The Playstation Vita Catch-All

Ten percent off is what Japan was getting, so I purchased the system (though I would've done so anyway) figuring that the rest of the world would get something similar. Ten percent may not seem like much, but that's the standard discount incentive that Steam users have been used to on most new titles...it's been at least a year, right?

Guess it would depend on the game whether 10% off vs no selling used. I don't re-sell much anyway, but it happens. Things like Disgaea that I'm getting hundreds of hours out of, obviously digital is good.

Course I still don't know if I'm getting one yet, or when.

I have a pre-order on the wifi model, but just found out that MLB '12 isn't set to drop until March 27th. Hell, that might be enough time for the thing to stumble out of the gate and get a price drop, the way things go these days (or at least for some cheaper memory alternatives to appear). I may wait.

MourningCoffee wrote:

What do you guys think of the rumoured 10% discount for digital versions of Vita games?

I was originally planning to go all digital, but if this is the extent of the discount, it doesn't seem like enough for me to give up the option to sell my games to fund new game purchases. It will be interesting to see if this is actually the final discount rate. Maybe PS Plus members will get a deeper discount? One can hope.

I don't normally sell games and I was planning to go all digital so any discount is win win. I definitely hope there will be lots of Vita incentives for PS Plus members, might actually get me to subscribe once I buy a Vita.

I have 17 hours into the new Bejeweled that was released a bit ago.. Diamond Mine is awesome.

DSGamer wrote:

I would do it. I had a real love/hate relationship with the PSP due to the loading times and the unwieldiness of the handheld combined with the UMDs. I really fell in love with the PSP when I put a giant memory stick in it and purchased all of my games off of PSN. At that point it became pretty special because I could carry just the system and know that I had dozens of games at my fingertips at any time.

This is what I was hoping to do with the Vita. If the memory cards weren't so expensive it would be a much easier choice. For now I am going to go with the 16GB and see how that works out. I figure that will hold more games than I typically play at any one time. I'll still have to "clear out the fridge" periodically, but hopefully it won't be too much of a pain.

cyrax wrote:

Ten percent off is what Japan was getting, so I purchased the system (though I would've done so anyway) figuring that the rest of the world would get something similar. Ten percent may not seem like much, but that's the standard discount incentive that Steam users have been used to on most new titles...it's been at least a year, right?

You're right about Japan. I remember seeing that the games were 1000 yen cheaper, but I forgot that the retail price is higher there than in the US, and that not all of the games had the 1000 yen discount. I hadn't even thought about Steam, but they also have crazy sales fairly regularly. I can't see Sony doing that due to pressure from retailers.

Stele wrote:

Guess it would depend on the game whether 10% off vs no selling used. I don't re-sell much anyway, but it happens. Things like Disgaea that I'm getting hundreds of hours out of, obviously digital is good.

I think I will probably be much more cautious regarding which games I buy digitally. Even new games drop their price at retail, often within a month, so the digital versions I buy will typically be must-have day one purchases or the PSP back catalog which I can't get any other way.

Mr GT Chris wrote:

I don't normally sell games and I was planning to go all digital so any discount is win win. I definitely hope there will be lots of Vita incentives for PS Plus members, might actually get me to subscribe once I buy a Vita.

I also hope there are discounts for PS Plus members. I'm not a member yet either, but that would probably convince me to take the plunge.

Wouldn't something like this be pretty cool?

IMAGE(http://www.imbarkus.com/images/playstation_vita_w_psptoo.jpg)

I'm irritated at the half-assed UMD-to-PSN "rebuy your game at a slight discount" backwards compatibility. It's going to hurt that launch of this console, just as it has in Japan (well, maybe slightly less so considering the Monster Hunter obsession over there). I suppose I shouldn't be surprised, though, considering that slim PS3's won't play any PS2 games from disk, but we are more than welcome to purchase them again digitally with the PS2 Classics line.

As a collector, I have serious concerns at how even titles from just the previous generation of a console are being commoditized into a double-dip if you want to play them on the newest console. Nintendo, for all its failings, has at least been exceedingly fair-minded about making a new console backwards compatible with the previous generation.

So far all my griping about it has been falling on deaf ears with all these young whipper-snappers. Who's with me?

Good lord... Sony's news might be even worse than Nintendo..

http://www.engadget.com/2012/02/02/s...

Ouch this is never a good combo

PlayStation 3 had the killer combo of higher marketing costs and lower unit sales.
Imbarkus wrote:

As a collector, I have serious concerns at how even titles from just the previous generation of a console are being commoditized into a double-dip if you want to play them on the newest console. Nintendo, for all its failings, has at least been exceedingly fair-minded about making a new console backwards compatible with the previous generation.

