You'd think that the success of the Nintendo 3DS over the last month would worry Sony. After all, it is the competition to their PlayStation Vita in a market some already consider too small for a dedicated handheld gaming device.
“One of the encouraging things about 3DS’ sales performance at Christmas is that it is confounding the naysayers who say that there is no room in the market for a dedicated handheld gaming device,” SCEE president and CEO Jim Ryan told MCV in an interview.
“And to that extent we were encouraged by how 3DS did over the last month.
After a slow start – very similar to the one the PS Vita is having – the Nintendo 3DS has picked up in sales. Closing out the year, Nintendo sold about 197,000 3DS units in Japan alone. And the hot streak didn't stop there. According to Media Create, over 240,000 Nintendo 3DS units were sold in the first week of 2012.
Many believe the success of the 3DS ultimately means the death of the PlayStation Vita. Or that smartphones are all people need for mobile gaming. Ryan doesn't think so.
“There are two distinct markets,” Ryan said. “The quality, the immersiveness, the richness of the experience that we believe we are going to offer on Vita, way exceeds anything that we believe to be available on any smartphone.”
Sony has made it clear that they are going to do everything possible to ensure the success of the PlayStation Vita.
