It's perhaps an indictment of the current state of the PlayStation Vita in the Western world that we haven't really found the need to write an update on the device for some time. While there was hope of the format's fortunes turning around 18 or so months ago, the platform's fate has remained unchanged for a while now. And while it continues to be supported by a steady stream of high-quality Japanese and indie releases, Sony has suggested that it now sees the system as a "legacy" device.
Speaking as part of the Japanese giant's Investor Relations Day yesterday, group president Andrew House admitted that despite "strong" sales in its native Japan and Asia, it doesn't necessarily foresee an upturn in sales for the handheld or its microconsole counterpart, the PlayStation TV. In fact, as part of its financial documents, the company denoted write-offs for the components of both consoles.
But what does this actually mean? Well, you can confidently rule out significant first-party support from anywhere but Japan, as the days of titles like Tearaway and Uncharted: Golden Abyss are now long gone – but you probably knew that already. The term "legacy" doesn't necessarily mean that the device is done, though – in computing it generally refers to a piece of hardware that is outdated but is still widely used. Expect plenty more cross-buy titles as long as they keep selling, then.
Update (15:15PM BST): Quotes like this always look bad out of context, and it seems we should have done a little more homework. While gaffer Andrew House did describe the PlayStation Vita as a "legacy platform", Sony has since clarified in a statement sent to Venture Beat that he was primarily referring to the first generation version of the format, which is no longer available.
"What Andy mentioned as 'legacy platform' was a part of the write-off the Vita component for the first generation of Vita, which is no longer available in the market," a spokesperson said. "And he did not directly mean the current Vita and PlayStation TV models, which are available in the market. Our portable business will be continued, and many users are now enjoying PS4 Remote Play features as well as original Vita game titles on Vita and PlayStation TV."
To be perfectly honest, we think that the platform holder's saving face a little bit here – after all, the financial documents show that components for the PlayStation TV were written off as well, and not just the Vita 1000. Also, the fact that the platform holder mentioned Remote Play as a primary use for the format in its statement perhaps tells you everything that you need to know.
[source gamesindustry.biz]
Comments 31
Would love a Vita for $100 to pick up MLB The Show since 3DS has no great baseball game. Maybe by Christmas that will be a thing.
The interview was referring to the 1000 model...
@danny2kd I wasn't aware of any differences regarding the games for both models, as they play the same ones. Why would one model be considered legacy and not the other if they are so similar? I'm genuinely curious, I thought the 2000 was simply a slimmer model with a different screen amongst minor other differences
It's a shame, but sony technically stopped supporting it a few years ago, it seemed. Good system though, but just a shame. I wonder if sony will even decide on making another handheld? It seems that with nintendo not having the best sales of the 3DS (comparing to sales of the past handhelds), it seems that handheld game consoles are almost dead in the water.
@CrushdSheep it's just confirming the discontinue of the 1000 model, here's the link
http://gamingbolt.com/sony-confirms-end-of-ps-vita-support-officially-labels-it-legacy-platform
Can we at least get the cable for the Mystery port?
@danny2kd Thanks for the heads up, I should have spotted that before penning the article. I actually think they're saving face with that quote, but I've included it in the article as it does change things.
Apologies for the confusion.
"we think that the platform holder's saving face a little bit here"
That's what I thought. While their statement is plausible, it also sounds much like damage limitation to me...
The Vita's lack of success is criminal as it's such a superb, capable device. I really wished it had more AAA games like Tearaway, Uncharted and Killzone. As an indie machine it's still worth having though.
@get2sammyb - Considering that "What's a Vita?" reply you gave me a few weeks back regarding "Sony's PS4 E3 event" I'm beginning to think you're the one who's written off the poor little legacy handheld.
Feel free to reply w/ a TS animated gif, haven't seen one in awhile.
I don't use my vita at all, but I just can't sell it or give it away I feel like something great is coming for the little thing.
@rjejr Nah, I love the Vita deeply - I just understand why Sony's focus has moved solely to PS4 these days, as it's making them a lot of money.
@Neolit
I agree completely. When I decided to get a Vita a few months back (finally), I specifically hunted down an original model. Since a handheld is kind of dependent on the screen, I didn't want the lower quality LCD screen on the slim.
I have a Vita slim and I love it to death. I literally take it with me everywhere. I won't hold my breath but, if they started making AAA titles for it again, I would fully support it/them. There's so much untapped potential.
I almost want to hunt down a 1000 model just for collecting's sake.
It's doing good enough in Japan, that's all that matters to me because I mostly play Japanese games anyways.
Handhelds are dying out because of smartphones plain and simple, everyone has a smartphone in their pocket these days and they can play free to play games, or paid titles from the various stores on each of the platforms, and if on xperia devices you can also do ps4 remote play. All these factors equals "Handhelds now irrelevant"
This is sad as I own a vita, but unfortunately it's the truth, soon handhelds will be gone forever.
