I don't like it because it's a gimped computer with not much interesting to play on it

Jun 21, 2014 01:45 GMT  ·  By

The PlayStation Vita handheld gaming device hasn't been performing very well, and Sony is looking to further distance themselves from the portable, having just announced that they plan to release fewer first-party titles for it.

At first glance, this might seem like the company is done with the Vita, acknowledging that the handheld is dead in the water and unwilling to give it a tow.

But the handheld still has some value to it, and I think that the company is very fortunate that we live in a world where people are becoming increasingly used to connecting various devices to each other, so the global trend is only going to help Sony, if they can find a way to wedge a dedicated games device for users who are accustomed to having an actual computer in their hands, one that can actually do stuff, instead of a gimped version of a console.

One of the problems with having a dedicated gaming device is the fact that it's so '90s you expect to hear MC Hammer singing its boot-up chime. But that is precisely its strength.

Any console's main selling point used to be pretty easy to figure out, all you needed to know was what games you could play on it and you were sold.

Nowadays, the console exclusives are a really strong console selling point for all the parties involved, be it Microsoft, Sony or Nintendo, as is wide access to the games that you can play on all the other platforms out there.

While having access to a wealth of gaming opportunities is tantamount to a console's success, so is having a few AAA games that everyone can envy you for playing, as well as more offbeat stuff like LittleBigPlanet.

Playing a quick match is so tedious and time-consuming that I just quit
Playing a quick match is so tedious and time-consuming that I just quit
Gaining access to an extensive library only validates a new purchase if it also means you can now enjoy a few choice exclusives. Sony is already making some sound decisions by making Unity deployment for the PlayStation platforms easier, and with the addition of PlayStation Mobile deployment in Unity, announced earlier today, the company has shown that it intends to loosen their stranglehold on the content their fans will be able to enjoy.

The new set of development tools allows PC and mobile phone game developers to more easily bring their titles to PlayStation platforms, and most importantly to freely and easily deploy to the PlayStation Vita.

The indie part of the gaming industry is notorious for its wealth of platformers, and being able to deliver them as an option for every Vita owner adds to the appeal of owning one. There is a ton of quality there, not just uninspired rehashes.

In the case of a handheld device, convenience also factors pretty big in the equation, and with Remote Play and PlayStation Now making the Vita a much more robust device, the only remaining problem is getting a mobile Internet connection that's stable and doesn't cost you an arm and a leg.

Fortunately, this too has been improving lately, mobile carriers offering better and better options each year, in order to serve the growing need for data on the go that smartphone and tablet owners create.

Which brings me to probably the most problematic issue of the PlayStation Vita. If you're not focused on a core gaming audience, that means you're losing by default to the more lax mobile scene, because nobody in their right mind would buy a PlayStation Vita unless they're heavily invested into gaming.

The solution to this is two-fold. On the one hand, Sony could actually let their users use the computer they already have in their hands for computery stuff, such as music, movies, YouTube, Facebook, Instagram and tax return filing, in a much more streamlined manner, making carrying a cumbersome Vita around a more appealing prospect, and on the other hand, the company could focus on making it easier for indie devs to make games for it.

Although there already are some apps that allow the Vita to function like a portable computer and not merely a gaming device, there's nowhere near the freedom of choice and abundance of quality apps required for the handheld to compete with any old tablet.

By getting the most popular apps from Google Play and the App Store (I'm not even going to mention Microsoft's store, as it needs to do the same) to the Vita, Sony could be making the prospect of carrying it with you instead of a tablet more attractive, in case you also want to play a "real" game on the go.

Frankly, I would much rather play Borderlands than any iOS or Android shooter when I'm in transit, and so would any other gamer, if given the opportunity. It just needs for Sony to create more such opportunities, triple-A games for their handheld, more specifically AAA games made especially for it.

The Witcher 3 on Vita with Remote Play? It sounds dreamy
The Witcher 3 on Vita with Remote Play? It sounds dreamy
The PSP is a very good example of a successful handheld gaming device, but back then the competition from smartphones and tablets wasn't as big, and indie titles weren't a dime a dozen on every platform, so the device presented a much more appealing perspective to those who want to game on the go.

The Japanese market is one of the most handheld-oriented in the world, and the PSP had a successful run for 10 years, with games for it still being made in recent times in spite of its age, but Sony has to focus on a global audience if they want their current portable to ever succeed like that.

Sony threw the PlayStation Vita into the handheld ocean knowing full well that it had an uphill struggle ahead of it, with the Nintendo devices dominating the field, mainly by being there first, but also through exclusives like Pokemon X/Y and many others that you don't get anywhere else, which makes buying a 3DS an attractive option.

Buying a PlayStation Vita only to play stuff that you can already play on other devices you own makes way less sense, and Sony's recent decision to step away from making high-quality first-party games for the Vita is yet another mistake.

Being able to load up some old games or play stuff on the go by streaming them is still something the company can capitalize on, as the Vita Remote Play feature has been largely well received by the community, but it also needs to offer something more, if it wants to beat the competition on the mobile market.

Selling consoles has always been primarily about what games you are able to play on them, how immersive they were, and how much fun you get out of the entire experience. Now would be the worst time to step away from the already struggling PlayStation Vita.

Get some JRPGs, some turn-based tactics games and maybe some entirely new experiences like Gravity Rush, and you'll be fine. Not just watered-down versions of bigger PlayStation games, but genuine high-quality ones made especially for the PS Vita.

Cheaper memory cards would also help, make your money with the quality of your products, not with your unbridled greed, please.

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Great hardware, but such a cumbersome interface it stings my eyes
The Witcher 3 on Vita with Remote Play? It sounds dreamyPlaying a quick match is so tedious and time-consuming that I just quit
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