Vita Sales in Japan hit New Low Prior to Worldwide Release

According to sales numbers on Japanese site 4gamer.net, the PlayStation Vita console had its lowest-selling week of its nine-week life cycle so far, moving only 13,939 units in the week ending February 12. The PSP, the system’s predecessor, is once again outselling the Vita after moving 15,860. The Vita had finally sold more than the PSP for two week straight, but it seems that trend is over for now.

As if you didn’t know, the Vita will be making its full retail launch a week from today, while early adopters are getting their hands on First Edition Bundles today. It’ll be interesting to see what the system’s numbers in the US and Europe will be. Over on the NeoGAF forums, users there theorize that one of the big reasons for the Vita’s lackluster performance in Japan thus far is the overwhelming popularity of the PSP handheld in that country. It’s not too much of a stretch to say that the PSP was not too big a hit here in the States (at least not by Nintendo DS, or even PlayStation 3 standards), so it’s conceivable that gamers will take a shine to the Vita in ways they didn’t for the PSP. And without the PSP cannibalizing Sony’s handheld market here, things might work out.

We’ve posted our own review of the Vita, which, if you haven’t yet read, will tell you everything you should know about it. Don’t read any of those other websites, is what I’m saying.

Many, including myself, have been looking at the Japanese sales numbers as a “canary in the coal mine” type of thing. From my perspective, tepid sales in Japan, where they’re Sony-and-gadget-crazy, telegraphs a similarly weak performance here. But at this point, I’m willing to believe that Sony’s overpowered (and shiny) new gadget will capture the hearts and minds of Americans and Europeans…but then again, seeing is believing. And we’ll see, we will.

I think I’m gonna go get a waffle now.

Via 4gamer.net