Sony boss says it would be foolish to ignore the impact of of smart phones
Sony still uncertain as to whether the WiFi or 3G versions will prove more popular with users
PlayStation Vita games will sell at varying price points, according to GamesIndustryBiz.
Sony Computer Entertainment Europe chief executive Jim Ryan told the website, “It would be safe to assume we will take a more tailored approach than perhaps we’ve done in the past.”
Regarding the exceedingly low price point of most games on smart phones, Ryan added that it would be “foolish and naïve to ignore what’s happening.”
However, Ryan also defended console-like games on a handheld device, along with console-like prices. He said, “If we do that and we provide great value to the consumer on games like Uncharted, I think the possibility to sustain historic console-type price points is there.”
Ryan furthered this point and added that the PS Vita “has been designed as a gaming device, and a perfectly logical consequence of that is that the gaming experiences you can have on Vita are superior to what is possible on a device that has other functionality at its heart.”
Ryan also discussed the relative success of the WiFi-only and 3G models of the PS Vita. He said it is something “we agonise over endlessly internally,” although he believes the WiFi model would perform slightly better. Ryan expressed that because of this uncertainty, he aims “to be very nimble internally and if consumer preference skews one way or another we will adjust very rapidly to meet what the true underlying consumer demand is.”
PS Vita is set to launch in Japan on December 17 and the rest of the world on February 22. The WiFi-only model will cost $249.99 in North America, while the WiFi and 3G model will cost $299.99.