Michael Pachter's monthly NPD predictions include domestic sales estimate for Sony's new handheld, continued declines for hardware and software sales totals.
The PlayStation Vita launch apparently wasn't big enough to breathe new life into the slumping game industry. Wedbush analyst Michael Pachter today released his expectations for the industry-tracking NPD Group's February sales figures (due on Thursday), and he projected another month of falling sales for software and hardware.
Pachter predicted that the PS Vita sold 325,000 systems between the February 15 debut of the First Edition bundle and the end of the NPD reporting period. That tops Pachter's 3DS prediction of 240,000 systems, helping to push handheld hardware sales for the month up an estimated 24 percent. However, Pachter believes overall hardware sales fell 15 percent year-over-year.
Brendan Sinclair has been a games journalist since 1999. His tastes are eclectic, though he has a definite affinity for games with arcade roots. He's Canadian, but has also been at home in Atlanta, Austin, Chicago, and San Francisco.
One thing is clear from all the comments on here. Those of us that have a Vita are delighted with it, regardless of what it cost us (some of us had to save hard, some had it come easy - whatever), and most of those complaining don't yet have one, with some clearly being those in the trolling camp who also won't ever buy one. I'm glad to read others out there who have one also and are happy with it, and for all those with the proverbial drooling face against the shop window, I can't concentrate on reading those comments for the enjoyment I'm having on Golden Abyss.
@hatieshorrer "Killzone for Vita isnt even developed by a Sony owned studio." ---------- ...Da(bleep)? It's being developed by SCE Cambridge. AKA MediEvil for PS1, Primal for PS2, and LittleBigPlanet for PSP. Plus, you know, the whole "Sony Computer Entertainment" in the title. Lrn2google so you know what you're talking about.
look at the ppl crying about the price....im a poor a$$ mo#!# f@#@er and i payed 350$ for the limited edition bundle and im more than satisfied with it...grow the f#@! up people...this is pathetic..
PsVita is really nice. It really delivers a good gaming experience and can almost give you a console like feel. I am happy with the purchase. I have a nice Smart phone with a 4.3" screen so I do not bring my Vita with me to work and such but its one of those luxury items that I am happy I have tucked away. But I agree with a lot of you if this system takes off it has to drop in price a bit. Most people will not spend big time money for a single use device.
Why is everyone complaining about the price, everyone was happy when they announced it at 250 for wifi, but now that nintendo all the sudden dropped there price, its all the sudden "Too expensive" oh the hypocrisy
@System4Ever Thats a good question but all the portables the PSP PSPgo and even 3DS didnt sale well after release until a price drop. PSPgo still sold poorly after the price drop. I also think this is the gamers reaction to Sonys miss management over the last few years. The PSP was a good console but failed to get games worthy of its hardware for the first years and PSVita seems no different. For example Uncharted Golden Abyss doesnt seem like a finished game. Its short has tacked on touch screen controls and no multi-player and still cost almost as much as a new Uncharted game on PS3. Killzone for Vita isnt even developed by a Sony owned studio.
I know of at least a couple people that want to get rid of their 3DS and get a Vita. So it will be interesting to see what gamestop sees. I bet they will see a flood of 3DS trade-ins towards the purchase of a Vita. edit: personally i would rather spend the money and get more PSP games and an Iphone. I dont want to spend that much money on a Vita and still have to buy the expensive games. Iphone games are SO cheap, and used psp games are quite cheap too.
@System4Ever Maybe because during the recession less people have jobs but even so the system is costly, has high mem card prices and then raised the price of handheld games too. It's just a little more expensive all around and that adds up. I mean the system is good but when the peripherals and games are then more expensive than competitors then they're giving us a reason to question it no matter how good the system is. In the end the price adds up because unless you choose to not store your games or not buy any games then these things are factors. I like the look of the system but I'm definitely waiting on price drops and the games to go cheaper rather than buying on launch.
i just dont know what sony was thinking on the vita. i played it up gamestop and never made me want to lay down 250 to 300 bucks on it.... i think the ps vita is about2-3 years too late. because most of us are so used to ps3/360 graphics nothing on the vita stands out. now if they made this instead o the psp go it might have had a better chance... but as of right now sonys only hope is a price drop
Here's what I don't understand. Everybody says that Smartphone and Tablets are the direct competitor of the the Vita. However those devices cost a lot more. When you factor in the mandatory data packages that phone companies insist on making you buy. Then you have AT&T capping the unlimited plans to 3gb. My prediction is that as the data plans become more and more expensive the Vita will be far cheaper way to game.
Too much money and not even worth it much. Same thing that happened with the PSP will happen with this. I gues i'll still give it a chance once it goes for les. Besides that, it'll need to show me something really good and interesting to get me to buy it or even think about it once.
I'll buy one when it's $200 for the system alone or the wifi edition includes a memory card for $250. They advertised this as being $250 and until I can play and save my games on it for $250 I will not get one. Screw Sony and their proprietary memory. Maybe they make a lot of money on it but I am one person they will not fool. I am sure I am not alone. They must figure us holdouts are not as numerous as the people willing to get taken for a ride.
Why are people b****ing about the price? its the same amount the PSP cost when it came out and the Vita has A TON! of features, now if you mean the overpriced memory sticks i can understand.
the handheld itself costs just right (but could be cheaper) but the price of those memory cards will prevent me from getting close to a vita. i got mass effect 3 to help me ignore the vita for a few weeks.
What's going to save gamers are indie games. The fantastic quality in games such as Minecraft, Dungeon Defenders, Half Minute Hero ,Bastion and Realm of the Mad God are simply fantastic. As long as hard ware is available and easy to release on , I think the industry is prime for a new renaissance of gaming. Games are focusing too hard on cinematic qualities rather than run and innovation. I'm not saying I dont like big budget games , but about 90% of my most played games recently are "Indie".
I think it's safe to say that when a bundle pack comes out for the Vita (i.e. something like bundled with a memory card or game) and the holiday season roles on by - which, by the way is near when the COD comes out for it, so there'll be two popular shooters on it by then, as Resistance is coming for it in a few months - the system will be more attractive and affordable (bundles are always more alluring) to more mainstream gamers. Really, I can see the addition of COD making it very popular, and even though I'm not a huge fan of the series, it does have the whole quick action formula which is great for handhelds. Let's just wait and see how it does, maybe a price drop or bundle will be what it needs. That, and more games coming out is always a plus. They just need to find that one game (of a popular franchise) that a smart phone or tablet simply can't do (again, as much as I hate to say it, COD may be that game, which isn't a bad thing since Sony seems to have a variety of games lined up). IMO, the current problem is they don't know what they want the Vita to be, as it has a lot of kids games, but kids have the DS, so it seems like Sony has to make up their mind.
if they really wanted the vita to do numbers n the us it shoulda been released b4 christmas here sales will pick up as the season gets closer just like the 3ds. that's a better prediction than Pachter, can i get his check this week?
Strategy Analytics expects Sony's handheld sales to start strong and quickly drop, projects $2.2 billion in sales if average price of system drops to $180.
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