Vita sells 1.2 million units worldwide

Sony has announced worldwide Vita sales have surpassed 1.2 million units, as of two days ago.

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Is the Vita doomed--or is it a smashing success? In spite of positive reviews, the Vita faces an uphill battle with a lofty price point during a weak economy, and a perception that cell phone games are "good enough" for most.

It's still too early to determine how successful Vita will be. However, Sony has announced worldwide Vita sales have surpassed 1.2 million units, as of two days ago.

Sales of Sony's next generation portable began on December 17th in Japan, and later expanded to Hong Kong, Taiwan, and South Korea. It launched in North and Latin America, Europe, and PAL territories last week.

According to Sony, sales have "exceeded expectations," with software sales reaching 2 million units at both retail and on PSN.

"To sustain momentum, we're working closely with 3rd party developers and publishers to ensure the best games and franchises possible will be available on PS Vita, and our software line up for the remainder of 2012 will have something for everyone across the globe," SCE president Andrew House said in a press release.

"We're doing our best to keep units in stock to satisfy the strong demand," GameStop VP Bob Puzon also said. At press time, both the 3G and wi-fi Vita models were widely available to purchase.

Andrew Yoon was previously a games journalist creating content at Shacknews.

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From The Chatty
  • reply
    February 28, 2012 6:30 AM

    Andrew Yoon posted a new article, Vita sells 1.2 million units worldwide.

    Sony has announced worldwide Vita sales have surpassed 1.2 million units, as of two days ago.

    • reply
      February 28, 2012 7:02 AM

      I predict a sharp drop in sales coming in 3... 2...

      • reply
        February 28, 2012 7:12 AM

        I agree, the people buying the Vita are the ones who had decided so when it was first announced. I highly doubt the Vita will be tempting to people who are merely browsing a retail store. Even as an impulse buy it is a pretty tough sell.

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          February 28, 2012 7:14 AM

          It's a good system, but that $250 pricetag just to get started is rather brutal. You're probably not walking out of the store with one for less than $400.

          • reply
            February 28, 2012 1:23 PM

            not really. the psp was $250 back in 04 or whatever, and considering inflation and even having to buy a memory card: the vita owns

            • reply
              February 28, 2012 1:29 PM

              So was the 3DS....

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                February 28, 2012 1:59 PM

                Which sold so badly nintendo lowered the price within 6 months by 1/3.

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                  February 28, 2012 2:01 PM

                  We aren't going to see a $170 Vita in 6 months. Look at the difference in hardware between the 3DS and the Vita.

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          February 28, 2012 3:55 PM

          It seems like a good system hardware wise but the initial game lineup seems a bit weak. There only seems one or two stand outs and the rest are games you can get for a android/ios device. I might end up buying one but I need to see what the the games are going to be 6months to year from now.

    • reply
      February 28, 2012 7:20 AM

      Is this like every other thing Sony quotes, a sale to the store and not an actual sale to a consumer?

      • reply
        February 28, 2012 7:53 AM

        MS is worse.

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          February 28, 2012 1:55 PM

          They are all as bad as each other.

          If your actual sales are terrible you use the shipped to stores figure. If they are great you use the actual sold figures.

          • reply
            February 28, 2012 1:58 PM

            They can't reasonably track this.

            Also with modern logistics the shipped to stores and sold to customer numbers are pretty close. Generally stores make orders from manufactures for stuff they plan to sell within the next week. Stores just don't stock thousands of units that aren't selling anymore.

    • reply
      February 28, 2012 7:56 AM

      Yes, but how many people haven't bought one?

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        February 28, 2012 2:16 PM

        I won't be buying one until I'm finished with the DS games I need to play (not 3DS, .. DS :D )

        I know a few others like me as well. they'll pick it up, just not 'right away'

    • reply
      February 28, 2012 1:12 PM

      I'll be buying one, near enough every report I've read is overwhelmingly positve, even hard nosed journalists, the technology is future proof (within reason), and unlike other iOS devices the spec is set in stone for the lifetime of the device, so I'll not be worrying about finding the cash for regular upgrades (even if you skip a generation).

      In addition I'm now ready for an upgrade in my home console, the Vita will serve my needs while I wait for the next gen systems to launch.

      • reply
        February 28, 2012 1:17 PM

        If you're going to shill, it helps to already have an account in place and not just fire off a response to everything that sets your rss feed a buzz with the word Vita in it.

