Fergal Gara, head of Sony Computer Entertainment U.K., has conceded that PlayStation Vita is unlikely to shift as many units as its predecessor, the PlayStation Portable.
Speaking during an interview with Eurogamer, Gara was quizzed if the newly-announced PlayStation Slim could stimulate sales for the troubled platform.
In response, the executive noted that the market for a dedicated handheld games device has shrunk in comparison to the days of the PSP — therefore, it won’t likely push as many numbers.
“Well, we don’t think the Vita’s going to sell as well as PSP, unless we get a very pleasant surprise, so the current assessment will be it has a strong existence and a strong reason for being, but the market it occupies is no longer as big as it was,” said Gara.
“It entered a wider and more complicated world, and we all know what has happened to portable gaming. It’s got bigger, but it’s permeated many devices. It’s still a superior device, and it offers a better screen experience, so it plays a role for the committed gamer. But also it’s also a very exciting accessory to PlayStation 4, so it has a very different role to other devices. But it may not be as huge as PSP, which sold 75, 80 million units across a number of years.”
PS Vita Slim is due for release in the U.K. on February 7, priced £180.