Pachter: 3DS will live on, Vita will die slow, painful death

On the state of the PlayStation Vita:

The sales are horrible. My model says the Vita sold 4.2 million last year. It's a pretty small number and I don't think they are going to build a business selling 4 million a year -- and that number could go down. Vita is a little bit too elegant and a little too expensive. I always feel like I'm going to break it. But then it has relatively few games because they are complicated to make and the market is so small. Very few publishers are spending money to make them. You had Assassin's Creed: Liberation, that cost Ubisoft a lot. It's a whole new adventure. Sony will spend the money with their internal studios, but you're just going to see [Vita] die a slow, painful death.

It's super high-end in the market; it's too expensive for a casual gamer. I know that phones are subsidized, but you can get a smartphone for free when you renew your contract. You can get an HTC free, or spend $200 on a Vita. It's too [hard] to pass up the free phone. They are never going to get the casual end of the market.

On whether connectivity with PlayStation 4 could boost Vita sales:

I don't quite get it. First they were selling it as a controller, which was lame. I would rather just spend $50 on a controller. They were selling it as a controller because...I have to turn off the game on my TV because American Idol is on and I have to continue my session on my Vita? That's what a DVR is for, you can watch American Idol later. I think most people who have competing concerns about use of the console versus watching TV have their console on a different TV from where their wife is. I agree those are cool features, but it's limited.

On the future of Vita and Sony in the handheld market:

There is no future and they couldn't do any better [than Vita]. The market is what it is because of Nintendo. Nintendo built the market and Nintendo has the best name in handhelds. I just think [Sony] misjudged the size of the market and launched it into this s---storm of mobile destroying the casual end of dedicated handhelds. And Nintendo's not giving up much share on the hardcore side, because they have three games to every one Sony game, and they are good games.

SOURCE

Welp, looks like 3DS is doomed then.

I think the 3DS is boring and owes its namesake to bad technology. I also feel the Vita is the coolest dedicated handheld gaming device ever released by any company and it's a shame it's not selling better.

That being said, the 3DS can still be a DS and it still enjoys a really reasonably good game lineup whereas the Vita cannot enjoy those same perks. And I think it's a shame.

I don't wish for Nintendo to fail, I should make that clear. I do, however, think the 3DS is one very boring piece of gaming hardware on its own.

When will this guy just stop and get another job?

Why this guy is given so much attention is beyond my comprehension.

Just like a lot of Reviewers in this industry more than likely can't get a good journalism job, he probably can't get another job as an Analyst.

I was a big defender of the PSP. I can't think of three games I would buy on a Vita. Not a single metal gear game on the thing?

When people stop going nuclear over his quotes.

He must do well for his clients. He's been around this long.

But right..videogamers...lolz

Good point; don't feed him.

What insightful analysis! The guy TOTALLY deserves the money he gets! The Vita is doing poorly? WOW! Thank you Pachter! What other insightful tidbits will flow from his brilliant mind!? We just have to wait and see!!!

Technology only goes so far- ultimately, it is about the games, and as you pointed out yourself, 3DS wins there, which is why it does so well and Vita does not.

I disagree. Can someone make a thread about that? You can quote me.

Indeed. I do not understand how Sony has managed to fumble it so badly.

Michael Pachter:

Netflix‘s stock price could plummet nearly $200 per share within the next quarter or two, Wedbush Securities analyst Michael Pachter said Monday.

From video (paraphrasing): “Netflix’s stock may drop this quarter but definitely will during the next.”

Source: CNBC July 2013

“They own nothing and they’ve acquired nothing,” says analyst Michael Pachter of Wedbush Securities who raised his price target on Netflix to $80 from $65 today but kept his “sell” rating.

For the record, Factset data shows Pachter is one of nine analysts who currently rate Netflix a sell, while the remaining 75% analysts rate it either hold or buy and have a median price target of $213.

Source: Yahoo July 2013

I must admit to being a bit lazy. Much to my surprise, Pachter has not been “wrong” all along while waiting to be “right” on NFLX. I fell into a trap of relying on less-than-informative sources to provide information I should have sought on my own.

For the record, Pachter did not ask me to write this article. I am doing so because I want to. And because I think the guy deserves a fair shake.* Pachter simply emailed me two of his past reports on NFLX, noting that he has not always had a sell rating on the stock. Really, though, it’s about more than one analyst. It’s about an attempt to provide investors with more than drive-by reporting. Some, particularly bulls, argue that I write about NFLX so much because I want to take it down and profit. First of all, I have only been short the stock one time, via puts. And, second of all, I don’t think I have power to take it down even if I wanted to. Truthfully, I think it’s an interesting story and, based on the debate here and elsewhere, others feel the same way. There’s nothing better than being even a small part of an interesting story.

Source: Seeking Alpha writer attempting to defend Pachter. May 2011

Wedbush maintains an Underperform rating and $160 price target on Netflix (Nasdaq: NFLX) following the recent ISP regulation verdict, which is highlighted here.

