Sony Encouraged by Strong 3DS Sales

[garyopa]

Meanwhile it's unconcerned by the Vita's early struggles in Japan.



Sony says its happy about the way things are going, happy I tell you...

Alot of experts think that with the huge success of the iPhone and tablets, people don't want a 'dedicated handheld gaming device', when something for same price or alot less can do so much more, but still play good games if need be. Both Sony and Nintendo don't think that matters and the market is there, but recently 3DS has been outselling the freshly launched PS Vita more then 6 to 1.

"One of the encouraging things about 3DS' sales performance at Christmas is that it is confounding the naysayers who say that there is no room in the market for a dedicated handheld gaming device," said Sony Computer Entertainment president and CEO Jim Ryan in an interview with MCV. "And to that extent we were encouraged by how 3DS did over the last month."

3DS when it first launched it was slow to sell, Nintendo even was dropped the price shorter after the launch, but now with hot lineup of games like 'Super Mario', 'Mario Kart' and 'Monster Hunter', they been able to sell in excess of 4 million units in both the USA and Japan.

But again experts think the PS Vita is finding itself in the 'same situation', 'high-launch-price', 'lack of good game titles' leaving it basically dead last in sales so far in Japan, with less then 325,000 units in the first week.

Ryan doesn't think this is indicative of what's set to happen overseas; Vita is set to launch in North America and Europe on February 22 and the system's early struggles in Japan don't mean a thing elsewhere, according to him.

"One of the things we have learnt over a long period of time, is that whether it is PS1, PS2, PSP or PS3, it is dangerous to the point of impossible to take any experience from the Japanese market and try and extrapolate it, and propose upon what will happen in Europe or North America," he told MCV.

"Not withstanding the fact that it is just way too early to make any conclusions. The markets are now just so different, I actually think they are diverging to a greater extent than they were different in the past - if that's even possible."

So overall it seems Sony is happy that the 3DS is doing well now in the marketplace, and Sony thinks they will be able to overcome the 'slow start' out the gate with the NA and EU launches and more 'hotter game titles'. -- Only thing to do is re-visit this subject in a month and half and see how the PS Vita sales are doing then!

NEWS SOURCE: Sony Encouraged by Strong 3DS Sales (via) 1up

Our thanks to 'JonathanD' for informing us Maxconsole readers on Sony's viewpoint regarding their battle with the 3DS

[billysastard]

the big question is, "is there room for 2 gaming handhelds in the market"?

history is littered with examples that say the answer is no.

[wewii]

Except it doesn't have 3D support.... so... pffft.

[wrathchild]

In other words, Sony is not planning on dropping the price. OK Sony, whatever. Good luck with that. What makes you think it will sell well here in America when you can't even sell it in your own country?

[Nicotine]

In other words, Sony is not planning on dropping the price. OK Sony, whatever. Good luck with that. What makes you think it will sell well here in America when you can't even sell it in your own country?

the 3ds did poorly out of the gate too. they didn't drop price less than 2 weeks after launch, did they?

sony needs to get "must have" titles out there fast.

biohazard, monster hunter, all will help the system move in japan.

[JonathanD]

the big question is, "is there room for 2 gaming handhelds in the market"?

history is littered with examples that say the answer is no.

I don't think the Vita is going to enjoy the same kind of success the PSP had.

Sony just needs to update its EULA, print it on the outside of the box... Have it say something like "By reading this EULA you agree to purchase this product and under penalty of being sued agree to these terms and conditions."

That way you either buy it or Sony sues you! lol

[mattias800]

Just wait and see, as soon as the big titles arrive, I'm sure we'll see better numbers.

And I wouldn't call the PSP a success, it did sell a lot of units, but few games. I'm hoping the Vita does better, but I'm not so sure.

[JonathanD]

Just wait and see, as soon as the big titles arrive, I'm sure we'll see better numbers.

And I wouldn't call the PSP a success, it did sell a lot of units, but few games. I'm hoping the Vita does better, but I'm not so sure.

Yeah PSP sold like 71 million units but the top selling game managed just 4.6 million units.

Compared to the DS that had The New Super Mario Bro's sell 26 million units.

I just said the PSP's success being nice some Playstation peoples get upset if you call it a failure. (when it comes to selling software it was, and since thats kind of the whole idea...)

I do have to hand it to Sony, out of all the hand held machines that have been released over the years the PSP is the only one to even manage to eek out some sort of market small though it may be. Nintendo so far is the only company that has managed to make a killing on these pint sized machines.

[garyopa]

Reports are in that by the time the month is closed off 30 days of sales 'PS Vita' will have reached 500,000 units.

[Xenogears V]

Meanwhile it's unconcerned by the Vita's early struggles in Japan.



Sony says its happy about the way things are going, happy I tell you...

Alot of experts think that with the huge success of the iPhone and tablets, people don't want a 'dedicated handheld gaming device', when something for same price or alot less can do so much more.

A quad core console for 250$ is very different to spend 700$ for Iphone with sh*t games.

[JonathanD]

Reports are in that by the time the month is closed off 30 days of sales 'PS Vita' will have reached 500,000 units.

Now that the initial launch rush has subsided I expect sales to normalize.... Oh the humanity...

[Diztructor]

this is pointless really, you cant compare game sales of a system thats been out longer to a launch system that hasnt as many games.

its like saying wii games outselling wii-u.

[billysastard]

this is pointless really, you cant compare game sales of a system thats been out longer to a launch system that hasnt as many games.

its like saying wii games outselling wii-u.

thats true but you can compare it to its predecessor (the psp) just as people compare the 3ds to the ds

[Diztructor]

yea but one main problem for psp was only having one analogue, sure the psp didnt out sell the ds, but it didnt do p1ss poor either.

i think a 2nd analogue should have been something nintendo added to the 3ds (insted of that lame add on that makes it even more like a brick).

id say give it a few more months its highly likely youll see the pspv with more 3rd party support releasing more games than nintendo did when it reaches its first year.

[billysastard]

yea but one main problem for psp was only having one analogue, sure the psp didnt out sell the ds, but it didnt do p1ss poor either.

i think a 2nd analogue should have been something nintendo added to the 3ds (insted of that lame add on that makes it even more like a brick).

id say give it a few more months its highly likely youll see the pspv with more 3rd party support releasing more games than nintendo did when it reaches its first year.

thats why i said compare it to its own predecessor and not the ds and i do agree for a "failure" the psp did in fact sell very well, better than many "successful" systems like 360 or ps3.


the second analog issue was never a problem on the ds since the lower screen could be used instead unlike the psp so i assume thats why there wasnt one on the 3ds however that ugly plastic add on is in fact handy as it makes the unit more comfortable to hold, that said in reality its only of any use at home since it adds to the bulk of the 3ds making it vita sized for use away from home, luckily its very easy to remove.

it will be interesting to see how the vita does in the west, or over time in japan but so far its behind the psp.