Could the PlayStation Vita be Sony’s next, almost unexpected success story in the gaming industry? According to sales data announced by the Japanese company, the new handheld machine has been a huge success after last week's launch in North America, Europe, Latin America and PAL markets.
While it was steadily losing the domestic market after a mildly successful launch in December, the PS Vita is now debuting overseas with a bang: Sony announced that its new console sold more than 1.2 million units worldwide as of February 26. The handheld's software sales went beyond expectations, Sony added, reaching 2 million units overall including both the retail and PSN digital delivery markets.
To the so-called “experts” already mourning the death of “hardcore” gaming because of the cheap “mobile apps” boom, Sony politely replied that “the market has responded and there is clear demand for a mobile device capable of providing a revolutionary combination of rich gaming and social connectivity within a real-world context”.
Data from Media Create suggest that PS Vita lifetime sales reached almost 600,000 units in Japan as of February 19, so the Sony statements suggest another 600,000 consoles sold worldwide during the last week.
In a company press release, Sony Computer Entertainment president Andrew House said: “To sustain momentum, we’re working closely with third party developers and publishers to ensure the best games and franchises possible will be available on PS Vita, and our software line up for the remainder of 2012 will have something for everyone across the globe”.
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