Editor's Note: The following is a multi-site roundtable discussion of the PlayStation Vita featuring Destructoid, PlayStation LifeStyle, PlayStation Universe, and (of course) Game Revolution.
Q: The PlayStation Vita has a bevy of new features over the PSP. Which feature do you believe is the device’s best point, and why? And do you think developers will fully explore the rear touch panel’s potential as a secondary input?
Daniel Bischoff, News Editor, Game Revolution: It sounds silly to ignore the huge screen, dual-analog sticks, 3G support, and touch panels, but the PlayStation Vita’s burly amount of RAM is the best new feature over the PSP and over the PS3, in fact. I abhor the PS3’s operating system, so the fact that menus, games, friend-communication, and more will load swiftly is a saving grace. It’ll take some time, but I’m sure the rear touch panel will get the proper love it deserves. Look at how the DS’s second-touch screen was misunderstood early on.
Nicholas Michetti, News Editor, PlayStation LifeStyle: By far, the Vita's best features are the front touch screen and the right analog stick. The front touch screen will increase accessibility among non-gamers and gamers alike. The right analog stick will offer a more robust console-like experience for core gamers (including a more authentic FPS gameplay experience) and make core games more accessible to them. Both benefit developers as well, as the Vita allows them to make more iOS-style touch screen games and better control layout for their core games as well.
As for the rear touch panel, its accessibility from a controls standpoint may end up playing the biggest role in whether or not developers use it. If it's difficult to access easily—especially when in conjunction with other controls—it may not see much integration past the initial wave of Vita titles. Another factor is how the touch panel's functionality lends itself to gameplay use. If swiping, rubbing, tapping, etc., doesn't find itself naturally coming up in gameplay, the panel may just become a substitute for L2 or R2 on the Vita.
Dale North, Editor-in-Chief, Destructoid: The best feature of the Vita is its 'anywhere' connectivity via Wi-Fi and 3G. Its ability to play networked games and update scores on the go, as well as pull down new games and content is a first for a dedicated portable game system.
Developers will definitely use the Vita's rear touch panel—your fingers are already on it, so it might as well be used! It's already been used in very creative ways in the launch lineup.
Adam Dolge, Executive Editor, PlayStation Universe: On first glance, I think the second analog stick is the biggest selling point for gamers. Based on conversations in our forums, the addition of the right analog stick is the biggest selling point largely because it opens the door to more console-style games, especially first-person shooters. As for the rear touch panel, I think it has potential to offer some truly unique gaming opportunities. However, it could easily turn into a gimmick if not used properly. While many gamers like the small, quirky mobile phone style games, the core market wants more meat in their games, and right now the rear panel simply sounds like a new feature that could go underutilized.
Q: Since the PlayStation Vita’s launch in Japan, sales of Sony’s new handheld have been on a steady weekly decline. The decidedly Western-friendly launch lineup of software and lack of key Japanese franchises are mostly to blame. Will the PlayStation Vita find more success in the West, where in the past the PSP was most successful in Japan?
Dale North: The Vita will do better in the West. The launch lineup will appear strong here in contrast, and Sony has had time to prepare the next wave of Vita titles to follow the launch. Plus, those key titles are coming for Japan. A Monster Hunter game is in the works—that's all they really need.
Adam Dolge: It’s going to depend on the investment from developers. Yes, the launch lineup is definitely geared towards a more Western market, but that core gamer will want titles that are closer to a PS3 experience than a PSP experience. Luckily, we have games like Uncharted: Golden Abyss to give diehard PlayStation fans a reason to buy Vita, but the addition of a God of War game, or something like it, will help in the long run. Monster Hunter will also help Japan gamers want to pick up the Vita.
Nicholas Michetti: The Vita, at least in theory, should be more successful in the West. Titles like Uncharted: Golden Abyss and Unit 13 were definitely brought to Vita's launch and launch window (respectively) for Western gamers. Call of Duty is said to be coming this year and Assassin's Creed may be coming this year as well—both of which are franchises with West-heavy appeal. Software-wise, Vita seems like it's going to have a very Western-friendly 2012, but price issues and the popularity of the 3DS may prove to be challenges for the platform in Western territories.
