PS Vita a Stinker for Sony? -or- Japanese Sales Numbers Smell Bad

I said before that the PS Vita has performance specs head-and-shoulders above it's competition, and this includes tablets and smart-phones. This is true, right now, FOR now. I personally like the machine (I also like the 3DS, my new Acer Iconia Android-powered Tablet, and a host of classic and rare handheld devices). I am biased, not always by company. I am a Nintendo fan. But I also like Sony and Microsoft. I like Atari, Sega, The 3DO Company, and many others. I play favorites. But I have reasons why I like things beyond "because it's from my favorite company". I stand by what I said earlier about the Vita. It's an awesome machine.

However, from recent sales figures coming from Japan, it does seem that the "wonder machine" could end up being Sony's next device that just doesn't live up to it's hype. Worse, it could even end up being a big Stinker for Sony.

The device launched in Japan prior to Christmas, and sold 325,000 units in it's first week. Not bad, actually it's good. But in it's second week, the week leading up to Christmas, the device sold 72,000 units. This IS quite bad, doing far worse than Nintendo's second week after launch for their 3DS (which sold 210,000 units in it's second week). Meanwhile the 3DS continues to JUMP in sales.

It seems Sony lost their way after the PS2. The PSP, while a quite-solid second-place seller, still missed it's mark. It was to be the "next big thing" in handheld gaming. The DS outsold it better than 2-to-1. The PS3 was supposed to be the TRUE beginning of the Next-Generation series of consoles. It's in third place among the "big three", with 60 million sold to date. Nintendo is far out in front with 95 million.

For Sony to follow up with a machine like this that does these kind of numbers is indicative of a problem; somehow Sony has a "disconnect" from many consumers and even their fan base. Sony kicked in the door and dominated the home console market for two generations. They had studied the market and knew what was going on. But since the PS2, they have had to work far harder than ever to make headway. It looks like the Vita could become a device that they have to constantly baby in order to keep afloat.

Of course I would be a fool to ignore the impact of tablets and smart-phones and the allure of 99 cent games. Much lower price than $40 or $50. The handheld market is different from the home console market; it always has been. Tablets and smart-phones provide cheap gaming entertainment in 5-15 minute sips versus epic games that are played an hour or two at a time. Current trends show that the public is opting for the cheaper, smaller games for on-the-go.

But there is still a market for hardcore handheld gaming. I feel pricing is going to be key. And I don't think this device is being marketed correctly. The Vita shares this in common with the PSP. Both units have been positioned as an all-in-one entertainment unit. The PSP had the iPhone and iPod Touch as competition for this, and Apple did it far bigger and better. Now Sony brings the Vita with the same basic plan, only now there are many different smart-phones and tablets that could very easily do the same thing, only worse. They need to set it apart from other devices by showing the games, not try to blend it in with other devices that have multi-media entertainment. It's graphics beat anything on any other device. If someone wants a tablet they will buy a tablet.

This is all just speculation. The Vita could turn it around. There's a way, Sony. Time to reconnect with gamers and find out what that might be.

And perhaps the reception will be different here in the U.S. Something that would help: a price cut from $249 wi-fi to $199 or even $169 wi-fi, with similar cuts to the 3G models.