        • reply
          February 28, 2012 1:27 PM

          Yeah, that one is pretty blatant

          • reply
            February 28, 2012 1:30 PM

            [deleted]

            • reply
              February 28, 2012 1:53 PM

              Jaguar is an expensive car brand, so if you can afford one you have money to burn. 1977 would place the person at age 35. 35 year olds with money to burn is pretty much the only market for the Vita, so advertise hard to them.

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        February 28, 2012 1:57 PM

        What is within reason?

    • reply
      February 28, 2012 2:22 PM

      I'm glad it's moving units.

      I bought one. I can't wait for the future software. I love the hardware.

      Why must we shit on everything? Sales might drop, sales might rise, things might go well or not so well. Why can't I just enjoy the system and its games?! It will sell enough. Heck, I'd choose the 299 bundle over an iPod touch! Sony just needs more "apps" and minis.

      • reply
        February 28, 2012 3:54 PM

        It's just the natural course. People will be agitated at first because of the price, which will eventually drop down.

    • reply
      February 28, 2012 4:34 PM

      Love my Vita. Haven't been this excited about a gaming system in a long time. It is sexy as hell, the hardware feels so damn good in your hands. Most portables don't have the screen real estate to make it comfortable for long sessions, but the beautiful 5" vita screen resolved that for me.

      The PSN store prices are pretty wack, but overall I'm digging it.

    • reply
      February 28, 2012 7:52 PM

      Here's a question.Does that 1.2 million in sales reflect that many people own them,or are there about,say 25% of that number,still sitting on shelves?

      I'm sure that it's more the latter.

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        February 28, 2012 7:52 PM

        they would say it shipped 1.2 million in that case

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          February 28, 2012 8:48 PM

          it would, but this wouldn't be the first time a company has said sales but meant shipped. Sometimes someone will dig and find out which it actually is, then there will be a follow up saying 'yeah, we meant shipped'. Infact I think I recall this happening not long back with Sony regarding Move units.

          • reply
            February 28, 2012 8:50 PM

            Sony sales numbers has almost always meant "sales to retailers'. Sales = shipped in Sony PR lingo.

    • reply
      February 28, 2012 8:39 PM

      I must say that I'm shocked at the number of people with negative comments on the Vita. Are you guys (the naysayers) even handheld gamers?

      There are so many advances in the Vita compared to the psp it replaces and even in comparison to the 3ds that I'm surprised that there are not more positive comments.

      I'm not a fanboy... just someone who relies on handhelds to get my gaming fix in. I have a PSP, PSP go, DSi, 3ds iPhone and iPad. They all serve a purpose but what has captured my imagination and my gaming time is the Vita. In terms of the 3DS, the best thing that happened on that platform is pushman. I know more good games are on the way but really there has not been anything on that platform to really impress.

      The Vita does take handheld gaming to a new level with its inputs and power. In terms of sheer game enjoyment, PSP games are definitely more compelling and the Vita games are a tremendous leap forward for handheld games. The OS is good. The ability to multitask and instantly resume a game is awesome.

      Maybe my rose colored glasses are too bright but I really thing the Vita is a winner. Also -- to everyone lamenting the 3g att version --- have some foresight and go ahead and buy a wifi version and a 4g hotspot device that you can use with everything you own (computer, iPad, handheld game, laptop etc.). In my humble opinion, anyone buying a data plan specific to a device is just not thinking clearly.

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        February 28, 2012 8:51 PM

        Well said. I'm moving more towards mobile gaming and hand-held gaming because I just don' thave the time to sit down and play a console game. The 30 min's i spend on a light rail to and from campus, the hour or two breaks between classes.. if i don't have any work to do i'll load up some game and have some fun!

        I'm VERY interested in teh Vita, and plan on getting one as soon as I finish the DS games I have

        • reply
          February 28, 2012 9:10 PM

          Dood, don't feed the shills. It's obvious he's a shill, he has no post history.

          • reply
            February 28, 2012 9:12 PM

            I don't look at post history everytime I reply to someone :(

            • reply
              February 28, 2012 9:24 PM

              I started to in front page articles. It's funny how many shills post once or twice and then never post again.