Daniel Bischoff: At launch the Vita will see more success, but in the long-term, the Vita will do gangbusters in Japan. Sony’s packed the handheld full of connectivity-friendly features and once a killer-app is released in the Japanese market, gamers in the Far East won’t be able to resist.
Next Page: Bundles, 3G, and digital releases being cheaper than retail >>
Q: Sony has recently added a Wi-Fi + 3G Vita launch bundle that includes an 8GB Memory Card, an AT&T DataSession Pass, and a free PSN game voucher with redemption of that pass. The First Edition bundle also has the DataSession Pass and the PSN game voucher offer. Sony now has two bundles for the Wi-Fi + 3G Vita and no bundles for the $249 Wi-Fi Vita as of this writing. Why do you think that there are two bundles for the Wi-Fi + 3G Vita and none for the $249 Wi-Fi Vita?
Nicholas Michetti: Sony's been discussing 3G functionality in their games frequently as the Vita launch gets closer, so the Wi-Fi + 3G Vita SKUs selling well must be important to them, at least in terms of 3G functionality being a part of their vision for the console. Having two bundles packed with value incentivizes the gamer to go out and purchase a Wi-Fi + 3G Vita over a Wi-Fi Vita. Plus, having the First Edition bundle grabs the attention of the hardcore early adopter, who would pay the extra $50 to have the console early. If 3G is a big part of Sony's plan for Vita, having bundle for the lower-end 3G-less SKU doesn't make as much sense.
Dale North: I think Sony would like to push this new avenue of connectivity right out of the gate. Multiple SKUs could be a bit confusing for consumers, so Sony has to come out strong to show that the Wi-Fi isn't the only choice.
Daniel Bischoff: Clearly, Sony and AT&T want people plugged into the network at all times. AT&T wants people using the data so they get paid. Period. Wi-Fi-only models offer no cash flow for the communications giant. The Vita is just another stepping stone on the way to massive profits thanks to cheap 3G data service and wide margins. For Sony, keeping people connected on the Vita means consumers will take it everywhere and act as Vita evangelists. Offering free stuff for early 3G adopters is just smart launch business. Expect big titles to get bundled with both models later in the cycle.
Adam Dolge: This is likely due to some agreement with AT&T. Sony also probably wants to boost sales of 3G units to give people access to PSN when Wi-Fi is not available. We’ll need to see 3G in action; otherwise, it’s hard to recommend the extra cost and charges from AT&T.
Q: Sony has recently confirmed that digital PSN downloads of Vita titles will be cheaper than their retail counterparts. How much less than retail versions of games do downloadable versions of those same games need to be priced in order to be a success?
Adam Dolge: I would say $10 is reasonable, but we’ll likely see downloadable games closer to the $35-$39 mark.
Nicholas Michetti: The discount has been announced as being 10%, but that may not be enough to grab the attention of gamers who weren't planning on buying digitally in the first place. $10 off might have been an enormous game changer that would've drawn plenty of attention towards Vita's digital sales, but 10% off may direct some deal seekers and "day one"-minded gamers to download from the PS Store instead of going out to retail. Software sales in Japan hint that gamers in the East are taking advantage of Sony's discounts in a big way—whether or not that will happen in the West remains to be seen.
Dale North: I feel like we're at a point that, even priced the same as retail, downloadable games could compete. For now, for digital titles to be more attractive than retail, Sony would need to chop off at least $5.
Daniel Bischoff: I don’t know if pricing has to be a specific level to be a success. I think the pricing of downloadable Vita titles needs to be flexible, like it is on Steam or Amazon. Downloadable software services need to establish, cultivate, and hammer one of their few advantages: Sales can happen any time and the cuts can be deep. Gamers are thrifty. If Sony wants Vita owners to download games, they need to attract them with even deeper discounts during sales events.
