Personally, I suspect we can discount the Vita getting much love from Sony at E3. Instead it continues to take a punt on VR, which could end up being just as niche, all the while rolling in the cash from PS4 sales - which is fine!
If we're lucky then perhaps a simmering, yet alone sizzling, reel for the likes of recent hits Severed, Downwell, and upcoming good stuff like Steins Gate Zero, Dragon Quest Builders and Trails of Cold Steel II.
More likely though, Sony will leave that to the third parties, so as not to divert attention from tits wearing VR helmets and doing crappy live demos. Therefore, the press will continue on the Vita is dead vibe, despite much evidence to the contrary.
Sony continues not to help itself, which was understandable when the company was hemorrhaging money. But, now it is back in profit, a few small, low-cost, decisions could go a long way to helping.
1) Look at how the Vita is sold
Check out Amazon, where the Vita is advertised as the "New slim 2014 model" - who would buy that? Sony needs a new model, with the slightest of changes, perhaps a better WiFi chip, so the advertising can say "new 2016 model."
How hard is that? I'd still like the company to be brave and go with a
HD PlayStation 4 Portable Remote Play upgrade and rebrand, but hey, I'll take a Vita that at least sounds current.
In a similar vein, update the sales figures, when Wikipedia is reduced to quoting 2013's 4 million sold number, it doesn't help the Vita at all. It doesn't matter what the figure is, the world accepts Vita as niche, and its just a number!
2) Accept the Niche
Vita is niche, we all know that, but Sony should accept it and thrive within those confines! Do more limited editions, get that Dragon Quest Builders Silver Slime model or the Ys VIII edition, how about some God Eater over here. All Sony has to do is change some cardboard wrapping and the power plug. Niche + cachet & desirability = bigger niche!
3) Games are the Vita
We get that stores don't want to stock Vita games. But that doesn't mean you shouldn't make them. Partner with
Limited Run to get more games in boxes and sold online. Get some energy into
Gio's #buildingthelist and show us some fresh results. We know there's work going on in the background, but now is the time for some foreplay!
There you go, Sony doesn't have to spend money developing new games, although it would be cool if it did. Sony doesn't have to do much in the way of new marketing, although it would be cool if it did! And if you think Sony doesn't like niche, then why does it
still sell record players? The defence rests!
