On November 11th, 2006 the PlayStation 3 console was released in Japan. Five years and some months later the landscape of the gaming industry is almost unrecognizable. The iPhone and Android marketplaces have launched and attracted new and innovative game developers. Facebook has become a powerful advertising tool and a lucrative cash cow for shallow mini games. In this climate, skeptics have gone as far as to proclaim the rise of social gaming and the death of the dedicated gaming console. Sony has its opportunity to answer the skeptics with the first true all encompassing gaming device, the PlayStation Vita. What do they need to do to realize its potential?
1. Complementing the Console Experience
The Vita is the only mobile gaming platform that attempts to offer the high end console experience in the palm of your hand. It features a full set of control inputs, complete with dual analog sticks, which allows for true parity with the PS3. The vibrant OLED screen supports a resolution that displays HD content with plenty of detail on its 5 inch screen.
However, offering a console experience raises a number of issues for a portable device. The content offered on consoles is not designed to be played in five to ten minute sessions. The price of a console game is definitely in a class above the pricing structure of the shallow gaming experiences that smart phones offer. Essentially this means that console-style games developed specifically for the PS Vita not only share the deeper scope and experience that comes from larger games, but also demand the same time and money from a consumer. Thus the Vita is competing with its own big brother, the PS3.
The Vita should not be competing with Sony’s flagship gaming product for consumer dollars. Rather than trying to offer a console experience independent of the PS3 (and thus trying to compete with the PS3), Sony needs make the PS3 an integral part of it. At heart of this strategy are the concepts of transferring game saves and remote play. Take for example what is arguably the best baseball game series currently on consoles, MLB: The Show. The latest entry in the franchise costs $60, the PS Vita copy costs $40, and bundled together they are $80. Thus for $20 dollars over the price of the PS3 copy you can get a copy of the game that runs on the Vita and the ability to access game saves from either device over Sony’s online network. That is the definition of a portable console experience that complements the PS3 rather than competes with it. To realize the potential of the Vita, this needs to become standard for all games being released on both platforms. Remote play would go even further in integrating the PS3 and PS Vita by allowing the PS3 to stream content over a Wi-Fi network from ANY game to enable it to be played on the Vita. Hackers have already demonstrated that the device is capable of doing this, although with considerable lag. Sony needs to step up and enable a fully functional remote play feature on the Vita.
The current situation requires that high end content for the Vita be purchased at a $40 to $50 dollar price tag. The combination of that and the aggressive release schedule for PS3 that brings the PS3 and Vita into direct competition for gaming dollars of the loyal Sony supporter. But why make consumers choose? Why have these two great products compete? With remote play and PS3/Vita game bundles, high end game purchases on the Vita wouldn’t be as painful for consumers, and the experiences would be more varied and compelling.
2. Dominating the PlayStation Network
Sony needs to make the Vita a primary conduit through which consumers can experience the PSN. The PSN is the most innovative space for Sony. Developers have more creative freedom than they have when creating a title for retail release. The PSN marketplace has given new life to gaming experiences from past console generations like the side scrolling platformer and beat ‘em up. The games tend to be shorter experiences and have lower production and marketing costs. And they usually focus on quality and innovative game play elements over a cinematic experience. Their lower price point allows the gamer to indulge purchases on impulse much easier than the $40 dollar Vita games offered in retail stores. And they have a great digital distribution network in the PSN. Games like Payday the Heist and Gotham City Imposters would never have been allowed to release at retail, but they find a home in the PSN marketplace. These gaming experiences are PERFECT for the Vita.
What Sony needs to do is push the Vita as the best way to experience games on the PSN. While this would probably involve promotional commitments from publishers that have content on the PSN, it would be well worth their time and effort due to the increase in sales. The two things need to be tied together in the minds of consumers.
