Editorial: 3DS vs. PS Vita - Will History Repeat Itself?

Sony might actually have the upper hand in the battle for your pocket gaming.

All eyes seem to be on Nintendo these days – and after an E3 press conference that baffled as much as it impressed, it's easy to understand why. It seems, in fact, like Nintendo is playing out its cards in much the same way it did back in 2005. Rather than focusing on Wii U, however, the more interesting topic right now is that of the upcoming 3DS versus PS Vita battle. On first glance, it could appear to be DS-versus-PSP all over again, but we're here to tell you that's a long way from being the case.

Sony has, traditionally, gone for that 'aspirational' gaming dollar; courting gamers with hardware that has been tremendously powerful—with a price that packs about as much wallop. While the PS3 and PSP are both successful, long-time market warhorses, they still took a beating from Nintendo's Wii and DS systems.

The key differences? While Sony was imbuing its products with glitzy 'status symbol' elements, making them luxury items, Nintendo focused on new gaming experiences and undercut them at the registers with an everyman price-tag. Nintendo, incidentally, cleaned up.

I just really wanted an excuse to dig this out.

It would seem the tables have turned, however, and Sony is betting the bank on selling PlayStation Vita (or PS Vita, as it's now known) - its PSP successor - near cost. That's a dangerous – and cheeky – move. It's a Sony move; the kind of play that a company makes when it knows the market is ready for an upset and its brand is ready for the same. 

Unlike Nintendo, which has stated in the past that it will never again create hardware and sell it at a loss, Sony is aiming to sell so many units that it more than absorbs that cost – and makes a killing in the process too. 

Sony and Nintendo are now in the same price bracket for handheld hardware, and the capabilities tend to favour Sony. Vita's just a powerful system. It doesn't have the 3D flashiness of the 3DS – and nobody can discount the continued appeal of Nintendo's core franchises. However, for the first time in a long while, Sony is actually leading the charge with hardware that gives developers more tools to play with. 

Sony didn't just squeeze through the crack - it blew the door off its hinges.

Nintendo has, traditionally, been a hardware disruptor. The approach with the DS (as with Wii and Wii U) has been to provide gamers with a new input experience – and developers with the tools to craft forward-thinking games and apps that differentiate its products from the competition. 3DS does not go far beyond the boundaries established by the DS – and in fact, it could be argued that the 3D display actually makes the unit less holistic in design than its predecessor: the 3D display, after all, makes it harder to smoothly implement touch and motion controls – and it gobbles up battery life. Regardless, in taking a smaller step forward, Nintendo left the door open to Sony. 

Sony didn't just squeeze through the crack – it blew the door off its hinges. 

Sony has, in effect, trumped the DS' touch capabilities, matched the 3DS' augmented reality functionality, introduced a world of possibility for interoperability between PS3 and Vita, andsurpassed its communication potential with 3G network compatibility (in the premium model). This is a device that truly offers flexibility to developers and gamers. 3DS' StreetPass and SpotPass are great features, but limited in range. (And, incidentally, Vita has 'Near', which operates on a similar premise.) Without a Wi-Fi network, the 3DS' online infrastructure is significantly hampered. Without processing power in line with PS Vita, developers are once again tasked with creating software that cannot be ported easily and must be developed from scratch. 

Sony has given developers more to play with, basically—and written off handheld 3D effects in the same stroke. That's bold and competitively wise. 

These are moves that hold the potential to turn the tables on the DS brand in a big way. 

Of course, many of you are probably thinking 'well gee, Patch—but the PSP was far more powerful than the DS was—and it still got pummelled for a long time.' True, but the PSP was a traditional console experience in your pocket, whereas the DS was disruptive and new. This battle is fundamentally different. Vita is the more disruptive, interesting device. Plus, as mentioned above, the price was a huge factor. The market dictates value; that's a major thing to remember. 

In this visual metaphor, Sony is a police officer. The PS Vita is a battering ram. Nintendo is peering through the window.

With PS Vita coming in at a similar price to 3DS regionally, Sony is aggressively targeting the comparison shopper. And if you stick these two systems side-by-side, spec sheet and all, it's clear which device is going to look superior on paper. 

Then there's the lingering question of games. The 3DS' on-shelf range has barely grown since release. Good thing Nintendo kick-started its Virtual Console service on the platform before things got really dire. Still, there was a decided lack of fresh 3DS content on display at Nintendo's press event –and while sequels to major franchises are probably still easy bank, the calendar year ahead is painfully quiet. 

Sony, meanwhile, again underlined its aggressive strategy, showing off Uncharted: The Golden Abyss to appease the hardcore market and a number of terrific, sophisticated games from its stable of franchises – available at or near launch. The message was clear: we have the hardware and the games – not just the promise of content to come. 

It's not all doom and gloom for Nintendo, of course. Brand loyalty goes a long way. 3DS is family-friendly, appealing and approachable. It has a mass-market design to it that the whole DS range has maintained. Arguably, PS Vita looks more mature – but that brings with it certain barriers and factors of intimidation and complexity. 

Nintendo is a thought leader in family entertainment. Sony leads in the luxury market. If Sony can crack through that shell with PS Vita's price tag, power and raw potential – and developers continue to support it too, Nintendo may have a serious – even critical – fight on its hands.


Post by Patrick Kolan
IGN AU