Sony Drops All First-Party Support For Vita

[Steven Bogos]

Sony Drops All First-Party Support For Vita

There will be no more first-party PS Vita titles developed by Sony.

It's no secret that Sony's freely admitted [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/tag/view/ps%20vita] that the device failed, and stated it had no plans for a follow-up. Now, it has announced that all first-party support for the Vita has been halted - meaning that you won't see any more Sony-developed titles for it.

In an interview with Japanese gaming magazine 4Gamer [http://www.4gamer.net/games/990/G999024/20151021121/], Sony Computer Entertainment SVP Masayasu Ito explained that "Currently, first-party studios have no titles in development for PS Vita. Since third-parties are working very hard on PS Vita, SCE's own strategy is to focus on PS4, which is a new platform."

Ito does, however, have faith in said third-party developers, telling us that "At the beginning the PS Vita did not resonate with age targets under 20, but now the situation is changing and the popularity with younger demographics is increasing. Minecraft: PS Vita Edition has provided a boost."

Really looks like Sony is keen to let this one fall to the wayside as a cautionary tale, while instead pouring its focus into the much better performing PlayStation 4 [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/tag/view/playstation%204].

Source: DualShockers [http://www.4gamer.net/games/990/G999024/20151021121/]

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[FalloutJack]

Well, that's what you get for forgetting how much of an uphill battle the PSP was before it reached popularity, and then you tried to replace it with an undertalented new system that wasn't even backwards compatible. (The workaround does not count, as it didn't support all games.) Not everyone wants to buy the games again. Not everyone wants a new system, especially when it didn't have much on it. Not everyone will go through the same thing again when they already did for the PSP.

 

[Leg End]

There is quite a big contrast between "no titles in development" and "we're having nothing to do with this ever again".
Though, Sony is basically saying meh to the Vita for now, which is basically what they've done for a while, and then they complain no one is buying any.

 

[Redlin5_v1legacy]

When Minecraft is something you tell people about in an interview, your console hasn't had much success at any point in its cycle. Nintendo crushes another handheld contender it seems.

 

[SlumlordThanatos]

Hurry up and port Persona 4: Golden to the PSN already.

 

[gigastar]

Hurry up and port Persona 4: Golden to the PSN already.

It already is on PSN ...in the EU. [https://store.playstation.com/#!/en-gb/games/persona-4-golden/cid=EP1063-PCSB00245_00-PERSONA4GOLDEN01?smcid=navs-store:home]

 

[drkchmst]

What the guy above me said. They never really gave the vita any first party support hoping advertisement and 3rd party developers would support it. Releasing hardware like that requires a certain amount of first party support to show developers some of the cool things it can do and inspire them to develop.

 

[Voxoid]

The only real purpose that my Vita has for me is the PS4 link and the library of old PSOne games. Does this mean that only new titles will no longer be developed? Will the old PS games continue to be added? Cause I couldn't really care any less first party stuff. The few games that were released at launch are more than enough.

 

[Something Amyss]

When Minecraft is something you tell people about in an interview, your console hasn't had much success at any point in its cycle. Nintendo crushes another handheld contender it seems.

Sony crushed this handheld.

Honestly, the Vita is a solid system marred by a lack of thought and support put into it and some rather bizarre choices (charging more than an external hard drive for their memory cards when SD cards are so cheap they can be used as guitar picks). The problem seemed to be that Sony was worried about promoting a failure, so they let the handheld go more or less on its own.

You know, sealing its fate.

... The Vita had firsty party support?

Yeah! Sony developed games for the Vita! I think I have both of them!

The only real purpose that my Vita has for me is the PS4 link and the library of old PSOne games. Does this mean that only new titles will no longer be developed? Will the old PS games continue to be added? Cause I couldn't really care any less first party stuff. The few games that were released at launch are more than enough.

I wouldn't count on them continuing to work on Vita compatibility if they dont think it's worth developing new games for.

 

[Casual Shinji]

The problem seemed to be that Sony was worried about promoting a failure, so they let the handheld go more or less on its own.

Sony tends to have this mentality when it comes to some of their first-party titles as well. They'll invest millions into one of their more quirky/artsy games to show their diversity, and then just leave it to die on the market. Recent example; Until Dawn. A big AAA first-party title and it's only been word of mouth that has garnered it some popularity -- Sony was nowhere.

Honestly, the writing was on the wall with this one from day one. Sony should've learned their lesson from the PSP.

Hurry up and port Persona 4: Golden to the PSN already.

It already is on PSN ...in the EU. [https://store.playstation.com/#!/en-gb/games/persona-4-golden/cid=EP1063-PCSB00245_00-PERSONA4GOLDEN01?smcid=navs-store:home]

I think he means, get a playable version of it for the PS3. The PSN version currently is only for the Vita.

 

[CrystalShadow]

Well, Sony. You tried, I guess.

