Skip to main content

Sony PlayStation Vita sales fall sharply after Japanese launch

Vita
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Mentioned by Bloomberg earlier today, sales of the PlayStation Vita have fallen by nearly 80 percent during the week that ended on December 25 according to tracking firm Media Create. Sony sold approximately 325,000 Vita units on December 17 and 18, but only sold about 10,000 units a day during the following week. Sales of the PlayStation Portable beat sales of the PlayStation Vita by approximately 25,000 units. In addition, Nintendo saw massive sales of the 3DS during the same week and nearly sold half a million units. That pushes Nintendo over four million units sold for the entire year, a fact that Nintendo officials mentioned in a recent press release

PS-Vita-300x300Analysts are pointing at the rise in popularity of smartphones and tablets as the cause of the Vita’s poor sales numbers. The Wi-Fi model of the PlayStation Vita costs about $320 and the 3G/Wi-Fi model costs approximately $385 in Japan. The expensive pricing of the device is likely a stumbling block when it comes to a purchase decision. When the Sony handheld launches in the United States in February, the Wi-Fi model will be priced at $249 and the  3G/Wi-Fi model at $299. However, the Vita also requires the purchase of a Sony memory card that starts at $20 for the 4GB size and ranges up to $100 for the 32GB card. Sony is also planning on selling a $40 “starter kit” that includes a 4GB memory card, screen cover, card case, cleaning cloth, headphones and carry pouch.

With the recent price cut of the Nintendo 3DS, Sony may have a difficult time convincing consumers to purchase the more expensive Vita over the $169 3DS. However, the Vita is expected to launch with a lineup of 25 launch titles in the United States including Uncharted: Golden Abyss. Nintendo struggled initially on the 3DS with a lack of first party titles, but released Mario Kart 7 to please core Nintendo fans at the end of 2011. 

Editors' Recommendations

Mike Flacy
By day, I'm the content and social media manager for High-Def Digest, Steve's Digicams and The CheckOut on Ben's Bargains…
How to buy and customize ships in Sea of Thieves
The name King of Red Lions floats above a red, customized ship in Sea of Thieves.

The newest season of Sea of Thieves is here to take you back to your favorite swashbuckling adventure world. And whether that means you're checking out the series for the first time or you're having trouble remembering everything from the last time you played, you're probably aware that you'll need a ship to find a transport your booty around. Here's how to get a ship in Sea of Thieves as well as customize it to your liking.

Read more
Quick! This PS5 bundle just got an unprecedented price cut
The Playstation 5 system standing upright.

We didn't expect the PlayStation 5 Slim, the updated version of Sony's video game console, to go on sale this soon, but you can already get the PlayStation 5 Slim Marvel's Spider-Man 2 bundle from Amazon with a 20% discount. From its original price of $559, you'll only have to pay $449, which is a fantastic price for this gaming machine. PS5 deals always attract a lot of attention, so we expect this offer to get sold out quickly. If you want to take advantage of it, you're going to have to hurry in completing your purchase.

Why you should buy the PlayStation 5 Slim Marvel's Spider-Man 2 bundle
The PlayStation 5 Slim is more than just a slimmed-down version of the original PlayStation 5 -- though the difference is noticeable with 18% less weight and 30% less volume for the disc version. There's no performance upgrade between the PS5 Slim and PS5, and you'll be able to play all of the PlayStation 5 games on either model, but the PS5 Slim comes with a 1TB of storage with around 842GB usable, compared to 825GB with 667GB usable in the original PS5. That's nearly 200GB of extra space for your installed games, save data, and screenshots.

Read more
How to change your Steam username
Steam library.

Unless you've got an absolute premium username or have too many linked accounts to name, there's no reason to stick with the same username forever. Unlike some services that offer limited username changes or charge to change your tag, Steam allows users to adjust their usernames at any time.

You don't have to keep that awful username you picked on some random Tuesday before hopping into a game. Here's how you can make a change.

Read more