Source: StreetInsider.com story with headline: “Netflix Could be Biggest Loser Following Net Netruality Decision- Analyst” January 15, 2014

Today:

Headline: Netflix Soars To All Time High After Hours On Small Beat; Unfazed By Net Neutrality

________________________________________

How does this relate to System Wars? It's Michael Patcher! And he's always wrong, so I doubt the Vita will die out soon. But I can gaurantee that this maybe Sony's last handheld device

I wish I had this guys job...

It's really obvious that the vita is dead and sadly sony is doing nothing to save the vita. I would not be surprised if it ended up in last place in terms of current gen platforms by the end of this gen.

I still think it will end up outselling Wii U, when all is said and done.

If this clown gets paid more than $30K a year it is still $29.5k too much.

Just no.PSVita already have sell 7.4M.PSVita sell better than WiiU and just beat the Wii U in sales this week.

Pachter....lol.

Hey Pachter, remember when Midway was going to have a great 2008? Is bankruptcy still a sought after status?

Where are you getting the sales figure from for Vita? Link, please.

Yeah, its a boring machine you never played :P

Maybe that will happen, but this year is nintendo's final chance to fix the situation with the WiiU.The vita is dying slowly

The Vita has already revived in Japan; Wii U is dying out everywhere.

It's up to Mario Kart and Smash Bros to sell some units and fast.

If Sony would have kept games like dragons Crown and sly exclusive to Vita itd be in a better position. 3ds is absolute garbage, friend codes suck, demo download limits, firmware issues that you cannot delete, the 3d effect sucks, internet browser is awful, the volume button is on the left side of the unit meaning that my hand is constantly accidentally turning up the damn volume, d-pad is to small, its uncomfortable in my hands, there is a small selection of demos available. Vita is better in every way they just screwed up by not giving it games that are SOLELY on the Vita. Yes 3ds has SOME good games. I bought a 3dsxl for Mario's, both Zeldas, Pokemon, and possibly Fire Emblem. Its gaming library isnt that impressive it just has more exclusives the vita. I just get tired of hearing about how great the 3ds is. The 3ds is succeeding because all of the ''kiddies'' own one. Thing is filled with shovelware that kids like. Im sure that pokemon and Mario are huge factors as well.

If Sony wants Vita to succeed they need to create more games that are solely on the unit. Dragons Crowns awesome but its more awesome on my 50 inch Samsung.....If you look at Metacritic the vita has around the same amount of good games as the 3ds does. The exclusives are the issue. BTW send me your FC I need more friends on my 3ds that arent children....................I got pokemon y

The vita is not doing that well anywere else.

If it is doing great in one territory, that's still one territory more than the Wii U is doing well in.

http://www.vgchartz.com/

Meantime the 3DS continues to outsell the PSVita by almost 3:1. Sony's going to need another price cut before the end of the year. The system has some good games, it just needs more and more exclusives. I still play my PSVita and plan on getting a couple more games in the next 2 months. Hopefully Sony doesn't kill this system. They aren't able to compete with Nintendo however. This is why Microsoft didn't even waste their money on making a handheld system.

Vita confirmed to outsell 3DS, DS, PSP, and every brand of waffle combined.

LOL VGCHARTZ

Come back when you have real numbers, please

Totally disagree and i like Pachter.

The PSP was pretty cool for a couple years though it had massive droughts in its later years.

When I see the Vita it just looks to be worse than the PSP was in its worst years which is saying a lot.

It won't get any better without a massive price drop, and some game support from Sony though. 3DS was plagued with the same issues at launch as the Vita has now, but Nintendo actually didn't something about it relatively quickly.

I love the vita. It is my third best handheld imo. 3ds isn't doing it for me. I just don't play it that much for some reason.

Who the hell is Pachter anyway (not like it matters at all)?

You're not doing yourself any favours when you're comparing sales to another failing platform lol.

Herp a derp.

Me too. Once you play the Vita, the hardware, interface, etc. in 3DS feels ancient.

There is so much squandered potential with the Vita. It really can be a handheld PS3.

another way to look at it is the Vita in 2 years has sold half what the 3DS sold in it's miserable and heavily criticized first year

Played the Vita. In fact, I own one. The hardware and interface on 3DS does not, in fact, feel ancient at all.

After the moderate success of the PSP, it's a shame to see that Sony hasn't learned a damn thing from it. The Vita has a lot of potential, but Sony squanders it.

When people stop giving attention to him. As long as people care so much for what he says, even starting a thread on SW every time he says something, he will not stop with his bullshit.

Vita is an excellent piece of hardware, with little game support, that's the problem. Sony's handhelds have always been like that. Meanwhile the 3ds is a gimmicky, outdated awkward piece of hardware, but it's getting games, it's all about the games. Price is a factor too.

Vita's remote play is a really great feature. Nintendo should have a similar feature between their next console and handheld, that way they can keep the game pad functionality for next generation but have it optional. Hopefully the handheld will have a great, single screen.

Yeah, it's a shame.

Got to admit, in the West at least the Vita is pretty much done. I don't see any game coming out with enough traction to reverse poor sales, let alone create momentum.

Extremely high attach rates will keep the Vita alive, even in the west.

yup cause we all know when patcher says something the exact opposite is the truth :p

Dead just like the WiiU. :(