Sign on Options
Theme:
To Dark

PS Vita sold 325,000 in US - Analyst

Michael Pachter's monthly NPD predictions include domestic sales estimate for Sony's new handheld, continued declines for hardware and software sales totals.

The PlayStation Vita launch apparently wasn't big enough to breathe new life into the slumping game industry. Wedbush analyst Michael Pachter today released his expectations for the industry-tracking NPD Group's February sales figures (due on Thursday), and he projected another month of falling sales for software and hardware.

Sony may provide more details on first-month Vita sales in the US later this week.

Sony may provide more details on first-month Vita sales in the US later this week.

Pachter predicted that the PS Vita sold 325,000 systems between the February 15 debut of the First Edition bundle and the end of the NPD reporting period. That tops Pachter's 3DS prediction of 240,000 systems, helping to push handheld hardware sales for the month up an estimated 24 percent. However, Pachter believes overall hardware sales fell 15 percent year-over-year.

As for software sales, Pachter predicted overall sales down 8 percent, with the month's best sellers headlined by Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning with roughly 400,000 units sold. Other strong new releases included Zumba Fitness Rush, Twisted Metal, and UFC Undisputed 3, according to the analyst, while catalog sales were likely led by Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 and Just Dance 3.

77 Comments

  • abbasreza

    Posted Mar 8, 2012 6:10 am GMT

    Gonna get it in a couple months after i have the dosh...and my exams are over lol

  • XPenguinGuyX

    Posted Mar 7, 2012 2:48 pm GMT

    Would of liked to get it, but I'm sure there will be a price drop and a new version right around the corner.

  • graveyardfire

    Posted Mar 7, 2012 6:19 am GMT

    The numbers are not bad to me.But by the way I finally got my hands on it.On monday by the way.

  • u1tradt

    Posted Mar 7, 2012 6:07 am GMT

    @Albelnox0

    Because the 3DS is its direct competitor.

  • Spacerac

    Posted Mar 7, 2012 5:26 am GMT

    @hatieshorrer "Killzone for Vita isnt even developed by a Sony owned studio."
    ----------
    ...Da(bleep)? It's being developed by SCE Cambridge. AKA MediEvil for PS1, Primal for PS2, and LittleBigPlanet for PSP. Plus, you know, the whole "Sony Computer Entertainment" in the title. Lrn2google so you know what you're talking about.

  • Mike47912

    Posted Mar 7, 2012 2:43 am GMT

    look at the ppl crying about the price....im a poor a$$ mo#!# f@#@er and i payed 350$ for the limited edition bundle and im more than satisfied with it...grow the f#@! up people...this is pathetic..

  • dxdevilex0

    Posted Mar 6, 2012 11:29 pm GMT

    Who is this guy?

  • guitarist1980

    Posted Mar 6, 2012 5:51 pm GMT

    I actually bought the Vita for a cinematic experience. My smartphone can handle all the other stuff.

  • guitarist1980

    Posted Mar 6, 2012 5:47 pm GMT

    PsVita is really nice. It really delivers a good gaming experience and can almost give you a console like feel. I am happy with the purchase. I have a nice Smart phone with a 4.3" screen so I do not bring my Vita with me to work and such but its one of those luxury items that I am happy I have tucked away. But I agree with a lot of you if this system takes off it has to drop in price a bit. Most people will not spend big time money for a single use device.

  • djforlife84

    Posted Mar 6, 2012 5:41 pm GMT

    wait until COD comes out for it. I bet it will break records for a handheld.

  • Albelnox0

    Posted Mar 6, 2012 4:31 pm GMT

    Why is everyone complaining about the price, everyone was happy when they announced it at 250 for wifi, but now that nintendo all the sudden dropped there price, its all the sudden "Too expensive" oh the hypocrisy

  • hatieshorrer

    Posted Mar 6, 2012 3:27 pm GMT

    @System4Ever

    Thats a good question but all the portables the PSP PSPgo and even 3DS didnt sale well after release until a price drop. PSPgo still sold poorly after the price drop.

    I also think this is the gamers reaction to Sonys miss management over the last few years. The PSP was a good console but failed to get games worthy of its hardware for the first years and PSVita seems no different.

    For example Uncharted Golden Abyss doesnt seem like a finished game. Its short has tacked on touch screen controls and no multi-player and still cost almost as much as a new Uncharted game on PS3. Killzone for Vita isnt even developed by a Sony owned studio.

