In the exclusive interview with PSU, one of the longest running independent developers talks about what it's like to work with the PS4, Vita and discusses Xbox One vs PS4 next-gen wars.
"System 3, one of the most iconic names in video game history, today proudly celebrates its 43rd anniversary. Founded on October 30, 1982, the System 3 label has become recognised as the world’s longest-running independent developer and publisher-branded games label, continuously producing, publishing and owning its own titles for more than four decades." - System 3.
One of the UK's longest-running publishers talks about where Vita went wrong.
Jesus Christ.
Is it dead? Damn. It didn't have the easiest start for vita, but it'll pick up after some time. People need to realize this. I don't care if it takes 5 years or what. It sure as hell is gonna last a long time because of its capabilities.
People losing hope for vita is just depressing. smh.
Nintendo, kings of handheld, had a horrid time with a 3ds launch at $250, so its no surprise that the vita is still struggling.
The difference between the 2 companies is the life span of their hardware. The PS2 was produced almost as long as the gamecube and wii combined. The psp is still going along as well.
This is what i've been telling people. The vita is such an innovation of a handheld that it can last a very very long time.
Sony says that the vita is the partner of the ps4. Meaning, the vita is expected to exist as long as the ps4.
And they got their s**t together in a year after release and it became one of the best selling handhelds of all time. It's been more than year since Vita released and it's barely seen actually good and original releases like Gravity Rush. It's all ports, ports and ports or generic action games that completely misses the point of a handheld device.
"The difference between the 2 companies is the life span of their hardware."
The difference was the diverse library of games back in 6th gen, and it's still the case now. You can conjure up all the excuses you want but unless Sony starts supporting Vita properly, it won't come close to being anything like the PSP or DS/3DS and will end up being remembered as a "companion device" for PS4.
"The difference between the 2 companies is the life span of their hardware."
You do realize the original Wii and DS are still selling quite well in 2013?
^^^^
Yes, and currently the psp outsells them both combined. You also still see psp games at the top of the japan charts.
I'm not making excuses for vita, it has been handled horribly. But there is a lot of time ahead, far beyond the normal nintendo life cycle
The fact is, Sony didn't handle the Vita well and still isn't exactly doing an amazing job at it. It "was", "is" and likely "will be" a missed opportunity thanks to the poor (almost) two years that it has had.
Don't go straight to the "it isn't dead" hyperbole to justify a bad start. It's probably almost 1/3 of the way through its lifetime (not counting after 9th gen), anyway, so the "rocky start" is starting to become a "rocky midlife"
It's not dead but it's doing bad outside Japan.
KZM only sold 41K NPD numbers (creamsugar neogaf leaker) US numbers.
It's pretty bad that the VITA doesn't have Skylanders as well (the article's iterviewee suggests the importance of younger audience).
The VITA's losing steam since launch.
CODBOD and AC3L sold past 100K and UCGA is still the highest selling game.
There will be a few sales spike here and there but nothing like the PSP getting FF:CC and GTA games.
It's unlikely to "pick up" anytime but don't expect any sudden discontinue of the platform.
Its hard to support both a console and a handheld. The crappy COD and Resistance really hurt them.
The ps4 is more important to them financially because of the added revenue streams as compared to the handheld. It will be interesting to see what impact the vita TV ha.s
There is NO ADDED revenue stream as the PS (1, 2, 3 and now 4) home console has been a revenue stream day one.
Console = a "revenue stream"
Mobile = a "revenue stream"
Dropping the VITA is a LOSS of "stream" (mobile).
Just say that the PS4 will have higher revenue.
Ipad and doubters damaged the vita which launched with awesome games that everybody just assumed didnt exist.
Consequently people like studio Liverpool went out of business waiting and my favourite Sony exclusive (wipEout) was cancelled for ps4.
In conclusion, you all suck. :)
I am very sad that no announcement have been made for a PS4 wipeout.
Btw Liverpool still lives on , they merge with evolution studio and are making DriveClub
I don't mean that it's CURRENTLY a disappointment, I mean this attitude of talking about it in the past tense like it's already dead...
The vita so far has been one of the worst mishandled systems I have ever seen.
It's the best portable system out there yet sony clearly refuse to market the thing no matter what. Most people out there still don't even know this thing exists.
I admit that there's credit in what you say. But let's try to be in Sony's shoes for a sec.
Knowing how things are, i'm sure the we'd have sent letters to a lot of companies (SE, Capcom, Namco Bandai etc.) making deals about bringing games on the system. Because since that's our product, we would want it so succeed. Sales = Money
But now we got to the game company's perspective. Is the company willing to RISK huge amounts of money on a handheld just picking up the pace? or a handheld that selling like hotcakes?
The point is, i don't think it's right to judge sony this early. They're not beginners at these things. I have faith in Sony, my ps vita and the future. PSP had a rough start, now everybody laughs at disbelief when they find out a person doesn't have one.
Well hopefully the new localization studio that Sony created would help bring over those most wanted games from Japan because as long as those games remains stuck in Japan then there would be no improvement.
Sony should have played through the strength that made the PSP a success sooner. The western centric strategy was a total disaster.
Correct. In fact, PSP had a very similar start. It was accused of the same things...no games, a port machine, etc. Then, they dropped the price, added a renewed ad campaign, made another model, and sales picked up. Sony is focusing on PS4 heavily. They are still supporting PS3 and they are trying to provide a boost for Vita. It will probably happen after the release of PS4 in Japan. (coincidentally that is also when I think that the Vita TV will get some attention in the West)
Sony has missed some great marketing and other opportunities over the last few years that have left me scratching my head.
