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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 ...
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Remote Play may kill core Vita development

Here's a little bit of history with my tech-writer hat on:

  • In the 80s/90s, IBM launched versions of OS/2 with DOS (and then Windows) support. No one much bothered to develop OS/2 apps unless IBM paid them, as they could use the Windows apps. OS/2 died horribly.
  • More recently, BlackBerry launched BB10 OS with limited Android app support. Not that many people developed bespoke BlackBerry apps. BlackBerry app development collapsed, as is the company. 
  • This month, Sony launched the PlayStation 4 with Remote Play for the Vita. The Vita now plays PS4 games. 

So, who would develop a PS Vita game that will sell maybe 100,000 copies (likely less) when it could develop a more powerful PS4 game on a booming high-profile platform, that could sell a million?

The answer is Sony, with a bonus point for third-party developers that Sony pays (see Assassin's Creed). And looking (outside Japan) there are few games coming from third parties outside Traveller's Tales titles.

Indies are a different case with smaller profit needs, access to a tight platform that's easy enough to port/code for, and a keen captive market looking for quick-and-fun entertainment.

So, while there's some hope that increased Vita sales on the back of Remote Play and PS4/Vita bundles will see more games from third-parties come out, don't hold your breath.

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