Vita Sales "On the Low End" of Expectations
Whos expectations? I know its far exceeded my expectations of it. Seems like no one is surprised in the slightest to the low sales figures. If anything it sounds like someone had insanely unrealistic expectations.
Honestly I do not think the problem is the games per se. It is the function. It is a handheld device. It is supposed to be mobile. Now aside from how physically large it is (and my gigantic ham hocks love big devices, but even for me its a tad cumbersome.) the problem is that people in general do not want to lug around a suitcase full of gadgets.
While Sonys big kick as of late is to be the device that does "Everything" (of course moreso for the PS3, but I digress) it comes back around to simple matters of practicality for people. Most people are tethered to their phones (but oddly enough not for phonecalls nearly as much as for text messaging) Now despite the vita being a device that can house a sim card and connect to a cell phone provider, there really is no intuitive means to use it to make calls.
When faced with that choice, most people do not want to lug around both their phone AND a mobile console. So when presented with the option of either a mobile handheld that can play PS3 level games, plus video, wifi, music, etc, but essentially leaves you disconnected from what can in many cases be a major communication hub, Or the concept of a smart phone that can do everything the vita can do, but remain connected at the expense at the depth and fidelity of gaming, for many people its a simple choice.
That is the problem with the Vita, and its the problem with Sony. They fail to not only understand how people wish to use this type of device, they even categorically go out of their way to prevent people from using their products the way they might want.
Heres an easy example. Look at any KIRF of the PSP/Vita. Any one you choose you will invariably find at least one consistent design option that neither of Sonys products have. A simple HDMI out port. Why did it escape the designers thought process that for a device someone would lug around everywhere, That can access youtube, netflix, huluplus, as well as non streamed video playback did it never dawn on them that maybe to increase the devices usability to justify its mobility, that at some point someone might want to see what they are paying for on a larger screen and might desire a simple means to accomplish this. Why just think with a HDMI port and access to the bluetooth transponder and you might have been able to also sell a dual shock controller to go with it where otherwise you would have gained nothing by the absence.
Getting back to the "one tech to rule them all" Consider between android and IOS, people use these devices for wide array of purposes. Web browsing, phone, text, of course, but some use them for other things too, Quick notes, flashlights, banking, calender scheduling, GPS + Compass, bubble levels, synthesizers and drum machines with the ability to export, log reporters, medical tracking, simply more personalized uses than I could ever hope to list. So when you can do so many things in a far less restrictive environment are you going to sacrifice all that to have bleeding edge gaming anywhere you go? Or are you more likely to be content with the likes of Fruit ninja to satisfy your gaming itch while you are out and about and wait to play resistance when you get home?
While Nintendo does not seem to be bogged down by these factors, Nintendo s focus is clearly more centered on gaming, rather than being a "do it all" mobile device, which is what Sony has been pushing for. By pushing for that niche, you have to be judged by that critera and thats why nintendo really isnt. Sony fails to understand what it actually means. At some point you have to let go of the hardware you sold and accept that people WILL use it in ways you didnt originally think of.
might as well be TL;DR
While its impossible to argue the lack of games isnt a factor, it seems unrealistic to pin all that lack of interest on that one fact when people in fact have MANY different reasons for lackluster interest in such bloated, overpriced and restrictive hardware.
