The Cons
The Vita is pretty, has a lot of uses, and is pretty comfy to hold, but in today’s world it isn’t necessary. Some of what the Vita can do so well is also being done by something you probably already have in your pocket: a smartphone. And while yes, the Vita is substantially cheaper than say an iPhone 6s or a Samsung Galaxy S6 (both are over $500 brand new without a contract), chances are you need a phone anyway. Gaming on those devices keeps evolving, and it’s becoming more difficult to justify a handheld console without some choice gaming features.
So you may be thinking, well at least the Vita has some great exclusives, but that’s starting to fade as well. While the beginning of the device’s life cycle was full of amazing experiences, those games are now being brought to the PS4 where they can reach a much larger audience. On top of that, first party support has screeched to a deafening halt. The Nintendo 3DS is constantly receiving fresh, new, exclusive content from both third parties and Nintendo’s own first party studios. Stunning RPGs, fantastic platformers, puzzle games, and more grace that consoles screen on a regular basis. The Vita just doesn’t have that and has struggled because of it.
While games on the Vita are great, they are mostly titles you’ve already seen on a phone, PC, or another console. It’s become a portal for ports, and although that isn’t all bad, it makes it difficult to take the plunge and purchase a new device.
When you look at the competition’s support, it makes it seem as if the Vita was given up on, and nobody wants to invest in something that doesn’t have a strong faith behind it.
