The PlayStation Vita release date had been delayed beyond Christmas 2011 and into 2012 in the United States and Europe, confirmed handheld manufacturer Sony.
This is a big deal, as it means Sony will miss the ever-important and mighty holiday season in the United States, which is the most important shopping time of the year in the US and other Western countries, where most parents buy gifts for their children and older folks feel safe in splurging a high amount of dough on expensive gadgets; The Vita being a prime target.
The Vita delay to 2012 is despite the fact that Sony had earlier in the year promised a “phased global rollout” starting later this year. Sony didn’t give a reason for the delay though, only saying that Sony needs to be ready with top-quality software offerings timed with the hardware launch of the platform. Maybe they’ve taken a cue from the launch of the Nintendo 3DS, which had a drought in top-quality software following Nintendo’s launch of the new platform, something that has hurt sales of the glasses-free stereoscopic 3D portable.
However the PS Vita will still go on sale in Japan at the end of this current year. Although an exact date wasn’t given, which could mean the device may not even hit by Christmas in the Land of the Rising Sun. Seems that everything is still tentative regarding the Vita for Sony.
In addition, Sony CEO Kaz Hirai also reiterated that they have no plans to cut the price of the PlayStation Vita despite the 2011 3DS Price Drop that saw Nintendo lower the price of their new system to $170 from a launch high of $250 following flagging sales. Sony will charge $250 for their Wi-Fi model of the Vita or $300 for the At&T powered 3G version.
“We packed so much into the device and made it very affordable,” Hirai told reporters at Sony’s Tokyo headquarters. “There is no need to lower the price just because somebody else that happens to be in the video game business decided that they were going to lower their price.”
Do you think its smart for Sony to delay the launch of the PlayStation Vita portable?
Here is a look at the PlayStation Vita, successor to the PSP.
Via MSN Money