends: Vinzor - davidhes - abuu - SONY - LMA0 - Flame_PSP - mong

Kudos: 36

AudioPhile

Gamer and collector, jumped all over this. Why do people constantly compare it to the ps3? It's not like I can take my ps3 into work with me.

I own every console, and honestly for me Nintendo is my least favourite these days, just because of the type of games, nothing about fanboyism. Hell the wii was the biggest waste of money, and I know people love it and nintendo, but that thing is rubbish.

Hopefully the wii-u is better, I used to love Nintendo growing up.

07/03/2012

Kudos: 13,805

Foetoid

AudioPhile said: Gamer and collector, jumped all over this. Why do people constantly compare it to the ps3? It's not like I can take my ps3 into work with me.
I own every console, and honestly for me Nintendo is my least favourite these days, just because of the type of games, nothing about fanboyism. Hell the wii was the biggest waste of money, and I know people love it and nintendo, but that thing is rubbish.
Hopefully the wii-u is better, I used to love Nintendo growing up.

Troll much? Doing the numbers proves the Wii has more A+ exclusives this gen than the Ps3 or 360. Lol

07/03/2012

Sunshine Coast

Kudos: 73,109

Pilkingbod

Why is Nintendo even being brought up?

07/03/2012

Melting pot of friendship

Kudos: 241,279

Beta

Pilkingbod said: Why is Nintendo even being brought up?

'Cause Nintendo's awesome, yo!

07/03/2012

Le Melbourne

Kudos: 73,109

Pilkingbod

Beta said:
Pilkingbod said: Why is Nintendo even being brought up?

'Cause Nintendo's awesome, yo!

Well, obviously, but it seems to be all negative.

It's like making an article about how awesome Soundgarden are (which should exist), and someone going "Soundgarden are great, but Pearl Jam are shit"

It's like, wah... [WTF]

07/03/2012

Melting pot of friendship