PS Vita vs iPad Debate (Episode Concept)

[XanderDavis]

How do you guys think the Vita is going to stack up against the near ubiquity of the iPhone and the popularity of the iPad?

This would be a concept for an episode of my game design discussion show:
www.thinktankshow.tv

While touch-screens are of course harder to control than the Vita would be, John Carmack has gone on record to say the iPad 2 is about half as powerful as an Xbox 360. The iPad 3 will have a HiDPI Retina Display, double the resolution of the current iPad 1 & 2 (1024x768 to 2048x1536) and the new A6 processor. Perhaps by iPad 4, it will be as powerful as an Xbox 360.

Do you think the practicality of an iPhone / iPad with its infinite possibilities for useful apps, its flooding of games (even quality games) will make the era of dedicated gaming handhelds obsolete?

With Unity Engine, for example, you can make your own iPad games in 3D and the App Store's accessibility is far more open to indie devs than making an official PS Vita game. Does the ability to actually make and sell your own console-like games on iPad make you more interested in it?

I'm thinking of doing an episode on PS Vita vs. iPad as a constructive discussion on how each device can compete with the other and which may ultimately be the victor. I've got an iPad 2 and will be getting a PS Vita as well. Curious to see what your predictions are for the competitive future of these devices!

 

[F34R]

I think touch screen only devices can't compare with the gaming experiences you can get with controls. Compete, sure. I've spent four hours on Jetpack Joyride on my iPhone 4. I've spent even more time with Nuts!, and Zombie GS. However, I would say an experience like Killzone Liberation is much more enjoyable than the obsessive gaming of auto-runners tend to be.

I'll have an iPad 3 though.

 

[Acid Snake]

Not gonna make any crazy ass claims about gaming and the iphone. But when it comes to everything else, the iphone comes out on top. Every time.

 

[Rtc]

I don't mind playing games on my iPhone or iPad but having controls is so much better because you don't cover the screen I love both my iPad and iPhone some games are fun but not a main handheld for me

 

[Ghost]

If/when the ipad starts getting big name 3rd party devs behind it, then there is some beef to be had. However, while the Vita is getting big name games like Bioshock, Resistance, Uncharted, Assassins Creed etc, the Vita looks to have the upper hand. On the other hand, all the devices available now and those that will come are never going to have a sweeping success across all gaming demographics because peoples tastes/desires/needs from games are infinitely varied. Maybe Joe Average likes the idea of making 3D ipad games etc, but John Smith cant stand the lack of controls. I personally want 2 things from a portable gaming device: blockbuster titles and controls, and any device that doesn't offer me these wont get my support.

 

[Tutankhamun]

I think it is difficult to compare, the PS Vita will appeal to a, relatively, small percentage of gamers where the iPad is a mass-market device. As for gaming, the same can be said to be honest. One thing we can say for sure is that the iPad gaming market is growing faster than what console gaming is, and Apple is selling every iPad they can make, so it will be hard for the few game developers whom doesn't make iOS games to resist much longer.

 

[benjiro]

[QUOTE="Tutankhamun, post: 5653432]I think it is difficult to compare, the PS Vita will appeal to a, relatively, small percentage of gamers where the iPad is a mass-market device. As for gaming, the same can be said to be honest. One thing we can say for sure is that the iPad gaming market is growing faster than what console gaming is, and Apple is selling every iPad they can make, so it will be hard for the few game developers whom doesn't make iOS games to resist much longer.[/QUOTE]

The problem is, while the iPad is growing with plenty of people, it is still lacking a very crucial item: Controls ...

For some quick games, sure, you can use the touch screen. And while some games will play perfectly on a touch screen, you have a lot of "console" games, that just have a hard time to function on a touch screen.

Without tactical feedback, from pressing buttons, or moving the pad's, you end up missing part of the experience. And do not forget, the longer you game on a touchscreen, the more you accumulate sweat/grease on that spot of the screen. Not real fun experience, when you are starting to get friction after a while gaming.

While the mass public has iPad's or clone's, the amount of people that can play "consoled" games on the touchscreen, is in general not that many. Especially when talking about prolonged gaming.

Now, Sony needs to be careful with its pricing strategies. While it can still ask "big" prices for what we can call "consoled" games, when it comes down to simplified games ( that can work on touchscreen without the need for tactical feedback ), what are plenty on the iOs, they will needs to match the lower price strategy.

 

[XSpike]

PSV for gaming of course, you won't see many people sitting round with their ipad gaming it for 10-60mins but you'll most likely see people playing their Vita for a long time and even jamming online versus other players with real controls making games like CoD possible