So far all my griping about it has been falling on deaf ears with all these young whipper-snappers. Who's with me?

Sorry to say I'm not. I used to think backwards compatibility was the #1 feature on my "must have" list for a new system, but the reality is that I make little to no use of it when I do have it. I never play Gamecube games on my Wii, just like I never played PS1 games on my PS2. And I'm not alone in this, a friend of mine who works on the PS3 system software said this is precisely what Sony discovered years ago when they launched the PS3. People claim to want backwards compatibility, and it's a fantastic item to have on a feature checklist, but when you look at actual usage statistics very few people use. Add on to that the fact that it costs bundle to maintain (if done via software) or a bundle to manufacture (if done by hardware), and you've got a feature that is reducing your potential market significantly while not providing much utility to the customer.

I'm happy to move past my PSP. I love it, it's a fantastic system, I've played the living hell out of it. But now I've played everything I want to play on it, and if I do ever want to play them again, it'll be waiting for me. Any future PSP releases I will very likely be able to buy on PSN, and just play on my Vita, I don't see it as being necessary that I can port over my existing UMD library.

Has anyone come across one of those Vita Social Clubs yet? I walked past one on Stanton St. in NYC the other day, but didn't have time to go hang out, sadly. You sign up for a free membership of sorts and then you can preview tethered Vita systems in a chill environment. Seemed fun.

Backwards compatibility is more important at the beginning of a console's life than the end. I played the hell out of GBA games on my DS phat. But by the time I got a DS Lite later, I may have only played one or two games ever on the GBA port.

Oddly enough, it might even be a bigger seller to people that didn't have the previous system. I spent a long time debating buying a PS3 that was PS2 compatible since there were a lot of PS2 games that I still wanted to play. In the end I went with a new one when I caught a great sale.

In the Vita case, it's similar for me. There are a couple of games (PS2 ports actually) that I never got to play that I really want to get around to sometime. And I know the PSP versions were improved so I'd rather get those than an old PS2 now. Disgaea 2, and all the SMT games are the ones I really want. Granted I could just get a used PSP for those sometime too. Kinda waiting to see how the Vita release shakes out, if there's a price drop, and what the cost of those PSP titles is going to be.

ahrezmendi wrote:

I'm happy to move past my PSP. I love it, it's a fantastic system, I've played the living hell out of it. But now I've played everything I want to play on it, and if I do ever want to play them again, it'll be waiting for me. Any future PSP releases I will very likely be able to buy on PSN, and just play on my Vita, I don't see it as being necessary that I can port over my existing UMD library.

Whether or not the feature is actually utilized throughout a system's life, I think backwards compatibility is still a significant factor in the launch of a system. Put simply, I don't have the money to buy a Vita, and very many games for it. I might be able to scrape together enough to buy the system, maybe one title or a PSN purchase, and be soothed in that I can play my old games on the sexy new hardware. But if that is not an option for me, I'm better off putting that money into games for existing, known platforms, and taking a wait-and-see approach with Vita.

And considering that Nintendo locked down the Monster Hunter franchise in Japan, and what has happened with Vita sales in Japan being far outsold by PSP sales, it's patently obvious to me that if Vita allowed Japanese players to port over and play their existing existing Monster Hunter games and saves to the new system and continue to play their favorite game on the new, larger screen, perhaps even with 2nd analog stick support, the nature of the Japanese Vita launch would not be the PR problem for Sony that it is now.

A separate peripheral package like the one I mocked up would have ameliorated that effect, made sure that Vita's primary competition wasn't Sony's own previous handheld platform, and yet still added no additional weight or cost to those not interested in the option. How many DS's were passed over in favor of GBA shortly after it's launch? Very few, because the BC was present. This oversight is a significant stumble by Sony, and it seems to be primarily motivated by an altogether different purpose--the push for digital distribution.

After all, Vita is 100% compatible with the previous platform, if the game was available and purchased over PSN. Monster Hunter, and a good deal of the games I care about, was not.

Personally, I don't buy the argument that it'll drop in price soon. The 3DS dropped in price so rapidly because it was insanely overpriced for what it offered. It is also a system which has few to no compelling original titles, the lineup being mostly remakes of N64 favorites. The Vita by comparison is showing up to the game with way more powerful technology, and a significantly more impressive lineup of titles (with more to come in a few short months).

