Sony Computer Entertainment Europe president Jim Ryan has announced that the company will break tradition when pricing Vita games. Rather than settle on a single fixed price point for all software, Sony will instead opt for multiple price points that match the scope of the title.
Speaking at a conference in London last week, Ryan told GamesIndustry.biz that Sony wants to "take a more tailored approach" in an effort to combat the growing threat from cheap smartphone gaming.
"It's our challenge to ensure that the gaming experience that we provide is closer to that TV console experience than it is to your 69p thing that you've downloaded on your iPhone," Ryan noted. He went on to note that big titles like Uncharted: Golden Abyss will allow Sony to sustain higher, "console type" price points, but not every game may fit into that mold.
Speculation points to Evolution's just announced racing title, MotorStorm RC, as one game that might be launching at a lower price point. During a panel at Develop Liverpool, studio manager Matt Southern noted that his colleagues are still in talks with Sony about final pricing for the game, which will be available on both the PSN and Vita as a single purchase.
Current retail listings for Vita titles sit at $39.99, the same price point used by PSP games. Exactly where the majority of games will end up is anyone's guess.
The Vita launches in Japan on December 17 and North America and Europe on February 22 of next year.
