Preparing PS Vita for UK consideration

There’s just over three weeks to go until the release of the PS Vita in the UK and while the excitement builds; we just hope consumers have enough cash left over from Christmas? Most gamers know it’s the price that has been the biggest concern (and battery life) and while we cannot see any price war going on with the handheld console, it could be a different matter when it comes to the games.

Stores across the UK are now gearing up for what they hope will be a good time in terms of sales for them. Both Game and GameStation will give consumers the chance to get some hands-on time with Sony’s latest gaming device before they become available to purchase.

Every one of their stores have been sent a unit, this not only allows the public to try them out but also the staff, as they need to know what the Vita is capable of. This article reports some of the demos that will feature in stores, these will include: Uncharted: Golden Abyss, Road Trip WipEout 2048 to name but a few.

While the big supermarkets have not stated their intentions we could see the likes of Tesco and Asda embroiled in a price war with game titles. There is no information to suggest this will begin at launch of the PS Vita, but history shows this is likely to happen.

In an article here it suggests the average price for a Vita game will be £33; however, you should expect to pay around £35 for most games. There are some that will cost just £25 but we have already seen two on the list with the crazy price of £45 – that’s as much as you pay for a PS3 title.

You have to wonder if game publishers are just ramping up prices, as they know gamers will want such titles to play on their Vita? How can anyone justify paying £45 for a game for a handheld console?

The PS Vita has been met with a mixed response, while there is no question regarding the graphics, multimedia and social uses of the device other areas have been a concern for gamers, which could be a reason why sales have been lower than expected in Japan. Okay, so we know the price is high, battery does not last as long as hoped and the screen makes it difficult to play in sunlight, but these are small inconveniences. The cost of the device will fall in time and tweaks to the firmware could squeeze some more life from the battery.

One of the reasons for the PS Vita not performing well in Japan could be down to the titles currently available, as we know Japanese gamers have a different taste in games when compared to the west. In a recent article, Sony’s Shuhei Yoshida has been discussing how they will keep the flow of games constant to ensure the success of their latest handheld console. There is already proof of this, as publishers are expected to make 33 titles available at the launch of the Vita in the UK and US.

The Vita will not only being compared to the Nintendo 3DS, but also the iPhone 4S. Okay, so we know the products are very different things, but there’s no denying the popularity of Apple’s smartphone when it comes to games. While it still has a way to go in terms of ease of use for gaming and graphics performance, it’s still growing in popularity with some gamers. We also need to remind you that the iPhone 5 could come with a more powerful GPU later this year, which could be an issue for handheld console makers. Gadget Review has an extensive comparison between the iPhone 4S and the PS Vita and you will be surprised of the results. However, as the Vita is a dedicated game system, devices like the upcoming iPhone 5 will struggle in terms of GPU performance; even if it does come with a more powerful one as recently suggested.

For those who have been living under a rock and have yet to see what the PS Vita can do, then check out the video we have embedded for you below.

Do you believe Sony will have more success with the Vita in the west, and what sort of price should the device and games be to make them more appealing?