Next Page: Online gaming and the importance of backwards compatibility with the PSP>>
Q: A number of Vita launch titles aren’t going to offer “infrastructure” online multiplayer as a feature. Is online multiplayer yet as important a factor for handheld games as console games, especially given the increase in price for handheld titles? And does the lack of online in some games show weakness in the Vita out of the gate, or were developers under pressure to get their product ready for the launch window?
Daniel Bischoff: Online multiplayer doesn’t mean nearly as much at launch as it will later in the Vita’s cycle. There won’t be a huge population of gamers on the Vita at launch, certainly not when they’re spread out across the massive lineup of software. The first game to sell a million units will need multiplayer. No one is missing it right now.
Adam Dolge: Handheld gaming and online multiplayer aren’t incompatible, but it’s not necessary. A lot of people just want to game on the go with their handhelds, and online typically requires more of an investment. I do believe, however, that online multiplayer is a good selling point, and it’s a shame we aren’t going to see it out of the box. Developers were probably under pressure to get their titles out for launch, so it’ll be interesting to see how online play is integrated in future titles.
Dale North: I think developers were waiting for some established examples of networked play before jumping onboard with their own multiplayer options. Combine that with the push to have titles ready for launch and it seems that full multiplayer titles will be a bit of a wait. Maybe Resistance will be our first outting.
Nicholas Michetti: The increase in price for handheld titles does draw more attention towards a lack of online play, especially for a system that has connectivity features like Vita does. It's difficult to tell whether the lack of online multiplayer will negatively impact sales, but gamers certainly are more aware of it and are asking about it for Vita titles. Saying that having online multiplayer in Vita games is as important as it is for console games may be a little premature—especially given the differences in preferences of consumers in the two markets—but with a title like Mario Kart 7 on 3DS having online play and selling millions of copies, it certainly doesn't hurt to have online multiplayer as a feature.
Not having a group of online multiplayer-enabled launch titles doesn't necessarily indicate that Vita has weakness, but if the system continues to lack games with online multiplayer, that may be a big problem for Vita moving forward. The system is building a reputation as being able to further narrow the gap between the console and handheld experience—not having online multiplayer would weaken that reputation. The first wave of titles can be looked past because developers were probably trying to get out their games for launch, but in the future, Sony has to try to ensure that games without online multiplayer on Vita are more of an exception and not a rule.
Q: How much of a factor is Vita’s lack of backward compatibility on its sales performance? Given how well the PS3 has sold since the removal of PS2 hardware-based backward compatibility and the introduction of the PS3 Slim, is it a factor at all?
Nicholas Michetti: What's strange about backward compatibility is that, as a feature, it used to be seen as a "must have" for any console—handheld or major home console. Now, gamers are seeing consoles with partial backward compatibility or the feature being removed entirely in some cases and no console manufacturer really being sore for the omission. The PSP's sales were not all that strong in the West, so Sony being hurt sales-wise for Vita because of a lack of compatibility with PSP games is unlikely. Sony should try to offer PSP owners something—the "UMD Reader" peripheral idea sounds good, for instance—but Sony likely will not end up with many problems from not including more PSP backward compatibility with Vita.
Dale North: Backwards compatibility is a hot point with gamers, but it's potentially less important on portables than it would be on consoles. I don't see people not buying a Vita because they can't play a PSP game on, especially given all the new types of experiences it provides. That said, it seems gamers really want full support of the large and varied PSP back library on Vita. Hopefully, Sony is working on this.
Daniel Bischoff: It’s not a factor. There are more than enough consumers who will hold on to their PSPs well after owning a Vita. There are even more consumers who never even bought games on the PSP, given that system’s issues with piracy and rampant hacking. People will complain, to be sure, but gamers tend to feel entitled.
Adam Dolge: Yes, the ability to play PSP games on the Vita is a huge selling point. As for the PS3 doing well since the PS2 hardware-based backward compatibility removal having anything to do with sales, I think that’s false—the PS3 Slim had a shot in the arm thanks to a price drop.
