Last week, former Japan IGDA head Kiyoshi Shin wrote an article in Nikkei, the country’s leading business paper, where he mentioned that “major” publishers were cancelling their PS Vita projects to pursue opportunities on the 3DS instead. Sony, as expected, has refuted Shin’s broad claim.
Speaking with Gamasutra, the company’s senior VP of Worldwide Studios, Scott Rohde, called the quote “extremist” and “largely exaggerated”. 16 game developers fall under the Worldwide Studios umbrella, including Polyphony Digital of Gran Turismo fame and Naughty Dog, creators of the Uncharted franchise.
In fact, Rohde doesn’t put much weight in the statement at all. From Gamasutra:
“I mean, obviously, there is no way anyone could stand in front of a camera and say that all developers are changing focus from one platform to another, no matter what it is … I know many, many, many third party developers and publishers are feverishly working on Vita titles, not just for now, but for the foreseeable future.”
While the PS Vita has has a rough launch, I doubt many developers have dropped the platform completely from their line-ups. Expressed doubts, perhaps, even put a few projects on the back-burner, but abandoning the handheld altogether?
It’s too early to pass judgement on the Vita, especially as the console has yet to launch in the US (and here). It’s not like everyone chucked a Sir Robin after the 3DS’ slow start (though some publisher probably did reconsider certain projects), and it’s since gone from strength to strength. Heck, Sony’s own PS3 took its time to rev up.
I’d say Shin probably has had some contact with developers who have gone cold on the Vita, developers prominent enough that he felt confident he could go public with the news.
Is Vita losing developer support already? Sony responds [Gamasutra]
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