With the 3DS having a slow start and mobile gaming on the rise thanks to the proliferation of smartphones and tablets, some wonder if Sony is launching the PlayStation Vita into a market that doesn't want it. In an interview with GameSpot, Sony director of hardware marketing John Koller explained that Sony is ready to convert those smartphone gamers with a more robust gaming experience. Koller believes the Vita brings consumers console gameplay on-the-go.
“When you look at the type of consumer that's playing cell phone games currently, it's someone that enjoys smaller 'kill time' gaming and has not gravitated to the larger, richer, deeper experiences that true handheld gaming provides,” Koller began.
“As we go toward the PlayStation Vita, I can tell you that as we started looking at that product and the market opportunity several years ago, we saw a real strong demographic for those deeper, richer, console-type experiences. We had them on PSP, but we've taken them to a new level on PS Vita with the entirety of new ways to play.”
Despite having similar technology, like a high-resolution touchscreen, Koller puts Vita in a different area from a multi-purpose device like an iPad.
“That "new ways to play" idea, particularly for Vita, really differentiates from what's available on mobile phones or tablets and, frankly, what will be available on those platforms over the next three to five years. You're going to see PS Vita expand what a lot of people believe to be true about handheld gaming, and you're going to see a lot of those current mobile phone and tablet gamers come over to Vita. We're very convinced of that.”
Do you believe the PlayStation Vita is the bridge between mobile devices and full home consoles? Will Sony's gambit work when their portable costs the same as their home system?