Next Page: PS Vita as a multimedia device, and how it can combat the iPhone's low-cost games>>
Q: One of the criticisms of the PSP is that Sony may have focused too much on its multimedia capabilities in the beginning and not enough on the device as a handheld games console. However, with Microsoft having a number of entertainment options on Xbox Live and Apple’s iOS devices having the support of iTunes, does Sony need to develop a substantial multimedia/entertainment strategy for PSN with PlayStation Vita support?
Dale North: Sony may have been ahead of their time with the PSP and its multimedia abilities—a lot has changed since the PSP's launch. Now that streaming video and downloadable music are the norm, a solid strategy for entertainment options is very important. Sony has already announced support for Netflix and their own Music Unlimited service, and it's a safe bet that more options are in the works.
Nicholas Michetti: So long as Vita is compatible with the entertainment options available on PSN, Sony shouldn't need to have more than that. Vita's primary competition is the 3DS, not iOS devices, so Sony should remain focused on delivering games to compete with Nintendo's platform. Most gamers probably aren't relying on their handheld video game console as their primary entertainment delivery device anyhow, and the emphasis on entertainment is much greater for the HD home consoles than on dedicated gaming handhelds.
Adam Dolge: Absolutely. Given the enormous competition from mobile devices, people want everything in one package. In fact, the lack of a phone on the PS Vita may turn some people off, especially those new to gaming devices.
Daniel Bischoff: There’s already been plenty of posturing from Sony in this regard. Renaming the PlayStation Network as the Sony Entertainment Network is a clear sign that big things are happening to the company’s content delivery capabilities. The company already has a massive lineup of music, movies, and games. Partnerships will open an even bigger catalog. We expect to see more on this in the approach to the competitive gadget-shopping season in the Fall.
Q: Finally, Vita’s software is ranging between traditional handheld game offerings and console games in terms of the types of gameplay experience provided and the number of hours each game lasts. Should Vita’s games be striving to arrive at a balance between the two or head more one way than the other? What about more low-cost, 99-cent, iPhone-sized games—should Sony embrace cheaper and more accessible content?
Daniel Bischoff: What Sony should do is continue to cultivate third-party support, delivering downloadable titles that last a handful of hours and range from $5 to $15 in addition to the console-like experiences you can’t find on any other handheld device. While the traditional game developers are working on those, it’d be smart of Sony to push for nearly-full Android capabilities. What if the Vita offered the best of both worlds? What if you could play Angry Birds and Uncharted on the same device? What if you could download both games wherever you were in the world?
Dale North: Vita is unique in that it can cater to both casual and core audiences. While I think developers would be smart to focus on the system's graphical capabilities, connectivity, and new control interfaces, there's always room for the lower-cost, casual-style titles. Sony is likely looking forward to both and anything in between.
Nicholas Michetti: A balance between the two is probably best, with only a rare few opting to be more of a full console experience. Price is a critical factor in the handheld console war, so keeping game prices low is of the utmost importance. Games that are more like full console experiences run the risk of having the full $49.99 price tag, which many handheld gamers would likely be hesitant to embrace. Having some titles that do certainly wouldn't hurt Vita, though.
99-cent iOS games may not be what the community is looking for, but Vita does have a touchscreen and Sony should at least look into bringing some of those iOS experiences over to Vita to see how they perform in sales. At worst, they don't sell and are ignored. At best, though, they open up new possibilities for games and developers on a promising platform. Experimenting with and investigating 99-cent games is something that Sony should be considering, if they aren't already.
Adam Dolge: Sony needs to embrace all kinds of games to provide something for everything. One of the biggest problems with the PlayStation Move is its lack of interesting, more core games. This could be the same problem for PS Vita. Sony should have some balance between large, sprawling games and shorter hits that people can play on their way to work or school. Minis are a great option, but $1 games aren’t a bad way to offer additional content to an ever-changing market.
Editor's Note: Special thanks to everyone who participated. Questions produced by Anthony Severino, Managing Editor, Game Revolution, Sebastian Moss, Managing Editor, PlayStation LifeStyle, and Nicholas Michetti. Final edit by Nicholas Tan, Senior Editor, Game Revolution.For more on the PlayStation Vita, visit https://gamerevolution.preprod.vip.gnmedia.net/tag/vita
