PS VITA: TRADE LAUNCH GUIDE IT WON’T GO THE WAY OF PSP
THE PSP, while it performed admirably, didn’t set the UK alight in the same way that it did Japan. But Sony says it has learned valuable lessons from its first handheld, enabling it to ensure Vita far outstrips its predecessor. “Learning from the past, from our mistakes, from competitors, is alive and well,” asserts SCE UK VP Fergal Gara. “The best example now is Vita’s software line-up. To start so strong with Vita, it gives us confidence.”
SCEE’s Jim Ryan adds: “It’s important to have a wide range of diverse, high quality software at launch, which I don’t think we did
THE HYPE IS BUILDING
IT WAS a little over a year ago that Vita was first shown to the world. Now consumers are eager to get their hands on it.
Gamers have already been able to try the new handheld at Gamescom, Eurogamer Expo and the ongoing Vita Rooms tour, and response has buoyed Sony’s dreams for the device.
SCE UK’s Fergal Gara says: “The reaction of the people who get Vita into their hands, the press reviews that are gathering momentum – these are indisputably positive. “That’s what we’re after, that is how the device is designed: to be an amazing gaming experience. And that is the view that is taking shape out there.”
when we
launched PSP. That is definitely not the case with Vita.
“With hindsight we tried to go too broad with PSP, and had ambitions to be a multimedia device. Vita is being positioned much more clear-mindedly as primarily – although not exclusively because it does all that multimedia stuff – as the ultimate portable gaming device.”
Pictured left to right: Epic’s Mark Rein, Gameloft’s Callum Rowley, Capcom’s Ryota Niitsuma and EA Sports’ Matt Prior are inspired by Vita’s range of features
DEVELOPERS CAN’T WAIT TO EXPERIMENT WITH IT
STUDIOS eagerly working on their first titles for Vita are elated by the new handheld’s potential. “Vita is really powerful, more powerful than any mobile gaming platforms out there at the moment,” says Epic Games boss Mark Rein. Ryota Niitsuma, producer of Ultimate Marvel Vs Capcom 3, agrees: “Vita’s capabilities are immense. Developers are now capable of achieving the unachievable on a handheld.” Matt Southern, game director at MotorStormdev Evolution, reports that Vita is surprisingly easy to get started with.
He says: “The most satisfying thing we can do is experiment. Vita is very quick to develop for, which is a byproduct of first-party studios helping to steer hardware
development.” Brandon
Laurino, executive producer at Dust 514studio CCP adds: “It just feels great to play on. The processing power, social
THE INDUSTRY IS READY FOR NEW HARDWARE
NOTHING gives the High Street a shot in the arm like a new gaming platform. And given the ongoing decline in sales, that’s certainly something we need. Last month, GAME CEO Ian Shepherd told MCV: “The hardware market was much more negative [over Christmas] than the software market. That tells you the industry and the consumer is ready for more innovation. That will excite the consumer in coming back to the games market again.”
10 February 3rd 2012
Codemasters’ Rod Cousens added: “Hardware launches can be market changers. Sony is launching Vita at an interesting time, when the industry needs an uplift. As standard definition systems fall away, Vita can fill that void if successful.”
Developers are now capable of achieving the unachievable on a handheld.
“ Ryota Niitsuma, Capcom
features, and the ease of downloading new games is fantastic, but ultimately I love that Vita is built to play video games.” The vast range of control options – touch screen, motion sensing and, of course, buttons and sticks – has captured developers’ imaginations. “Vita allows for functionality unavailable on other consoles and for a level of fidelity and control that buttons just can’t give you,” says FIFAFootballproducer Matt Prior. “We have seen many times in the industry launch titles often fall foul of just shoehorning in new functionality for the sake of it, rather than really improving the game. For FIFA, we wanted to ensure we didn’t follow the cliché.”
The inclusion of dual analogue sticks has been a particular crowd pleaser. Rein says: “Vita has a really great control scheme with proper dual sticks, which is probably its most important feature in terms of differentiating it from the kind of games you’d play on other handhelds – or the iPhone and iPad. “It means you have a PlayStation- style control scheme – Vita feels like a PS3 controller in your hand. And it has a fantastic screen – nice and large, super high quality.” Rein is not the only one that has been won over by the OLED screen. TT Games executive producer Nick Ricks adds: “The OLED screen is marvellous, and brings out the vibrancy and colour of the LEGO elements our games are crammed with. This
creates a visually sumptuous experience and corresponding increased
immersion in the game world.” Studios are
also keen to
experiment with Vita’s online modes or cross-platform play. “We’re interested in seeing how Vita will adapt to new business models that have appeared on smartphones and tablets,” says Gameloft’s Callum Rowley. And all agree that, as promising as the launch titles are, studios have barely scratched the surface of what Sony’s handheld can do. “Vita just keeps on giving,” says WipEoutdirector Graeme Ankers. “Our coders seem to find ways to squeeze more and more out of PlayStation devices throughout their lifecycle, continuing to deliver amazing experiences. I can’t wait to see what else we can get out of this astonishing piece of kit.”
www.mcvuk.com
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