Why you shouldn’t buy a PSVita at launch

The Playstation Vita is a technological marvel. Though that’s only if you take its raw power into account.  Sony prides itself on producing the most powerful game systems. Though the PS Vita could already be obsolete, even before it launches.

When the PSP was released, it too was a fantastic piece of hardware. Not only could it play console quality games, but it could also browse the internet, play movies, and music. That was revolutionary in 2005. Sony’s products have always been praised for their technical innovation. The Vita also does the same things. However, you’ve already got something in your pocket that does all that.

A lot of gaming writers tend to dismiss the rise of smart phones and tablets. They don’t provide the graphical details portable gaming systems. As I mentioned in my 3DS reviews, I don’t think that matters anymore. Then there’s games like Infinity Blade II, that prove that these devices can indeed provide the same experience, for cheaper. Smart phones have already rendered it out dated.

As it is, the PS Vita is way too expensive. Sony screwed themselves over on two fronts here. Not so much with the hardware price. Though $250 big ones is still a lot of money to blow. Rather, it’s the Vita’s accessories that are proving to be its downfall. Nobody wants to pay the steep prices for the Vita’s proprietary memory cards. Especially when Android devices and the 3DS use common and cheap SD cards. The iPhone and iPod Touch feature built in storage. The Vita has none. The memory expense raises the real price of the system by quite a bit. Expect to spend at least $300, but likely more if you want anything usable.

The second is game prices. Sony sells hard copies of games for more than downloadable copies. However, the downloadable copies require the expensive storage cards. The games are also still quite a bit more expensive than iOS and Andriod games. The launch lineup is better than the 3DS, but nothing really stands out. I just don’t think there’s a big enough market for in depth portable games anymore.

The high entry price is why you should avoid the Vita on launch. I expect it will have the same growing pains as the 3DS. Especially if sluggish Japanese sales are any indication. A price cut is inevitable. That will be the time to scoop one up. At the moment, there’s just not enough value in the Vita to justify the high ticket price.