UFC Personal Trainer creator Heavy Iron Studios are not a big fan of Sony's PlayStation Vita; the developer has slated the PSP's successor off by calling it a "car wreck".
Speaking to GI.Biz, Heavy Iron president Lyle Hall said people "don't want" the Vita, as well as stating:
If people aren't willing to pay $249 for a Nintendo 3DS why would they pay $299 for Vita? People don't want to carry more than one thing in their pocket, that's why Android and iPhone have done so well, they are the devices of choice, they offer multiple functions outside of gaming.
The technology is sweet. I'm a huge fan of mobile technology. But I just don't know there's a market out there any more for the hardware. I can't see why you would want to put a device out that only does games. The consumer has spoken. We wanted to see that world exist – more players, more opportunities for us – but at the same time people don't want that. Unless there's a super technology paradigm shift it's not going to shift back.
Heavy Iron signing Matthew Seymour further added:
With all due respects to Sony and Vita, it's a car wreck. And how about Xperia Play? I'd love to pull up the numbers on that.
Hall certainly has a point; although countless gamers applauded Sony for the price tag of $249 (WiFi model) and $299 (WiFi and 3G model) for the PlayStation Vita, it's still a massive risk when compared to the commercial failure of the Nintendo 3DS. The Vita itself, meanwhile, launches in the west in early 2012, with a December, 2011, release scheduled for Japan.