I'm re-igniting my excitement over the system. Sure it's more than the 3DS, but the 3DS is an over-hyped DS which has... a re-release of Star Fox, a re-release of Ocarina of Time, and one new Mario game. I'll take a system which offers me Uncharted, Gravity Rush, Lumines, LittleBigPlanet, Super Stardust, and Katamari over that any day.

Re: Monster Hunter and BC -
I didn't say that BC wasn't important to some people, and I'm not saying it shouldn't make or break your decision. I'm saying it doesn't make or break mine. I don't play Monster Hunter (can't stand it, I bought the Wii version and was bored within 5 minutes), so without that as a factor there's nothing it offers me.

Non-sequitor: I'm consistently flabbergasted by how powerful Monster Hunter is as a franchise in Japan. The fact that it can single-handedly make or break the success of a console is stunning. It also shocks me that Capcom would sign to exclusively release it on Nintendo consoles, but I guess that's just business.

Honestly if Monster Hunter picks up steam in the US (or even just on GWJ) I'd buy a Vita to take part in that. Otherwise I'm on the sidelines happily playing my PSP.

ahrezmendi wrote:

I'm happy to move past my PSP. I love it, it's a fantastic system, I've played the living hell out of it. But now I've played everything I want to play on it, and if I do ever want to play them again, it'll be waiting for me.

I'm not sure you can use that argument with a portable system--it could easily not be with you.

ahrezmendi wrote:

Non-sequitor: I'm consistently flabbergasted by how powerful Monster Hunter is as a franchise in Japan. The fact that it can single-handedly make or break the success of a console is stunning. It also shocks me that Capcom would sign to exclusively release it on Nintendo consoles, but I guess that's just business.

Boy me too. I took a swing at it on the original PS2. The sheer fact that the game is pretty much impossible single-player rules it out for me.

I'm sure we'd all like to know the size of that Nintendo-->Capcom money hat. I was stunned the first time it happened when RE4 was Gamecube exclusive (for a while). I know Sony just posted amazing losses, but to hold on to the portable market in Japan, if I were them, I would have matched that deal.

Hell, if I were them right now I'd be hauling ass to develop my little UMD drive peripheral. You think they're bleeding money now...

Yep. Losing Monster Hunter was huge. It can't be overstated what a big deal that was for Nintendo and how much that contributed to their sales increase. That's part of why I'm skeptical about future dedicated handhelds. The games people want to play are very few and very hardcore. The main game that would sell me a Vita tomorrow is Dark Souls. Not exactly a Mario game, Dark Souls.

DSGamer wrote:

Yep. Losing Monster Hunter was huge. It can't be overstated what a big deal that was for Nintendo and how much that contributed to their sales increase. That's part of why I'm skeptical about future dedicated handhelds. The games people want to play are very few and very hardcore. The main game that would sell me a Vita tomorrow is Dark Souls. Not exactly a Mario game, Dark Souls.

Oh my...Dark Souls everywhere? YES PLEASE.

DSGamer wrote:

Yep. Losing Monster Hunter was huge. It can't be overstated what a big deal that was for Nintendo and how much that contributed to their sales increase. That's part of why I'm skeptical about future dedicated handhelds. The games people want to play are very few and very hardcore. The main game that would sell me a Vita tomorrow is Dark Souls. Not exactly a Mario game, Dark Souls.

Wow. Vita better come with extra padding if it has Dark Souls on it, for when it gets spiked against a wall in anger!

Kurrelgyre wrote:
ahrezmendi wrote:

I'm happy to move past my PSP. I love it, it's a fantastic system, I've played the living hell out of it. But now I've played everything I want to play on it, and if I do ever want to play them again, it'll be waiting for me.

I'm not sure you can use that argument with a portable system--it could easily not be with you.

As a general argument, you are right. I was applying that argument solely to myself, and I don't play my PSP as a portable system, I mostly play it at home and on my commute to work.

ahrezmendi wrote:

I'm re-igniting my excitement over the system. Sure it's more than the 3DS, but the 3DS is an over-hyped DS which has... a re-release of Star Fox, a re-release of Ocarina of Time, and one new Mario game. I'll take a system which offers me Uncharted, Gravity Rush, Lumines, LittleBigPlanet, Super Stardust, and Katamari over that any day.

I like how only one of the six examples are original titles.

/fanboytriggerpulled

I'm with you on backwards compatibility, though. I used to crow about it til I realized I never effing use it.

I already play Lumines, LBP, Super Stardust and Katamari on the PSP. *shrug*

Granted the Katamari version could be better and control better. But otherwise I'm happy with the versions I have.

