Topic: PlayStation Vita (PS Vita) - previously known as NGP

[GoldenPhoenix]

The visual leap is a good point actually, it isn't nearly as bad as DS vs PSP when it comes to graphical abilities. 3DS is still an impressive piece of technology no matter how one looks at it. Neither system are going to have severe limits on what developers can do on it, so things should be interesting. Personally while I'm not that impressed with the PSP2, I will probably get it down the line like I did with the PSP (Which was taken by gnomes or something, it just vanished a couple months ago!).

[SixthAngel]

Nice charts BlackNMild.
This thing is HUGE and the thumbsticks stick out.  This will not be able to go in anyones pocket and if you manage to jam it in some cargo pants your going to end up messing of the sticks eventually.  I predict it comes with some sort of special case to carry it around.

Doesn't Japan have a lot of developers who work with relatively low budgets?  They won't be able to make games for this thing.  Sure they can technically make games with less specs but we know it doesn't work like that.  If someone buys a ridiculously expensive handheld they will expect the things that cost them so much to actually be used otherwise there is no reason to buy the more expensive system

[lolmonade]

I don't know if they want to take a loss. based on what we know, the NGP looks like it will cost Sony way more than $350 to manufacture it. Sony is making a major mistake by trying to stick as much tech as possible into the system. Most people will not use all of the features and Sony will either have to charge and obscene amount of money for it, or price it so low that they will lose even more money than they did with the PS3. Hell, they will probably do both (charge more than most people would be willing to pay for a handheld and still take a large loss on each unit)

I do think they will sell it at a loss.  They sold the Playstation 3 at a $200 loss and the Playstation 2 at a $150 loss at launch, so the precedent is there.  The PSP launch price was $250, but unfortunately I can't find a source for the manufacturing cost when it launched.  I know the only reason the PSP Go was priced at $250 was so retailers would get a decent enough profit from selling them to bother stocking them.  I'm pretty sure there's going to be tiered pricing based on 3G & non-3G models, which makes me think $350 for the non-3G model and $400 for 3G with a $150-200 loss on the item for Sony. 

Sony fouled up on the PS3 launch, but their pricing strategy has always been different than Nintendo.  Nintendo always designs and prices their systems so they can sell on a profit for each one.  Sony always pushes to have the top-of-the-line console which would cost way too much if sold at a profit, so they sell them at a loss in an attempt to be reasonably priced and considered a good value for the price (value being subjective, obviously).  Sony intends to make up for the cash lost on the systems by making money on 1st party titles I believe, as well as reducing the manufacturing process later in the system life-cycle.

[fiendcode]

I'd guess a (loss taking) $299 base model, supported by the (profit bearing) $399 3G model.  Get ready for AT&T subscriptions, Android shovelware and a deluge of PS360 portz.

[SixthAngel]

I think a 3G contract is easier to sell when you buy a phone that already needs a contract of some kind if you want to actually use it as a phone.
Here it is totally optional and probably can't be used for actually playing games. (my experience with 3G is that its not that fast)

[BranDonk Kong]

So, I just watched the Uncharted demo...it was pretty fucking awesome.

[BlackNMild2k1]

I don't know if they want to take a loss.

I do think they will sell it at a loss. 

I've already mentioned this somewhere in this thread but....

NGP pricing is also yet to be revealed, but Eurogamer was told this morning that Sony will "make a loss"

source

also another quote from Jack Tretton during his interview w/ Eurogamer

Well, the goal is that people will appreciate the quality and the technology, and it's aspirational. First you create the market where people want it, and then you try to achieve a price that's within reach... So I think we certainly got people's attention with the technology. They can see the quality, they can see the value there. It's a question of whether we can bring it in at a price that compels them to want and go out and buy it. That's the goal.

I'm sure Sony will be taking a loss.

[Tanookisuit]

I'm only interested in that back touch panel.  That seems cool.

[GoldenPhoenix]

I'm only interested in that back touch panel.  That seems cool.

I still feel it will be more of a gimmick in the long run that won't be used terribly much, it may turn out being like Nintendo's blowaphone on the DS.

[oohhboy]

Don't get me started on that damn mic. The hardest part about Spirit Tracks were the bloody musical numbers.

[BlackNMild2k1]

Am I the only one that would love to play Uncharted on a plane?

I've never played uncharted, but damn does it look nice
<--- click for full size version

[GoldenPhoenix]

Am I the only one that would love to play Uncharted on a plane?

I've never played uncharted, but damn does it look nice
<--- click for full size version

::turns on TV and PS3:: I think I'll stick with this. I've heard that the animations are really rough in the PSP version, I wonder how much Naughty Dog even has to do with it.

[Adrock]

Apparently, development duties for Uncharted NGP are being handled by Sony Bend Studios, responsible for the Syphon Filter Series, Resistance PSP... and Bubsy 3D. I would have been more excited if Ready at Dawn was in charge of it. I'd assume Naughty Dog is involved to some degree, similar to how Sony Santa Monica contributed to Chains of Olympus and Ghost of Sparta.

