Sony has dropped the price of the 3G version of its PS Vita handheld console in most of its US stores, prompting rumours that the Japanese electronics manufacturer could be preparing to discontinue the model.
The price of the 3G and Wi-Fi PS Vita bundle, which includes an 8GB memory card and a voucher for a free game downloaded from the PlayStation Network, can now be bought for $199.97 (£134.51) instead of the $299.99 (£201.78) RRP.
According to Joystiq, who rang each of the US Sony stores, several of which revealed that the price drop was a permanent reduction due to the impending discontinuation of the 3G PS Vita. The clerks also admitted that there was currently no discontinuation date known, so Sony could stop sales of the 3G version at any time.
The recent PS4 launch revealed that the next-gen Sony console should make more use of the Remote Play features of the PS Vita, with the console focusing much more on digital titles rather than traditional disc-based formats.
With a Sony PS4 release date currently lying somewhere within the “holiday 2013” period, the PS Vita could use a little pick me up before the next-gen console could potentially aid a sales boost. Since the handheld console’s release in February last year, the PS Vita has struggled to reach sales targets due to its costly price tag.
Sony recently cut the cost of the PS Vita console in Japan, which saw sales of the handheld console skyrocket, selling 62,543 units from 11,456 the previous week, equating to six times the pre-price cut numbers said Gematsu.
If the US store cuts are anything to go by, potential UK PS Vita owners could see some official price cuts or new bundles hit the market soon.
Do you think the PS Vita was overpriced? Are the days of handheld consoles long dead? Give us your thoughts in the comments section below or use the TrustedReviews Facebook and Twitter feeds.
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Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