              • reply
                February 29, 2012 9:38 AM

                AgentPothead you need to chill and understand gaming is merely a form of entertainment for many of us. For your information I'm far from rolling in cash, this is precisely why the Vita appeals, I've sold my PS3, the 360 is on the way out the door, and I can't justify the high costs of the iOS devices, especially as they need upgrading every two years or you'll be locked out of the latest and greatest games.

                With the Vita I can get a console experience on the move, franchises I enjoy like GT, FIFA, Uncharted and various FPS will be available, in addition there'll be smaller downloadable titles as seen on mobiles, plus PSN arcade games.

                The basic browser and Twitter app means I can get away with a cheap pay-as-you-go mobile that I don't have worry about damaging or losing, so all in all the VIta is a goo value proposition for me.

                • reply
                  February 29, 2012 12:34 PM

                  You realize I'm immune to shilling right?

                  • reply
                    March 1, 2012 8:21 AM

                    You're seemingly immune to people having a different opinion to yourself, I take it don't have the capacity to engage in conversation with such people, so insist on throwing out lame insults.

                    • reply
                      March 2, 2012 1:23 PM

                      Making 2 accounts on one day is questionable at best, making them both shills is just sad man.

                      • reply
                        March 2, 2012 1:57 PM

                        You actually believe what you post don't you.

                        Out in the real world you have to deal with peoples differing opinions, neither does everyone align themselves with one camp or the other, in terms of videogames you're only limiting yourself if you take such a stance.

                        • reply
                          March 2, 2012 2:10 PM

                          Character accounts are bannable jaguar, you might want to think before you keep replying :)

                          • reply
                            March 3, 2012 1:59 PM

                            Give it a break, you just look foolish for jumping to the wrong conclusion.

            • reply
              February 28, 2012 9:24 PM

              your first mistake was replying to a front-page post. So many retards / shills :(

              • reply
                February 28, 2012 9:59 PM

                I actually forgot that "ShackNews" is an automatic front page article.. I never visit the front page :((( lol

          • reply
            February 29, 2012 12:18 AM

            Shill or not, Hot Shots Golf is perhaps the great fucking thing to ever grace a mobile platform.

            Probably an overstatement, but fuck that game is so fucking good.

          • reply
            February 29, 2012 5:25 AM

            Wow--- That's hysterical! I can promise I'm not a shill --just never felt compelled to post before. I came to shack news as a reader when Garnet came over as I'm a long time fan from the 1up days.

            If what I'm saying is so crazy -- tell me the handheld secrets you seem to hold that I'm missing so blindly. What handheld and game is going to do a better job for my countless cross country flights and hotel stays. I love consoles but I travel all the time and can't take them with me.

            • reply
              February 29, 2012 12:40 PM

              If you were an actual member of the community you wouldn't feel the need to tell everybody you are an actual member of the community. Putting "I promise I'm not a shill" in the very first line of your very first response? Come on, don't bullshit me.

              • reply
                February 29, 2012 1:10 PM

                What's a shill?

                • reply
                  March 1, 2012 5:21 AM

                  From Wikipedia-"A shill, plant or stooge is a person who helps a person or organization without disclosing that he or she has a close relationship with that person or organization. Shill typically refers to someone who purposely gives onlookers the impression that he or she is an enthusiastic independent customer of a seller (or marketer of ideas) that he or she is secretly working for."

                  Its pretty lame to be calling someone a shill just because they have a different point of view. And then to stamp their feet to try and make others believe it is just embarrassing. Get over it AgentPothead.

                  • reply
                    March 2, 2012 1:22 PM

                    Ahahahahah yeah. I'm calling you a shill because your opinion differs from mine, not the fact that you are a shill.

              • reply
                February 29, 2012 8:17 PM

                There are worst things than being a Shill. Or maybe not.

              • reply
                March 1, 2012 5:28 AM

                Calling me a shill doesn't make me one. It makes you an ass.

              • reply
                March 1, 2012 5:28 AM

                Calling me a shill doesn't make me one. It makes you an ass.

    • reply
      February 28, 2012 8:45 PM

      I honestly don't think smart phone gaming is in direct competition with dedicated handhelds, anyways I absolutely love my Vita, I honestly can't find a single negative thing to say about it.

      There's two things I've heard a couple people saying could be better but I completely disagree with;
      It's the most responsive touch screen I've ever used, and the customizable UI kicks ***, I don't find it confusing at all, it's so much nicer than the old XMB.

      The launch line up is great, I already have more Vita games than I ever did for PSP, can't wait for future releases.

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