3. Facing off against Smartphones
Much talk has been made of whether the Vita is competing with the stable of iOS and Android devices currently on the market. Is it competing with them? Yes of course it is. In our current economy, most entertainment experiences are competing with one another. Further, by defining itself as a mobile device, offering an optional 3G connectivity plan, and including a touch screen interface the Vita sets itself up to square off against smart phones in the mobile gaming market.
As a dedicated gamer, it still feels a little odd that an entire sector of the gaming market is being dominated by phones. But the install base for smart phones, the constant connectivity, the low cost of games, and the freedom to self publish has created an innovative platform for bite-sized gaming experiences. The PS Vita is in a position to offer a superior experience even in this section of the market because of its amazing display capabilities and traditional controls. . . Have you ever tried to play Street Fighter on your iPhone? Yeah, you know what I mean.
It rests solely with Sony to create the kind of environment on the PSN that will capture the inherent advantages of the mobile market.
One of the primary concerns about fully bringing the smart phone experience to the Vita is price competition. 99 cent games don’t play well with $20 full featured PSN titles. Therefore, the first step for Sony is to create a new sector of their digital network dedicated to smartphone-style games. This will help consumers know what they are buying (i.e. Don’t expect Infinity blade to be a port of Kingdoms of Amalur for the Vita) and it will protect the higher priced games on the network.
Secondly, within this sector they must match pricing for similar products in the mobile market. Angry birds on the Vita cannot cost more than it does in the smartphone marketplace. These discrepancies will kill potential sales from every Vita owner that already has a smart phone.
Third, the true power of the smart phone is the open (yet still regulated) marketplace. Sony must create an environment that allows developers to easily create games for the Vita. By sectioning this off into its own sector of the PSN, they again protect themselves and their revenue stream that comes from developers creating bigger games on the Vita.
Lastly, Sony must provide tools to within that sector that rank games and provide a forum for users to easily offer feedback. An open market place will quickly become cluttered with tons of games of ranging quality and users must be able to sift through them. The cream must be able to rise to the top of the marketplace.
The PS Vita is the only mobile gaming platform that has the potential to offer the full range of gaming experiences; from the high end console experience to the 99 cent iOS game. It has the potential to be the most successful handheld gaming device to date. Sony needs to attack and start pushing this device as the premiere gaming device on the market. They certainly have the hardware, the games, and the marketplace to back it up.
1. Complementing the Console Experience
The Vita is the only mobile gaming platform that attempts to offer the high end console experience in the palm of your hand. It features a full set of control inputs, complete with dual analog sticks, which allows for true parity with the PS3. The vibrant OLED screen supports a resolution that displays HD content with plenty of detail on its 5 inch screen.
However, offering a console experience raises a number of issues for a portable device. The content offered on consoles is not designed to be played in five to ten minute sessions. The price of a console game is definitely in a class above the pricing structure of the shallow gaming experiences that smart phones offer. Essentially this means that console-style games developed specifically for the PS Vita not only share the deeper scope and experience that comes from larger games, but also demand the same time and money from a consumer. Thus the Vita is competing with its own big brother, the PS3.
The Vita should not be competing with Sony’s flagship gaming product for consumer dollars. Rather than trying to offer a console experience independent of the PS3 (and thus trying to compete with the PS3), Sony needs make the PS3 an integral part of it. At heart of this strategy are the concepts of transferring game saves and remote play. Take for example what is arguably the best baseball game series currently on consoles, MLB: The Show. The latest entry in the franchise costs $60, the PS Vita copy costs $40, and bundled together they are $80. Thus for $20 dollars over the price of the PS3 copy you can get a copy of the game that runs on the Vita and the ability to access game saves from either device over Sony’s online network. That is the definition of a portable console experience that complements the PS3 rather than competes with it. To realize the potential of the Vita, this needs to become standard for all games being released on both platforms. Remote play would go even further in integrating the PS3 and PS Vita by allowing the PS3 to stream content over a Wi-Fi network from ANY game to enable it to be played on the Vita. Hackers have already demonstrated that the device is capable of doing this, although with considerable lag. Sony needs to step up and enable a fully functional remote play feature on the Vita.
