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Vectrex Mini interview - David Oghia talks up the nostalgic vector powerhouse

Having been wowed by the news of the Vectrex Mini at Gamescom , I rushed off some questions to VectrexOn's main man  David Oghia . After a post-event, well earned, break, he's kindly given us a lot of detail about the project and some new images of the unit to share.  His story mirrors mine somewhat, Vectrex represents a glowing, unaffordable, obelisk of gaming power from our youth! But he's had the energy and drive to do something about it, and met the right people to get the job done!  What first got you interested in Vectrex and what spawned the idea of a Mini version? I’ve always been passionate about retro-gaming, but my first love was computers rather than consoles — the ZX81, then the Commodore 128. I only really discovered the console world in the late 90s, which is when I got my very first Vectrex. Of course, I had seen it in stores back in 1983, but at that time it was far too expensive for me.  Today, I own five Vectrex systems at home. Vector-based games ...

So, is Gaikai the end for the PS Vita and a way out for Sony?

Lots of tech and big-name sites are doing "yippees" at the prospect of a load of big-name PS games appearing on other formats through Sony's acquired Gaikai service. With the company hiring for Android and iPhone developers, that's pretty much a guarantee that the service will soon be on all mobiles and tablets.

While it opens up huge subscription revenue opportunities for Sony, it means that if Vita doesn't show signs of life in the next year, it can be quietly retired and all dedicated handheld gaming will be in Nintendo's court. All Sony has to do is claim lack of support (which is true) and Vita will quietly retreat to the back of the company's gaming drawer.

The likes of LBP, Uncharted, Killzone and others are splashed across the Gaikai site, suggesting Sony would go full bore with the service, and why not with hundreds of millions of Android and iPhone users out there? Going where the money is makes pure sense.

Hopefully, the Vita will perk up over Christmas and into 2013, but the release list isn't exactly looking healthy despite Yoshida's promise of more unannounced games to come. Ironically, today, Sony is celebrating 5 million PS3 sales in the UK. With the best will in the world, the Vita will probably struggle to reach one million and has only just crept over that mark in Japan.

With gamers holding out for one game to boost the Vita. If Capcom won't play ball, then why would Sony bother to drag out its lifespan beyond next Christmas? Sony will deny any end-of-life until the Vita's dying day, but the gloom is very much in the air.

Comments

  1. If they quit on the Vita, I am going to be strictly a PS3, PSP, Wii and Nintendo 3DS user. I hate phone and tablet gaming with a passion!!

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