Sony's asking Vita users to "promote" the Vita

http://img801.imageshack.us/img801/844/vita.png

Redirects to this site: http://www.urefer.com/sonyvita/

So, I guess we can assume the Vita's dead? At the moment, I'm convinced this was only sent to people who have a registered Vita since some of my friends didn't receive this (non Vita owners), but of course I don't have any evidence of this, and some of you may have gotten it without owning a Vita. Regardless, it looks like Sony's getting desperate to get this thing sold; otherwise, I can't think of a reason why'd they just go and have "contests" like this.

Non Vita Owner and didn't get it.

But yeah, seems a bit sad... :/

I tried because I support Sony, but it wont recognize my psn no matter what I do. So Im stuck.

This is classic marketing, and unfortunately that comes with nothing but bad vibes. In the hyper-informed, hyper-critical 2010s it reads as "failing brand". Ten years ago it would have been disregarded as just spam from some holdover agency after the dot com bubble burst. Ten years before that, it'd not be an Internet thing of course, but its widely hated equivalent, the scammy magazine insert or proof-of-purchase rebate.

Safe to say Sony is not directly promoting this -- it's not on Sony's official sites, blogs, etc. It's a seller following a directive handed down from above: move units, get creative, but do not discount the units and weaken the brand. A $20 PSN card as incentive works nicely -- the seller eats a piece of their commission at worst, the buyer is still forking over hard, full cash, and the nebulous and transferable value of a "plus item" gift card opens up all sorts of paperwork shenanigans that boost both urefer.com and Sony's numbers.

I think no matter how you dress up the Vita in promotions, there's a confluence of factors that will keep it down for a good while.

Sony don't get it. They need to cut the price. Did you know that the vita is the most desired console in japan? They wanted one but it's too expensive. http://www.destructoid.com/famitsu-p...e-242879.phtml

I really want to get one, but the price is too high for a system I'm just going to play games on. I bought a nice mid-range laptop for the same price as a WiFi Vita.

I agree, the vita is just too expensive, almost as much as a ps3 which comes with alot more memory, way more features, accessories and sometimes even a game or two.
on a side note, what are sony reward points? when did they start exsisiting? how else have they been earnt? can I only spend them on the psn store? if so why on earth would I need £10k worth of them?

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Originally Posted by Smudge228

I agree, the vita is just too expensive, almost as much as a ps3 which comes with alot more memory, way more features, accessories and sometimes even a game or two.
on a side note, what are sony reward points? when did they start exsisiting? how else have they been earnt? can I only spend them on the psn store? if so why on earth would I need £10k worth of them?

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http://www.sonyrewards.com/en/home/

Just curious, for the people that say the Vita costs too much, at what price would you buy it? Would the current price be acceptable if it came with a 32 gb memory card, etc.

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Originally Posted by fullofwin

Just curious, for the people that say the Vita costs too much, at what price would you buy it? Would the current price be acceptable if it came with a 32 gb memory card, etc.

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Well my friend will probably be selling me their PSvita later-on for fairly cheap. but if I was going to guess on what price I would be willing to buy it from a store. I'd say 150$ & for it to come with at least the most cheap GB card without it costing more then I said altogether. *mew

psv haz no gaems

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Originally Posted by VenemoX

psv haz no gaems

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Oh yea...Wipeout, lbp, uncharted, gravity rush, AC3L, PSASBR, MGS HD collection, ect... Man if only it has games. (sarcasm)

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Originally Posted by Sunbunny23

Oh yea...Wipeout, lbp, uncharted, gravity rush, AC3L, PSASBR, MGS HD collection, ect... Man if only it has games. (sarcasm)

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But you have to admit ... psv needz moar gaemz.

I think the problem is that although the Vita has a reasonable quantity of good games a large portion of those good games are ports which leaves only a small number of good exclusives to be the real system sellers and that small number will have a variable breakdown on an individual basis depending on peoples taste in games.

most games on vita I can already play better and in more comfort on my ps3, as is, the only two properly interesting games on the system which I can't play on ps3 anywho are the uncharted game and gravity rush. the uncharted one is s'posed to be worse even then drakes fortune so it won't sell the system and gravity rush alone isn't worth the £200 ish price tag. release some games I can't play ports or better versions of on ps3 and i'll be more willing to pay such a ridiculous asking price. as is there's just no reason for anyone with any sense to buy it over a ps3 as it's just a worse version. lower the price and get some true exclusives, simple and obvious way to actually sell the system.
the sony rewards points thing seems a bit odd really, it might be cool if you could earn a few for trophies in games (even if it's just for the platinums in approved games) it would be a good way to encourage people to buy some of the lesser known exclusives.

In Japan, you can't really get the Vita unless you get the Vita with 3G service, which increases the base cost but more importantly adds between 12,000 to 60,000 yen in service plan fees over the following year. While the Vita isn't a mobile/smartphone, people look at it through that lens when spending, and the problem becomes: "I already have (at least one) mobile/smartphone with a service plan. It does everything the Vita does for cheaper." When trying to overlook that and appreciate the games roster, which is negligible, there's the necessary costs of a memory card and game(s). And history has shown that Playstation tend to leap from format to format and leaves consumers holding the bag.

I obviously don't speak for everyone, but I think Japan "likes to want" the Vita, is happy to acknowledge its graphics, but as purchases show, that's not enough to own it. Aside from its specific games roster, it's redundant to the devices they already own, and its pricing and features remind them of this in such a way that they close their wallets.

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Originally Posted by Sunbunny23

Oh yea...Wipeout, lbp, uncharted, gravity rush, AC3L, PSASBR, MGS HD collection, ect... Man if only it has games. (sarcasm)

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I really thought people would get the sarcasm in my comment.. *cough* 2007 *cough* ps3 haez no gamez *cough*