[TJ Spyke]

Since it is always funny to laugh at Pachter's "predictions", here are his NGP predictions (http://www.industrygamers.com/news/sonys-ngp-estimated-at-249-will-sell-incredibly-well-says-pachter/):

*It will cost $250
*It will sell at least 15 million in its first year

I don't think either has a single chance of happening. The system would be losing a ton of money for them (even $400 might be costing them money), and I don't see it being popular enough to reach 15 million so soon.

[ShyGuy]

The rear touchpad could be good if used like a mouse for cursors and aiming.

[BlackNMild2k1]

If a PSPgo currently cost about $200 then there is no way that a NGP is gonna cost $250. That's just ridiculous.

$349 is my guess at minimum price, but if I were to place a bet, I'd do it on the system costing $400 or more.

Can a mod add a poll to this thread?

How much do you think the NGP (PSP2) will cost?
Guess within $25 of prices listed below

1. $250
2. $300
3. $350
4. $400
5. $450
6. $499.99
7. Five Hundred Ninety Nine US Dollars!!

[GoldenPhoenix]

I say 349.99 for the base model, 399.99 for the 3G model. Even at those prices my guess is that they'll still take a pretty big loss on each unit sold.

[BranDonk Kong]

You people with your crazy price predictions are way off. Sure, it's one powerful little machine, and it probably will cost as pretty penny to manufacture, but I doubt it's anywhere near as high as people think. Here is my guess: 3G version $299, WiFi version $249. Putting a 3G radio in the device doesn't suddenly make it cost twice as much to manufacture. I bet it's nearly as powerful as the PS3 (it's already said to be 4 cores, as opposed to PS3's , it doesn't have a Blu Ray drive, and the LCD probably only costs them like $15-30 a piece (iPhone digitzers sell for $9, LCDs for around $30, and that's after being sold to wholesale and then to retail). Touchpads are cheap. Cameras are cheap. They're making money off of the PS3 hardware (with a 160GB HDD included) at $299.99, I doubt this thing will cost them THAT much more to make than the PS3.

[BlackNMild2k1]

http://www.andriasang.com/e/blog/2011/01/29/hirai_ngp_details/
Nothing all that new, but it's all straight from the horses mouth.

No video out. Wi-Fi only versions under consideration. System uses original OS. Proprietary Game Cards similar to those in the 3DS*.

*This is basically a ROM, but it has rewritable space which can be used for save data and download data.

Still no mention of onboard Flash Memory.

[Shaymin]

$349.99 for wi-fi only
$449.99 for the 3G-enabled model.
You'll never find the wi-fi only model.

[Adrock]

I predict $299.99 for the WiFi only model. Smartphones with dual core processors have just started rolling out recently. Sony will take a loss to stay competitive, but I don't think it'll be a heavy loss.

I'm seeing a lot of hardcore gamer types coming out of the woodwork to shoot their loads over NGP. Bitch, please. Most of these guys aren't going to play let alone buy NGP to play Call of Duty when it's on PS3. NGP appeals primarily to the small subset of hardcore gamers who are willing to buy extra hardware for certain exclusives. If that wasn't true, PSP would have raped and murdered DS.

Since it is always funny to laugh at Pachter's "predictions"

I believe less than 2 months ago he said PSP2 was "dead on arrival." Would someone please pay me a 6 figure income to just make **** up all the time?

[ShyGuy]

$699 megaton bundle with 3G, 64gb memory stick, bundled game, carrying case, and 90 day subscription to Netflix.

[Guitar Smasher]

Since it is always funny to laugh at Pachter's "predictions", here are his NGP predictions (http://www.industrygamers.com/news/sonys-ngp-estimated-at-249-will-sell-incredibly-well-says-pachter/):

*It will cost $250
*It will sell at least 15 million in its first year

I don't think either has a single chance of happening. The system would be losing a ton of money for them (even $400 might be costing them money), and I don't see it being popular enough to reach 15 million so soon.

I think he meant to say that it would have to cost $250 in order to sell 15 million, but confused himself with his whole made up scenario.

But seriously, making up a price is not analysis.

[BlackNMild2k1]

Then you're gonna love what EEDAR has to say about the PS3

Sony's Next Generation Portable games consoles could arrive on the market with a price tag of between $299 and $349, according to one analyst present at the PlayStation Meeting today in Tokyo.

And Jesse Divnich of EEDAR told GamesIndustry.biz that he believes the NPG "will blow away Western audiences."

"The market is ripe for portable high-end gaming. The NGP will be a serious threat to all forms of portable entertainment," he said.

"After seeing the specs today, if the NGP can't succeed, it is clear that the portable gaming landscape has forever changed. The future of portable entertainment is in the hands of Sony."

Sony has unearthed the Holy Grail or some such other nonsense.... We should feel blessed to bask in it's(NGP's) heavenly glow.

Now go forth my sheep into the world and spread the world that our digital savior has come and that all who deem themselves worthy to be in the presence of such benevolence should draw heavy coin from ones purse in praise of blah blah blah or something like that.

[TJ Spyke]

Hahaha, that analyst sounds like a Sony fanboy. Sony stopped being in charged of anything years ago, and portable entertainment was never in their hands. People like him said the same thing about the PSP and that failed to beat the DS, I doubt the NGP will beat the 3DS.