The mainstream media's already arranging the PlayStation Vita's funeral.

The agenda-pushing mainstream media informed us that dedicated handheld games devices are in decline, and that the market Nintendo once dominated was lost.

Of course, no amount of agenda-pushing could change the fact that the 3DS is now a runaway train. Sure it took some desperate action from Nintendo — the system's price-cut was unprecedented, and its lockdown of Monster Hunter probably stung the platform holder's wallet too — but with the release of actual video games and a more appropriate price-point, the 3DS suddenly looks entirely in control of its fate. It'll probably smash records.

Unfortunately, that leaves the mainstream media clutching for a new piece of evidence to push its agenda. Smartphones are conquering the world, haven't you heard? And sadly that means the PlayStation Vita is next in the firing line.

After stumbling its way through its first full week on sale in Japan, Forbes has published an article spelling doom for Sony's new handheld.

In the story, contributor Tero Kuittinen uses a lot of hyperbolic terms such as "trouble", "doom" and "delusional". The crux of Kuittinen's argument? Smartphones and tablet computers are taking over — and that's where people want to play their games.

Kuittinen even goes on to criticise handheld games as being "simple and often very childish", while explaining that "deeper more meaningful games" such as, erm, Infinity Blade II are "chipping at the depth advantage long held by the games designed for portable consoles". Sure.

Clearly we don't agree with Kuittinen's perspective, but Sony was always going to have to deal with a backlash such as this. For some reason the mainstream media is looking at the growth of the smartphone sector and tying that exclusively to any minor struggles in the handheld market. We daresay that there is crossover between the two markets, but we'd argue that those players adopting smartphone gaming were never interested in a handheld device before. The market is growing from where we're sitting, but the media seems convinced it is shrinking.

The PlayStation Vita's second week sales in Japan do show a worrying precedent, but unlike Forbes, we don't think it has anything to do with the rise of smartphones. It's true that Sony's new handheld is expensive, but considering the product on offer it is not extortionately so. (And if we're sticking with the smartphone and tablets analogy, then let's consider the price-tag attached to the uber-popular iPad.)

The bigger problem for the PlayStation Vita in Japan is one we actually touched upon earlier in the year: the launch line-up just doesn't make sense for the region. Uncharted: Golden Abyss and Little Deviants are certain to be great games, but we're not sure the Japanese audience cares. Outside of Hot Shots Golf 6 and another entry in the overpopulated Dynasty Warriors series, we're not sure what single game was on offer to entice Japan. It needed a headline title — a Metal Gear or a Final Fantasy, but without either on the horizon, it's unsurprising that the hardware is starting to struggle.

That's partially the reason why we expect the PlayStation Vita to enjoy a stronger start in North America and Europe. Franchises such as Wipeout, Uncharted and especially FIFA have much more gravitas in the West, and should ensure that the PlayStation Vita sprints out of the gate.

Either way, it's too early to call time on the PlayStation Vita. Some publications are tossing around price-drop demands already. Sony will wait to see how the PS Vita fares in the West before it makes any pricing adjustments.

The platform just needs momentum — particularly in Japan. Monster Hunter is, of course, the big loss. But Capcom's series doesn't need to be the system's saving grace. There are many franchises that could lift the hardware in Japan, and let's not forget that Monster Hunter itself was a relatively weak brand before it debuted on PSP.

Of course, for PlayStation fans, the doom and gloom outlook is nothing new. It seems to be a mentality that follows every new PlayStation launch — presumably a reaction to the brand's dominance for over a decade.

Just don't buy into the FUD yet. The mainstream media clearly has an agenda that it's desperately trying to push. As gamers, we're hopeful that Sony (and indeed, Nintendo) can prove them wrong.

[source neogaf.com]