When Sony's new handheld launched last week in the U.S. and the rest of North America, many wondered how it would fare, due to less than stellar numbers after its debut in Japan in mid-December. But just-released figures show that the Vita's reception has been encouraging.
Sony is reporting that close to 600,000 units have been sold since its introduction last week in North America, Europe, and Australia. As Destructoid reiterates, that's units sold, not just shipped, which are numbers often used to hide sluggish sales figures on occasion. The numbers from Western countries, when combined with figures from the East, add up to 1.2 million Vitas in the wild total.
Edge, Destuctoid’s source, also reports that worldwide, Vita software sales are in excess of 2 million. Andrew House, Sony Computer Entertainment president and CEO, had this to say about the good news:
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. 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 lineup for the remainder of 2012 will have something for everyone across the globe.
Many asked if the public was ready for yet another handheld system, considering how Nintendo stumbled a bit from the onset with their latest, the 3DS, and how the mobile gaming landscape is currently ruled by Apple's iOS. This latest news is not just good for Sony, but also for those who want variety and competition in that space.
Matthew Hawkins is an NYC-based game journalist who has also written for EGM, GameSetWatch, Gamasutra, Giant Robot, and numerous others. He also self-publishes his own game culture zine, is part of Attract Mode, and co-hosts The Fangamer Podcast. You can keep tabs on him via Twitter, or his personal home-base, FORT90.com.