The current situation requires that high end content for the Vita be purchased at a $40 to $50 dollar price tag. The combination of that and the aggressive release schedule for PS3 that brings the PS3 and Vita into direct competition for gaming dollars of the loyal Sony supporter. But why make consumers choose? Why have these two great products compete? With remote play and PS3/Vita game bundles, high end game purchases on the Vita wouldn’t be as painful for consumers, and the experiences would be more varied and compelling.
2. Dominating the PlayStation Network
Sony needs to make the Vita a primary conduit through which consumers can experience the PSN. The PSN is the most innovative space for Sony. Developers have more creative freedom than they have when creating a title for retail release. The PSN marketplace has given new life to gaming experiences from past console generations like the side scrolling platformer and beat ‘em up. The games tend to be shorter experiences and have lower production and marketing costs. And they usually focus on quality and innovative game play elements over a cinematic experience. Their lower price point allows the gamer to indulge purchases on impulse much easier than the $40 dollar Vita games offered in retail stores. And they have a great digital distribution network in the PSN. Games like Payday the Heist and Gotham City Imposters would never have been allowed to release at retail, but they find a home in the PSN marketplace. These gaming experiences are PERFECT for the Vita.
What Sony needs to do is push the Vita as the best way to experience games on the PSN. While this would probably involve promotional commitments from publishers that have content on the PSN, it would be well worth their time and effort due to the increase in sales. The two things need to be tied together in the minds of consumers.
3. Facing off against Smartphones
Much talk has been made of whether the Vita is competing with the stable of iOS and Android devices currently on the market. Is it competing with them? Yes of course it is. In our current economy, most entertainment experiences are competing with one another. Further, by defining itself as a mobile device, offering an optional 3G connectivity plan, and including a touch screen interface the Vita sets itself up to square off against smart phones in the mobile gaming market.
As a dedicated gamer, it still feels a little odd that an entire sector of the gaming market is being dominated by phones. But the install base for smart phones, the constant connectivity, the low cost of games, and the freedom to self publish has created an innovative platform for bite-sized gaming experiences. The PS Vita is in a position to offer a superior experience even in this section of the market because of its amazing display capabilities and traditional controls. . . Have you ever tried to play Street Fighter on your iPhone? Yeah, you know what I mean.
It rests solely with Sony to create the kind of environment on the PSN that will capture the inherent advantages of the mobile market.
One of the primary concerns about fully bringing the smart phone experience to the Vita is price competition. 99 cent games don’t play well with $20 full featured PSN titles. Therefore, the first step for Sony is to create a new sector of their digital network dedicated to smartphone-style games. This will help consumers know what they are buying (i.e. Don’t expect Infinity blade to be a port of Kingdoms of Amalur for the Vita) and it will protect the higher priced games on the network.
Secondly, within this sector they must match pricing for similar products in the mobile market. Angry birds on the Vita cannot cost more than it does in the smartphone marketplace. These discrepancies will kill potential sales from every Vita owner that already has a smart phone.
Third, the true power of the smart phone is the open (yet still regulated) marketplace. Sony must create an environment that allows developers to easily create games for the Vita. By sectioning this off into its own sector of the PSN, they again protect themselves and their revenue stream that comes from developers creating bigger games on the Vita.
Lastly, Sony must provide tools to within that sector that rank games and provide a forum for users to easily offer feedback. An open market place will quickly become cluttered with tons of games of ranging quality and users must be able to sift through them. The cream must be able to rise to the top of the marketplace.
The PS Vita is the only mobile gaming platform that has the potential to offer the full range of gaming experiences; from the high end console experience to the 99 cent iOS game. It has the potential to be the most successful handheld gaming device to date. Sony needs to attack and start pushing this device as the premiere gaming device on the market. They certainly have the hardware, the games, and the marketplace to back it up.