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PSP Vita A "Car Wreck" Reckons Devs

by Matthew Kato on Aug 15, 2011 at 04:52 AM

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A pair of developers over at Heavy Iron Studios (UFC Personal Trainer) think that Sony's Vita handheld is doomed in the face of multi-function devices like smart phones.

Speaking to GamesIndustry.biz, two Heavy Iron developers – Lyle Hall and Matthew Seymour – give their opinion on the Vita. "If people aren't willing to pay $249 for a Nintendo 3DS why would they pay $299 for Vita?" asked Hall. "People don't want to carry more than one thing in their pocket, that’s why Android and iPhone have done so well, they are the devices of choice, they offer multiple functions outside of gaming."

"With all due respects to Sony and Vita, it's a car wreck," added Hall. "And how about Xperia Play? I'd love to pull up the numbers on that. The technology is sweet, I'm a huge fan of mobile technology, but I just don't know there's a market out there anymore for the hardware. I can’t see why you would want to put a device out that only does games."

The pair bring up good points. The platform's $249/$299 (Wi-Fi and Wi-Fi/3G models, respectively) prices can be a concern in a world of smart phones. Then again, the Vita's screen, graphics capabilities, and control layout offer gaming experiences that phones can't yet match.

The PlayStation Vita is set to come out early next year in America.

For more on Hall and Seymour's comments, check out the full story over at GamesIndustry.biz.