I don't buy any titles for my vita anymore, however, I love it for some remote play and some plus offerings. Titles such as Guacamelee and Valiant Hearts are actually better for me when played on the vita than when played on the big tv. Even when the tv is free, I opt to remote play guacamelee.
Vita fan here as I don't play games on my phone. It would be an instant hit if they enabled some sort of emulation like an ouya on some "legacy" consoles. Other than that drag every ps1 and ps2 game over kicking and screaming. Would love some pes4 right about now.
I guess I'm the proud owner of a genuine Legacy Edition Vita. Who knew?
😐
What an in-between-er of a system. I loved the first couple months, but then MH3P never came so I bought a 3DS. So I took Vita for what it was, but then MH4 never came. So I bought a New3DS. At least there's still MGS3hd oh wait it's so much better on 3DS!
There has to be one game that's a system seller! Think hard you guys! It's late (it's late, it's late), but not too late
The Vita is/was a great handheld gaming device with very few games to take advantage of its hardware. I loved Tearaway, Uncharted and Killzone but didn't see the value in keeping it just for indie games when my mobile phone plays them just fine. Its a shame as I when I originally got the Vita on its release I thought it was going to be fully supported my Sony and there first partys. Silly me
Sony should drop the price, drop the price of the memory cards, and sell the Vita with at least an 8GB card included, and sales would drastically improve.
@supergurr Handheld console like 3DS and Vita won't be replaced by smartphones and tablets, they will coexist with one another. That's like saying oh motorcycles will are being replaced by cars. They are people who enjoy portable gaming but don't consider smartphones and tablets as gaming devices and there are people who prefer smartphones and tablet games over the more complex handheld systems.
Also with the PSN app any phone or tablet can remote play.
Sony should really make a 3000 model that supports standard micro sd cards.
@supergurr 3DS will have lifetime sales of 65-75+ million by the time it is discontinued so I'd say handhelds still have a place Sony just flopped it.
I'm so confused by this. In the EU and NA the Vita has been a disappointment, no doubt. In Japan and Asia it has been a modest hit, right? With the system a part fail and part win why would they suddenly relegate the system to legacy status?
Seems to me Sony have invested the pennies not had the return theywanted but can now sit back and take the money from Japan and third party titles in EU/NA. It would surely be worse financially to scrap the system?
Personally with nothing more to lose Sony will throw the odd cheap title at the system, keep the Indies coming, port where they see a return (Resi) and have many Japanese titles come across from third parties.
They may make a cheaper variant eventually but for now the 2000 is here to stay and the Vita itself for a few years yet.
People can keep suggesting things - micro SD slot etc, but nothing will save the Vita from the Grim Reaper. Nothing. Its been dead in the west now for nearly 2 years. Why should Sony do anything now when noone has give a damn about the Vita in the west for so long? The only reason its stuck around for as long as it has is due to decent indie support in the west & good performance in Japan with support from Japanese developers.
@Jazzer94
I don't think the 3DS will get past 65 million. It is selling well below the GBA and has been out for longer without a successor (the GBA saw the DS launch by about this time in it's life).
Nintendo has been on a downward trajectory since the NES and Game Boy/Color line, with each successive generation selling worse than the one before, except for the Wii and DS, which were fad-driven flukes. After those two systems, the next consoles continued on the same downward trajectory, selling below pre-Wii/DS levels.
The 3DS will likely top off at around 60 million. Nintendo is also not selling it to new consumers, but to repeat consumers, which is a big part of why the New 3DS didn't include a charger.
@BLPs
Sony has spent an inordinate amount of time trying to sell their own memory card format, and largely failed at it. The Sony Memory Sticks never took off, and they tried this concept again for the Vita, and it shot the system in the foot. They should've gone with SD cards, and not just one, but slots for two at least.
The Vita is a great system with a few set-backs. But those set-backs were unfortunately rather large.
Well i have 12 months worth off backlog games. So my personal ps vita game playing still looks strong.
I seriously thought they were discontinuing all Vita support, thank goodness for that update.
I suppose i should buy a Vita sooner rather than later.
@Picasso20 My thoughts exactly. I keep it around just in case an interesting game comes out for it in future.
@JLPick I don't understand how handheld consoles can be dead in the water. It appears the 3DS is doing well and the prime reason Nintendo stays in business. I don't know what the future holds (a Nintendo app store for smartphones?) but there's plenty to play in the present.
@ollietaro I didn't mean that they are completely dead in the water...was referring to the fact that since the DS era, the sales haven't been as big as they were in the past (likely due to cell phone gaming). What I was basically getting at, is the fact that probably in 5-10 years, it will be a harder business for nintendo to keep the gameboy going, but I could be wrong...their next system (if it's a console/handheld) could bring back the popularity.
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