Why the hell is it so hard to find the PS Vita in stores?

Does anyone else notice how the PS Vita is next to non-existent in retail shelves? I've checked multiple outlets for Gamestop, Walmart, Best Buy and Target chains in my area, and the system isn't in stock anywhere. They all have plenty of Vita games and accessories, but no actual systems in stock.

The closest I have seen a Vita in stock is at a local Gamestop, which had some used systems on the shelves (I bought mine this way). I haven't even seen the new Borderlands 2 bundle with the Vita slim available anywhere here.

I am aware that the Vita is available in online stores like Amazon and Ebay, but that's not the point. How does Sony expect to reasonably sell a game system if they can't even make it at least somewhat available in all types of outlets, both online and offline?

Does anybody have a credible explanation as to what is going on with the availability of the system? I understand that Sony has been recently marketing the Vita for games produced by smaller/indie developers in lieu of AAA games developed by large companies, but that issue only concerns the software. That reason alone shouldn't have to interfere with the distribution of the hardware...

Where do you live?

I live in Washington state (Olympic peninsula). I had to wait a couple weeks for the gamestop in my area to restock the borderlands bundle, but it was only a couple weeks.

It's dead. You didn't get the memo?

I thought I saw a few units available at the local Wal-Mart here (inside the glass cabinet). I know one of the Gamestop stores had some both new and used.

Do you really need to ask?

Oh yeah, it's selling like hotcakes.

They still have the old 3g versions new in boxes, at several gamestops here in Atlanta last I checked. I bought the walking dead bundle early last year.

@GrgSpunk:

Where? The outskirts of Nepal? Its easily found in major cities from what I read.

Same here in the UK, I went in to Game and they had to order one for me to be delivered. I bought it mainly to play my ps1 games on.

This

The stores really don't stock the system anymore BECAUSE they don't sell. Supply and demand dictates to store owners which items should take up precious shelving space and PSV isn't a seller. This is directly related to Sony going against their initial vision of the system with lots of AAA titles and turning the damn thing into an digital indie games machine and PS4 accessory.

With so many digital only games as the system's main bread and butter, that leaves little for stores to sell with the PSV and little to keep customers coming back for content.

Why stock a system that doesn't help your store gain money? The answer is, you don't.

Waste of shelf space?

Probably because they know demand for it is low (it has sold about 4 million units in 2 years) so stocking it isn't a high priority. That, and retailers buy the stock, so they want to make money off it and not have it sitting around collecting dust.

Supply and demand.

Lol vita

It's a dead platform . No one cares about Vita anymore .

The shit is dead

It was a non selling piece of junk. Then the Ps4 released and now demand is back up from Ps4 owners. So you went from a System on the brink of Extinction to a system all the people who purchased Ps4 started wanting.

Retailers started compressing the Vita shortly thereafter release. Over two years later there isn't much of a reason to allot it any space beyond the most minimal, extra space available. Around here the PSP gets more space.

this.

it just might be a case of Sony just not producing many of the and retailers not ordering them often

#dead

You live in a war-torn country ?

Here in NYC, it's the same, extremely rare in many retail outlets. It's like "where's Waldo?" over here.

What a shame, a portable with so much potential with excellent efficient hardware to work with, yet no one else is interested.

Damn Amazon, Best Buy, Gamestop, and Target don't have it in-stock online. Makes me think they've dropped it because I seriously doubt it sold out at every major retailer.

Oh look, usual suspects saying Vita is dead. How incredibly predictable.

@Shewgenja: well it's not doing too hot, especially with Sony pretty much saying they won't be making any big AAA games for it. Heck Amazon doesn't even seem to stock it. The only place that seems to regularly have it is Fry's and those are refurbs.

Eh is true though.

It's in stasis. Thing might come back to life.

@GrgSpunk: You could always order it online

They sell out very quickly. That's what comes with being the most successful handheld.

...it's not the most successful handheld. And I have a feeling they're not selling out, as much as they're not being stocked as much

With SONY being on a ROLL with PS4 it makes sense that Vita's are too.

