A Third of Vita Game Sales are Digital

[StewShearerOld]

A Third of Vita Game Sales are Digital

A survey by Sony has revealed how gamers feel about their Vitas and how they're using them.

The PlayStation Vita has, for a long time, seemed condemned to an existence of doom and gloom. Consistently underselling and outsold by its competitors, Sony has had to <a href=http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/121979-Sony-Cuts-Vita-Sales-Predictions>slash its expectations for the handheld on several occasions. Only recently, following a Japan-exclusive price cut, have things seemed <a href=http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/122535-Japanese-Vita-Sales-Quadruple-After-Price-Drop>to turn around. Vita sales in the region have been on the rise and most recently, it even managed <a href=http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/122694-PlayStation-Vita-Outsells-3DS-in-Japan>to temporarily outsell its more popular competitor, Nintendo's 3DS. Adding a bit more icing to this cake of pleasant tidings, Sony has revealed more good news both for the Vita and Vita owners.

Speaking to IGN, Don Mesa, Director of Product Planning and Platform Software Innovation for the PlayStation brand, revealed the results of surveys conducted to gauge how gamers are using their Vita's, and how much they're enjoying them. On the enjoyment front, gamers like their Vitas. Eighty-six percent of Vita owners reported being satisfied with the portable, while ninety percent reported playing their Vita at least once a week. Most impressively, Vita owners were reported to be using the system an average of 18.7 hours a week.

Perhaps more interesting, however, are the way consumers have buying games for the Vita. Almost a third of respondents said they were purchasing games digitally instead of physically. It's a stark contrast to a few short years ago when the PSP Go, Sony's foray into producing an all-digital handheld, fell flat on its face. Granted, the PSP Go was <a href=http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/92323-Analyst-Calls-PSP-Go-a-Ripoff>somewhat overpriced but many, at the time, <a href=http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/101206-Sony-PSPgos-Failure-Was-a-Success>including Sony, pointed to gamers simply not being ready to let go of physical media. The results of the survey beg the question of how Sony would fare in the present day if they were to try and release another digital-only handheld or console.

The most positive news for Vita owners themselves, is the confirmation that 2013 will see a nice collection of game releases to help shore up the Vita's somewhat scant library. In addition to indie titles like Hotline Miami and Lone Survivor, Mesa confirmed that there would be more than a hundred games coming out for the Vita this year. There's no guarantee they'll all be good games, of course, but even a few quality titles would be a boost for the platform.

Source: <a href=http://www.ign.com/articles/2013/03/22/more-than-100-vita-games-coming-in-2013?abthid=514c7faef357b5c843000002>IGN


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[StewShearerOld]

Seems to me the majority still prefer physical copies, but it's also better to make it optional.

I agree. That said, I always felt the problem with the PSP Go was more the price issue. You were paying $250 for a version of the PSP that could technically do less than older, cheaper models. Had it been priced more modestly, I think it could have been a nice option for people who don't care about having a shelf full of games.

 

[omicron1]

Well, this can only be a good thing as far as I'm concerned. More competition will hopefully result in a more balanced market with, y'know, actual technologically-advanced games coming out for mobile, rather than the nintendominance we had last cycle.

Although, if Nintendo lose their profitable mobile lifeline, what do they have left...? Can they avoid disaster if both of their product lines are, at best, even competition in the market?

 

[Terramax]

Of the money I've spent on the Vita, I would say at least 50% has been on digital download of PSP and PSone titles (with the old digital exclusive like Sina Mora).

I've yet to buy an actual full release Vita title using digital, because the prices are too high, but once I start seeing more Vita games I want at around £15 or less (maybe I'll bite at £20), then expect me to spend more money on digital.

However, what this news REALLY means for Sony, is that they need to start releasing larger memory cardsthan 32gb. If that many people are going digital, 32gb really isn't enough, if each full blown Vita title takes a couple of GB each.

 

[Sheo_Dagana]

I hate digital copies. I'm out of room on my memory stick as is...

I hope things get better for the Vita, and soon, because I'm about ready to just sell it and be done. But... I was glad I stuck it out with the PSP. Maybe I shouldn't be so hasty.

 

[VanQ]

Pity the poor sons of bitches who've filled up their memory cards and need to buy a new one...

It's not a real issue, actually. With a 32gb card I've found it quite simple just to store unused digital games on my PC. I cycle games from my Vita and PC every other day and PSP and PS1 games are really not an issue due to their tiny file size.

This year is looking excellent for the Vita on the Japanese front. Feels good that I can enjoy the best from both the east and the west without having to worry about localization.

Stupid region locked 3DS. I want to play Fire Emblem but you'll continue to gather dust until Nintendo releases it in my region. Until then you will remain the biggest waste of money I ever bought.

 

[Lucane]

Well, this can only be a good thing as far as I'm concerned. More competition will hopefully result in a more balanced market with, y'know, actual technologically-advanced games coming out for mobile, rather than the nintendominance we had last cycle.