  • SuprSaiyanRockr

    Posted Mar 6, 2012 3:11 pm GMT

    @ deathblow3
    Well, it seems that I was misinformed.
    Don't I look the fool

  • bojan_sokol

    Posted Mar 6, 2012 2:51 pm GMT

    Dont like Pachter and dont care what he's saying

  • bluebird08

    Posted Mar 6, 2012 2:23 pm GMT

    i would like a PSvita but the price needs to drop

  • Talldude80

    Posted Mar 6, 2012 1:58 pm GMT

    I know of at least a couple people that want to get rid of their 3DS and get a Vita. So it will be interesting to see what gamestop sees. I bet they will see a flood of 3DS trade-ins towards the purchase of a Vita. edit: personally i would rather spend the money and get more PSP games and an Iphone. I dont want to spend that much money on a Vita and still have to buy the expensive games. Iphone games are SO cheap, and used psp games are quite cheap too.

  • theKSMM

    Posted Mar 6, 2012 1:10 pm GMT

    The cost of the PS Vita is nothing compared to the cost of the games. Seeing Uncharted: Golden Abyss make its debut at $50 for a handheld system was a tough pill to swallow for me. I can still remember the PlayStation 2 + XBOX + GameCube era where top-flight games might not have cost $50.

    Hopefully there will be a vibrant app-style market for PSV games. In fact, I wouldn't mind seeing some of the best gaming apps ported to the PSV. Imagine what App Store hits like Infinity Blade or NOVA would be like on the Vita...

  • Sigil-otaku

    Posted Mar 6, 2012 12:57 pm GMT

    @System4Ever Maybe because during the recession less people have jobs but even so the system is costly, has high mem card prices and then raised the price of handheld games too. It's just a little more expensive all around and that adds up. I mean the system is good but when the peripherals and games are then more expensive than competitors then they're giving us a reason to question it no matter how good the system is. In the end the price adds up because unless you choose to not store your games or not buy any games then these things are factors.

    I like the look of the system but I'm definitely waiting on price drops and the games to go cheaper rather than buying on launch.

  • guitardeth3

    Posted Mar 6, 2012 12:56 pm GMT

    Nothing Pachter says can be considered news

  • Frosty192

    Posted Mar 6, 2012 12:48 pm GMT

    I want to be an analyst, sit around and get paid to "guess" with no credible information at all.

  • Richard841

    Posted Mar 6, 2012 9:39 am GMT

    Has Pachter ever been right about anything ?

  • monson21502

    Posted Mar 6, 2012 7:48 am GMT

    i just dont know what sony was thinking on the vita. i played it up gamestop and never made me want to lay down 250 to 300 bucks on it.... i think the ps vita is about2-3 years too late. because most of us are so used to ps3/360 graphics nothing on the vita stands out. now if they made this instead o the psp go it might have had a better chance... but as of right now sonys only hope is a price drop

  • Serious

    Posted Mar 6, 2012 7:33 am GMT

    Here's what I don't understand. Everybody says that Smartphone and Tablets are the direct competitor of the the Vita. However those devices cost a lot more. When you factor in the mandatory data packages that phone companies insist on making you buy. Then you have AT&T; capping the unlimited plans to 3gb. My prediction is that as the data plans become more and more expensive the Vita will be far cheaper way to game.

  • AnGiTheGamer

    Posted Mar 6, 2012 7:23 am GMT

    Too much money and not even worth it much. Same thing that happened with the PSP will happen with this. I gues i'll still give it a chance once it goes for les. Besides that, it'll need to show me something really good and interesting to get me to buy it or even think about it once.

  • atopp399

    Posted Mar 6, 2012 7:13 am GMT

    I'll buy one when it's $200 for the system alone or the wifi edition includes a memory card for $250. They advertised this as being $250 and until I can play and save my games on it for $250 I will not get one. Screw Sony and their proprietary memory. Maybe they make a lot of money on it but I am one person they will not fool. I am sure I am not alone. They must figure us holdouts are not as numerous as the people willing to get taken for a ride.

    Until then I am happy with my 3DS.

  • awheaten

    Posted Mar 6, 2012 7:09 am GMT

    No mater how much you hate on Sony, gameXboxSpot, people will all ways love their video gaming products. Vita is a testament to that.

  • deathblow3

    Posted Mar 6, 2012 7:02 am GMT

    @SuprSaiyanRockr yeah i can help you with your question its not a freaking phone.

  • ChiefFreeman

    Posted Mar 6, 2012 6:58 am GMT

    Pachter is an idiot, and we don't give a damn what he thinks. I love the Vita.

  • System4Ever

    Posted Mar 6, 2012 6:07 am GMT

    Why are people b****ing about the price? its the same amount the PSP cost when it came out and the Vita has A TON! of features, now if you mean the overpriced memory sticks i can understand.

  • Double_Wide

    Posted Mar 6, 2012 6:06 am GMT

    The gaming industry is slumping?

  • darksiED70

    Posted Mar 6, 2012 4:49 am GMT

    the handheld itself costs just right (but could be cheaper) but the price of those memory cards will prevent me from getting close to a vita. i got mass effect 3 to help me ignore the vita for a few weeks.