My guess is it's a combination of both of an uptick in sales recently, and retailers not adjusting their purchasing orders to match. Wouldn't be surprising, since Vitas aren't probably on the regular stock list.

In any case I can't imagine it's a long term problem, and those wanting one can always jump online if their area has a shortage.

Seems odd though that they haven't released the Slim buy itself. And the bundle doesn't seem to be restocked

That... does seem odd. I kind of figured the BL2 bundle would be the de facto SKU for most of Summer, so not seeing it sold solo yet doesn't shock me. But looking at Amazon it looks like supply is short there as well, with all SKUs sporting inflated prices by opportunistic sellers. WalMart.com and BestBuy.com look out of stock on all SKUs...

OK so now I'm guessing this is a Sony snafu. No way all those retailers let themselves go bone dry. I assume Sony didn't adjust production runs to account for an uptick with the Slim's launch. A surefire way to kill any momentum from the new model launch is to ensure nobody can get them.

I've read some other places that the BL2 bundle was just a one time thing (kind of like some of the previous holiday bundles).

It may depend on how well it sell per Country or such, Here most Electronics stores have some.

Ironically no gaming stores have them (gamestop and such) and I assume the reason for that is that the Vita is mostly digital, so selling the system will not get the store aditional income from the continued sale of games. Just a hunch though.

So basicly no gamestop at all here Sells new Vitas, msot Electronics stores that has a gaming department stocks some.

So it may be that the Vita just Sells better here then in some other countries.

It wouldn't shock me if that was the case, since they did label it a "limited edition". I thought they'd run it for most of the Summer to drum up sales since Summer is slow going for the industry as a whole, and my thinking that Sony was trying to actually beef up sales with the new model. Of course until recently many of those old bundles were still available because of weak sales.

Whatever their intentions with the bundle, it seems pretty obvious someone screwed up. Someone better turn the factory on for a day or two and get whatever SKU they are going with to retailers ASAP.

i think Sony simply didn't make enough to meet demand. Remember, they stopped shipping the PCH-1000 to NA months ago.

I'm not saying that there's a huge demand for the PCH-2000, but Sony still didn't manage to fufill it.

Retailers aren't going to buy a system that has such shitty sales.

its probably way in the back...

you need to ask the clerk to get one for you.

Hey, I thought the PS Vita was epic fail too. Then my kids Birthday was rolling around. And hes like 10 and has always been into electronics. He's also hardcore Ps3/Ps4 Fan boy. You can access your Ps4 and play ANY Ps4 game, (Yes ANY!!!!) with this thing made it really f'n awesome. Anywhere there is f'n Wifi!

Plus, if the TV is in use he can use the Ps4 controller and play Ps4 games using the screen from the Vita.

This little son of a bitch (the system, not my kid) is bad arss. Its like the Wiiu Concept on steroids!

LOL< The bad part is I learned all this from a Best Buy Clerk. Sony has done as bad as a ob promoting and advertising this as Nintendo has done on the Wiiu.

Oh by the way I had a super hard time finding one as well, all the store clerks at Game Stop and Best Buy all said the same thing. This thing was epic fail. No one wanted it and just recently out of no where with the success of the ps4 they cant keep it in-stock.

I've never NOT seen it in stock but the Vita section is usually very poor with limited selections. Which is a shame because the Vita is a seriously awesome system. I gotta say though, even I'm part of the "Vita problem" - I dont buy the retail games and use it mostly for indie downloads.

Only retail game I've ever bought NEW at a non discount price has been Tearaway and it was worth it. Hope that franchise comes to PS4. Just an awesome world that Media Molecule needs to expand further!

1. LMAO - that was actually well done
2. However, you're a butthurt sheep, lol
3. The actress in the film, Alexandria Maria Klara, who plays Hilter's secretary, Traudl Junge, is Hot.
4. Downfall is an excellent movie, I suggest for anyone to watch it on Netflix.
5. Also Maria Klara is in the film Control, about the rock band Joy Division's front man, Ian Curtis. Go watch it if for any rock/Joy Division fans.

Nobody wants them here, so you can buy them everywhere here.

Thinking about buying one for future purposes. The console is dead but I want it more for the hardware and design than the games.