Featured Post

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 ...

While #PSX2016 delivered, it failed to answer the big question

Is the Vita dead or alive? Does Sony still sell it, or not? 

In the real world, people do actually want to buy a PlayStation Vita, but they can't as stores don't have them. They look online only to find second-hand units, which many won't buy as a Christmas present, or for fear of screen damage, dead pixels or sticks and so on. 

These people may not be Sony die-hards, just casual consumers, or late-to-the-party guests. Not everyone wants a PS4, or PSVR, but for them, a Vita would do nicely. For those of us on #VitaIsland, the 'is Vita dead or alive?' joke wore thin long ago.

Sony need to make some type of statement, any statement. It can say "yes, no more Vita units for America" (Europe and Japan seem to be going on fine). Or offer some - any type - of support. 
Which is why it seems rather disingenuous of Sony to wave a Vita around at PSX2016, when announcing a handful of new third-party games. What's the point if people can't buy one? Is part of some mad challenge for buyers, to go digging on eBay or Amazon's third-party sellers? That's bad press waiting to happen. 

The show might have been for Sony fans, but the news spreads, and now Ys fans or WindJammer champions from decades ago might feel the need for a Vita! Is it really too much for Sony to make that statement, to say look: "cool, handheld with a library of over a 1,000 low-cost games, across four generations of PlayStation with Remote Play. In Stores Now" How cheap can one multinational be? 

How hard would it have been on the 22nd anniversary of PlayStation to drop just the one original gray limited edition? Or, a bundle with the recent LEGO or Square titles. That would have got both fans and newcomers excited. If Sony really can't be seen to "kill" the Vita as third-party support would dry up then, at least show some retail support. 

So, yeah, sort things out Sony! Give the Vita a decent formal ending in 2017 and let nature take its course, thriving for years as an indie machine, but don't leave the retailers and customers hanging! 

Comments

Currently playing on my Vita/PS3/PS4/PS5


Please note, As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.