I've thought, "oh they must be waiting for such and such", then nope.
But the Vita system itself has barely begun to live since Sony had planned for it to accompany the PS4 for quite a while.
The future of the device is in Sony's hands and their decisions will determine how successful it is in the future for the most part.
"The future of the device is in Sony's hands and their decisions will determine how successful it is in the future for the most part."
Very well said, And I would say that this is the case more-so than some other systems which just "catch-on" quick because of a fad.
Sony banked hard on hardcore gamers getting this quick but as you can see that alone work well anymore.
The internet is full of people who post negative comments left and right about stuff they have no business talking about since they have no experience with it. That's why for every positive post about this thing from an owner about 10 others show up to reinforce their unwillingness to get the device as if doing that is crucial to their mental well-being.
System 3 CEO talks about this console launch as being the most significant in the history of videogames but heeds a word of warning for Sony and Microsoft.
“The delay was making the PS3 feel very old and it was restricting the market size to the point where a lot of people were walking away from console gaming, or even just go to play on a smart-phone,” he told PSU in an exclusive telephone interview.
stopped reading there.
Does anyone here know of any gamer who has given up on consoles and strictly plays on mobile devices? I'm asking cause that seems to be a constant argument against the continued viability of consoles. I have played (still play) Angry Birds, Bejeweled Blitz, and many other smartphone games but they never, ever left me wanting to give up my consoles.
Edit: I'm actually surprised that you got some disagrees already. I wonder exactly what they're disagreeing on though?
I think it is more that more gamers now game on smart phones and tablets, eating into console market.
The shift has already happened, because of the long delay. Some of my friends has gone back to PC, and I'm somewhere in between. Love the ease of use of consoles, but PC is where leap in graphics are at. I'm talking major leap to the point of 2k or 4k with everything on.
The price of PC games are also unbeatable, but man I love me that convenience.
totally agree smartphones are not a substitute for consoles. i have been gaming 30 years and have never considered not owning a console/computer . only thing that i feel could do that is if the future of gaming goes in the direction of f2p like it seems to be doing
I know plenty, I've graduated from college 4 years ago. We used to have GOW/halo lan parties. I also had plenty of xbox live friends when I was in high school. I'd say There were about 20 people over that time frame that i knew personally and played online with. Only 3 of them still play.
I don't think they left because of mobile games, but I'm sure the occasional mobile game is all they play at this point...
Why? I know personally I moved onto PC gaming for a few years. I'm playing through some of the highlights I missed on both consoles, but I would agree they feel old...
Edit: Oh smart phone, my bad! Those are no substitute.
In what possible universe could that scenario actually happen?
Have you not been paying attention to the gaming industry for most of this year?
I am living in the universe where the PS4 is having some sort of technical problem that will not go away, and is causing games to be delayed.
Not little games either. Big signature launch games.
The disagrees can pretend that there is not some serious problem with the PS4 at this point, but there quite clearly is to those of us without fanboy blinders on.
@ B1663r
Serious question, what 'serious' problem is PS4 having right now? If you are talking about the overheating reports that are circulating, you know that will happen with any electronic device operating within an enclosed case, right?
raWfodog,
That begs the question... So why do they put them in those enclosed cases then? Microsoft is not demoing the X1 in enclosed cases. Sony clearly thinks that they can.
But the overheating issue that the PS4 ~is~ having is only part of the problem. Two major launch games have been canceled as well.
The PS4 has major problems, they are not going to magically go away in the next month...
@B1663r
The PS4 does not have "serious problems".
Jesus Christ, talk about overreacting.
I'd say DRM, 180's, constant bad press, bad PR, degrading games and $100 extra is much more "serious" this.
You're grasping at straws here, grasping at straws.
I think some people have either lost it, or never had it to begin with.
Sony, BLATANTLY, has more riding on this launch than Microsoft does. There's practically zero risk of something like RRoD. RRoD happened before, and now all steps will be taken to ensure it doesn't happen again, XBox One or PS4. There's less chance of something like RRoD happening a second time than there was the first time. Some people cannot seem to understand that principle. I can't think of any other reasoning than paranoia or pessimism.
Apparently, industrial design of a mass produced device cannot contain logic or QA.
Why in the hell would a PS4 look like it does if there was ANY chance of it overheating?
I may not be as in the loop as many on here, but I've seen two reports of the PS4 "overheating," and both of them are jokes:
A "red line of death" that was fixed in seconds with a restart, and...
A PS4 "freezing," which is really a misnomer as it was the unfinished software on the system that halted and not the system itself.
System 3?! Wow, there's a name from the past. I have fond memories of playing The Last Ninja series on Commodore 64. Didn't know they were still in business.
last ninja was awesome . i was looking up retro games the other day had a good feeling of nostalgia when seeing the box art. then when i looked at the graphics on the back i remembered how frustrating the fighting system was one pixel out of line u would be kicking/punching the air . 80'S gaming was tough as nails
@THatEnglishDude -- yeah, there's an interview with them which tells you what they've been up to.
Inb4 "indies are trash", "Stop listening to what indies say".
Even though this guy has more industry experience that most of us will ever have. And Putty Squad and Pinball Arcade look like heaps of fun.
I've always liked Indies, but after playing Octodad I love Indies.