Originally written for the Collegian Newspaper at Georgia State University.
Sony Corporation’s PlayStation Vita, successor to their seven-year-old PlayStation Portable gaming hand-held, will be launching across North America on February 22. As highly anticipated as some may find the system, the platform gives me a sense of déjà vu.
The PlayStation Vita aims to replicate a console-like experience on the go. The same promise was given in late 2004 for the PlayStation Portable.
It’s a strategy that didn’t work well back then, so why would it work now?
With franchises like BioShock and Call of Duty lined-up, the PlayStation Vita looks strong from that remark, but as of right now there’s no media available for either title.
It echoes a time when the PlayStation Portable was nearing release and successful franchises like Devil May Cry and Resident Evil were planned for the platform, but never emerged as the handheld didn’t perform well outside of Japan.
Unlike with the PlayStation Portable, things aren’t looking bright for Sony in Japan this time around.
Japanese market researcher, Media Create, has reported the PlayStation Vita selling fewer than 35,000 units in a two week period from January 9 to the 22. These sales are in comparison to the competing gaming hand-held, the Nintendo 3DS, which moved 180,000 units in Japan during the same period.
It’s still too early to say for sure where the platform will be going over the next five plus years, but all current signs are pointing to the system being number two again in the dedicated gaming hand-held space.
