PlayStation Vita will miss Christmas shopping season in U.S., Europe

By on Aug 4, 2011 at 8:00 AM
Business August 4, 2011

Sony’ next-generation portable video game console will not launch in the U.S. until early 2012, Sony Executive Vice President Kazuo Hirai told The Associated Press on Thursday. Sony’s PlayStation Vita will become available later this year in Japan, but it will miss the all-important holiday shopping season here in the U.S. and in Europe as well. Some, such as Daiwa Securities Capital Markets analyst Koki Shiraishi, believe Sony’s sales will take a huge hit as a result. “That’s when you do half your year’s sales,” Shiraishi told the AP. “This is going to prove painful for Sony.” When it finally does launch next year, the PlayStation Vita will start at $249 for a Wi-Fi-only model and a 3G-equipped version will be available for $299.

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  • Anonymous

    I hope Sony doesn’t have any delusional comments this year about mobile gaming isn’t affecting their strategies. This is another example of how the old business models won’t hold up in today’s tech world. Announcing months in advance only hurts your own brand in the end.

    • Jjjjj

      I disagree…announcing months in advance only hurts when you are unable to maintain the excitement.  Its standard practice in the video game world to make announcements at E3 and then not not have the product show up until months to a year later.  If Sony maintains its snow ball effect, it will explode at just the right time.

    • Anonymous

      Smart phones and Tablets I keep hearing doesn’t effect Nintendo and Sony with their Portables, HAHAHAHAHAHAHA   People want the buttons.   I like the real buttons and what not gaming, it’s nice.  What I don’t like is carrying one around everywhere I go on the off chance I have a few minutes to game.  In which case a full PSP or 3DS game I really wouldn’t have time playing anyway if I did have one on me.
      That’s just how it is these days.   Really the only market left is young kids.  Either don’t have a phone, or a phone to play games on, and can throw one of these things into a backpack.  Or they don’t have a Home Game console and this is it and they play it at home!!!  It’s a shrinking market.

      This thing might BOMB if it’s released after Christmas.  Sony is having some issues.   

  • Rick

    Wow. The Vita was going to be a hard sell anyway, now they’re gonna miss xmas!!??!  Not good at all. As much as i do like sony .. the writing is on the wall.  I have a ps2, ps3, and psp. The ps3 gets a LOT of use, the psp collects dust. My son takes an the ipod touch wherever he goes. Sony, stick to the console.  Smartphones and tablets will win (have won?) the handheld war.   

    • Anonymous

      A hard sell why?

    • knarf

      You have a ps2, ps3, and a psp.  Yet you say the Vita would be a hard sell.  That comment makes me laugh.  Sheeps will always flock to what they know (call me a sheep).  And obviously you flock to psp’s.  I have a psp.  It still get lots of use.  And I will get a Vita no matter when it becomes available.  Plus I have a tablet and a very decent phone but none of those are used for gaming.  I use my PS3, XBox, XBox 360, Sega Genisis, Nomad, Turbo Graphic (handheld), and if I really wanted to I could pull out my Atari 5200 and play that too.  My point is I purchase gaming systems to play games.  I don’t use my phone or tablet to play games I purchased those for other intended purposes. I hope there are more people thinking like you that way it will be easy for me to find a Vita once it is released.

  • http://www.twitter.com/dannydefinit DannyDefinit

    I’m wondering if this has anything to do with the Nintendo 3DS’ recent price drop? 

    This is really bad timing for Sony, as iPhones/iPod Touches and the lower priced 3DS is going to grab more of the mobile gaming market during the holidays.

  • http://www.facebook.com/deandre.n.ruffin DeAndre

    I just think most people don’t care for mobile gaming devices like this anymore when even an iPod Touch has great games you can download for $0.99.

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_EZVLTTP6B2FQDTG5ITY3TNEWDE Velma Mcfadden

    I just paid $22.85 for an iPhone 4-32GB and my girlfriend loves her Panasonic Lumix GF 1 Camera that we got for $38.76 there arriving tomorrow by UPS. I will never pay such expensive retail prices in stores again. Especially when I also sold a 40 inch LED TV to my boss for $674 which only cost me $62.81 to buy. Here is the website we use to get it all from, CentHub.com

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