It’s hard to gauge the excitement regarding the release of the PS Vita so far in the US and Europe, as sales have started to taper off a little in Japan. However, with news of additional apps being made available at launch on February 22, gamers will certainly have more of an excuse to buy it in other regions.
Never before has so much been available on or just after launch for a handheld console – even a home console come to think of it. We already knew sales of the PlayStation Vita had been a little low, but dropping by 57 percent last week has to be a cause for concern for Sony? This article reports that sales have fallen for all consoles, but it is the Vita, which has seen the greatest decline.
However, let’s try to be positive, as things could be very different in other parts of the world? As we mentioned above, new apps are being added all the time, which will give users a far greater experience. During CES we had no idea if the Netflix app would be ready at launch, and we can see here it will. This will mean those who subscribe to the service will be able to enjoy watching movies and TV shows, which is yet another step in making this an all-in-one media device.
Another app, which could come in handy for those who love to share photos with others is the Flickr PlayStation Vita app. This shows Sony’s commitment to making this a more social device, with Facebook, Twitter, FourSquare and Skype making up some of the others. According to this article there is no release date just yet, as these apps are still in development, but our best guess would be on release day in the US and Europe.
From what we can see on the official PS Vita page from Sony there are 16 apps planned so far. Two that could become very popular are Near and Remote Play. The former is yet another social networking app, which allows gamers to connect with each other in order to game and share their locations. The latter will let your PS Vita connect to your PS3 in order for you to operate it with your handheld console.
There’s no getting away from the fact that Sony has a hill to climb with the Vita, as there are a number of issues that needs to be resolved, such as poor battery life (solution). However, we have to remember that Rome was not built in a day; Sony will get things right, they just need a little time to iron out some of the issues – not sure if the screen in sunlight will ever be resolved?
One area where Sony can build on are the games, and with a huge choice coming and more on the way, the PS Vita does have a future – well as long as the gamers are happy with the device that is? One game coming is Mortal Kombat, and as some of the details have been shared here suggest it will be a lot like FIFA 12, as it will also run at the same level as the PS3.
Those who have already passed judgment on the Vita should allow it to prove itself in other markets, not just Japan. Yes, sales have not been as good as Sony had hoped, but we have seen time and again how quickly things can change – just hope the PS Vita can redeem itself? What apps do you feel are missing?