But in the end, nobody has ever beaten Nintendo in the handheld market...
Ever...
From the moment they released the Game Boy in 1989, nobody has ever really managed it.
Sony got closest of anyone, but I guess now they'll join Atari, Sega, the wonderswan, neo geo pocket and a bunch of other things that just... Died out.

Then again, Nintendo may well lose out now to mobile phones...
So it's not like their position is invulnerable.
But... If it gets to the point that even Nintendo can't manage a dedicated handheld device anymore...
Then I doubt anyone else can either...

The end of an era is in sight it would seem.
The death of the handheld gaming device.

 

[Sleepy Sol]

As much as I love my Vita...and I did love my PSP too...though probably a considerable margin less. I probably wouldn't say I'm surprised that Sony seemed to try to do everything possible to kill it in the West (and I guess in general at this point) just like they did to the PSP.

Shouldn't be too bad, though, weeb/anime/JRPG developers will probably keep it going for a little while in the same manner anyways. Which is what I'd personally be most concerned about. Considering that, this announcement really doesn't seem so bad. I can't think of a single first-party Sony title I actually have or have considered getting on my Vita save perhaps Gravity Rush.

 

[Yopaz]

Well, Sony. You tried, I guess.

No, they did not. Sony released the thing and then mostly abandoned it. The year after it was released the only time Sony mentioned it at any press release (E3, PAX etc.) they only mentioned it when games were multiplatform. They released a new version of it which offered a downgraded screen, internal storage (which doesn't work if you also sue a memory card, which is dumber than even what Nintendo is doing in terms of storage management), no 3G/4G version, new charging cable making it possible to use any micro USB (which is good since many of us got them lying around already) and they kept their proprietary memory cards, then topped it off by halting production of memory cards larger than 16 GB in Europe.

No, Sony did NOT try with the Vita. They released it and hoped it would become successful. It's a great console, but they really screwed up with the memory card thing. I bought a Vita shipped with a memory card and 4 PSN games. The memory card could fit two of the games before it was full. That is terribly stupid.

Nothing Sony has done with the Vita warrants the word trying.

 

[CrystalShadow]

Well, Sony. You tried, I guess.

No, they did not. Sony released the thing and then mostly abandoned it. The year after it was released the only time Sony mentioned it at any press release (E3, PAX etc.) they only mentioned it when games were multiplatform. They released a new version of it which offered a downgraded screen, internal storage (which doesn't work if you also sue a memory card, which is dumber than even what Nintendo is doing in terms of storage management), no 3G/4G version, new charging cable making it possible to use any micro USB (which is good since many of us got them lying around already) and they kept their proprietary memory cards, then topped it off by halting production of memory cards larger than 16 GB in Europe.

No, Sony did NOT try with the Vita. They released it and hoped it would become successful. It's a great console, but they really screwed up with the memory card thing. I bought a Vita shipped with a memory card and 4 PSN games. The memory card could fit two of the games before it was full. That is terribly stupid.

Nothing Sony has done with the Vita warrants the word trying.

You're being way too specific. The Vita is at least the 3rd handheld sony released.
You can't release 3 different handheld systems and have people even remotely care that they existed at all and claim Sony never even tried.

I don't think you understood what I meant in the slightest.

 

[Something Amyss]

The problem seemed to be that Sony was worried about promoting a failure, so they let the handheld go more or less on its own.

Sony tends to have this mentality when it comes to some of their first-party titles as well. They'll invest millions into one of their more quirky/artsy games to show their diversity, and then just leave it to die on the market. Recent example; Until Dawn. A big AAA first-party title and it's only been word of mouth that has garnered it some popularity -- Sony was nowhere.

I didn't even know it was a Sony game.

Wow. Good job, Sony.

Well, Sony. You tried, I guess.

In the loosest sense of the word, perhaps.

 

[Yopaz]

Well, Sony. You tried, I guess.

No, they did not. Sony released the thing and then mostly abandoned it. The year after it was released the only time Sony mentioned it at any press release (E3, PAX etc.) they only mentioned it when games were multiplatform. They released a new version of it which offered a downgraded screen, internal storage (which doesn't work if you also sue a memory card, which is dumber than even what Nintendo is doing in terms of storage management), no 3G/4G version, new charging cable making it possible to use any micro USB (which is good since many of us got them lying around already) and they kept their proprietary memory cards, then topped it off by halting production of memory cards larger than 16 GB in Europe.

No, Sony did NOT try with the Vita. They released it and hoped it would become successful. It's a great console, but they really screwed up with the memory card thing. I bought a Vita shipped with a memory card and 4 PSN games. The memory card could fit two of the games before it was full. That is terribly stupid.

Nothing Sony has done with the Vita warrants the word trying.

You're being way too specific. The Vita is at least the 3rd handheld sony released.
You can't release 3 different handheld systems and have people even remotely care that they existed at all and claim Sony never even tried.

I don't think you understood what I meant in the slightest.