I'm going with the 16GB card to start too. Memory card with assorted games straight from PSN is my PSP mode of choice, still is. I really liked Konami's Japanese baseball game but dealing with a UMD again and the rigamarole necessary to download a foreign title from PSN made me abandon it.

Blind_Evil wrote:

I like how only one of the six examples are original titles.

/fanboytriggerpulled

I'm with you on backwards compatibility, though. I used to crow about it til I realized I never effing use it.

Precisely why I chose the word "unique" instead of "original". It's impossible to avoid the "sequel X" title on any system these days, so I no longer bother trying to count number of new IPs a system is launching with, but rather how many new individual games it has. All those except Gravity Rush may be sequels, but they're not re-releases like Star Fox and Ocarina are.

DSGamer wrote:

I already play Lumines, LBP, Super Stardust and Katamari on the PSP. *shrug*

Granted the Katamari version could be better and control better. But otherwise I'm happy with the versions I have.

How the heck does that control? I can't imagine playing Katamari without dual analog sticks.

In my mind, more LBP is always a good thing. I've played the PSP version too, but this is a NEW game.

Like I said, Katamari is the one game on that list that I'd prefer to play on Vita. You control the right side with the buttons. It's weird and not terribly satisfying. You can get used to it, but analog sticks would be better. I still worry that the "throw" on the sticks on Vita wouldn't be enough anyway, but it would be much better, of course.

Tomayto, Tomahto. I get the same impression off those as Soul Calibur V, which I rented today. Yeah, it's new, but really, c'mon.

There's a lot more on 3DS to play than Star Fox, Zelda, and Super Mario 3D Land now, thankfully. I've been cool on most Sony first party stuff since way back on PS1, I usually end up buying their hardware for niche Japanese games that don't have to budget to go elsewhere. Hoping the Vita gets some of those down the line.

Blind_Evil wrote:

Tomayto, Tomahto. I get the same impression off those as Soul Calibur V, which I rented today. Yeah, it's new, but really, c'mon.

There's a lot more on 3DS to play than Star Fox, Zelda, and Super Mario 3D Land now, thankfully. I've been cool on most Sony first party stuff since way back on PS1, I usually end up buying their hardware for niche Japanese games that don't have to budget to go elsewhere. Hoping the Vita gets some of those down the line.

LBP, Lumines, and Stardust I agree. Uncharted I don't, each Uncharted game has been really distinct from the previous one. Seeing as the game is really defined by its set pieces, as long as they come up with equally crazy yet new set pieces for the Vita Uncharted game, then I think it classifies as distinct in more than a Tomayto v. Tomahto sense.

EDIT: I'll also add that we're currently in a period where this is the case for 99% of titles. If you're going to cut out all games that are not just a previous game with slight tweaks to the formula, then you're cutting out most of the market that isn't indie titles, and those are predominantly on PC. Again, not saying anybody is wrong for doing this, I just won't do it myself because then there'd be nothing new left to play at all.

What other games are there on 3DS besides those 3? This is partly a cynical, and partly a serious question, I don't follow the 3DS at all (the device gives me a headache, I couldn't play for more than 2 minutes).

In my opinion, other than the GameBoy games, the only games worth playing on the 3DS are Super Mario 3D Land and Pushmo. So no, the 3DS isn't strong either.

It's just that literally I can play a better version (especially with Lumines) of almost every Sony game you just mentioned on my PSP right now.

DSGamer wrote:

In my opinion, other than the GameBoy games, the only games worth playing on the 3DS are Super Mario 3D Land and Pushmo. So no, the 3DS isn't strong either.

It's just that literally I can play a better version (especially with Lumines) of almost every Sony game you just mentioned on my PSP right now.

How are you determining relative quality of games that aren't released yet?

ahrezmendi wrote:
DSGamer wrote:

In my opinion, other than the GameBoy games, the only games worth playing on the 3DS are Super Mario 3D Land and Pushmo. So no, the 3DS isn't strong either.

It's just that literally I can play a better version (especially with Lumines) of almost every Sony game you just mentioned on my PSP right now.

How are you determining relative quality of games that aren't released yet?

Based on the fact I don't see myself preferring any version of those games over what I have. That's partly because I don't care much for LBP or Super Stardust. I thought they were okay on PS3. I thought they were fine on PSP. I don't need to play them again.

Otherwise it's based on the fact that I've actively disliked every version of Lumines except the original. The original was magical. I don't see lightning striking twice.

Katamari I could totally love. I prefer We Love Katamari to the original and I really like Katamari Forever. So with other games out there it's entirely possible I will like them. But it would take fundamental changes to the games you listed for me to care.