Although, if Nintendo lose their profitable mobile lifeline, what do they have left...? Can they avoid disaster if both of their product lines are, at best, even competition in the market?

Well if they don't go broke making them in the first place they getting a better profit margin faster compared to more expensive counterparts meaning if them and a rival both make 5 million around the same time it's a better payoff for Nintendo or if they make a certain percent less than the other it's still a good day but actually making more than the rival is a clear victory unless it's not enough profit for either to exist.

 

[IllumInaTIma]

The only games I've downloaded digitally are Persona 3: Portable, couple of PS1 games and Atelier Totori, but only because I couldn't find any place that sells physical copies of it.

 

[J Tyran]

Not surprising that a lot of its games are sold digitally, some of the best games are old PS1 & PS2 games that have been released for it. The memory card issue is not so bad as it could have been, not if you own a PS3 or a PC. You can just back it up and delete it, then restore the backed up data later. It is a bit of an inconvenience but its not the end of the world.

 

[zidine100]

i dont know how it is in the us but seriously look at the uks physical releases, good freaking luck if you want to find anything here, bar the same 6 - 8 games. Don't you just love it when a company doesn't release physical copys then starts spouting of this trash?

 

[Daniel Park]

I own probably a dozen or so Vita titles, ALL of which were purchased digitally. I waiting until only a few weeks ago to pick up the device, having felt burned in the past when I bought a gen1 PSP right at launch, and then regretted. I'm having a great time with the Vita, though. PS+ members (which I have been for years) get a few top-tier games for free, which helps to make up for their ridiculously expensive proprietary memory cards.

 

[nexus]

If it's available physical, and is not otherwise free or very reduced via PS Plus.. then I get a physical copy. For the simple reason being the storage for a Vita is critically small & insultingly expensive.

 

[OuroborosChoked]

I always purchase physical media whenever possible... and for several reasons.
1. You rarely find reasonable prices for games in digital only stores (Steam being one exception, but only during sales). Digital copies cannot compete with used physical media stores. Also, some publishers use digital distribution to fix prices and keep them there YEARS after the game originally came out (**coughcoughactivisioncough**). You can find used copies of Modern Warfare 2 for a handful of dollars. Last time I checked on the Steam store, it was selling full price ($59.99). Yeah...

2. You have control over physical media. Going with Steam again, if your account gets hacked, terminated, or banned, there go your games. That won't happen with my physical copy of Morrowind or Secret of Mana.


Meh... there are more, but I can't think of them right now. I'm pre-breakfast.

To wrap up, Dokuro was released on physical media in Asia, but digital only in the US... and no demo... and they want us to pay $20 for it. PLEASE push for physical media and demos. If you have the option to buy physical, do so! I understand that sometimes there's no budget to bring certain titles to physical media... but when it is there (while it is there), support it! It may be gone someday... and with it, your options and your control over what you buy.

 

[lostlevel]

The only time a will accept digital over physical is when everything is region free and we all get game releases at the same time.

Even then I would still prefer a disk.

 

[Korten12]

Pity the poor sons of bitches who've filled up their memory cards and need to buy a new one...

It's not a real issue, actually. With a 32gb card I've found it quite simple just to store unused digital games on my PC. I cycle games from my Vita and PC every other day and PSP and PS1 games are really not an issue due to their tiny file size.

This year is looking excellent for the Vita on the Japanese front. Feels good that I can enjoy the best from both the east and the west without having to worry about localization.

Stupid region locked 3DS. I want to play Fire Emblem but you'll continue to gather dust until Nintendo releases it in my region. Until then you will remain the biggest waste of money I ever bought.

How do you store unused games on the PC?

 

[Something Amyss]

Pity the poor sons of bitches who've filled up their memory cards and need to buy a new one...

And here's the irony of the PSVita. I'd buy more PSVita titles, but I'd rather buy them digitally and I can't afford the larger card, so I'm less prone to buy, period.

And honestly? I'm one of those "physical media" folks. But digital games all in one place on a portable?

YES PLEASE.

The price of the cards sort of defeats that strength. Especially with the size of some of the games.

 

[Solo-Wing]

Pity the poor sons of bitches who've filled up their memory cards and need to buy a new one...

And here's the irony of the PSVita. I'd buy more PSVita titles, but I'd rather buy them digitally and I can't afford the larger card, so I'm less prone to buy, period.

And honestly? I'm one of those "physical media" folks. But digital games all in one place on a portable?

YES PLEASE.

The price of the cards sort of defeats that strength. Especially with the size of some of the games.

That is the plus side of the 3DS. It takes SD cards/MicroSD's with adapter. It is much cheaper to get a 32GB SD then Vita Memory card.

Plus a number of the more popular Retail games are for sale on the eShop. Mainly the ones made by Nintendo but I am pretty sure there are some 3rd parties on the eShop.