Sony’s Playstation Vita has already hit the Japan market, where it has already sold more than a half million units, and this Wednesday the handheld device will hit stores in the United States and Europe.
The basic Wi-Fi version of the PS Vita will sell for $250 and a 3G version of the device will sell for $300 (plus the monthly service fees from AT&T).
The price of the Playstation Vita could be an issue for gamers. Eurogramer writes: “It is a high-end device and Sony has shot itself in the foot with the proprietary memory cards, which is an added expense which everyone needs to make on day one.”
The BBC notes that Nintendo’s 3DS system was met with critical acclaim when it debuted last year, but the company had a hard time selling the device because of its price. Nintendo eventually slashed the price by 40% to increase sales. It is now one of the fastest selling game systems ever in Japan.
The PlayStation Vita will also be entering a handheld gaming market that is starting to see a serious challenge from cellphones. Jack Tretton, CEO of Sony Computer Entertainment America, believes that gamers are looking for a dedicated device that can handle more than Angry Birds. Tretton said:
“Ultimately, if you consider yourself a gamer, you are going to find yourself migrating up the food chain to dedicated gaming consoles and the Vita.”
The Playstation Vita will have about 30 different games available at launch.
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