A little over a year ago, Electronic Arts found itself in hot water after it admitted selling Wii owners a recycled version of FIFA 12 in FIFA 13.
Apparently, the company didn’t learn from that misstep.
While many were betting Sony would use its pre-Gamescom press conference as the launch pad for a new round of PlayStation 3 price cuts — or even yet another redesigned model of the home console — the electronics giant opted to leave well enough alone for the time being.
That’s not to say the company didn’t have a couple new offers up its sleeve for fans. Though hardware prices weren’t reduced, Sony did unveil a new program dubbed Cross-Buy that will allow purchasers of select PS3 games to receive the Vita version as a free bonus.
The SCEA boss remains optimistic about consoles, says social and free-to-play are just “an additive diversion”
There are a lot of people looking to bury the PS Vita these days. Sales haven’t exactly been blockbuster and the software lineup to date has been so-so, at best.
Even Sony itself has sent some mixed signals. At its pre-E3 press conference in June, the company promised 60 new Vita games this year – then only showcased three over the next hour-and-a-half. Despite that, Sony is telling investors it expects to sell 10 million units this fiscal year (which ends March 31, 2013), largely on the strength of its holiday lineup (which includes PlayStation All Stars: Battle Royale, Assassin’s Creed 3: Liberation and Call of Duty: Black Ops Declassified).
A rapid price cut helped Nintendo save its 3DS handheld, and maybe it’s time for Sony to do the same with its PlayStation Vita, says Gamasutra editor-at-large Chris Morris.
I feel bad for Kaz Hirai.
The new CEO of Sony has plenty on his plate these days. He recently announced plans to cut 10,000 jobs. He has the mighty task of reviving Sony’s once-powerful brand name. And he’s doing all of this as angry investors and skeptical analysts watch critically from the sidelines.
While the handheld gaming market has evolved dramatically in recent years, Sony’s betting there’s still money to be made there – and it’s betting a lot.
The PS Vita, the company’s next generation handheld gaming system, went on sale in the U.S. today. And though the electronics giant remains optimistic about the market, analysts are significantly less certain.
Usually, there aren’t a lot of deals to be found on a system’s launch day.
As early adopters and die-hard fans scramble to be the first on their block to have the latest gadget, companies capitalize on that fervor and have no trouble commanding full retail price, usually for several weeks or even months.
But the launch of the PlayStation Vita is a bit different than other devices.