Sony didn't mention the console specifically after it was released. E3? Nope! Pax? Nope! Give customers the ability to pick out games from the store and buy them? Nope! Listen to the major complaint about their otherwise good console? NOpe.

They didn't market it. They didn't give it specific game support. They didn't listen to their customers. They didn't make an attempt to support simultaneous use of internal storage and memory card.

I* pointed out that they failed in regards to marketing, development, design and customer satisfaction. How am I being too specific?

 

[CrystalShadow]

Well, Sony. You tried, I guess.

No, they did not. Sony released the thing and then mostly abandoned it. The year after it was released the only time Sony mentioned it at any press release (E3, PAX etc.) they only mentioned it when games were multiplatform. They released a new version of it which offered a downgraded screen, internal storage (which doesn't work if you also sue a memory card, which is dumber than even what Nintendo is doing in terms of storage management), no 3G/4G version, new charging cable making it possible to use any micro USB (which is good since many of us got them lying around already) and they kept their proprietary memory cards, then topped it off by halting production of memory cards larger than 16 GB in Europe.

No, Sony did NOT try with the Vita. They released it and hoped it would become successful. It's a great console, but they really screwed up with the memory card thing. I bought a Vita shipped with a memory card and 4 PSN games. The memory card could fit two of the games before it was full. That is terribly stupid.

Nothing Sony has done with the Vita warrants the word trying.

You're being way too specific. The Vita is at least the 3rd handheld sony released.
You can't release 3 different handheld systems and have people even remotely care that they existed at all and claim Sony never even tried.

I don't think you understood what I meant in the slightest.

Sony didn't mention the console specifically after it was released. E3? Nope! Pax? Nope! Give customers the ability to pick out games from the store and buy them? Nope! Listen to the major complaint about their otherwise good console? NOpe.

They didn't market it. They didn't give it specific game support. They didn't listen to their customers. They didn't make an attempt to support simultaneous use of internal storage and memory card.

I* pointed out that they failed in regards to marketing, development, design and customer satisfaction. How am I being too specific?

Because you are obsessing about the vita, where I was making a point about all of Sony's handhelds together.

The vita may well represent the point at which they gave up, this is effectively their second, if not third handheld.

If the PSP was a blatant failure, no company in their right mind would even bother designing a replacement for it.

How is this so difficult to follow? What they did with the vita is only part of the story.

It's like saying Microsoft put no effort into Xbox by reference solely to the disaster that was the Xbox one launch.
It misses most of the relevant information. (Eg, two prior consoles)

The vita is not the first Sony handheld. Going on about it specifically, as if that counteracts my point is really silly.

 

[Dreiko_v1legacy]

Wait, when they say that they're not making anything for it right now why does that mean that they're dropping "all" support? It sounds like they have their hands full with the ps4 and are waiting for 3rd party titles to spread the system to more people before they commit to making something for it again.


Vita is doing bad in the west but in Asia it's actually doing fine.

 

[Yopaz]

Because you are obsessing about the vita, where I was making a point about all of Sony's handhelds together.

The vita may well represent the point at which they gave up, this is effectively their second, if not third handheld.

If the PSP was a blatant failure, no company in their right mind would even bother designing a replacement for it.

How is this so difficult to follow? What they did with the vita is only part of the story.

It's like saying Microsoft put no effort into Xbox by reference solely to the disaster that was the Xbox one launch.
It misses most of the relevant information. (Eg, two prior consoles)

The vita is not the first Sony handheld. Going on about it specifically, as if that counteracts my point is really silly.

Fair point, the PSP actually did quite well. However if that is a valid point I guess I could say Nintendo has made a great job on the home console market lately because of the success of the Wii. It's not a valid point since Nintendo is really doing poorly on that front.

Now for your comparison with the Xbox one. You are comparing the disasterous reveal of the Xbox One where they planned to force a daily check-in (which was removed shortly thereafter), a forced Kinect (which was removed within the year), lack of backwards compatibility (which is being worked on right now) with 4 years of lost chances.

Microsoft is continuously working on the Xbox One and marketing to make up for almost running it to the ground in its inception.

Sony has been on the handheld market for about 11 years. Almost 4 of them have been with the Vita. That means almost 40% of their time has been spent on a console they are unwilling to market.

They have been at E3 4 times since it was released. That means they have participated in 4 expensive marketing events since it was released and not offered much thought to marketing it at these opportunities. Microsoft screwed up badly by forcing th Kinect and their online requirement. They have fixed both of these concerns. That's actually trying and succeeding. In 2 years they have even added support for backwards compatibility.

In 4 years (which is twice as much as 2) Sony has not increased marketing, they have not addressed the main problems of their system and they have not focused much on first party games. Now you might complain that I am only focusing on a little less than 40% of their history in the handheld market, but I'd argue that almost 40% is substantial. Do you really want to explain that ignoring a market for 40% of the time is "trying"?