  • Triton

    Posted Mar 6, 2012 3:57 am GMT

    Bought mine 3 days ago. And yes it is very expensive. Hope it turns into something great, for the price. Just not impressed with the games so far.

  • soapman72

    Posted Mar 6, 2012 3:53 am GMT

    It is a great handheld but just so damn expensive!

  • OreoPoptart

    Posted Mar 6, 2012 2:50 am GMT

    Sony it's too expensive

  • COPMAN221ISBACK

    Posted Mar 6, 2012 2:06 am GMT

    In other news Michael Pachter predicts the return of the virtual boy will smash all sales records this holiday season..... (What a tool!)

  • TheGrudge13

    Posted Mar 6, 2012 1:36 am GMT

    i would rather trust in VGCharts numbers than a word from Michael Pachter

  • EvenglareCC

    Posted Mar 6, 2012 1:14 am GMT

    What's going to save gamers are indie games. The fantastic quality in games such as Minecraft, Dungeon Defenders, Half Minute Hero ,Bastion and Realm of the Mad God are simply fantastic. As long as hard ware is available and easy to release on , I think the industry is prime for a new renaissance of gaming. Games are focusing too hard on cinematic qualities rather than run and innovation. I'm not saying I dont like big budget games , but about 90% of my most played games recently are "Indie".

  • Speedfreak_R

    Posted Mar 6, 2012 1:03 am GMT

    Nice stats, I wonder what the following weeks will do for the PS Vita, hopefully a lot better than in Japan...

  • blueboxdoctor

    Posted Mar 5, 2012 11:00 pm GMT

    I think it's safe to say that when a bundle pack comes out for the Vita (i.e. something like bundled with a memory card or game) and the holiday season roles on by - which, by the way is near when the COD comes out for it, so there'll be two popular shooters on it by then, as Resistance is coming for it in a few months - the system will be more attractive and affordable (bundles are always more alluring) to more mainstream gamers. Really, I can see the addition of COD making it very popular, and even though I'm not a huge fan of the series, it does have the whole quick action formula which is great for handhelds. Let's just wait and see how it does, maybe a price drop or bundle will be what it needs. That, and more games coming out is always a plus. They just need to find that one game (of a popular franchise) that a smart phone or tablet simply can't do (again, as much as I hate to say it, COD may be that game, which isn't a bad thing since Sony seems to have a variety of games lined up). IMO, the current problem is they don't know what they want the Vita to be, as it has a lot of kids games, but kids have the DS, so it seems like Sony has to make up their mind.

  • steelmouth

    Posted Mar 5, 2012 10:56 pm GMT

    slow news day huh? GS

  • white_wind

    Posted Mar 5, 2012 10:01 pm GMT

    I predict therefore I deserve a salary.

  • surppo

    Posted Mar 5, 2012 10:00 pm GMT

    to be fair back n the day pachter was pretty accurate but i think he's old tech now, lol

  • soulless4now

    Posted Mar 5, 2012 9:56 pm GMT

    No one gives a damn about his off predictions and neither should you, GS.

  • surppo

    Posted Mar 5, 2012 9:54 pm GMT

    if they really wanted the vita to do numbers n the us it shoulda been released b4 christmas here sales will pick up as the season gets closer just like the 3ds. that's a better prediction than Pachter, can i get his check this week?

  • nightshade869

    Posted Mar 5, 2012 9:52 pm GMT

    I have never seen this guy be correct

  • GreenReuben

    Posted Mar 5, 2012 9:21 pm GMT

    Gamespot Michael Pachter is wrong almost all the time, just don't ever have an article based on what he says.

  • blue_francis14

    Posted Mar 5, 2012 9:19 pm GMT

    Still don't know why I should pay premium price for a memory card that curbs piracy. Isn't that the reason why they sell a proprietary tech for vita to use? To curb piracy? Why are the consumers paying for something like that? What would the consumer benefit from that?

  • bakagami

    Posted Mar 5, 2012 9:15 pm GMT

    @mtait01
    that was 1.2M worldwide, this is only in the U.S. and yeah, its just a prediction. Not even sure why they are posting this article, it doesn't really say anything

  • DiscGuru101

    Posted Mar 5, 2012 9:05 pm GMT

    I want to add: I played with a Vita for a little while and was very impressed by the look, feel, and size of the unit. Now if eccentric JRPGs get produced in mass for it... I will have no choice.

Subscribe to GameSpot's YouTube Channel

Hot Stories

Newsmakers

Featured Stories

Submit News

Got tips? Send them in!

Related Game

PlayStation Vita (w/3G)

PlayStation Vita Boxshot
Not Following
Follow
Add to List

Follow for the latest news, videos, & tips from experts & insiders

GameSpot Fuse

    Related Games

    Recent News

    See All News »

    Site Blogs